No faith lost in the AC or any AC for that matter. Having owned one, I still consider it one of the best built machines there is. I rarely ride my Honda, but I still consider Honda far and away the best built quad. I can't consider the Magnum because the IRS is the thing that draws me to the Sportsman. That and a combination of other things are the only thing that would warrant me trading. Ground clearance with my Claws on it would be incredible. I would get a Grizz over the Magnum sheerly on the point of speed. I don't see anything to my own personal advantage with the Mag other than maybe a little extra speed over the AC. I still don't care for Autos. Just preference. The semi independant rear end finished me with straight axle quads forever. Its either Sportsman or no trade at all. I ride the Cat with the semi- ind. and then ride the honda with a straight axle and the Cat is so much more stable its not even any contest.

The only thing really is just fun factor. It think I would have more fun with the Sportsman, and the extra maintanence isn't any big deal. I think I may even get bored not doing anything to my AC other than changing fluids.

you have to remember that I go throught this dilemna every year and never trade. Maybe after 3 times wanting one, I may actually get up the nerve to get a Sp500. Reliability always veered me away in the past. We'll see.

 

I've never GPS'ed a Sp500 so I don't know first hand what it does. I do know that from everything I have ever read, it is faster than most. I've posted that question several times over the past year on the polaris forum and normally get GPS answers from 55-58. Thats enough difference I'd say. Reliability is always in question, but I have no problem with maintanence. I can grease something and not be pissed for having to do it. You're talking to a guy that won't let anyone else change his oil because he doesn't trust them. I dont mind doing the work. It kinda fun if its not 105 degrees outside.

 

Bahnerman:
Very sorry to hear about your brother in law. Sounds like the GPS really saved his butt. There was a story a while back about a guys mother who had an accident and the GPS saved her too. I didn't realize they were only around $150. I'd say that's a small price to pay for the insurance they'd give for cases such as these. Hope everything worked out OK for him.

Irichard:
I did go to or through Soldotna when I was up there. I thought Nikiski sounded familiar, but wasn't sure. I do remember Soldotna though. Didn't spend much time there, probably just to have lunch or something. My aunt was so excited we came, she threw us in the car and drove us around for nearly the entire 7 days strait we were up there. Saw so much country in the short amount of time we were there that I really don't even remember what everything was. It was beautiful up there though. And, you are right, I too am worried about what would happen should Gore get elected. I'll definately be doing my part to make sure that doesn't happen come voting time.

 

Andy,

I can relate to the 105 degree statement, We're about the same here in KC & I won't even think about going riding in this weather. The only way to get my ATV fix is to think of ways to upgrade the Cat or to read the forums 2 or 3 times a day. I CAN'T Wait for fall!!!!!! Lance

 

Andy
First off i will say that i have been around the forums for quite some time now. You seem to always provide a honest and unbiased opinion. I always look forward to a post by you.
Now that said it seems you have liked the SP500 for quite some time now and you always list the same reasons for not buying one. Now going on what i have seen from you in the past i dont think the reliability with polaris would be an issue for you. I think you are mechanicaly savy enough to keep a Polaris in check so to speak. What i dont understand is your problems with belt driven autos????????. I had concerns about the autos befor i got both of mine but i will say now that if you maintain them and keep the belt housing secure they are killer. I will also say that you really need to ride one for more then a day to see the advantages. Granted Polaris dosent have as nice of a trans as Yamaha does but it is still nice. I think you should bite the bullet and go for it (and to be honest i hate polaris).
I am starting to think that the Polaris reliability issue is just as dumb as the Grizz overheating issue. But my main point was that i would bet in a weeks time you would love an auto. To be really honest a AC500 would suck watter in the motor befor a properly sealed SP500 would get its belt wet. Well it sounds like you really want a SP so go for it. All the outher stuff is just minor concerns. Well good luck

 

hello Andy,

I have to tell you about some things I have learned with my Magnum 500. I am like you, I used to own a '99 Kawasaki Bayou 4x4--with a limited slip front end. The thing that really bothered me, was when I would be ditch running ( sort of our version of swamp running) I would turn to get out of the ditch, my outside wheel would get traction on the bank, and then the good 'ole 3 wheel affect would happen. So, I started paying attention to other quads, went riding with some Sportsmans, and thought that the Polaris AWD was just what I wanted...

To make a long story short, I got a '99 Magnum 500 for the simple fact of the extreme technical situations I find myself in every once in a while. The Sportsman IRS is nice, but it is unpredictable in off-balance situations, where a solid axle will respond the same every time and in a consistant manner--never once could I get the same results from the IRS taking a SP500 through the same spot, different times.

Well, with that said--on to the AWD system, for straight on forward traction, like mud, it is great--just as any locked axle would be. The reason I thought I would write this post (which I hate typing, I am just a lurker on these message boards) is to tell you that in technical climbs, or steep dirt banks, or anything--I prefer limited slip--why? Because of the simple fact, the AWD system will not engage until the rear wheel slips 20 percent-and then it will engage with a jerk to the front wheels since you are under a steady throttle, going easy on the throttle.

I am here to tell you that it can be very frustrating, because once you rear tires slip to get the front ones to pull--you are pretty much hosed anyway. I am assuming our description of "technical" being the same, your definition could be different than mine.

I have since sold the Magnum to my father, which he has had a couple of things go wrong with, but I am not saying that it would not have happened to any other brand. I have since bought a '00 TRX400EX, now technical sections are a breeze, I can go places any other 4wd would struggle at. Not including mud (any anything associated with work, which I live and work on a family owned cattle farm), which is the reason I am looking at getting a new '01 AC500 4x4, the differential in it seems to be the same caliber of the Traxter, a progressive locking diff, which in my opinion is the best comprimise for the polaris AWD and a locked axle. Another big thing is the AC has good 'ole mechanicle levers to engage and dis-engage everything, no electronics to pray that will work. There is a whole list of reasons I am looking at it even over a Honda, but I wont get into that here. My biggest problem is trying to get myself to invest in two ATVs, since I dont want to sell the EX.

Good luck with what you decide-- I think you and I are the same in the manner of being satisfied with what you have is a hard thing to do.

Later,

Billy

 

I can understand most of your points here, but the one thing that gets me is the 400EX thing. I don't see a 400EX doing anything in some of the situations that I am talking about other than flipping over or losing traction. I've found places in the woods that a Warrior is useless in compared to my old Honda 300. Basically, its too rough and steep to be able to use the high gearing and the clutch in. You can't build up any speed, at least not enough that you don't flip over before you get to the rougher stuff. I'm looking at situations that are basically for a 4x4 utility other than a 2wd sport quad can go in. Understandable about the reliability of the electrical stuff, but I'm still set on the sportsman. I think it will be more fun to ride, though less reliable than my current quad. Still though, I do excellent maintenance on my stuff, and I am particular about where I ride so I won' tear it up. Unless I get a lemon, I'm pretty confident that a Polaris will last me a good while.

 

Yeah, I understand the situations you are talking about, unfortunately I can not explain what I mean--I would just have to show you.

Some people that ride around here don't believe me either, until they go riding with me. There is something to be said for light weight, low center of gravity and superb suspension. I could try to type it out, but it would not do any good unless you see what I am talking about.

When it comes to situations that are just traction only, such as mud, or different kinda of creeks--then the EX is completely out of its element, but when it comes to maybe a vertical step up ledge--it will go up things that none of the other utility ATVs here will go up, no matter what brand they are. I know it is hard to understand, thats cool-- I get that all the time here.

I still think I like the '01 AC500 over the rest of the field, and the bunch of guys I ride with have about every brand available, and they do lots of comparing--to say the least!

 

Yama- I appreciate that comment. I do try to give my unbiased opinion, and if it is biased, I try to state that. I can't stand bragging, and I hate to be guilty of it myself. Guilty concience or whatever. As far as the sportsman goes, I'm set on it now. Just a matter of selling the AC. I didn't understand the point of the AC getting water in the engine first, but thats beside the point. Here is my breakdown of why I don't like the automatic.

First off, I like gears. Thats that. Just a preference thing. I like to shift. Like the geared effect for downhilling both forward and backward. It seems to give more control. I also know about the water vs. belt thing. While it is not as bad as long ago, it still does happen on ALL belt drives. Not a problem though I don't think because I don't just go out and try to drive through ponds. I've had the AC up to about probably halfway up the airbox, and that was just fooling around to see how deep I dared to go. Not a problem with everyday riding and I'm not worried about it. Belts do break though, and I think that sucks, but I would most likely carry a spare at all times so I wouldn't be stuck somewhere. Not a problem. I don't like the lag time of a belt and several other things, but I guess to have a sportsman, I'll have to accept these things. I think I can do that.

Basically, it looks like in the near future, I will own a sportsman with a belt drive, and though I would prefer a manual, I think I will be able to live without it. As far as reliability goes, I still will continue to consider Polaris to be the worst, but I don't think that will bother me. I'm not abusive, and I will do maintenance. Any problems that I might encounter will most likely be if I get a lemon. The odds are against that though it does happen. I'm with you on the Grizz overheating thing too. I know they get uncomfortably hot, but as far as actual overheating goes, anything will do that, and I don't know that the Griz is really bad about it. It just gets hot. I got my AC hot in slow rock crawling today to the point that it wanted to die. It has liquid cooling that the grizzly does not, and that didn't seem to be any difference there. There are a million nitpicky things on every single quad that a person could single out as "bad", but a lot are blown out of proportion, and don't come up except for certain instances and situations.

I still look forward to getting the Polaris. I did some donuts on my 300 today. Things that you can't do on a full time 4wd. Its little things like that which influence my decision to switch. The Sportsman is capable of all the technical stuff that my AC can do, plus it has several fun features that the AC doesn't. At first, I was against the plastic racks, but seeing that mine aren't even scratched after 2 years, I see that I never haul anything so why should that matter. The U-joints that were on the sportsman when I first considered it are now CV joints and are't near as likely to go out. I've never had a problem with the ones on the front of my AC. Brakes and steering are better, and I don't know that I ever considered them bad before so thats a plus. I love the headlight setup on the Sp500 and the ride is just as sweet as it always was. Basically, if they had the Sportsman in a 5-speed, I would never have had any indecision, but they don't and I'm still going to get one. If it turns out to be unreliable, then thats just my downfall. I'm ready, just have to sell mine first. When that happens, I hope they pop out a metallic colored HO because I don't know if I could wait. The old regular green color has always been fine by my standards.

 

I can understand you to some extent. There are places that it is very easy to take the 300 honda over, basically because of the weight of it and the more compact size. You can maneuver it easier and you can move it around by putting a foot down, but traction is the thing that does it in. I scared the hell out of myself the other day up above the house. There is this major rock garden (a bunch of rocks in an uneven place) in the woods at the corner of our property at the base of a hill. I go through this every now and then on the AC for the fun of it. Well, I took the honda through here just for the heck of it, and surprisingly it made it easily. I did drag a few times but not too bad. Then I started up the hill through the woods. This isn't a trail either. After maneuvering uphill between trees I came to a steep loose spot between two small trees and thats when it lost all traction. (I have done the same on the 4wd AC here once before too- it started 3wheeling and it took a few runs to finally make it) I spun out the honda and it got turned sideways on one of the trees. The brakes are crap on the 300 and I couldn't lock the parking brake to get off and move it around. I finally locked the brake and got off holding the other brake. Then I pulled it off the tree and slammed on both brakes hard while I moved around to get back on it. Backing it back down this mess was an adventure and I finally made it out by going back the way I came. This is the type of situation I was thinking of when I said Utility quad situations. A sport quad would have bottomed out and possibly broken a chain in the rock section. At the top, anything without 4wd would have lost traction due to the fact that you can't get a run at the loose spot. Actually, I think you could have made it up this on a 400ex, but you would seriously risk flipping over due to the rocks and roots on the hill, plus, at the speed you would have to get going, you could also easily hit one of the trees with the inside of a rear fender. Needless to say, it would be an adventure on any 2wd. I didn't have the ***** to try it more than twice, and both times resulted in failure and a scary downhill backing session. I do, however, understand what you mean in several circumstances.