Aaron, you getting the 800?

 

I most likely will but it will be a 2006. The reason is I just couldn't wait any longer for one, so I bought a 05 700EFI instead. Maybe by then all the hype will go down a little, and if there are any problems with it they will be fixed in the 06 800. I sure wish I had one, but I wasn't missing all the Thanksgiving and Chrismas riding for it....[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Aaron, I didn't look closely enough at your signature. When I saw it a few months ago I think you had a 2004 700 EFI, although I may be mistaken. It says 2005, so you obviously already bought the 2005.

With that in mind, and knowing you like the 2005's, I thought you were waiting for the 800.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

Yes I was waiting for a 800 at first but couldn't wait any longer. And yes I did have a 04 700EFI before this one. I really like the 05s, they ride and drive better. When just setting the 04 and 05 feel like to totally different quads. Not that one is better than the other in that area, just different. If you look in my pictures there are pics of my 04 and my 05. In my sig I have more pics of both quads....

 

I will do just that. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

The spring rates are supposed to be softer on the 2005. Does the 2005 ride softer over the bumps? What else have you noticed as far as differences in handling?

Thanks.

 

Thanks GE4X4

 

You can feel the suspension on big bumbs for sure. It's not as noticable on the smaller ones, the old suspension was just about perfact there. The quad feels more stable, not as top heavy. Not that the Sportsman ever was, its just that much better. The storage is just awesome, everything has a place on it. The lighting has to be best in the biz, these are the brightest lights I have ever seen on a quad, there brighter than some cars on bright! The rear work lights are a dream come true when turning around on a wooded trail at night (already used, and don't know what I would have done with out them). I havn't had my new ride in any mud yet, but I'm told it has much better mud pretection. The old Sportsman's used to COVER you and the body of the quad in mud. I'm hoping this has been fixed as they say. They tranny doesn't stick out like on the old ones, which will scoore it much better in the ergo's. The new rear tool box is HUGE, and very easy to access. No more takeing the seat off for a "little bit" of storage. Now there is a easy access door on the back of the quad that is about 4 times the size of the old one. The new racks are just awesome, they have these "J" rails that have more tie down points than any rack on the market. If you are still trying to decide on 04 or 05 spend the little bit more and get you a 05. You'll be glad you did.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Aaron,
Thanks for all the detailed information. After I had heard how much better the 2005's were there was no question that I would get an 05 rather than an 04.

I hadn't heard about the tranny being more narrow. That's a nice bonus.

Let me clarify my question about the suspension. When I had heard the spring rates were softer I was thinking that over the small bumps on the trail, the ones you are still usually seated for, that the suspension would absorb those better. Better meaning less impact on the me. My back is sensitive to bumps, so the less impact on me the better. So, I guess my question would be whether the suspension on the 2005 takes the small bumps better than the 2004 in such a way that those small bumps have less impact on your body.

Thanks again for the info.

 

I would say it's better. But the 04 rode so good that it's hard to pick a winner there. I would say the 05 rides better all around...