RTY:
I have 2 friends with Pol500 HO's (Actually one just sold his) and I have rode both of them. They in turn have rode mine...and there is a BIG difference in power!!! They Pol500 HO has a real lag at take off...till about 10ft or so and then it starts to build it's power strongly...but NO-WHERE near as strong as the Kawi. The Kawi's engine is much smoother running as well ,so no vibes and sounds ten times better. The Pol500 has a pillow for a seat and is really nice and soft...it helps with the soft ride. On rough surfaces the IRS on the Pol will soak up bumps better...but at the expense of cornering stabilty...keep it. Side by side the Pol has a noticeable ground clearance advantage...but put a 200lb rider on it and ride the trails and that machine does sag some and loses most of it's advantage. You will want better tires on the Kawi (go slightly larger and the ground clearance is a non issue). The brakes on the Pol are down-right terrible. That linked system is dangerous when crawling down a STEEP hill ...or in the case of my buddy, going up a STEEP hill and not being able to make it...and having to back down carefully using the brakes ( HE almost flipped end over end when the brakes were applied,as all 4 were grabbing...you don't want that! The front diff on the Kawi is on the fly and does not need the rear wheels to start spinning ( ala POLARIS) to engage. I wouldn't want my rear tires spinning on a steep rock climb would you? The belt on mine has been a non-issue for me...I guess it was adjusted right from the factory unlike some that have had trouble. I have 1300kms on mine and it still wheelies in high or low and still pulls like a train!!! It doesn't squalk or squeel yet either. The Pol 500 HO is a nice machine , don't get me wrong. It looks nice, rides nice and performs well. I just find it somewhat boring in comparison to my Kawi. Am I biased...YOU BET...and for good reason I say. Ride both then decide.

PS: If IRS is your thing you may want to look at the Grizz660...Still not a Kawi though...


ROB

 

POLARIS JOKES

Q: Why are polaris ATV's and babies alike.
A: They both love rattles.

Q: How do you get a polaris rider exited.
A: Tell them their ATV is ready for pickup at the repair shop

Q: Why do people buy polaris ATVs?
A: It gives them an excuse to stay in the house.

Q: What do you call a Polaris on the trail
A: An obstical


[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

prarie is the way to go the only polaris that stands in its way is the h.o but the prarie still conqures why do you think every test it is in it wins

 

Kawirob and c5greg,

My friend's scrmabler 500 keeps up with me within 1-3 lengths to 50 mph depending on the start.
In a drag to 50 mph how close is the sp500ho?

Also, in your opinion is the ride of the sp500 a liitle softer or much softer over bumps?

Thanks.

 

dont buy polaris 4x4 any true mudder knows that it will fall apart before it was even made

 

Belt is a non-issue. P650 all the way baby. You'll regret if you don't buy the 650!

 

Everybody has their opinions , so ket me tell you mine. My first big bore utility quad was a 2001 Grizzly 660. While I liked it , I couldn't find anything about it that I "loved". I traded that last spring for a Prairie 650 and rode that all last year. It had an intermittant electrical gremlin that would occasionally drain the battery and cause the EBS to not work. Not a big deal but annoying. I liked the power, but thought the suspension was very overrated and the rear brake? Great design but actuated with a cable that stretches? I also experienced the normal choke cable problems. Tires were junk. All in all not a bad quad but overrated in my book.
I traded it for an 03 Sportsman 3 weeks ago and I think this machine is best for me. Note , I said "for me". I love the way the Sportsman rides. Sure it lacks the oomph of the Prairie , but at trail speeds I feel much more comfortable on the Sportsman. I ride my local trails (which have a lot of small rolling jumps) at a faster clip than the Prairie on the Sportsman and never have the feeling of being thrown over the handlebars like I did when the Prairie decided to rebound at the wrong time at speeds in excess of 45 mph. My dealer sells Suzuki , Kaw, Yamaha and polaris and he says the Polaris quality (especially on the 500) is miles from where it was just 36 months ago and he sees no more Polaris's in for warranty work than any of his other brands. I also like the looks of the Yellow Sportsman with Chrome wheels better than any other quad. I only have about 15 hours on it so far but it has performed EXACTLY as I had hoped and uses very little fuel. The power thing is no big deal because I have a Bombardier DS650 that gives me my speed fix.
In short , I don't think there is a bad quad out there , it all depends on your preference. The Sportsman is the best of the 3 for my riding style and budget. Its just my opinion!

Brad

 

Brad,
Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. The reason I am considering the Sportsman 500 as a second quad is for the softer ride. For me the P650 is the closest thing to a 4x4 Sport quad and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I find though that there are many places very close to my home that I won't go to because the p650 won't absorb the bumps as would an IRS quad. I have heard the ride on the Sportsman 500 is great. I agree completely that it all comes down to individual preferences. I am very curious about a few things though since you have owned the Grizzly, the p650, and the sp500. Your input on the questions below would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

1. Would you please give detailed differences on how all 3 quads ride over different terrain?
2. Does the narrow axle on the Grizzly make it less stable than the other two quads?
3. If I buy the Sportsman 500 will it seem super heavy, super big, and hard to drive compared to the Prairie 650?
4. How close is a Sportsman 500 to the p650 in a drag to 50 mph.
5. What other specific qualities of the Sportsman 500 make you feel like it is the right quad for you compared to the p650?
6. Is the steering relatively easy on the Sportsman 500, this is important to me?

Anything else you can add about the Sp500 compared to the 650 would be very helpful.

 

I am unbiased about what brand of atv I drive or you buy. I have a Polaris 500 Scrambler 4X4 in my garage and a 650. In my experience the Polaris has been as trouble free as the Kawasaki. The Sportsman has made alot of improvements over the last 2 yrs.

One thing to keep in mind is the maintenance. The Polaris is much more difficult to maintain. You have many (25 I think) grease zirks to grease. It requires one or two more maintenance fluids to keep around (external X-mission, and the front hubs). The dry sump engine makes the oil changes more time consuming also. So if you do buy a 650 and have to install a black spring to fix any belt issues. The time spent will not even come close to the amount of time that you will spend maintaining a SP over the years.

If you buy a Sportsman, that will make one more person out there that I am faster than. It will also make one more person out there that will make it through the deep mud hole that I may not make it through.

 

Thanks to all of you that responded to my original question of which one to get. Since I already have a "96 Sportsman 500 that my wife drives, I decided to go with the Priarie 650 for a sportier ride. AS a matter of fact, I just picked up a spanking new red '03 on Wednesday afternoon. YEAH!!!!!!.

Will be breaking it in the weekend.