guy, reading your posts, your inquiries are welcome to the Forum. You seem to inquire honestly for information; I hope the responses you receive are helpful.

However, framing a question as you do on this topic, is a Sportsman 500 or Grizzly "better," often produces more heat than light.

First of all, you don't describe the purpose you intend to use the machine; the answer could be different based upon the context. Exagerating somewhat, which is better, a Ferrari or a Peterbilt diesel? Depends upon the application.

Second, the notion of "better" looms as a most subjective notion on this Forum! This topic, growing from the post you phrased initiating it, likely will evolve into a flame war, pitting Polaris vs. Yamaha partisans, proving nothing beyond the posters' passionate advocacies.

My recommendation, read the quad specifications and the quad reviews accessible from the ATV Connection home page. Read the ATV magazines. Visit dealerships and read the manufacturers' catalogs. Go to the riding areas and talk to the owners about their machines (believe me, they'll be GLAD to discuss this subject with you!).

In other words, do some homework. Then, with some idea of what you want to do with your ATV, and some background information, pose any legitimate SPECIFIC question on the Forum. The Forum readers (and I, if I can contribute), will be glad to try to answer your questions in a way useful to you.

Otherwise, the broad-banded, open-ended question you pose likely starts the "my quad's better than your quad" circular arguments.

I could be wrong. Monitor the following posts and see! Best wishes in finding the ATV fitting your needs, purposes, and desires.

Tree Farmer

 

Better?Depends on individule perspective.I checked out both quads before making up my mind on the Sportsman.For ME,I like the IRS,AWD system,liquid cooling,and ride much more on the Sportsman than the Grizzly.Ask someone who owns a Grizzly and you'll maybe get a differant answer.Perhaps the above mentioned options on the Sportsman mean very little to someone else,while to me,they hold alot of ground.Is mine Better?Depends what BETTER means to differant people.===BILL

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Bill, I tried responding to you before, but the post disappeared! Guess I was edited by the Moderator (or messed up trying to post).

Anyway, I congratulated you on your excellent response (although you somewhat disprove my premise!). You listed the tangible, observable features the influenced you choice, without saying your judgment speaks for everyone.

How would you rate reliability, durability, and dealer and factory service, support, and warranty fulfillment?

Tree Farmer

P.S. Sorry, couldn't resist! You already know how weak I am!

T.F.

 

Well Tree Farmer, we both know the things that I've been thru on ''MY'' Sportsman.It's reliability[though it has never left me stranded] is very questionable at best.The service department at the purchasing Dealership was horrific.They incorrectly repaired many things.Durabilty?Not very good.Warrenty fulfillment was non existant until the word LAWYER was used.Overall,until just recently,I've been very dis-satisfied with the above mentioned issues.What keeps me a Sportsman fan?I personally know many owners that are completely happy with their Sportsmans.None, to very few problems, with their purchases.Im really stuck on what my next 4x4 will be.While the Sportsman offers all the extra's that ''I'' find nice on a 4x4 quad,I can never forget my head banging experiences with my dealership and Polaris.Since I've had the Sportsman back,it has fulfilled my expectations of a new quad.Will it stay that way?One can only hope so.Good Day===BILL

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Which one is overall better and why? Thanks

 

Tree, good reply to 'guy' and excellent tutorial on how to post in this fourm. Being relatively new to this forum and in the market for another atv after many years, I have appreciated some of the information I have gleaned and advice I have been given.

It is unfortunate that on this forum some people are so easily offended and others so insensitive. It's at a level I have not experienced on most other forums I have visited, though does appear on some. Sometimes I think monitoring the posts on this forum would make an excellent case study for a college psychology class.

I appreciate your efforts to moderate. It's unfortunate posters, especially new ones, have to be so careful how they phrase questions, but that seems to be the way it is. Hopefully it will get better over time.

 

WELL to get back on the topic of the quads not how to post... I don't have a "hat" in the ring as far as either bike is concerned.... but about 3 weeks ago I went to a yamaha dealer to pick up a friends Wolverine (he blew it up....long story) anyways when we went back into the shop 8 of 11 bikes in there were grizzly's. I don't know if they were having a special on servicing them or what but I would definatly talk to some owners about there opinion on them. As far as the sportsmans....from what I've read they have came a long way in quality and realibilty in the last couple of years (hav'nt heard to many bad things about them lately) Good luck on your decision and I hope you enjoy whatever bike you decide on! just my 2cents



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Brad <a href="http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bcj001">MyFOREMANes</a>

99'FOREMANes, 26" BUGS, Maier full chasis skid plate, A.P. bash plate and stick guards, winch, supertrapp ids, K&N, dual snorkel, and a jet kit, yea buddy..

 

Guy,

I only have experience with the Sportsman 500. My uncle, whom I ride with frequently, has a Sportsman 500. I would echo every criticism of Bill's regarding their reliability and the dealership/factory backing of their product. My uncle went through 3 belts within the first 120 miles. The dealership blamed it on "operator error". After the dealership fixed the belt for the 3rd time, my uncle inspected the work himself, only to notice a cracked plate. The repair bills still have not been settled to his satisfaction yet by either the dealership or the factory.

That being said, my uncle purchased a 2nd Sportsman 500 last month. He absolutely loves them. The IRS on them is hard to beat.

Tree Farmer is right. Do your homework, talk to riders, read the posts, and buy one that's right for YOU. Good Luck!

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