Amen. I agree. I told my buddy that a rep from Honda wrote the review. It sure didn't sound like an independant review. I need to only add one thing that you did not touch on, and that is they didn't even talk about the independant rear suspension that the Sportsman has. It will never be King of the hill without it.

 

In the ATV Action review Honda told them they may make a IRS Rubicon in the future.

 

"BRAVO"

Jeff

 

One correction for you. Not all motors are made in japan mine is made by Robin MFG made in USA and that is in a 99 400 scrambler.

 

mudmachine I agree with just about everything you say and it is mostly 70% rider on most stuff you ride and the comparison on features is great but there is no 2 wheel drives going where we take our 4 wheel drives I don't car how good of a rider you are. I admit a more fair comparison of the Rubicon would be with the Magnum but you will never get Honda to admit that what they are asking $7000 for doesn't compete with the Sportsman which is usually in the price range from $6200 to $6400.
Fellows I must admit the Rubicon is going to be a great leap for Honda and I can't wait till my local Honda dealer gets so I can check it out and see how it sits they are suppose to be getting one next week but till Honda makes a bike with a 2 to 4 switch, disc brakes, IRS, and a better 4 wheel drive system I just can't see spending the extra and getting less. Yes the Honda is more a reliable bike but with more features more things are going to break if you want the extra goodies this is the price you are going to pay...it is just like a car with power windows almost nothing can happen with a window you crank up by hand but look what can happen with an electric window. And the features Polaris has added are things that are necessary to have. It just boils down to if you want something with all the goodies and less reliability buy Polaris if you want the most reliable bike without all the goodies buy Honda...

 

What is all this talk from people about the Rubicon won't be the best 4x4 until it gets independant rear end. Sure, Polaris people fail to remind themselves about loads actually making that Polaris 12" of ground clearance around 11 to 10. So what is there to brag about there. Jeeps still prove as do honda with their atv's that solid axles can and do perform as well and better than independant suspension off road. So lets stop the talk about the superior theories of independant suspension. They both have there strong points. But saying that independant suspension is better, is bull.

 

Seems you have never rode a Sportsman weasel and if you have did you run it up on a log and noticed you were still setting level let me see you do that in a real hairy steep place with a solid axle rear end. Or rode sideway on an incline where the solid axle starts to give don't happen on an IRS and for goodness sakes I have rode a lot of solid axle bikes and I have yet to see one that when you rode it fast over bumpy rodes that it wouldn't jar your teeth loose even Honda riders will admit to this. Try riding an IRS suspension on an 80 mile ride then ride a solid axle and let your back tell me if there is a difference. All I am saying is give credit where credit is do. Nothing compares to the ride on a Sportsman.

 

ALASKAWEASEL,Having owned both IRS,and solid axle 4x4s,[99 500cc Sportsman and a 00 model 4x4 Xplorer 4x4]I must say that there certainly IS a differance between the two suspensions.

The biggest differance I noticed was when you get into tight/technicle areas,the Sportsman would allways keep Both rear wheels on the ground,while the Xplorer [solid axle] tended to be tipsy in the rear.This dont happen with IRS suspension.Now granted,this will take a very serious tight/technicle trail or hill for this to happen,but,it does happen.And the ride that the Sportsman offers is second to no other quad on todays market.

I know,I owned one.===Bill

 

ATVING: For your information your dead wrong about independant suspension being more stable. Just like almost every magazine and person whom has ever rode a Independant rear end quad knows (which i have, if you read well you know i have OWNED A POLARIS) they are NOT as stable in corners or hill sides. The log then, get real how many logs am i going to climb compared to hauling heavier loads that are only going to hurt YOUR POLARIS ground clearance. Ride, i won't argue, but is a clear fact, but off road (WHERE THE IDEA IS PERFORMANCE) solid rear axles are more dependable and offer better performance period. I do know from owning both.

 

Comparing IRS to straight axles is like comparing boggy wheels to slide suspension on snowmobiles....