I'm thinking of trading in my Wolverine on a Sportsman. I'm looking for something with a little more power, softer suspension and wider for stability. I ride mostly on the sand dunes. Is the Polaris going to be as dependable my Yamaha? Thanks

 

If you want nice suspension and good power for sure go with a Sportsman. As far as reliabilty Polaris might have a bad reputation but there sure are a LOT of people on this forum that swear by them, myself included. I've got 1350 miles and around 126 hours of trouble free riding. My Scrambler I had before had 3 years of being riddin hard and put away wet and a guy in town still has it without problems. I don't think you can go wrong

 

I still have a BIG smile on my face when I am on the trails with my Sportsman(when wife's at home)..............Even though it was not trouble free(ECM) it still was no money out of my pocket yet!!!...........I am happy with my two SP 450's...................Caper..........

 

i just got mine tonight...

It is amazing in the mud and stream. My old jeep on 31" mudders got stuck where the sportsman 500 EFI just drove through...

however, speed and acceleration is slow... not sure if it is just mine or not, but no power for a wheelie, and getting to 50 takes 1/4+ mile.... no speed demon... i am going to check with my dealer to see if this is how they are... i'll let you know if you want to know though...

erick

 

They are over 720 lbs.!!!!!!!....They are not a sport quad...........You sound like me when I first bought the quads...........I drove snowmobiles!!!........Did you?..........Big differance in acceleration!!!!!

One squeeze of the thumb on the sled is more RUSH than the Quad...That's for sure...........

They are a Utility Quad and that what I wanted so I had to adapt to it!!!!!!......Caper........

 

so no wheelies?

i know our old 300 utility could do them, but my new 500 cannot... i found that rather stranger...

and yes, i drive snowmobiles and dirt bikes...

my friend said that he had a 300 lb dude on the front of his 600 sportsman and he picked it right up... no problem... and thats only 100 cc's more...

 

If you wanted to wheellie you bought the wrong machine! The Sportsman is a utility quad! Should've bought a Outlaw or Sport quad. 52mph sounds about right.
In 05 they changed the Sportsman and made the front heavier to keep it on the ground.

 

52mph sounds off for a SP500, A 450 Grizzly, 500 Foreman and 400 Eiger I ride with will do 50mph and I fly pass them on the long wide logging roads when we all have the throttles pinned for miles. My dads 97 Sportsman 500 can do 50 easily and its not even a H.O. Did the EFI depower the new 500s in some way?

I can,t get a wheelie either, it just spins and fishtails the rear end before the heavy front end will ever come up.

 

The Sp 450 will do about the same..........52-55 mph is all I can get!!!!!....Caper..........

 

Well, I did it. I traded in my 450 Wolverine for a 500 EFI Sportsman. I can't believe how much more power it has. I can't wait to get out and really ride it.