Hey Polaris500HO4x4, I was wondering how you like your Sportsman.

I'm going to be getting a couple of quads(was only going to get one to begin with but what the hell). One is going to be an 05 Rubicon and I was thinking of also getting a 05 Sportsman 500. Would you recomend a new one? If not I'll get one of the new 500 Foremans.

I had an older Sportsman(99) and it was evil incarnate, all I did was work on the thing(all small annoying stuff, nothing major). I liked it's ride but I didn't like all of the small wrenching I had to do. It was a good bike, but I was always tooling around with little things which I found bothersome. Have they gotten better as far as the little things?

I want to make sure that I don't have to keep after it so often because I can be a lazy SOB sometimes as far as maint work(that's why I love hondas hehe) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img].

 

my sportsman has been very good to me... i put mine through hell and back ever ride... 1500 miles in 7 months

to tell you the truth i really thought that it was gonna be more problems then it has been... zero! lol only has 3 greese zerks too which is nice

i havent had my belt replaced yet but i did get a dayco HP when it was new still doin good on that... oil is expensive for this machine also
from my personal exprences i would recommend a polaris to you great power band from low rpms to high rpms, nice awd system, nice plush ride, alot of ground clearance.... and ive heard of Sp having 6000+ miles on them

one thing i really dont like about my polaris is that it vibrates alot at lower rpms, and the racks vibrate and u need to put some rubber washers in there to keep it from doin that

all and all i think u would like the polaris but u cant beat the reliability of a honda

 

Charlieborg --

Look if there is a punchmark after the last number in your VIN.

Write down your VIN and private message it to me.

I will advise you what to do from there.

It may be as simple as re-initializating your ECM.

----- Gimp -----

 

hey crblick u should throw up a post down on the polaris forum

im sure u will get some positive feedback on what the owners think
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

05rancherdude,

I don't know if you are still having the clutch problems, but if you are I would listen to gimpster. Make sure you are running the correct type of oil in the machine. If the oil you are using does not contain the correct additives, it could definitely cause problems with the clutch. The clutch is the main reason that you can't just use any type of oil in the hondas. I would stick with the honda oil myself.

 

fairfax6000 I've had two oil and filter changes in the 6 months by the dealer so I'm hoping they used the correct oil. I brought it back to them for the sticking clutch problem, since the last time I posted here, they kept it a week and said everyone of there "technicians" drove it and it shifted fine everytime. I brought it home, backed it down off of my truck put in 1st easily but couldn't get it into 2nd at all. I had to drive it straight to my shed, all the way in 1st gear and parked it, and it's been there ever since. I am so disgusted with Honda, their "technicians" at the dealership and their service, and I WILL NEVER buy another Honda product ever. The excuse that I was given this time for the "so called problem" as the dealer put it, is "I'm not reving the rpm's high enough to be able to shift it". He rode it in front of me to show me how to shift, and he revved it SO HIGH the engine was screaming really really loudly. I've ridden with a lot of people and have never ever seen anyone in their right mind shift like that. I've never seen anybody rev their engine that high for any reason, let alone everytime they shift. Thanks for replying to my problem. There are so many nice people out there, too bad some of y'all don't work at the Honda dealership.

 

Yep, just did it three weeks ago when I first got it. Oil level is good on the dip stick too. What on the transmission decides when to shift? I was hoping there was a adjustment somewhere?

 

The ECM takes readings from the throttle position sensor, speed sensor, and ICM, to determine the shift pionts.

That is where reinitializing the ECM can help. I takes a new baseline setting from these sensors, and stores them in its memory. Once the correct info is stored in the ECM, proper shifting can be obtained.

----- Gimpster -----

 

So how do I go about resetting it if it needs it?

 

Charlieborg,
I'm looking to buy a new ATV. I have been looking at the Suzuki Eiger 400 Auto, the Honda Rancher 400AT and the Arctic Cat 400 4x4 auto. I noticed that you have a Honda and and Arctic Cat in the family. I am really leaning toward the Arctic Cat because of the features you get for the money and you get a 2 year warranty. Has your son had any problems with his?