I wasn't, from what i am hearing around here it is about right everything they said. The Ruby is nice , just like what has been said in here and from the dealer i talked to, add IRS, better seat and it would be allot closer.

 

Bill,

lets just say a belt happens to go out. What kind of money are we talking to repair by a dealer.

 

$1000 to get a dealer to change the belt and $35 and 20 min. work to change the belt yourself.

 

Finally read the Oct. DrirtWheels 500 shootout.They gave the win to the Sportsman because it had the best suspension and strongest motor.It sound it like the Rubicon only just beat out the 500 magnum but if they used a H.O motored Magnum(They are comming soon)it would of been 3rd place for the Ruby for sure.Even the standard motored Magnum had the same power as the new Rubicon.The H.O SP sell for $8,500+tax Canadian and the Honda dealer told me when the Rubicon gets here at Chistmas they will be asking $10,000+ and all I could say to him was GOOD LUCK.

 

Just got done reading that article. It was the first time I heard of the new and improved PVT air intake. No more wet belts! (Not that it happens very much)

The article does state the fact that the SP500HO is the king, but gives more details at the end about how great the Rubi is. It is to be expected. Heck, if I owned the magazine and got the $$ from Honda, I too would talk-up there quads.

 

The October issue of Dirt Wheels says it all. Sportsman 500. The End

 

Just a note about belt reliability, I have a 93 350L that still has the original belt. It has NEVER slipped or given me any trouble whatsoever. Like everybody else has said, just use low gear when your going slow or on hills and you wont have any problems. I also have a 99 Sportsman RSE and the EBS works great. Wish I had it on my 350!

 

I keep hearing that the Rubicon needs true four wheel drive. Honda improves their 4x4 system for the Ranchers and the Rubicon and it's still not good enough. Polaris riders won't be satisfied until they make it unreliable. The Rubicon is more money and you get less? I would like to know how much money Honda spent on the development of their Hondamatic tranny. Technology costs money. There is a lot of development to pay for in the Rubicon. They made a new concept in small engines, an underhead cam engine. A water/oil temp gauge. All that LCD display technology. The AP differential technology. Hell, even the polished aluminum rims are a lot more expensive than the steel ones on the Sportsman. What technological breakthroughs went in the Sportsman? Well, surely not their 4x4 system since they had that since their first 4x4s. I guess the only thing would be the rear suspension. The extra rear shock costs the most. So, does the Sportsman have an oil cooler along with liquid cooling? Does the Sportsman have 4 wheel drive going downhill? Does the Sportsman have decent engine compression braking in high range? Nope, only in low range. The Rubicon will slow itself and a trailer behind with weight in it using only the engine braking. Does the Sportsman have all 3 lights come on at the same time? Does the Sportsman have neat footpegs with the addition of protection of floorboards? Does the Sportsman have a stock foam air filter? Even that cuts their cost where Honda goes the extra mile and allows their customers to clean their filter instead of throw it away and buy a new one. Does the Sportsman have a cool LCD digital display? Does the Sportsman have separate front and rear braking? If you've ever went halfway up a hill and then had to back down, you'd see why using only the front brakes is useful. You should have a choice, unlike single lever braking. I hope nobody takes this as a bash toward Polaris, I just wanted to add some things for the people that think the Rubicon is just another Honda Foreman 400. If you haven't ridden a Rubicon, then you'd probably be impressed by its smoothness if you ever do ride one.

 

Does this does that. Does the Rubicon out perform the Sp500 in all of the shootout categories? No. Thats what shootouts test. Performance. The sportsman is the best. Now you have a legitimate arguement on almost all of you things here (though some are miniscule and lame), but as far as shootouts go, they will give the winner to the one that performs the best. This with the exception of the rancher which lost most of the categories to either the Big Bear or the Kodiak, and still won the shootout for some reason. It also beat the wolverine which was a stupid pair of quads to compare.

All of that stuff is good. There are a lot of creature features that the Rubicon shines in, but in shootout criteria, all they have on the sportsman is their transmission, and also, that is probably the only reason they beat the Magnum out for second. Reliability is obviously in favor of honda, but shootouts don't care for that. Only performance.

A lot of your stuff falls into one shootout category and that is ergonomics. That and the transmission vs. speed, power, towing, ride comfort, climbing, turning, etc. which the sportsman won all of.

As far as technological advances go, Polaris set the standard for introducing new features during the 90's. They are probably the reason that you see the Rubicon. Honda didn't do crap for 10 years. The only thing they managed to pop out between 88 and 98 was the 400 Foreman, and it isn't even worthy of a shootout nowdays. 98 gave us the 450 and the EX, and every one wearing red was thinking "its about damn time!". You missed the bus on the technology thing here. I will admit that a ton of technology did go into the Rubicon, but you can't sit there and tell me that Polaris hasn't had any technological advances. If thats true, then I don't guess Dodge has either seeing that they have had the same body style in the Ram since 93.

Some other things. Oil cooler and a radiator? Not a big must there. I can remember when people didn't even want a quad with a radiator because they were scared of running a stick through it. Now it is a selling point. Paper air filter. Yeah its crap, but a K&N doesn't cost much, and a lot of people put an aftermarket filter on anyway. And finally single lever braking. Those that have never had it just don't know. I have had to back my AC down a ton of hills and one thing that has always stuck in my mind is how much better it did than my 300 honda with "separate brake levers"!!! With the AC, I can brake all four and feather the throttle if I need to. With the honda, its always an adventure. I can also put the parking brake on and hold all four wheels on the AC, where the honda brake won't hold itself without rolling back. Single lever braking is not a bad thing at all. If it had a single lever and drums, I could see a problem, but not with hydraulic discs.

You have a lot of good points, but most are minor, and are about the equivilent of fighting an M1 Abrams tank with a bow and arrow.

 

I will carefully analyze roosters post:

I keep hearing that the Rubicon needs true four wheel drive. Honda improves their 4x4 system for the Ranchers and the Rubicon and it's still not good enough. Polaris riders won't be satisfied until they make it unreliable.

Yes they keep improving it and you keep getting the same fancier 3 wheel drive system, why don't honda add a 2 to 4 wheel drive switch and put a locking 4 wheel drive system or at least make it an option. Because its the same old story with Honda we made it this way so you gotta have it that way unlike some other companys that make a variety of models to choose from.

The Rubicon is more money and you get less? I would like to know how much money Honda spent on the development of their Hondamatic tranny.

So what else has honda spent money on the different graphics they change each year, same old bike with different stickers. So they stick a different transmission on a foreman and everbody is suppose to stand up and cheer...oh yes they added water cooling like some of the other popular manufacturers finally.

Technology costs money. There is a lot of development to pay for in the Rubicon. They made a new concept in small engines, an underhead cam engine. A water/oil temp gauge. All that LCD display technology.

an underhead cam engine...big deal been done before in other concepts, a water oil temp gauge now thats a big deal wow, an LCD display now that is something that really belongs in the mud and water just like a cpu that also really belongs in the mud and water environment. And yes trucks and cars are using cpu's but they are in a different application and are put unlike in an atv where they won't be subject to the elements, so where do you put a cpu where it will be water proof on an atv.

The AP differential technology. Hell, even the polished aluminum rims are a lot more expensive than the steel ones on the Sportsman.

AP differential technology isn't that fancy for improved 3 wheel drive, ask some of the honda owners how improved it is. I have to hand it to you the aluminum rims are an asset now just add true 4 wheel drive, 2 to 4 wheel drive switch, disc brakes, IRS, cushy seat, ground clearance shall I go on.


What technological breakthroughs went in the Sportsman? Well, surely not their 4x4 system since they had that since their first 4x4s.

So why change something that is not broken you don't see Polaris advertiseing new improved 4 wheel drive system, I mean lets face how can you improve the wheel, make it rounder??? The only way Polaris could improve it is make it so you could lock it in or out selectivity but I must say it has always been there when I needed it.

I guess the only thing would be the rear suspension. The extra rear shock costs the most.

Another thing that only Polaris provides its riders with the choice of solid axle or IRS so are there some other kind of suspension system that could be offered that none of us knows about.

So, does the Sportsman have an oil cooler along with liquid cooling?

And this one really killed me why would you want an oil cooler with water cooling, believe it or not getting an engine to cool can be just as hazardous as getting one to hot. Ask anyone that fools with sports cars that go through the trouble of adding a lower tempature thermostat and a computer controller to there corvette been there done that on a 94 corvette.

Does the Sportsman have 4 wheel drive going downhill?

Uhhhhhh yes it sure does, hold the over ride button as you shift into forward gear and all 4 wheels hold back. But after getting used to riding the sportsman going down steep stuff and adding some better tires the 2 wheel ebs works superior.

Does the Sportsman have decent engine compression braking in high range?

Now why would you have to have engine compression braking in high gear, why wouldn't you be using the lower gear if you were needing to be slowing down more.

Nope, only in low range. The Rubicon will slow itself and a trailer behind with weight in it using only the engine braking. Does the Sportsman have all 3 lights come on at the same time?

Uhhhh yes just put the switch in the right place or do the mod no big deal...

Does the Sportsman have neat footpegs with the addition of protection of floorboards?

Have you ever even seen a sportsman??? full floorboards with molded floor pegs that are quite comfortable.

Does the Sportsman have a stock foam air filter? Even that cuts their cost where Honda goes the extra mile and allows their customers to clean their filter instead of throw it away and buy a new one.

touche...you finally got me on one but most people do buy the k&n...so where is the brake light on a Rubicon, why didn't honda add something essential as this to there flagship model, it is very handy when you are following somebody.

Does the Sportsman have a cool LCD digital display?

NO it doesn't but who keeps an eye on the speedometer going 40 mph on a treacherous path...I sure don't.

Does the Sportsman have separate front and rear braking? If you've ever went halfway up a hill and then had to back down, you'd see why using only the front brakes is useful. You should have a choice, unlike single lever braking.

And have you ever went down a steep hill just a little to fast and made a mistake and hit just the front brake...I will tell you where that will get you, at the bottom of the hill a little faster than what you wanted to be, hopefully not on your top. And with the true 4 wheel drive system there aren't many if any hills you have to back down.

I hope nobody takes this as a bash toward Polaris, I just wanted to add some things for the people that think the Rubicon is just another Honda Foreman 400. If you haven't ridden a Rubicon, then you'd probably be impressed by its smoothness if you ever do ride one.

Nobody took this as Polaris bashing Rooster just a matter of opinion between different people. I have said it before if honda would give you a choice between IRS and solid axle, add disc brakes, a 2 to 4 wheel drive switch, an improved 3 wheel to 4 wheel drive system maybe people wouldn't think it is a foreman with a fancy transmission...