I am thinking of upgrading my wifes ATV. She currently rides a Honda Sportrax 250EX. I think she is ready for something a little bigger with better suspension.

What are the pros and cons of independent rear suspension?

My main ojbective is to get her something that will give a plusher ride so she can keep up with the family easier. She doesn't want anything too big. My current first choice is the Polaris Sportsman 400. My only concern with that model is the weight and possible reliability issues I have read about. My current second choice is the Bomb Outlander 400. I have been limiting my research to independent rear suspension, but is that a wise thing for my objectives?

Any other mid-class machines I should consider?

 

IRS- Pros- More ground clearance.
Little easier ride.
the quad stays a little more level on side hills.

Cons- More to go wrong because of cv joints, rubber boots and pivot points.

The straight axle has a little sportier ride and has less to go wrong.
The down side is a lower ground clearance. (skids [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img])

The Outlander is a good quad. One negative thing I've read about with some is boiling gas and melted plastic in really hot climates. (kinda like the grizz)

 

I would never ever ever put the Polaris in any category of not being reliable. Thats crazy talk! (lol) No seriously - I live in Polaris country. On a public quad ride of 40 - 35 will be Polaris. We spend time every year in grizzly bear areas in Montana and I put my daughter on the Polaris knowing it will get her out with or without me. No - my 500 HO has rolled six times, gone through the ice and been buried in swamps to the fuel cap. Its always run.

Do some test riding. I found the 400 Polaris to be under powered - but very easy to steer. When faced with the same issue of upgrading the wifes quad - we decided to buy a 2up TRV and ride together. That was a better decision as I think its safer with her riding together with me.

My Neighbor had a Bomb 400. Sold it on Ebay - it is approprietly named in IMHO.

Good luck

 

Go for the Sportsman 400 or 500 you (she) will love the ride and I have never found reliability as a problem.

 

Sorry guys, I have to say that the polaris would be a little too heavy for his wife to move around, even the 400. What size is she looking for, a sport/ute or a ute. Yes the IRS is a little more cushy, but that all depends on how you ride them also. You should consider a Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Artic Cat in the 400 range. All of these are a lot lighter than the Polaris and would be easier for her to move around. I am not saying the polaris is a bad machine, but just a heavier machine. Have her ride a couple of them and see. By the way, The Artic Cat is probably the best cushy ride, but it too is kina heavy.

 

From my internet studies I really like the 2005 Polaris Sportsman 400 or 500. I like the built in storage boxes, for one thing. But the weight does scare me. The low weight (349 lbs) was the primary reason we bought the Sportrax 250EX. It is nice to be able to pick up one end and swing it around. The Polaris is more than twice that weight!

The 250EX really is too small for my wife - she is 5'11". But she likes the 250 because it doesn't intimidate her. The bigger machines scare her. She has never ridden one - and if she did she would probably instantly love it. I can't stand riding the 250EX because it pitches back and forth too much - it is really hard on my back. I want to get her something that will give her a smoother ride and allow her to keep up with the rest of the family better.

I definitely want something with racks. That has been one of my biggest regrets about getting the 250EX rather than the Recon. We do trail riding almost exclusively, and we are always wanting to carry food and extra clothing. I also want a 4-stroke.

So far I have been limiting my search to IRS machines. Is IRS worth it for my wife? Or should I open up my search to include other models that may be lighter or have other advantages. This may open up the possibility of picking up a used machine too.

 

IRS or SRA, they are both pretty smoth nowadays. The IRS is a good system and helps with ground clearance, but if cost is a problem, go with the SRA. 5'11 is a pretty tall girl, and she would problbly love a Kodiak or a honda 450. I have a 03 Kodiak that is a SRA and it does not ride that rough. It doesn't ride as smoothly as the Grizz, but the grizz is also heavier. The articulation of the IRS is nice to have on tough terrain, but it is not that much different than SRA. I would say keep your options open and have her help pick one out, Kiss up points for later. Dealership reliability is also a good thing to look at. How are the dealers in the area at backing up their product? And I am not talking about the salesmanship, I'm talking Maintenance, workmanship, honesty, etc.

By the way, The Polaris 400 is 725 lb dry weight where as Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Honda are all around 600 lb or under.

 

All of the ones youre considering are autos, rubber band drives. Theres a difference in how they behave, over 5 speed manual shift quads. She should get some seat time on a few, of them , if possible. The disconnected feeling, of engine reving unrelated to rear wheel speed, she might not like.
For 05 all the Kodiaks are IRS, and they seem to be more stable than the grizzly, part of it may be due to lower to the ground.
Not all IRS are equal, most are double a arm, but the outlander is a trailing arm, and it has , to me, a better feel for the road.
As far as Polaris being big and heavy, ya....but i sure see lots of women driving them around, and the heavy makes for a smoother ride. Its only when you get stuck, that weight is a negitive.
If you can, have her ride a polaris, it has the best ride, and see if she likes it or not. Have her gas it and brake it, so she can feel the pitching, for and aft.
You may want to consider the rancher 400, its a SRA, but still has a good ride. Its a different type of auto tranny, and feels really planted even on side hills, and this maybe is what shes needs to feel ,to keep up with the pack. If shes a timid driver, shes probably not gonna like the IRS, and the floating feel of one.
Bottom line, have her drive a few different quads, both with and without IRS, thats the only way to be sure.

 

edited by ATV Connection moderator

Please stay on subject

 

i own an outlander 400 there isnt a quad on the market with softer suspension.ive owned 7 4x4,s in the last 5 years this is the softest ride.and the irs is very simple in design compared to any other irs setup.the polaris irs is very comfortable so is the artic cat but nothing as plush as the outlander.thats the truth.