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Posted by: OffRder15
The Polaris has better tires stock. That's less money spent. It is a hard choice to make. I think the Grizz is an awesome quad, but there was always something in me that wanted a Sportsman...but that's just my opinion. Like I always say, test ride them both and if you're still not sure, buy from the better dealer. You cannot beat a good, friendly, reliable dealer.
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go with the yamaha. polaris have a reputation of non reliability, and a lot of maintenance.
Yamaha isn't exactly the most reliable manufacturer either.
Posted by: ftwflh
If I were you I would go with either a 500 Sportsman or a 450 Kodiak.500 is a great machine and the specs on the 450 look great too.
Posted by: GreatCanadian
It makes me sick to hear people saying honda sucks because their reliability makes them a boring machine....i don't say polaris sucks because they're unreliable....i think polaris is one hell of a great performing machine...great ride, excellent 4wd setup, lots of power.....but for the mechanically uninclined people like myself who have no time for maintenance, it's just not the right bike for me....i want a gas and go machine....if that means that i lose a little in the performance area, then so be it...it doesn't mean that honda sucks just because you don't like it....it's people like you who contribute nothing to this forum...you think nothing matters only your opinion, and no machine is good unless it is like yours....puke...polaris is a great bike for you...enjoy it...don't blame ya there...honda is the right bike for me....don't insult my intelligence by suggesting that the money i spent was on a machine that sucks.....grow up.....there are lots of great bikes out there....and some are more reliable than others...most of the polaris machines don't fall in that category let me tell ya.....there are exceptional performing machines out there.....honda doesn't fall into that category....(maybe rincon, but i have never rode one so i don't know).....honda is a great work bike...rides like a tank, built like a tank....but more bulletproof than most others.....seems that the more reliable a machine is, the more it loses in the performance area...so which do you want....it's a choice....if someone doesn't make the same choice as you, it doesn't mean they made the wrong choice.....doesn't make them an idiot....only an idiot would suggest such a thing.
Posted by: GreatCanadian
Maintenance is more than greasing.....adjusting clutches....replacing waterpump....replacing belt in the middle of nowhere....last friday night a riding buddy had to do that a -19 Celcius with a windchill of 30 below....don't go there....you will try to justify your brand....there is no need to do that....it suits you...not me....if you don't mind it....go for it....i don't want it.
Posted by: GreatCanadian
Still don't get my point....this is friday....i will be working until 9:00 tonight....i am working tomorrow until 5:00 pm. that's in addition to my regular 9 hour a day 5 days a week....so when i get the chance to ride, i don't want to have to spend any time at maintenance...and you are right, i do have to do some....HOWEVER, some brands let me do less....so that's what i want.
Posted by: ATVmadman
a lot of my friend ride polaris, and they take very good care of their machines, but they arent reliable, and all they have had is trouble with polaris. i have kodiak 400 and love it. i like how it is sporty enough to have fun on, and still good for utility.
personally from what i hear and what i have seen polaris are crap, and i would never buy one.
Posted by: ATVmadman
go with the yamaha. polaris have a reputation of non reliability, and a lot of maintenance.
Posted by: BigBadScrambler
The Polaris 4x4 does work in reverse. You have to push the reverse override button in. Or if you are lazy like me, you override the reverse override button which means you dont have to push the button in for 4x4 in reverse, and it eliminates the reverse rev limiter
Posted by: 2000IAWarrior
well sometimes you wish you had a bigger quad.. and sometimes u wish you had a smaller quad.. well since u live in norht english and i live in williamsburg,, i suggest dont a a pileris they are nuttin but trouble i would acctually get a honda rincon rather then the grizz or a p650...lots of power and ground clearence so.. you dont get stuck in snow
Posted by: lostone1413
Hi Go for the gold I have both the ATV's you talked about the 500 Sportsman and a Yamaha Grizzly both 2003 and over 500mi on each no trouble with either one so go with the best deal all is said and done one is as good as the other Chuck
Posted by: wisconsinrider
Polaris vs. Yamaha
Well here it is. I have a polaris 500 ho and a kodiak 450 , I've talked to people who have had the
sportsman 500 and also have owned the grizzly, I like my sportsman 500ho and would diffently
buy another one ; but the truth is Yamaha builds a much better machine. I would get the grizzly
and be done with it very nice ride. My kodiak is just plan cool I love it and it dosen't even come
close to a grizzly.
500ho my ride
kodiak 450 ( girl friends)
Yamaha Breeze ( sons toy )
Posted by: carver
since honda jabed' first, buy the sportsman! honda's will make you drull like you never have. there to scared to push the envelope. they know that if they build a series of quads that break, there done. honda builds quads in the hope that they won't break, never! the end result is an extremely boring quad! take a look not only at polaris, but others that can provide not only reliability, but a great deal of fun & the same time! my personal opinion since about '92, honda sucks big ----!
Posted by: scramxman
I agree. A Honda is probably a good choice. I think if you are looking for reliability in any kind of bike, the Hondas have definitely got it. This may spark controversy with many, but I think it is the honest, proven (over many years) truth. As you can see, I ride Polaris. I give respect though to the bikes that deserve it.
Posted by: keats
In the process of choosing between Yamaha Grizzly and the Polaris Sportsman 500/600. I'm looking for reliability and of course the best buy for the $$. But, do I really need one of these "big" cats? Would it be best to start out with a smaller version, i.e., Kodiak, Eiger, etc? Or, is it best to buy one of the bigger/better units now and be sorry later that I didn't? Primarily going to use it here at the lake where my parents live and at several of the nearby ATV riding sites. Thanks for your help and/or suggestions!
Keith Allison
keith-h-allison@uiowa.edu
Soon-to-be-new ATV owner
Posted by: mehaffydr
Keats, I just bought the Grizz 660 about two weeks ago. I did alot of research on this forum and talking to owners. My buddy has the polaris 500 and it has been fairly trouble free. I chose the Grizz because of the locking front diff. Also the polaris 4-wheel drive doen't work in reverse. I got my Grizz brand new out the door for 6000.
Posted by: OLI600
some poeple dont like the fact that they cant perform regular maintance on a machine.people talk about maintance like its a bad thing.just because you have to take an extra 5 min to grease a few zirk fitting doesnt maen its the end of the world,you can get it all done while the oil is draining.people who say they dont have time for this dont make time for it,get out of bad an hour early on ride day or what ever you need to do.the more maint a company takes away from the owner the more that owner is dependant on the company .if you have time to ride you have time to grease.
Posted by: OLI600
i'm not trying to justify my brand or start any problems i just think that any body who rides or drives any sort of vehicle is going to have replace ,adjust,or repair something along the way some sooner some later.you make it sound like adjusting a clutch or replacing a water pump or changing a belt is an ereryday thing. things are going to happen and if you ride in -30 then it will happen in -30 even to you, no matter what you ride.some things have less that can go wrong and thats good, all i'm saying is no matter what you ride you better be ready to do some sort of wrinching and more times than not its going to happen on the trail and if you cant handel doing it in cold weather maybe you should ride on warm days,it probably gave your buddy a chance to warm up.they all get you where you are going.have fun
Posted by: OLI600
thats cool, i can totally relate and respect that and try not to work to hard. and for anyone who thinks hondas are boring because they are reliable have never riden a CR 250 or 500. some of the most reliable dirtbikes ever and defenatly not boring.i grew up on bikes , this is my fist quad.
Posted by: 74Tx
im with carver on this one. honda has a never break atv but polaris is (in all of my riding life) pritty much the same way but with more persanal fell to the ride. i bought my Magnum 425 new and tne only thing i dont like about it is the chain drive.
Posted by: Cesil
true, but on all 2003 and 2004 polaris, they all have the new "low matience*"
Posted by: polarisrider2000
I have a polaris, this is my third. I had a honda recon for 9 monts and decided to get something bigger. Honda is a great machine. I prefer the ground clearance of the sportsman. I grease my quad about once a year and change the oil once a year and that is it. I pull heavy loads with my machine, (pickup bed trailer full of wood, pulled an f-350 down the road 35mph to try to pull start it, and anything you could imagine). I pulled heavy loads with my honda, just felt guilty about the way i was treating it, it was a very reliable machine.
People have problems with all machines, some more than others. I have put 2000 miles on my 2000 with no repairs. The other two polaris's I had were the same way. They are just as reliable as the other machines.
Posted by: lovemud
I've owned two poaris atv's a '99 explorer and a 03 600 sport. They both have a perfect maintenance record. neither one has stranded me or let me down in any way. The 03 600 has lubed for life bushings which means no more greasing, thats a plus, All I have to do is check the fluids and ride. As for performance ? well, my 600's a match for most anything on the trail- it's more of a "who's the more experienced rider". The best advice is ride-em, and pick the one you like.
Posted by: steveye
hi folks i have 2 polaris 2002 sportsmans one for the wife and one for me,love em.
no problems thus far. i hear alot of comments about the weight differece,sportsmans
might weight more but the heavier they are it will be more stable than the lighter 660
grizzly, so i feel safer o n the trails. another thing ill bet i can tow heavier things with
my 500,s thants my opinion. this is my first time on this site.its very nice thanx steveye.
