Bottom line, which is better? I'm going to ride it hard on trails, and use it for work and hunting as well. I want the best bang for my buck. I want the one that's going to last me the longest and give me the least amount of problems. I don't want any loyalist propoganda stating which company is the best and this, that, and the other. I want the best ATV that I can buy. Period. I thank you all in advance for your time and insight.

-wood

 

The rubicon is a very powerful work macihine. Easily the most utilitarian of the bunch. It has a hydraulic transmission and lots of low end power. It also has a solid rear axle and is practically bulletproof.

The grizz and sp have irs and are belt drive automatics with a low range.

The grizz has a differential lock for the nasty stuff, and lots of low end power as well. It does have a higher cog which can be good or bad depending on your application. The grizz has had some reliability problems in the past with busted cv joints/axles, overheating and the resulting boiling gasoline. All are said to be resolved for the 2004 model year. I nearly purchased one of these machines myself.

The sp has the highest towing capacity and is the largest of the bunch. There are 2 kinds, the regular 700 and the EFI. IMO, the EFI would be a worthy upgrade as there have been no widespread problems so far and any mapping changes that occur in later models should transfer to the original. The polaris has a questionable 4wd system that only engages when the rear tires do not have full traction. This means that as you are going down a steep grade the engine braking will only slow the rear tires because the fronts wont be engaged, even if you are in 4wd. Polaris' reliabilty has reportedly increased drastically over the last few years. Belt systems and 4wd components have been beefed up and improved greatly. The first year 700 had some water pump issues that were resolved the second model year as well.

The irs will give you a better ride on the trail and more ground clearance for mud. It will result in a higher cog and therefore more body language to keep it where you want it. The rubicon is kind of in a different class as the other 2 machines. It has less hp and speed but will torque with the best of them. It is proven as a relible machine.

 

Install a Warn 424 kit on your new Rubi and you'll have everything you need right there in my opinion and for less $$. The transmission is a masterpiece, supplying the performance of a belt drive without the maintainance and worry of belt-slippage. It's a workaholic and when the chores are done, put it in 2x4 and hit the trails as hard as you please. You want the bang for your buck, this is your machine. Reliability out the wazoo.

 

The Rubicon will feel more “firmly planted” than the other two because it is smaller, has less travel in the suspension department and has a solid rear axle. The foot pegs / floorboards are much nicer on the Rubicon (when compared with the Grizzly) because they resist mud / snow build up which can lead to foot slippage problems (unless you stop & clean the Grizzly's floorboards when necessary). It also has permanent limited slip 4WD and provides excellent stability on the trails including up and down hills. Its engine braking effect and control is superb and the best of these three. The hydro drive transmission gives a very positive hookup when easing on the throttle from being stopped when compared to the Grizzly and the Sportsman (from my experience with a 500 Sportsman). On the down side it has less power than the other two and as far as long term reliability goes I’d say this is a gray area with it. If the transmission holds up then you will be OK, but if something goes wrong it’s generally a LOT cheaper to maintain a belt driven CVT transmission than it is the hydrostatic transmission of the Rubicon. I’ve ridden with a Rubicon owner since her 2001 model was new, and it has held up well for the most part, although lately the tranny has exhibited signs of power loss (like a clutch slipping). After a $385 trip to the shop for service though it has behaved better (perhaps it was a little low on oil as this is critical on the Rubicon). Other little Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word les are the oil filter is harder to get off (when compared to a Grizzly), the radiator is harder to keep clean than on the Grizzly and is more prone to over-heating (if the radiator is not clean, i.e. clogged with mud). Also on the Rubicon that I’ve ridden with, the steering would occasionally get “stiff” which required lubrication of the steering column, something I have not had to mess with on my Grizzly.

The Grizzly and the Sportsman have IRS and more suspension travel than the Rubi and will present you with a smoother ride, especially when the machines are pushed hard. This will leave you feeling less battered at the end of the day. I’d say the Grizzly would be more sporting than the Sportsman because it is about 120 pounds lighter, but the Sportsman may give you a smoother ride (certainly less vibration because of the twin cylinder engine) and would be more of a brute when it comes to towing heavy loads simply because of its extra weight and the power of the bigger engine to move it. The Grizzly has a better off-road braking system with independent front and rear brakes and will have better engine braking control than the Sportsman on steep downhills when the Grizzly is switched into 4WD (because it stays in 4WD once it’s switched in)…

 

Out of all 3 I would go with the Grizz, Had a 2001 Ruby and 2002 Grizz, can say for the Polaris but don't like them anyway. For work, way more power with Grizz and polaris and will pull way more. Just for example tied Kodiak 400 to back of my Ruby and was dragging me all the time. Tought could had been the driver, tried his... Same deal was dragging the Ruby around. Did same with other Ruby and were even, Pulled him finaly but was due to tires.

I now have a Prairie 700, I know it's not in you choice but I love it and great working horse. Pulled log and tandem trailer full of wood out the wood.

my 2 cents.

MTD

 

I just purchased an ' 04 Kawasaki 700. The critics all admit that it is among the leaders in power and speed. I bought it mainly because Kawasaki is offering 3 years free warranty with an option to buy another 2 years. 5 years warranty was the selling point for me. Good luck

 

Yeah, I would also look at the Praire 700, I heard they are good machines.

 

the grizz is an awsome work machine. one of my friends has a 150 acre farm and they use a grizz for hauling all sorts of stuff. they have never had a problem with it. plenty of power for the farm abd trails