The problem with the old Wolverine is that it is fill time 4wd (easily fixed with a Warn 424), and the differential is an old school open design.

It does however have a proper manual transmission, unlike the foo foo automatics that you will find on so many of todays machines....designed for the mindless public out there who can't even muster enough talent to shift a transmission.

 

Thats pretty well any Utility ATV. Honda is not know for long suspension travel even on there new Utility ATVs.

 

I think any sport 4x4 is going to have some heft to it. I loved my Scrambler too death and could go more places than my friends on there raptors. At a slower speed yes,but thats nothing some performance struts could'nt fix. Infact if someone offered me a nice used 400 right now I would probably ****** it up in a heart beat. I personally don't like the 500 because I'm a diehard stubborn 2 stroke guy at heart.

 

Honda thankfully marches to a different drumer! They keep the center of gravity low for greater stability, and even though they have less travel, they make the most of it.

Other manufacturers give you long travel, because they know that is what will sell to the inexperienced and unknowing public.

 

Thats true, there is a point where longer travel suspension is a handling hindrance not a advantage any longer.

 

sounds like the word of a polaris non-owner/hater right there
besides looking at your list of bikes , none of them must have" a properly handling chassis" for all situations huh? but the scrambler eliminates the need for a special quad for each terrain its already good at everything just not great at anything

 

I hadn't really thought about the extra suspension travel being a problem, but I suppose it could be. I'm a huge fan of breaking the rear end loose and blowing donuts (my honda had a warn 424), so I guess its something to think about. Reconranger mentioned the open front diff on the wolverine, but don't most older 4x4s have an open front diff? I'm also wondering about the scrambler's 4wd system. I've read that its only all wheel drive and only kicks in when it detects rear wheel spin. Anybody have any comments on this? Does it work as well as a true 4x4 like the wolverine? I watched some clips on utube of scramblers in the mud and water, and it looked like they were having some trouble getting the front end to engage, even though the back wheels were spinning.

 

I ride with lots of guys who have Polaris quads, and we trade off now and then so I know what I am talking about. One of them said that I make riding technical terrain "look easy"....well it is on the right machine! In nasty off camber situations, they fear to tread where my Rancher goes!

 

I ride with a bunch of Scramblers, and have put in a lot of saddle time on one of them that a Honda buddie inherited from his uncle. We figured what the heck, a freebee quad so might as well ride the crap out of the thing before he sold it off! Ergonomics were terrible, and the suspension was nothing special. The on demand 4wd system was especially a pain in really technical terrain, becasue the rear had to slip a lot before the front would ever engage. I would describe it as something cobbed together by some sled guys, who didn't know much about how to build something with 4 wheels....

 

1/5 of a turn? the back wheels only need to spin 1/5 of a turn b4 both front wheels engage , unlike your little rancher that at best spins 3 wheels when you actually need 4wd , i've ridden several brands too including the rancher 420es LOL which i feels is a decent entry level quad but nothing special, especially in "technical terrain"