Hey all,

Does Honda have anything out that I should be aware of? I currently own a Polaris Magnum 500 and its been nothing but trouble. Its my third Polaris and my first two were virtually trouble-free. I most likely will get another Polaris but I hear a lot about Honda reliability. I am looking for an ATV for moderate mudding, hunting, trail riding, and light utility.

And please don't bash me for owning a Polaris. I am a buy American kind of guy and they have generally done well for me.

 

<< Hey all, Does Honda have anything out that I should be aware of? I currently own a Polaris Magnum 500 and its been nothing but trouble....And please don't bash me for owning a Polaris. >>



We don't have to bash your Polaris. You did that all by yourself in your first three posts at the ATV Connection.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Out of curiosity what type of problems have you experienced with your Magnum?

 

magnum guy.......I have rode a magnum and polaris's have alot of good points and they give you really good muscles in your arms [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I have a honda 4X4 and I cannot tell you how they made the steering so easy but it is incredible. I would take a good look at a rancher (350) or if you wanna keep your power go to the rubicon (500) or foreman (450) you can take the foreman 450 S model out of 4 wheel drive but its still an automatic shift tranny. Also something about polaris's and honda's that I have noticed is protection against water. I have rode a trail boss, sportsman, magnum, and scrambler and they all let water shoot through at an angle under the steering collumn and right on your foot. I must admit that is an impressive feature but so far my honda has been protective in the water. hit it as fast as you want. Anyway if you don't know the basics on the rubicon which may be your best bet since its a 500 and all...it is able to be in 2 different automatic modes and even in an electric shift mode. personally, I think that is such an awesome feature I will have to own one of those some day. Best of all...no belts on it to worry about, it operates from a hydromechanical transmission using a swash plate to transfer power. just like an automatic lawnmower.....but more advanced and it is more efficient. I forget the efficiency percentage but it was impressive. good luck with the choice...it could be a tough one. give your arms a rest and get a honda.

 

I do a lot of fun riding with other ATV friends. One has a Rancher, one a Scrambler, and another an explorer. They help me maintain my Magnum but they have very problems.

Last summer I had a major overheating problem. We went through a lot of mud but for me none too deep. The dealership said that there was mud stuck in the radiator fins. But I am not a hard rider and it was odd to me to have this problem when going through moderate mud. I am 75% sure I am going to stick with Polaris because the 4WD on the Magnum is wonderful.

I have shredded 4 belts and 2 were covered under warranty. THey only had to tell me once to drive in low gear on hills or other similiar terrain. Yet my belts kept shredding.

Front bearings had to be replaced this winter and I have only 3,000 miles on it. The whole time I have owned her the engine has never run right. I am not a mechanic but sometimes starting is quite a challenge. I took the Magnum on an elk hunting trip and our party got stranded for a few extra hours in rather cold weather because the Magnum would not start in order to get two of us back to the truck to pick up the rest. I took some razzing there as we all had to hike back the long way around the mountain as nobody was in the mood for anyore climbing. I have never been more tired.

I am more of a Polaris guy but I wanted to hear opinions on bigger Honda's and the Yahmaha 660. I think I have one of those freak machines that loves to give problems. Some were self-induced but then the problem turns into a chronic one.

 

I'm actually looking at getting a new 02 Magnum 500 or a Foreman 450ES or S model. Sometimes you just get a machine that has more problems than normal. It happens to all major brands. I have seen problems with the new Grizzley 660, Sportsman 700, Vinson, Rubicon, and many more but these are not the average. On the internet we only hear about a small percentage of problems.

 

hey magnum....have you ever looked up a honda rincon???? they should be out real soon

 

I am considering Polaris 500HO, 700, or a Honda Rubicon. I ruled out the Grizzly and Arctic Cat. I like the 500 Magnum in general, just seems that I got a lemon. I found a mechanical-type dude who actually made an offer today for it. I told him all the shortfalls and he says he can handle it. That puts me in the immediate market for a new ATV.

I can't wait that long for the Rincon to come out. I want a more utility-based ATV anyways.

 

You might want to seriously research general maintenance parts on the Rubi if you are considering it - the spark plug alone retails for $16.