I have been away for a couple of weeks and from some of the post I read there was a DW 500 camparison.I know the SP was first but what other bikes where in the shootout and how did they place?I can not find the DW issue yet in the store.I hear DW left out the Traxter it was the one I was more worried about than the Rubicon.I can see why the Grizzly was left out being it was a 500cc review only.

 

Just found out there where no Artic Cats in the shootout either and they make two of them!That makes it sound like there were as many 500 not in the comparison as were in it.I hope another magazine does another shootout and puts in both Suzuki and AC 500s and the traxter.

 

It was the SP, a Ruby, a Suzuki Quadmaster 500, and Polaris Magnum. The test was for 500cc automatic quads.

I to wondered why they did not have the Cat or Traxter in it. The Cat has the same engine as the quadmaster, but other then that it is completely different. And the Traxter would have been a nice addition. But I feel that these two machines would not have done that well anyway. Not that they would do bad, just average like the suzuki did in the shoot out.

 

The order of rating was: Sportsman, Rubicon, Magnum and Suzuki.
I was taken by surprise, Polaris didn't even have a single advertisement in the magazine, and it placed 2 of the top three. Maybe this proves that the Polaris's are truly the best 4X4 automatics... The testers didn't spend a bunch of time on the Rubicons transmission, or gush about the engine and it's "Technologicaly Advanced" pushod valve train...
Imagine what would have happened if the Magnum was sporting the H.O. engine with about 50 lbs. less than the Sportsman... Would Honda like a third place instead of runner up?
The Arctic Cat got poor reviews in ATV Action, so I suppose they didn't bother to include it.

 

The Arctic Cat would have probably placed higher than the suzuki, but still behind the rest. They don't seem to care much for it. I like it fine. I think the performance oriented magazines don't look at the qualities that it has such as construction and reliability. Thats basically where the Hondas shine as well. Of course, performance is what a shootout should be based on, and I think the shootout came out exactly how it should have.

 

I bet even if the Magnum earned 2nd, it would have got 3rd. Isn't it surprising enough that the Rubicon got 2nd? The latest and greatest?

The Traxter isn't auto. Not sure why the Cat wasn't involved, but probaly because Arctic Cat doesn't hold very much of the ATV market share so most people wouldn't be interested, although I would. I heard that Polaris doesn't even test Arctic Cat ATV's against there own, like they do Honda, Yamaha, etc, and they are in the same state.

 

You are right about that. There is no way they are going to make the Rubicon a 3rd place finisher. Not with as many honda phanatics subsribing to their magazine. No sense pissing off customers by downgrading their brand new sophisticated flagship. As far as AC goes, I think Polaris's biggest contenders are obviously Yamaha and Honda. The other big sellers. Those are the two you have to compete with. The numbers speak for themselves.

 

Im amazed DW did not give the Rubicon the win no matter what and that they used a Hight Output SP 500 model instead of a ordinary SP in the test which put the Rubicon at more of a disadvantage.

 

Andy,

I have a feeling that they couldn't get a 2001 model from Artic Cat. As it would be unfair to compare the latest and greatest with an older model. I seriously doubt if the 2001 AC 500 would have wrenched the crown from the Sportsman.

Still, I would have liked to have seen it and the Griz tested too.

 

They should have had the AC 500 in there for sure. It seems to be a good machine. the people around here that have AC love them. I am too very surprised the Ruby wasn't number one. Not because I think it is better but because it is surprising that they would give Honda's new baby second choice over its very obvious main competitor the spectacular SP500 HO.