And away we go!!! Interesting comments, I thought I had been to the Polaris school of hard knocks, but I gotta say that I'm all prepaired to lay down my hard earned smack, and I'm gonna get a H.O. You can bet though I'm gonna keep my "98 450-S for the tough stuff like when the HO deciedes to do a fast fade as Polaris has a history of doing, but it is time for some forward thinking, like a big gas tank, something faster, and the neat ride, and good true four wheel drive. The Polaris will be kept in cherry condition just in case it is a piece of junk, then it can be sold, and a Ruby can take its place. Probably, most likely.

Go forth and ride!!

98 450-S
13500 + miles
stock
Blackwaters

 

I never said greasing the Polaris thing wasn't true and I never said anything about the recall being major, as a matter of fact I never mentioned the recall at all.

What I did mention was the fact that this discussion of someone's thoughts on if Honda's reliability is going downhill (Which I don't think it is..just new model growing pains), will turn into a Honda vs. Polaris topic.

Statements like the one below definitely move a discussion in that direction - "Honda has a brake problem & issues a recall. Polaris know there rear brake pads are crap but they don't issue a recall. Which company do you think cares most about its customer? A company trying to overcome a quality & reliability stigma will NEVER issue a recall unless absolutely have to."

That statement may or may not be true, but is it relevant in this discussion or is it someone's way or saying "My Quad is better than your quad, nah nah!"

SP500 in NS

 

Buy the new sportsman 500HO, it has the power, speed, and torque that you what in an atv.
The 500 engine came directly out of the scrambler 500HO and put into an improved sportsman chassis.
I know you probably don't care about speed but it can reach 65mph.
POLARIS did'nt become #2 in sales for building junk machines.

LONG LIVE POLARIS!!!

2000 SCRAMBLER 400 2X4

SCRAMDADDY400

 

Polaris is actually going the way of Honda, Even though my experience with Honda was unbelieveably terrible, I think they make a good machine. A couple recalls are no big deal. It is a result of high demand equaling faster production needed therefore attention to detail gets overlooked sometimes. Mistakes are more apt to happen when increases in production occur. If you have 50 guys making 100 machines a day then you ask that same 50 to do 175, the odds of a mistake are greater.

 

SP500,

Dude your missing the point. I agree with you on the point that almost all quads no matter who makes them have kinks or quirks to work out in their first year of production. Last year Rancher, Rubicon, Kodiak, Raptor, & SP500 (brakes) all had minor problems.

Some of YOUR fellow Polaris owners originally made a big deal about the recalls on the Rancher & Rubicon on some of the others postes on this forum a couple of months ago.

The other statement is about corporate image. e I will explain what I meant. If Polaris can ever erase the stigma off a poor quality machine or products, then they will surely be #1 in sales in my opinion. It is this stigma that keeps the uneducated people from purchasing Polaris products. They know nothing about the quads but someone told them or they heard bad things about Polaris.

Corporate image in todays world is everything. Some corporations spend millions of dollars inorder to ensure that people have a warm fuzzy fealing about them & their products.

Look at Coke, MCI, McDonals, etc, etc

Thus my statement. Polaris is trying to rid itself of the poor workmanship or reliability factor. They won't order a recall unless absolutely necessary. To do so would erase their efforts they have put forth over the last few years. This does not mean that Polaris doesn't care about the customers, if that was the case they wouldn't be #2 in sales.

Later..............

 

Snowshark,

By the way please don't take our discussion as anything more than a friendly discussion. I am not upset by any statements you have said and I hope you realize I am not implying anything about you or your views. I just find this conversation interesting.

So back to it. It is actually you that is missing the point. I am not talking about the quads at all. I am talking about the fact that the original discussion would turn into a Honda vs. Polaris topic. So the first five paragraphs don't apply to my point. The last one does.

In the last paragraph you give your reasoning behind why you made the 'Polaris statement'. That is my point, why would you turn the topic into a Honda vs. Polaris thing by saying that. This is the way a lot of topics turn out around here lately. Not only Honda vs. Polaris, but Raptor vs. banshee; 400ex vs. Raptor; 300ex vs. 400ex.

The reasoning you give for making that statement in your final paragraph doesn't fit. You say that you were talking about coporate image and mention that Polaris must care about there customers or they wouldn't be #2 in sales, but in the original statement you say 'Polaris know there rear brake pads are crap but they don't issue a recall. Which company do you think cares most about its customer?'

I think the reasoning behind using the 'Polaris Statement' is probably hidden in the second paragraph of your lastest reply 'Some of YOUR fellow Polaris owners originally made a big deal about the recalls on the Rancher & Rubicon on some of the others postes on this forum a couple of months ago.' and in the 2nd paragraph of the post previous to that 'Oh, the Polaris comment, its no worse than some of the stuff that Polaris owners say about Honda's.'

It sounds like pay back to me...

Also I am not saying your the only one does this. We all know a LOT of people do this and it is certainly not limited to certain brand owners either! I may have even done it myself! :-0

SP500 in NS

 

SP500NS,

Interesting.
As far as the brake pad statement & Polaris careing or not about their customers is very similiar to the Fireston issue here in the United States. Lets face it corporations are in business to make a buck, no matter how they do it. Do you honestly think that no one at Polaris new that the brake pads were not that good? I am sure that someone new about the quality issue but they said hey we can save this many thousands of dollars by going with this brand of brake over this other brand. Maybe in Canadian corporations have a different view than your cousins to the south. Corporation (Polaris) cares about customers however to issue a recall is undo the last few years of advertising and hard work off trying to erase the stigma of poor quality & reliability.

I looked at the recall as a minor thing. I am sure that Polaris owners who have to grease their quads up look at it the same way, a minor thing.

Yes, I am guilty of stirring the pot as much as the next guy. There are not many people on these forums that HAVEN't done this.

Will it ever end, sure when we all ride the same quad.

 

Your still talking about the brake pads, recalls and customer service. I told you I was talking about that. That is not the topic up for discussion here. I was jsut talking about the way topics go from 'Should I buy a new washer and dryer' to 'The Polaris wash cycle is much better than the Honda Rinse cycle!'

So you admit the addition of the 'Polaris Statement' was to stir the pot. You wanted this topic to turn in to Honda vs. Polaris??

SP500 in NS

 

I agree the honda 300 4x4 is quite a relible little quad,, my friend had a '88 and its still kickin,, although the fourwheel drive on it sucks,,,maybe honda should goto a true fourwheel drive and they would be better off,, also,, it does take some time to grease my zerks,, but would you spend alittle more time to ride a Cadillac?

 

Was I purposely trying to start Honda vs Polaris arguement. Here is the answer in plain english not the queens english, NO.

If the statement is not true then I would change it but it is & you know it is. Look at the Honda recall as a little maintenance, Polaris riders are very familiar with maintenance.

Maybe you are trying to start the battle her. After all you made the "Honda Vs Polaris" in YOUR statement. Do you have a hidden agenda?

I suggest that it is YOU trying to stir the pot. Maybe you were disappointed that the Rancher recall was not something major so that people could gloat.

Go have a beer & chill out.