Trying to decide

[deepportage01]

I did look at rincon but it did't have a low gear whats with that! I would have bought it if it had a low gear. honda say's that the rincon dosent need low but you know as well as I do every avt should have a low gear you never know when you will need it maybe only 1 or 2 times but for $7.000 it better have one.

[mark n]

I wanted to add the fact that I don't here of many people smokin their belt on a Polaris, unless they get water in the housing #1 or #2 try to work it in high.

working a honda like alot of Polaris's I've seen would certainly break axles and transmissions.

thats my unbiased opinion...

[LMITOUT]

I haven't experienced any issues with cold starting on my Grizz. Full choke and hit the start.

It does vibrate a bit though. Must be the big 660 single. Makes it a bit tough to see the GPS that I have mounted to the handlebars when riding and it's zoomed out while trying to get onto a waypoint.

I was told that a new belt is included in the Polaris tune-up kit or recommended at the first scheduled tune-up. Can't say I can confirm this, just what the dealer told me and I don't find it that hard to believe. Makes you wonder....

[deepportage01]

Iam not sure if its the belt that is smoking or all the belt dust in the case. there is a vent but it dosent seem to get it all out. we were both stuned buy how much was in there. Thats why I'm not sure if the belt goes out just from normal wear or if when the case gets to full of dust and that eats the belt I'm not sure.I just want to say that we run hard with our avt's disc,wood hauling,pulling bobcats/tractors out,and even the truck when it gets stuck.we are not nice to any of them and I dont think it maters what brand you run when you just pain beat on them all day long you are going to have a few things go wrong and the guys we run with just happen to have polaris and honda so if we had other brands I'm sure they would fry belts to

[jltimm]

Another thing to consider is the belt drives on the wheeler.The polaris's belt system is like a snowmobile,the belt gets grabbed alot by the pulleys when you give it gas, where the Yamaha and Suzuki's belt is constantly spinning.It is hard to explain in words for me so if someone who can type fast and explain this can chime in you could clear this up.

[pikechaser]

i believe suzuki/yammy/kawai..etc..use cvt type auto tranny/....constant velocity something...better design than what Polaris has....belts last longer, perform better, and much less likely to have "Smoking" issue's

[LMITOUT]

Yamaha:

Industry-exclusive, fully automatic Ultramatic® transmission is the most advanced drive system in ATV-ing. An automatic centrifugal clutch maintains constant belt tension for reduced belt wear, unmatched durability and confident all-wheel downhill engine braking.

[LMITOUT]

I quickly looked at some of the other manufacturer's websites but they all have different names for their tranny. Tough to say exactly how the rest of them function just by those descriptions.

[Woodsy]

I too am looking at purchasing an ATV in the near future. I want one that can haul lots of gear back into the woods and I want to use it for food plots and some trail cruising and like you ice fishing. Basically I need my machine to work more than play so I am going to get an Arctic Cat. I want the ground clearance not only for the backwoods but snow and mud too. They come with a 2" receiver hitch standard and the MRP racks have endless uses. I see now Arctic has a three point hitch system for farm implements also. Don't let the ATV magazine articles fool you. Its funny they say they are going to do this test of the big utility quads and pick a winner so what do they do? They line them up and drag race them??? HELLO! that is not there intended purpose. They put so much emphasis on top speed its not funny. I'm not concerned about top speed I want mine to work.

[Johnny_Namakan]

I just had to post this for all the Polaris bashers to see: I was reading a certain #1 Selling ATV magazine this weekend, and had to post a couple quotes from the editors. This issue happened to be the buyer's guide issue with every make and model listed with stats and editors pro's and con's. This quote was regarding the Sportsman 500 HO: "If you've never riding one of these before you'll never understand why Polaris sells so doggone many of them." Second quote about the machine: "This machine comes with a list of features that every other manufacturer is trying to copy," it goes on to list these features. As someone stated earlier, Polaris is always at the forefront of inovation. Polaris owners are always trading in so that they can have the newest features. They are like the Taylor Made of Golf. Taylor Made brand golf clubs releases two new models of each club each year. So if you buy a TM driver in the Spring it's already been replaced by a new model in the fall. It's a marketing technique that works. It keeps you wanting to buy the new model. But that alone doesn't sell machines. Quality keeps them coming back. It got the military to buy tons of these, altered somewhat for it's uses in combat scenarios, for use in Irag and Afghanistan. You can buy the military model for a pretty penny. One guy over there hit a land mine with his Sportsman and he and the machine survived. I can't remember the whole story, it happened over a year ago, but it was impressive to say the least.

[LMITOUT]

It's one thing to say you're first at doing this, that and the other, but it's another to perfect it. Being first doesn't mean much in my book. It's who gets it right is where my dollar goes.

You see a manufacturer that doesn't change much for a few years and wonder why don't they have the latest and greatest? Well, because it works and it's proven.

I'd rather have a technology that's a few years old and been around the block a few times than the latest doo-dad that gets replaced by the end of the year with another "first in the industry because our last "first" didn't work so well".

Sometimes I wonder if the reason they sell so "doggone many of them" is not that people are moving up to the newest model to get the latest features, but rather hoping it's better than the last one they owned....

[deepportage01]

if you have ever seen ATV-TV on the outdoor chanel for the first two or three years polaris would not give them an atv to test, why we don't know.the guy Doug who runs the show is very smart when it comes to atv's he know's every in and out in the atv world. the point being he dose not "bash" polaris at all he just tells the good and bad of every avt and when you have to push an over ride switch for the thing to go in R,one lever braking for all 4 wheels some like this and some dont. only rear wheel motor brake? well when you look at other brands and they dont have these proplems on there atv's for the same price it make a guy think twice. I'm not trying to bash them at all just tell the good and bad. if polaris had 2 brake levers for front and rear and all wheel brake when you went down hill and no over ride switch for R, I would have bought one.

[pikechaser]

Yes Ive ridden the "legendary sportsman".. numerous times and as always my decision to NEVER OWN ONE is reaffirmed....all I can say is they are the most over rated ATV ever built...the reason they are constantly updating is to correct their many flaws....i dont see any manufacturer out there trying to make a 800 pound garden tractor on wheels and calling it the greatest atv ever created...

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[Dave]

I think some fail to see why Polaris introduced one lever braking. Do you have two brake pedals on your auto? The theory was an easy to use ATV for anyone who wants to ride. Whether it's right or wrong would be up to the consumer to decided.

There's no reason to hit the override button to go in reverse either, unless, you want high speed reverse. A safety feature. One that, again, is up to the consumer to decide on whether they like or not.

Only rear wheel motor brake?

There's race vehicles that use a drivetrain brake rather than brakes at each rear wheel. Theory, drum brakes at each wheel would fill with mud/water and reduce the braking power. Easy brake replacement. Increased braking power from disc brakes. Again, consumer choice on what they feel is better to buy.

Polaris obviously shook up the ATV industry with its ATV line and technology. And still does. I don't think anyone can argue that. Now, there's so many features on so many models and sizes of ATVs, from all manufacturers, it's a consumer's benefit to have such competition. I don't think anyone can argue that either.

[deepportage01]

Dave,I hope after this topic is over there are no hard feelings I mean we both ride atv's just diferent brands.Anyway, one lever braking???? why not have 2 one on the right and one on the left and one for front and rear brakes I dont know man it just kinda seems cheep not cuting edge technology to me but thats just me. here is a direct qote from atv tv, "with qorks only a polaris owener could love". Oh, and Wade would you buy one aready and when you do please post what kind ya got and lets speed it up a little bit before somone gets into a ford/chevy lets race thing.

[Johnny_Namakan]

Direct quote from an atv site.......:

"After some Special Forces personnel shipped a quantity of stock Sportsman’s to Afghanistan, representatives from SOCOM (Special Operations Command) arrived at the Polaris Factory in Minnesota with a wish list, wanting to know if Polaris was interested in building them a special ATV for Military use. Working closely with Polaris engineers, a special purpose-built ATV was conceived and constructed for the U.S. Military’s Special Operations Command. After building a number of these vehicles for SOCOM, a light bulb went off. Why don’t we sell these same vehicles to the public, minus the parachute and roll cage/gun mount? And so the MV was born."

[Dave]

deepportage,

Personally, I don't care what brand anyone rides. I ride many brands I'm just trying to explain what Polaris' thinking is, since I hear things straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

As I stated, having one brake lever is easier for all riders to use plus, it saves cost. And, Polaris believes in it. Isn't that a manufacturer's #1 objective, saving cost to produce? Now, add another brake lever. Do you really think Polaris sales would boost from that? I don't think so. Not even worth the trouble to redesign.

[JohnMickish]

I have to chime in here on the one lever brake idea. HONDA came up with it many, many years ago on it's goldwing cycles. The theory here is that 99% of the riders out there cannot get maximum braking with two different controls so they came up with one, like your car has. So, unless you are in the 1% of the riders you to would do better with one lever. I would have to believe that 99% of that 1% would be pro riders that do it for a living.

[Macgyver55]

One thing to remember on machines with two brake controls, is that on 4x4 ATVs if you are locked into 4wd its basically a moot point. The differential locks front and rear together so no matter which brake you use (front or rear) you will still be braking both ends.

[deepportage01]

ok, maybe I'm the only one who likes to whip a donut with the front brake on its fun.and what about sliding though a corner with just the rear brake on. It just gives me more of a sport feel when we trail ride[we ride pivate property]if you go into a corner with all wheels locked up none of them are doing the steering it hard to exsplain but I hope you guys get what I'm trying to say

[JohnMickish]

Without creating another thread on the braking of ATV's, that is the great thing about the choices we have. Some machines have the features you want and some have the features other people want. Nobody is wrong in how they do it. For my riding I don't really need speed, I basically want a small 4WD tractor so the integrated braking would be fine for me. I don't have it but it wouldn't be a make or break (so to speak) deal on whether I was going to purchase that machine or not.

[mark n]

I like my Polaris. Its comfortable, reliable, and fun.

Trail riding on a bike with a bunch of gears and levers will eventualy distract, right into a tree.

[CHOPPERTHEDOG]

I drive a Dodge and ride a Honda and a Kawasaki (not at the same time , of course)......

I must really be messed up...

LOL

[Macgyver55]

You just might be messed up....I remember when you drove a Chevy and rode only Hondas. Those were the days......

[CHOPPERTHEDOG]

Thanks for your help Mac.... LOL

I'm outta here, gotta go catch a fish or 3.

P.S. Going riding on the 5th, possibly Nemadji???