Well I finally broke down and went to see the local Polaris dealer today. I have been a loyal Honda person for 15 years but I want a machine with a really good ride and Polaris seems to be the only one. I loved the look and feel of the Boss. It felt like the kind of atv I could ride all day and be comfy.
The hard part is that I have heard Polaris bashed for its dependability for so long it leaves me a little uneasy to buy one. Can any of you TB owners out there tell me how your machines are holding up and what your likes and dislikes are? Has anyone put the EBS on? What about a front rack or speedo? Please respond so I can rush out and get one. Thanks!

 

BK

I have had mine for 6 months and love it. I have taken it on 8 hour rides over rough terrain and really have appreciated the plush ride. It is no Sportsman 500 with IRS, but way more comfy then a lot of the sport bikes out there. Plenty of front and rear travel. Durability is top notch. No problems at all. It is a really nice running and sounding engine. I really think Polaris did a good job balanceing features and cost. The chain is easy to adjust as well. My only complaint is top speed. 44MPH is a bit slow, I really think they should have been able to get 50MPH out of it. The engine never really sounds like is working very hard. Even with a low top end the acceleration is very good. For utility, hunting or woods riding top speed is rarely an issue anyway. Shop feature for feature and it is hard to beat the Boss. Polaris quality may not yet be at Honda levels, but it is very respectable.

325

 

One thing I know for sure, they are slower than erosion, so if you have thoughts about hauling butt down trails, stop it right now. Also, this year seems to be the year for them to spit off the oil line and blow the motor. This has happened to a friend of mine's twice. He's had it almost two months, one week it's been in his posession. The dealer said that this is happening quite frequently.

 

The 325 Trailboss was our first Quad just a year and a half ago. It is a great entry level quad with big features at a great price of $3000.
This was my 11 year old son's, and with his weight it scooted along pretty well. I bought a 325 Magnum and could not keep up with him and the rest of the gang.
Then he blew the oil line. I fixed it, and we traded it in on a 425 4x4 EXP for him. I bought a Sportsman. We kept the 325Mag for an extra. But we all liked that Trailboss.
Silly Later, Fourlix

SP500,425EXP,325Mag

 

BK

I bought a trail boss in April for my wife, but I ride it occasionally. First, the oil line issue should be a non-issue. Polaris redesigned the oil lines on the new machines and is refitting all the older machines for free. I have not got my machine in yet for the retrofitting (damn dealer).

Performance - The machine does its best on tighter, slower trails. On these type of trails, you will be able to hang with about anything. Get into open areas, and the scramblers, ex's, and other sport bikes will leave you behind.

Reliablity - I have not had any major problems. My rear brake wore out pretty fast and the lower steering stem bushing is wearing out, but Polaris improved these on the 2001 models. I had the master link on the chain give me problems, but was more of the result of hitting a rock with the chain and not the machines fault.

Overall, for the $3,300 that I gave for it, it has been a great bike. Like others said, it is a great starter machine or a good machine for anybody wanting something for just putting around. If you are thinking about serious trail riding or are wanting to keep up with other riders on sport bikes, you may want to look at the scrambler.

Hope all this helps. Post any questions that you have.

 

I ride with three Trail Boss’s they are good bikes. They are slower that my Trail Blazer but when on the trail they stay with me. If you look at my link, I have some pics of the Trail Boss doing some fun stuff.

 

Try putting on 26" rear tires it will give you a faster top end,more Ground clerarance and better traction.It's a 325 2wd it will have no trouble turning them and the T-Boss has lots of wheel cleararance to spare by the looks of it.

 

The T'Boss I was referring to (blowing motor from oil line coming off) was exactly one hour old, this was on a brand new machine a month ago.

 

BK I've had my 2000 t-boss since feb and i really have no complaints other then i have to replace my sterring stem bushing and allready replaced my chain (my fault) i ride with a few 2-strokes so yes speed can be a problem but when it comes to the mud i am usually the one pulling them out and also i am the only one with reverse so while they are trying to get turned around i am sitting there waiting As for top end i found out yesterday at the local drag races mine will do 49 mph in 1/8 mile we have been using it to tow a 69 camero and has not missed a beat

 

How much did it cost for the mods you did? Could you tell a pretty big difference? What throttle response do you get with the clutch kit? Do you have to use more throttle for takeoffs etc?