Mag500 asked... "Why does the foreman get its but kicked in every shoot out they are in in dirtwheels magazine?"

Good question. When you find the answer, then ask why the Magnum 500 got its butt kicked by the Honda 450's (both of them) in ATV MAGAZINE's "400cc+ 4x4 shootout".

 

BOG HOG,yes ,I think your right about the Grizz and Kodiak being switchable 2wd-4wd.I dont think you'll have a true 4 wheel EBS lock while in the 2wd mode though.I think it'll be just like the Polaris when it's in the 2wd mode,meaning I think you'll only have EBS in the rear only.Someone correct me if im wrong.---BILL

 

Hey Bill,

Yeah, I agree. I would think in 2wd mode you would only have rear ebs as well.

Happy Trails!

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Steve "Bog Hog" West

Honda 300 4x4 - Gordonized, Powered and Vamped

 

Ok guys, didn't mean to offend anybody, but you guys really have to listen to yourselves.... You say the only reason to have a atv is to ride it, well then you would want a quality ride. One with a plush suspension, a 4 wheeldrive system to get you throuch the stickiest mud, a tight turning radius, etc.. That would be the polaris not the honda. Also you say you want a 4 wheel drive to work not go fast and play.... how about both, and when you way THAT it really makes no sense when, like I said before, the magnum has more rack capacity, towing capacity, hitch capacity, etc. It is a harder worker AND player!Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings. I;m just saying it how it is. Maybe the old polaris' were less reliable but that says nothing about todays atv's. And you all know that. Seriously though, for all the extras you get on the polaris models it would have to break down every other week to make it compare (worth wise) to the foreman.for what I do I must have a top of the line atv that can do what I want it to do when I want it to do it. And that is way way more important to me than resale value. AND I don't know about you guys but where I live when we resell our atv's the polaris' are worth just as much if not more than the hondas.why are they better.... give me some facts instead of opinions. In some places they think kaws' are the most reliable, some suzukis, some yamaha's, some yes that's right folks....... POLARIS!RIDE THE BEST, RIDE POLARIS!

 

I have ridden every brand and I can tell you that every quad is as reliable as the care that its given. I have always taken excellent care of my ATVs. My 96 Trailblazer has been the most reliable of all the quads I have owned. I have seen junk Hondas, Polarises, Yamahas, and Suzukis all from lack of maintenance and abuse.Its not worth it to fight over which one is better because they are all good and will last for years if taken proper care of.

Greg
96 Trailblazer

 

In defense of Mag 500 what he didn,t tell anyone was why he was over here in the first place. Reason; He asked a simple question about his Quad over on the Polaris section, I answered it , well as often happens someone(in this case one of your fellow Honda guys) sticks his nose where it doesn,t belong and promptly insults Mag and myself,Well I in a fit of rage type out a piece of work of a response which consist of questioning Mr.D.Page,s Ancestory.As soon as I posted it I realized what a mistake I had made and I deleted it. I would imagine Mag 500 came over here looking to blow off some steam and defend his fine machine. Oh and by the way That guy is still over on the Polaris side bashing on Mag 500 and the rest of us who ride Polaris would some of you please come over there and get him before I have to go to his house AND CUT HIS PHONE LINE SO HE WILL SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Kevin Gowdy aka Kagey 1999 Polaris Magnum 500



[This message has been edited by Kagey (edited 11-08-1999).]

 

Go get um kag!!! pround of you,said what I was going to.just cool down I see them capital letters I know your about to blow a gasket.That D Page character is probley some young kid that doesn't even have a quad.And is a blonde on top of it!!!!!
LATER COB

[This message has been edited by corncob (edited 11-08-1999).]

 

I hate to see someone get ganged up on with a ton of rebuttles such as Mag500 has here, but I have to say that everyone who posted in response had a real good point to make. Bog Hog said it as good as it can be said. As far as rack capacity, remember that it is claimed rack capacity. If your front rack is rated at only 100 pounds, then why is it that you can sit on it and it won't hurt it a bit? My AC has the highest rated rack capacity of any of these. Is that a major selling point? No. Who cares about 10-20 lbs. written on a warning label. I don't think I would use that as a point of reference if I were dumb enough to compare my quad to a honda. Another biggy here. Plastic racks. Absolutely turned me off of the sportsman. Sure they have good points, but try flipping the quad in a mess of rocks or rapping the side into a tree. At least you can bend the steel racks back or reweld and paint over them. A word of advice, the plastic racks are not a very good thing to be using in an argumentive statement. Only kawasaki followed suit on that one. And that guy that said he just like to ride his and not work on it. That was a good statement. If your passion is fixing your broken down quad, then become a mechanic. The guy with the 84 250 probably had a trx 200 or an 85 250 though, because they didn't make the fourtrax 250 until 1985 or late 84 when it would still be considered an 85 model. He had a good point about its reliability though. Far and away more embarassingly better than the track record of any 1980's 250 trail boss. Can't really say anything about it being a first quad thing either, cause the 85 fourtrax was a first year quad itself. Main point, anybody arguing that Polaris is the most reliable bike is wasting air, because there ain't a whole lotta people gonna buy it.

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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*

 

Mag,
I can understand anyone wanting to defend their choice of a quad. Notice the word defend - this doesn't mean you do this by insulting others. I'm sorry if there is somebody else out there bashing Polaris - I have no more tolerance for one than the other. But - two wrongs doesn't make a right.

Exageration does not help your case.

Don't claim opinion as fact - there is a difference.
(i.e. FACT - The 500 Polaris Mag (647 lbs) is 73.8 lbs heavier than the 450 Honda S (573.2 lbs - Note these are "claimed" dry weights)

Opinion - The Polaris is harder working - You don't know this - nobody could show this one way or the other.

You talk as if the Polaris is the only real quad made... Corncob suggests that since the Polaris forum has more posts, that makes the quads better... Number of posts do not in any way relate to quality of quad.

Mag, I grew up on a farm - have spent many, many hours repairing and maintaining equipment. I am fortunate enough to be able to get any quad I want. I don't want to spend time doing a lot of maintenance. I looked at all that was available at the time and made my choice. Bottom line - there is NO perfect quad - there is always another feature that another quad has that would be better. Also, don't assume everyone rides like you do. The perfect quad for the way I ride, would not even be close for those that ride the dunes. If you think your Mag is the best quad for you, GREAT! I think mine is pretty good too... but it can be improved.

One last thing - About Polaris reliability - I'm sorry - but Polaris can't claim the reliabilty of Honda. Does this mean all Polaris's are bad? NO, Not at all.

I ride with a club of about 50. All ages, All brands and models of quads. Only quad that had to be towed out of Marengo swamp - Sport 500, only quads that have ever needed repair on any of our rides in the past 2 years - Polaris. This is not hearsay or opinion - I was there. Only quad I have ever seen that had to get a new trans - 6 month old Sport 500. BTW - there is one in the paper here with 197 miles on it for $4700. Not exactly great resale.

I really don't care what kind of quad a person rides - we are all just trying to enjoy the outdoors and have a good time with friends.... Even some good natured competition every now and then

Just don't try to force your quad on others - If You can point out it's good points, you have to be mature enough to point out it's faults. Don't exagerate capabilities. i.e. Just because one has "more" clearance - Doesn't mean the other quad has "half".

Let's worry about other things.... Like when we will get to ride again

p.s. Who is this D.Page and what thread is he bashing in?

Also, I think Trailblazer makes a good point about taking care of your quad.

Thanks Andy - nice post as well.

Happy Trails


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Steve "Bog Hog" West

Honda 300 4x4 - Gordonized, Powered and Vamped



[This message has been edited by Bog_Hog (edited 11-09-1999).]

 

Steve; You may remember Page as the guy who posted on this Honda column under the topic "Home made madness" Read it and you will see that this guy in either a mechanical genious or ,well something else??? The topic Mag 500 started on the Polaris side was titled"EBS Help" He asked a very simple Question , I answered it and Something very similar to whats going on here started ,only much worse. I like you ride, well I may as well be honest I am the leader of our local ATV group and also the resident wrench when we ride. I can relate to the breakdowns, I cannot single out any paricular brand as consistantly worse than others about breaking I have fixed them all on the trail but there is one Quad in particular that I always seem to work on on every trip out it seems, I will be glad when the guy gets rid of it . It is a Foreman 350, Don,t see many of them around any more. This Quad hates water it will quit running at the site of it. We have broke them all swamp riding takes its toll no brand is immune. True the Hondas are the best built at the moment but the other manufacturers are closing the quality gap while in their haste to introduce new models Honda appears to be slipping a little so the gap seems to be evening out some.

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Kevin Gowdy aka Kagey 1999 Polaris Magnum 500