I have always owned polaris atvs and I was thinking of adding another sportsman 700 efi to my collection...however im not sure what to think of the 700 engine....Its a pushrod engine....you can definetly tell it was engineered by polaris...seems kinda "old school" design.....The main reason I have always bought polaris in the past is because it was the best of both worlds...a great USA made Chassis that is very well built and then add a good engine made by Fuji heavy industries (same company that owns Subaru)
I would like to know anyone else's opinions on this atv as far as engine, and problems. Otherwise I might just end up sticking with a 500 again...I know that engine is proven.
Most of the foreign market ATVs have good engines but their chassis are garbage. Ive never been impressed by the weak looking Ujoints axleshafts, shocks and bearings that they all offer

 

I faced the same delima a few months ago, I rode several 500's and 700's and looks over the specs on each. I finally bought the 500 and am pleased with my decision. I guess it boils down to your needs vs what you want. The 500 has all the power I need and will run faster than I need to go. I hope I get the service out of the new one that I got from my 1995 Explorer 400. Good luck.

 

I looked at a 700 before I bought my HO and at the time I thought, this is my first quad do I need a 700? What will the 700 do that the 500 won't? In the end I bought the 500 and I could not be more happy. With the proven reliabilty of the 500 all it needs now is EFI...

 

Same problem here, but unlike the other two guys I went with the EFI... Man I am so glad I did also. I hate buying stuff and wondering "what if" say I need to pull something and cant with a 500 .. I say to myself "what if I had the 700 EFI I bet it would of pulled it" ... Just the way I am.. Anyways yeah i love my efi .... my dad has a 04 500HO and he road my EFI a couple weeks ago and guess what he is about to buy now.. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Crotchrocket, I had previously owned a 2001 500 Sportsman. I now own 2 Sportsman 700's(02-mine,03-wife's). They have been super reliable and I definitely prefer the torque and power of the 700 over the 500. The 500 was a great ATV and is almost as fast as a 700, but torque-wise it is not even close. And if you are thinking of the 700 EFI that is even better. Just go test ride one and I bet you will be signing on the dotted line.......

 

I bought a 700 and wish I had bought the 500. If you have extra money to fix a 700 then I say try it if you want. If your like me and money is real hard to come by I would get the 500.