I ran a search here and saw mixed opinions on the Polaris Scrambler, and on Google most reviews were rather positive overall.

I know nothing about this model, but my local dealer has two used ones for sale and I may just trade strait across for a motorcycle I'm looking to unload.

this would just be a play toy. I'm waiting on my house to sell to buy a big bore utility quad, but in the meantime, a fun, fast little toy wouldn't be too bad.

First, is the AWD system any good? It's auto-engage, so if you're at the mercy of the machine to decide- does it decide well?

Is it capable? I mean since it's sporty does it go well? Jump? Wheelie? With all that drive system up front, and the radiator hanging there, I can't imagine it likes to wheelie.

Is the auto tranny good for spirited riding? I came from racing two stroke bikes so on a KX250, power was a twitch of the clutch away.........

Again, remember this is just a fun knockaround machine until I get my big bore utility model.

Also- my wife has never ridden a quad before, so the notion of a sporty but auto-tranny quad that she can play with too comes to mind- but I don't want to stick her on a machine that'll buck her right off.......I have a great story about the one and only time she tried to ride my full blown race KX250......

Thanks in advance for any input on the Scrambler. It looks goofy sitting next to a YZF450, but is it a cool little machine? Is that AWD pretty cool?

 

scrammys are plenty capable.they jump ok wheelies are no problem. what kind of scamblers are they?they're on the heavy side. the power is decent not like a dirt bike but no quad has dirt bike power.the awd is auto. when the rear tires spin a 1/5 of a turn the front will engage after the rear gain traction back the front will dis-engage. go to the polaris forum and ask about the scrambler there.there's a bunch of scrammy owners in there. they can help more than i can

 

these are 500cc four strokes. A year or two old. They were trade ins, and with a trade of my own I may just get one strait up or with a minimal investment (other than sacrificing a bike that I also like) on my part.

Don't want to give up a decent bike for a dog, ya know?

but if they're cool, I might consider giving up a bike for one of these.

Is radiator damage common on them? That thing seems awfully exposed out there up front. Has frame around it, but it just looks like it's begging for a root or stump to take it out.

I need to quit doing wheelies on the street with my crotch rocket, so as squidly as it is, I do want to be able to hoist a few too, and the Scrambler looks so front heavy.

Got a link to a good polaris forum? Or did you mean the sub forum here?

 

yea i meant the polaris sub-forum on here.the thing about a scrambler is that it's heavy around 600lbs.i have'nt heard of any radiator damage.i won't say it can't happen.the only thing i heard about is the radiator fins getting clogged with dirt and mud so no air is getting through making it run hot.that happens with all quads in the mud.the 500 can be made surprizingly quick with a pipe,jets,and a clutch kit. everyone i've talked to with a scrambler loves them.it fills a niche, to heavy to be considered a sport,no racks to haul or tow gear with like a ute

 

Thanks for the help. I've seen the things for sale, but never see them out and about. There's a couple really cool vids on YouTube with Scramblers and they look like they go pretty darn well. Fast enough to hurt when you bounce off a tree.

I'm going by the place today, see what I can get for that bike and if I can pick up the Scrambler on the cheap. If all goes well, I'll give you a first hand review.

Thanks again.

 

yeah i picket up a 5004x4+its nice, every thing i did to this thing improved speed+responce up to around 70+mph,in a hurry,picked it up for $1200 trashed,$1000 later from ebyparts which will have anything you need at a nice price.

 

hi there i just bought an 2007 scrambler new leftover model i got a little over a 100 miles so far and not much of a problem beside chain coming a little loose tightened it up today but still for some reason getting a nocking noice when i turn sharp fast or let off throttle and it sits back maybe its a bearing problen in rearend i seen a review about problems with back bearings put all machines have problems i dont do wheelis put it will spin a 360 pretty easy 4wd works great had machine in water up to seat and not a problem most guys i ride with have big machines and they cant believe that this machine goes same places they dfo but watch for rear end a skid plate would be great.( bearing problem maybe from lots of water if it is that i would buy another, fun quad with 4wd best of both worlds)

 

Well I went ahead and picked up a Scrambler today. It's an 05 model, but was in good shape. It's the black one with the yellow flames.

It's in need of a tuning. It would be okay for a short time then bog and die. It came from the south at a few hundred feet above sea level, and I live at 6000. Plus it sat all winter with gas in it. I put in good gas, but I probably need to tear apart and clean the carb, and jet it while I'm there.

But I did get to noodle around with it a little. I think it goes about like a fast utility quad. It's a little faster than some mid-sized utilities I've been on, but not by alot. Probably about like a Sportsman 500 HO. It has no 'snap' to it like a 2wd with a clutch. But then I don't have to shift, which is nice. I'll take that compromise.

It certainly has enough top speed to be worrying amid trees. And it steered better than I expected, at least under power. We lose alot of power at this altitude, so it's probably more due to that than the machine itself. It might be quite the little monster at sea level.

It jumped easily. I didn't even dial the suspension in. Landed nicely, plus the seat is a pillow, softer even than any utility quad I've been on.

Once I have it sorted out, I think it'll be an absolute blast. Less of a rush than the 2wd clutch models, but I've had my days doing hardcore MX, and I'm not feeling like I'm really missing much not having the Raptor or KFX. Plus I can't wait to give that AWD a workout.