I agree with you Cobb. For the most part all ATVs can go the same places, some may be able to do it easier. The folks I ride with don't drag race or run at top speed much, if at all. No one in the group I ride with cares too much about an inch of ground clearance here or there (for the most part-they all have a winch). They buy what is comfortable to them, is familiar to them, looks right to them, fits them and is easy to operate and maintain, and likes the dealer support they get. They are both great ATVs and will pretty much accomoplish the same things. The 1-2% of things one excells at or is short of the other based only on "numbers" or measurements does not come into play most of the time. Get what you like and enjoy it.

 

TXDOC
Point well taken,I have these videos from this last ride I'd like everyone to see.some of the people had trouble with tough spots and you can see the others off thier quads and behind or in front pushing or pulling.It made no diff who it was or what they were rideing it was just good old time.As always you can hear me giving my advise in the video cheering them on.CM

 

If you buy a Sportsman you can purchase a scaled model at your local toy store. If you're in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, or Northern Kentucky you can find them at Meijer's. They're green and look just like the real thing, I'm bummed they didn't have a Trail Boss.

 

Atving, I'm getting the feeling that you turned into a biased (insert any swearword here) ever since you got the Sportsman.

About your cooling statement, you said there is no other vehicle that monitors oil temperature that you know of, what does an oil cooled machine such as a Honda 450 Foreman use to turn its fan on? You don't think I know much about mechanics, well I beg to differ. I bet I have a little more knowledge about them then you.

In reply to your Sportsman's 4 wheel drive when going downhill, we used to have a Sportsman and sold it for the Rubicon. Don't accuse me of knowing nothing about it, I've put more miles on one then you have and probably know a lot more about it then you do.

The next argument you had was about using low range. A Sportsman is ridden in low range 80% of the time? Wow, why did they put a high range in it then? I rarely used low range, the trails we have around the house are high speed trails, and even the ones at the local ATV Park we use high range with. If it can't handle high range, then it's not the machine for us. If the belt can't hold up, then maybe that's why the Rubicon has the transmission it does. By the way, we haven't had any problems with the belt on it, and it's on its original belt.

Next up, the floorboards. Honda took the concept of floorboards, but added sport quad like footpegs with mud protection of floorboards. Does it serve the same purpose? It depends. If you've ever jumped, you're ankles were probably sore if you were standing on flat floorboards. If you've ever gone up steep hills, it's easier to pivot your foot on footpegs.

Next up, digital display. Actually, where I ride, many times there will be speed limits on the town roads.

The reason Polaris wins pulling events is not because they're belt driven, it's because of their 4 wheel drive system and weight, plus rear traction on the Sportsmans. That's why you don't see belt driven Grizzly's, Prairies, Kodiaks, etc. winning the pulls.

About all that mod crap, add in the cost of fixing the Polaris and you're well above the cost of the Rubicon and truck and trailer to haul it!

A new belt cover, new brake rotor, improved steering (a bearing on the bottom of the steering stem), a bigger carb and cam and whatever else, improved brake pads, and improved tie rod ends technological breakthroughs. They are minor updates or improvements. That bearing for the steering stem must not have been too hard for Polaris engineers. Bearings have been around for a long time, and on the bottom of quad's steering stems for a long time also.

That's about all I have to say to Atving.

Cob, our local ATV Park is in a county known for its hills. So is the ATV Park. They've got hills that you'll have all fours spinning going up. Is this the hills you're talking about?

We went riding at the ATV Park today, and I put a lot of miles on the Rubicon. I must say that it isn't as smooth as a Sportsman, but it's a cadillac compared to the 450 it replaces. Some of the ruts weren't even felt when hit at an angle. Going up hills with it was cool too. The machine seems to stay glued to the ground. Mud protection is excellent. Did some jumping with it and it handles jumps real well. It soaks them right up with no bottoming. Sometimes I would land on one side and it would soak it right up. I rode the Rubicon more today then my 300EX. Once you get on it, it's hard getting off.

I can't wait for the day that Honda comes out with a Rubicon with IRS (which I think is coming soon), locked front wheels, 2wd/4wd switch, disc brakes, and maybe a 600cc engine. Now, what's the best way for 2wd/4wd engagement, something like Polaris, something like Yamaha, or something like the Suzuki King Quad with cables?

 

Internet ****s. 5 years ago when all you heard of was Prodigy and nobody knew what the internet was, that would be a good term. Now every yahoo backwoods country hick is online so we are just average people now. Internet in generall is average. If you divide it into subtopics, you get atv freaks, baseball freaks, **** freaks, cat freaks, and everything in between. Tell her to live in the now. Better yet, save yourself a night or two in the doghouse and just smile and think that to yourself.

 

What does that toy cost at Wal-Mart? Something like $15 or maybe $20 tops? Its like $50 in the Polaris accessory catalog for 2000. Whats up with that? If I had kids, I don't think they would be getting their hands on that catalog, because jolly old saint nick ain't bringing them any $50 die cast model.

 

Rooster, you have 4 hondas. What else are you going to say. Its obvious what you like. You bought it. This is pointless. Are you going to go off like this after they do the Raptor vs. 400ex shootout too? I actually don't think that you would be in favor of anything other than honda no matter what the shootout was between. Whether it be Rubicon vs. Sportsman, 450ES vs. Grizzly, Rancher vs. Big Bear, EX vs. Raptor, 300ex vs. Warrior, or even fourtrax 90 vs. Badger for that matter, I have a feeling that you would find some arguement as to why honda did or should have won. My two cents, but it does seem logical. They explained in the shootout every facet of what was tested and how the machines performed. Whats left after that? You see that the rubicon lost so you start bringing up paper filters and oil coolers and other crap just to try and justify why a magazine is wrong in your opinion. Just let it go man.

 

Rubione the H.O is not new.In 98 when the hot cam larger carbed 499cc version came out alot of people aready knew it was stupit of Polaris to but it in the Scambler and leave out the Sportsman.I heard of people that knew this and put the cam , jetted carb and lighter clutch weights on themself because they could not wait the few years for Polaris to make up there mind to do it.

 

I don't know what the cost was, I doubt it was $50 though. I may go by a Meijer's today and if I do I'll let you know if I see it again.

 

Andy, actually I think the Sportsman 500 HO deserved the win. It won in almost all the categories. Its just that people like ATVing go overboard with this drum brake, 4x4 system, IRS crap.

When the Raptor and the 400EX battle it out, I'm sure the Raptor wins. I hope it does, in my opinion without even riding it, it is a better machine. Faster, as good of handling and suspension, reverse, handlebar mounted choke. What else could you ask for?