Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
Jul 13, 2005 | 01:14 PM
#11
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 375
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
ATV television chose the Kodiak the Best ATV for the most Extreme Terrian
Jul 13, 2005 | 02:08 PM
#12
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
My limited experience with sportsmans was just last week in alaska. I was on a 500 and my father in law was on a 500. In a few cases on very steep hills the 400 would bog down at the top in high kind of sounding like it was missing but was ok in low. On the same hill the 500 would go right up in high with out a problem. The 500 deffinatly has a power advantage that you can feel. also the top speed on the 500 is about 5 or 6 mph more. In my opinion the 500 is worth the extra money over the 400. I would suggest sticking to the polaris line and going with the 500
Jul 13, 2005 | 02:35 PM
#13
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Joined: May 2004
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
take the Yamaha. My new 800 went great for 340 mi. before it was out of commission. at $9135.00 thats about $27.00 a mile to ride. The new "toughest Sportsman Ever" is a marketing slogan. don't buy it.
Jul 13, 2005 | 03:13 PM
#14
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
Originally posted by: Backinthesaddleagain
A) Why is it that 4 wheel engine brake is so important......yet single lever 4 wheel brakes is such a crime??? 4 wheel engine braking is something I don't have.....and don't need. My much denigraded ( by anti-Polaris Jap bike biased people) single lever 4 wheel brakes work perfectly. I guess maybe some of them
need 4 wheel engine braking because their DRUM brakes shuck.
B) The Polaris must be in low when going slow.........hmmmm........that's a new one. It's also completely wrong. 85% of my trail riding is done in high.....including slow trail riding. I could ride 100% of the time in high but when doing rock crawling or slow technical steep hills and such....low is simply better suited. But let there be no mistake.......this machine could get along splendidly without a low range what-so-ever.
C) The Yamaha is narrower across the legs. Yes, I suppose it is. Does that make it "more comfortable" when riding standing up??? I suppose if you are used to something else. But then you very quickly get acclimated to the wider stance.......not a detriment. It's just like getting used to driving a new car........just a little different than your old car. The Polaris is better sitting down.......correct.......but that's an understatement.
I considered the Yamaha Kodial 450 before buying the Sportsman 400. I also have ridden one in the same trails I regularly ride my Sportsman. If you compare the machines you will see that the Sportsman is......a Sportsman. It's the same full sized machine as its bigger bore bretheren. By comparision the Kodiak is a little toy and has no where near as nice a suspension. It's very squirilly/unstable in comparision to the Sportsman as well. It IS lighter and therefore it does have better acceleration. That, in my opinion, is it's ONLY winning point over the Sportsman 400. The Sportsman has HUGE storage, rack capacity, ground clearance and its ease of use is second to none. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is ideal. Just hit the switch and you get full power to BOTH front wheels when needed. I have yet to find an instance where I wished for a mechanical lock-up with an additional little lever to bother with when working my way through tricky stuff. Remember, the Polaris system gives you full power to BOTH front wheels and it does it seemlessly on the fly and it simply doesn't get any better when you consider ease of use and effectiveness in application. Polaris AWD machines are awesome mudders and I don't think there are many who will dispute that. The proof is in the slop. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
After riding the Kodiak 450 in the same trails I ride my Sportsman I've come to conclude that the Kodiak is better for acceleration.......the Sportsman is better for virtually everything else.
Good Luck, Bob
Originally posted by: hondabuster
There are other differences as well.
The yami has 4 wheel engine braking, polaris 2.
The yami can be in high or low, when going slow...your choice. Polaris must be in low.
The yami is narrower accross the legs...if you want to stand while riding, its more comfortable.
The polaris has a better sit down ride.
You might want to try a test ride on each, to get a feel for riding position and engine peppiness.
There are other differences as well.
The yami has 4 wheel engine braking, polaris 2.
The yami can be in high or low, when going slow...your choice. Polaris must be in low.
The yami is narrower accross the legs...if you want to stand while riding, its more comfortable.
The polaris has a better sit down ride.
You might want to try a test ride on each, to get a feel for riding position and engine peppiness.
need 4 wheel engine braking because their DRUM brakes shuck.
B) The Polaris must be in low when going slow.........hmmmm........that's a new one. It's also completely wrong. 85% of my trail riding is done in high.....including slow trail riding. I could ride 100% of the time in high but when doing rock crawling or slow technical steep hills and such....low is simply better suited. But let there be no mistake.......this machine could get along splendidly without a low range what-so-ever.
C) The Yamaha is narrower across the legs. Yes, I suppose it is. Does that make it "more comfortable" when riding standing up??? I suppose if you are used to something else. But then you very quickly get acclimated to the wider stance.......not a detriment. It's just like getting used to driving a new car........just a little different than your old car. The Polaris is better sitting down.......correct.......but that's an understatement.
I considered the Yamaha Kodial 450 before buying the Sportsman 400. I also have ridden one in the same trails I regularly ride my Sportsman. If you compare the machines you will see that the Sportsman is......a Sportsman. It's the same full sized machine as its bigger bore bretheren. By comparision the Kodiak is a little toy and has no where near as nice a suspension. It's very squirilly/unstable in comparision to the Sportsman as well. It IS lighter and therefore it does have better acceleration. That, in my opinion, is it's ONLY winning point over the Sportsman 400. The Sportsman has HUGE storage, rack capacity, ground clearance and its ease of use is second to none. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is ideal. Just hit the switch and you get full power to BOTH front wheels when needed. I have yet to find an instance where I wished for a mechanical lock-up with an additional little lever to bother with when working my way through tricky stuff. Remember, the Polaris system gives you full power to BOTH front wheels and it does it seemlessly on the fly and it simply doesn't get any better when you consider ease of use and effectiveness in application. Polaris AWD machines are awesome mudders and I don't think there are many who will dispute that. The proof is in the slop. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
After riding the Kodiak 450 in the same trails I ride my Sportsman I've come to conclude that the Kodiak is better for acceleration.......the Sportsman is better for virtually everything else.
Good Luck, Bob
Bob, you need to relax...sounds like youre uptight about somthing. I was giving advice to2manytoys, it wasnt meant for expert riders like yourself, who can and do go down steep hills in 2wd.
For inexperienced people like me and my wife and daughters, the safety factor of 4wd, in steep ,loose downhills, is great. A person needs very little experience, and they will safely and easily, go down the scariest of hills, in total control, and never touch the brake lever. PLUS, if i ever do get the experience and confidence, i can flick it to 2wd, and go down the hills like a pro. Like i said, with a yamaha, you have a choice...2wd or 4wd.
As far as needing to be in low for slow driving...just ask your dealer. The reason, is the polaris cvt, uses the belt as a clutch, and the leverage of being in high, at low speeds is very detrimental to belt and pulley life. The belt, on the Yamaha ultramatic is always engaged, and will not slip,( if kept dry. )So again, on a yamaha, its a choice...high or low, doesnt matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage.
My kodiak is all disk brake, and im coordinated enough to handle separtate brake levers. In fact i can use front only, back only, or both....again, with a yamaha, its your choice.
The yamaha, has a much better system of 4wd. I can select, at any time, and it will engage when i want it to, either 2wd, 4wd (which some people referr to as 3wd), or fully locked 4wd. It doesnt depend on wheel slippage to engage...its my choice, when i want a certain traction, I can DEMAND it...unlike the polaris, which will only give you what the engineers at polaris figured you wanted. Try taking a polaris and hooking it up to the neightbors boat and trailer, and then back it up the front yard, on a wet morning. The polaris will spin the back, before the fronts will work...leaving damage on his lawn. The yami, can be selected, and engaged, and ready to work, with out damage to the lawn....ask me how i know this. Been there, done it.
Ever ride the trails in the winter? Try comming off of a hard throttle, and see how much fun it is, to hold a straight line...with only rear engine braking. Ask me how i know that one...seen it many times. from diehard polaris guys, who know how to ride.
You get the point....with yamaha, its all about the drivers choice. You can have the level of traction, YOU want, anytime, any where, no excuses, no wheel spin(unless thats what you want).
Now do a search, of past posts, and look for problems on polaris and yamaha. Youll get an idea, how dependable the quads are and how happy the owners are.
Jul 13, 2005 | 03:27 PM
#15
Pro Rider
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 375
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
Now do a search, of past posts, and look for problems on polaris and yamaha. Youll get an idea, how dependable the quads are and how happy the owners are.
Jul 13, 2005 | 06:47 PM
#16
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 803
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
I had a 2004 400 Sportsman. It was a good first quad. It had 2300 miles on it when I sold it and still ran great. I sold it just because I wanted more power. But there were things I didn't like. First of all it was waaaaay to heavy. It had a few poor quality parts too. One time a bolt in the rear IRS cracked in half for no appearant reason. The rubber "boots"on the rear axle in the rear IRS kept ripping too. But besides that no major problems, it's just to heavy for the engine. I know nothing about the Kodiak, besides the fact that it is lighter. You should really go out and test drive both and look them over throughly that should make your descion.
Jul 14, 2005 | 10:33 PM
#17
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 553
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
Originally posted by: hondabuster
Bob, you need to relax...sounds like youre uptight about somthing. I was giving advice to2manytoys, it wasnt meant for expert riders like yourself, who can and do go down steep hills in 2wd.
For inexperienced people like me and my wife and daughters, the safety factor of 4wd, in steep ,loose downhills, is great. A person needs very little experience, and they will safely and easily, go down the scariest of hills, in total control, and never touch the brake lever. PLUS, if i ever do get the experience and confidence, i can flick it to 2wd, and go down the hills like a pro. Like i said, with a yamaha, you have a choice...2wd or 4wd.
As far as needing to be in low for slow driving...just ask your dealer. The reason, is the polaris cvt, uses the belt as a clutch, and the leverage of being in high, at low speeds is very detrimental to belt and pulley life. The belt, on the Yamaha ultramatic is always engaged, and will not slip,( if kept dry. )So again, on a yamaha, its a choice...high or low, doesnt matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage.
My kodiak is all disk brake, and im coordinated enough to handle separtate brake levers. In fact i can use front only, back only, or both....again, with a yamaha, its your choice.
The yamaha, has a much better system of 4wd. I can select, at any time, and it will engage when i want it to, either 2wd, 4wd (which some people referr to as 3wd), or fully locked 4wd. It doesnt depend on wheel slippage to engage...its my choice, when i want a certain traction, I can DEMAND it...unlike the polaris, which will only give you what the engineers at polaris figured you wanted. Try taking a polaris and hooking it up to the neightbors boat and trailer, and then back it up the front yard, on a wet morning. The polaris will spin the back, before the fronts will work...leaving damage on his lawn. The yami, can be selected, and engaged, and ready to work, with out damage to the lawn....ask me how i know this. Been there, done it.
Ever ride the trails in the winter? Try comming off of a hard throttle, and see how much fun it is, to hold a straight line...with only rear engine braking. Ask me how i know that one...seen it many times. from diehard polaris guys, who know how to ride.
You get the point....with yamaha, its all about the drivers choice. You can have the level of traction, YOU want, anytime, any where, no excuses, no wheel spin(unless thats what you want).
Now do a search, of past posts, and look for problems on polaris and yamaha. Youll get an idea, how dependable the quads are and how happy the owners are.
Originally posted by: Backinthesaddleagain
A) Why is it that 4 wheel engine brake is so important......yet single lever 4 wheel brakes is such a crime??? 4 wheel engine braking is something I don't have.....and don't need. My much denigraded ( by anti-Polaris Jap bike biased people) single lever 4 wheel brakes work perfectly. I guess maybe some of them
need 4 wheel engine braking because their DRUM brakes shuck.
B) The Polaris must be in low when going slow.........hmmmm........that's a new one. It's also completely wrong. 85% of my trail riding is done in high.....including slow trail riding. I could ride 100% of the time in high but when doing rock crawling or slow technical steep hills and such....low is simply better suited. But let there be no mistake.......this machine could get along splendidly without a low range what-so-ever.
C) The Yamaha is narrower across the legs. Yes, I suppose it is. Does that make it "more comfortable" when riding standing up??? I suppose if you are used to something else. But then you very quickly get acclimated to the wider stance.......not a detriment. It's just like getting used to driving a new car........just a little different than your old car. The Polaris is better sitting down.......correct.......but that's an understatement.
I considered the Yamaha Kodial 450 before buying the Sportsman 400. I also have ridden one in the same trails I regularly ride my Sportsman. If you compare the machines you will see that the Sportsman is......a Sportsman. It's the same full sized machine as its bigger bore bretheren. By comparision the Kodiak is a little toy and has no where near as nice a suspension. It's very squirilly/unstable in comparision to the Sportsman as well. It IS lighter and therefore it does have better acceleration. That, in my opinion, is it's ONLY winning point over the Sportsman 400. The Sportsman has HUGE storage, rack capacity, ground clearance and its ease of use is second to none. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is ideal. Just hit the switch and you get full power to BOTH front wheels when needed. I have yet to find an instance where I wished for a mechanical lock-up with an additional little lever to bother with when working my way through tricky stuff. Remember, the Polaris system gives you full power to BOTH front wheels and it does it seemlessly on the fly and it simply doesn't get any better when you consider ease of use and effectiveness in application. Polaris AWD machines are awesome mudders and I don't think there are many who will dispute that. The proof is in the slop. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
After riding the Kodiak 450 in the same trails I ride my Sportsman I've come to conclude that the Kodiak is better for acceleration.......the Sportsman is better for virtually everything else.
Good Luck, Bob
Originally posted by: hondabuster
There are other differences as well.
The yami has 4 wheel engine braking, polaris 2.
The yami can be in high or low, when going slow...your choice. Polaris must be in low.
The yami is narrower accross the legs...if you want to stand while riding, its more comfortable.
The polaris has a better sit down ride.
You might want to try a test ride on each, to get a feel for riding position and engine peppiness.
There are other differences as well.
The yami has 4 wheel engine braking, polaris 2.
The yami can be in high or low, when going slow...your choice. Polaris must be in low.
The yami is narrower accross the legs...if you want to stand while riding, its more comfortable.
The polaris has a better sit down ride.
You might want to try a test ride on each, to get a feel for riding position and engine peppiness.
need 4 wheel engine braking because their DRUM brakes shuck.
B) The Polaris must be in low when going slow.........hmmmm........that's a new one. It's also completely wrong. 85% of my trail riding is done in high.....including slow trail riding. I could ride 100% of the time in high but when doing rock crawling or slow technical steep hills and such....low is simply better suited. But let there be no mistake.......this machine could get along splendidly without a low range what-so-ever.
C) The Yamaha is narrower across the legs. Yes, I suppose it is. Does that make it "more comfortable" when riding standing up??? I suppose if you are used to something else. But then you very quickly get acclimated to the wider stance.......not a detriment. It's just like getting used to driving a new car........just a little different than your old car. The Polaris is better sitting down.......correct.......but that's an understatement.
I considered the Yamaha Kodial 450 before buying the Sportsman 400. I also have ridden one in the same trails I regularly ride my Sportsman. If you compare the machines you will see that the Sportsman is......a Sportsman. It's the same full sized machine as its bigger bore bretheren. By comparision the Kodiak is a little toy and has no where near as nice a suspension. It's very squirilly/unstable in comparision to the Sportsman as well. It IS lighter and therefore it does have better acceleration. That, in my opinion, is it's ONLY winning point over the Sportsman 400. The Sportsman has HUGE storage, rack capacity, ground clearance and its ease of use is second to none. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is ideal. Just hit the switch and you get full power to BOTH front wheels when needed. I have yet to find an instance where I wished for a mechanical lock-up with an additional little lever to bother with when working my way through tricky stuff. Remember, the Polaris system gives you full power to BOTH front wheels and it does it seemlessly on the fly and it simply doesn't get any better when you consider ease of use and effectiveness in application. Polaris AWD machines are awesome mudders and I don't think there are many who will dispute that. The proof is in the slop. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
After riding the Kodiak 450 in the same trails I ride my Sportsman I've come to conclude that the Kodiak is better for acceleration.......the Sportsman is better for virtually everything else.
Good Luck, Bob
Bob, you need to relax...sounds like youre uptight about somthing. I was giving advice to2manytoys, it wasnt meant for expert riders like yourself, who can and do go down steep hills in 2wd.
For inexperienced people like me and my wife and daughters, the safety factor of 4wd, in steep ,loose downhills, is great. A person needs very little experience, and they will safely and easily, go down the scariest of hills, in total control, and never touch the brake lever. PLUS, if i ever do get the experience and confidence, i can flick it to 2wd, and go down the hills like a pro. Like i said, with a yamaha, you have a choice...2wd or 4wd.
As far as needing to be in low for slow driving...just ask your dealer. The reason, is the polaris cvt, uses the belt as a clutch, and the leverage of being in high, at low speeds is very detrimental to belt and pulley life. The belt, on the Yamaha ultramatic is always engaged, and will not slip,( if kept dry. )So again, on a yamaha, its a choice...high or low, doesnt matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage.
My kodiak is all disk brake, and im coordinated enough to handle separtate brake levers. In fact i can use front only, back only, or both....again, with a yamaha, its your choice.
The yamaha, has a much better system of 4wd. I can select, at any time, and it will engage when i want it to, either 2wd, 4wd (which some people referr to as 3wd), or fully locked 4wd. It doesnt depend on wheel slippage to engage...its my choice, when i want a certain traction, I can DEMAND it...unlike the polaris, which will only give you what the engineers at polaris figured you wanted. Try taking a polaris and hooking it up to the neightbors boat and trailer, and then back it up the front yard, on a wet morning. The polaris will spin the back, before the fronts will work...leaving damage on his lawn. The yami, can be selected, and engaged, and ready to work, with out damage to the lawn....ask me how i know this. Been there, done it.
Ever ride the trails in the winter? Try comming off of a hard throttle, and see how much fun it is, to hold a straight line...with only rear engine braking. Ask me how i know that one...seen it many times. from diehard polaris guys, who know how to ride.
You get the point....with yamaha, its all about the drivers choice. You can have the level of traction, YOU want, anytime, any where, no excuses, no wheel spin(unless thats what you want).
Now do a search, of past posts, and look for problems on polaris and yamaha. Youll get an idea, how dependable the quads are and how happy the owners are.
I ride in snow up here in the Northeast all winter long and guess what???.........The Kodiak couldn't go with us on many rides because he didn't have enough ground clearance for the deep stuff. The only machines in our group capable of riding the kind of snow we had all winter long here were the Grizzly, Acrtic Cat and Sportsman machines. The Kodiak simply didn't have the ground clearance.
As for engine breaking in the snow.....2 wheel vs 4 wheel......I don't really know and I don't really care. I don't have engine braking, never had engine braking, don't need engine braking and don't care to have engine braking. My 1988 Polaris didn't have engine braking either. My 4 wheel single lever brake handle, however, is a real pleasure to operate and I do knarly hills all the time.
The following statement is blatantly false: "So again, on a yamaha,....its a choice high or low, doesn't matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage."
If this is so then please explain to me why I did many many many miles over the course of several years on my 1988 Polaris Trailboss 250 with the CVT single range tranny.......no low range......just high range. I also never replaced the belt or even removed the CVT cover for that matter. If this is such a poor design, then why is it that Polaris currently uses this very same CVT single range tranny in many other models.......without "risking damage"??? The low range is there for plowing, work and prolonged slow speed operation. It's a nice feature on a top of line utility quad. To construe this point such as you have to mean that you must use low range when going slow "OR RISK DAMAGE" is just plain incorrect and you should retract your statement.
The other points you bring up are simply a matter of preference and not detriments. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is superior.....you disagree.....I think we'll have to agree to disagree.
Jul 15, 2005 | 12:04 AM
#18
Elite Pro Rider
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,599
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
The question started out on a sp400, and on polaris models with a low range (which a 400 has), then it should be used for slow ,tough going. You dont have to believe me, ask your favorite polaris dealer, or consult the owners manual.
Jul 15, 2005 | 01:40 AM
#19
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 553
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
A) You didn't answer my question regarding the single (high) range Polaris CVT transmissions. The fact that these units operate just fine without "RISKING DAMAGE" at slow speed illustrates that your assertion is incorrect.
B) I consult my owners manual all the time. In fact, I consulted my owners manual prior to taking issue with you on this point. It says nothing about "RISKING DAMAGE" by operating slowly in high range.
B) I consult my owners manual all the time. In fact, I consulted my owners manual prior to taking issue with you on this point. It says nothing about "RISKING DAMAGE" by operating slowly in high range.
Jul 15, 2005 | 02:17 AM
#20
Extreme Pro Rider
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,998
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Thinking of a new sp400 or Kodiak 450.
Originally posted by: Backinthesaddleagain
I ride in snow up here in the Northeast all winter long and guess what???.........The Kodiak couldn't go with us on many rides because he didn't have enough ground clearance for the deep stuff. The only machines in our group capable of riding the kind of snow we had all winter long here were the Grizzly, Acrtic Cat and Sportsman machines. The Kodiak simply didn't have the ground clearance.
As for engine breaking in the snow.....2 wheel vs 4 wheel......I don't really know and I don't really care. I don't have engine braking, never had engine braking, don't need engine braking and don't care to have engine braking. My 1988 Polaris didn't have engine braking either. My 4 wheel single lever brake handle, however, is a real pleasure to operate and I do knarly hills all the time.
The following statement is blatantly false: "So again, on a yamaha,....its a choice high or low, doesn't matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage."
If this is so then please explain to me why I did many many many miles over the course of several years on my 1988 Polaris Trailboss 250 with the CVT single range tranny.......no low range......just high range. I also never replaced the belt or even removed the CVT cover for that matter. If this is such a poor design, then why is it that Polaris currently uses this very same CVT single range tranny in many other models.......without "risking damage"??? The low range is there for plowing, work and prolonged slow speed operation. It's a nice feature on a top of line utility quad. To construe this point such as you have to mean that you must use low range when going slow "OR RISK DAMAGE" is just plain incorrect and you should retract your statement.
The other points you bring up are simply a matter of preference and not detriments. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is superior.....you disagree.....I think we'll have to agree to disagree.
Originally posted by: hondabuster
Bob, you need to relax...sounds like youre uptight about somthing. I was giving advice to2manytoys, it wasnt meant for expert riders like yourself, who can and do go down steep hills in 2wd.
For inexperienced people like me and my wife and daughters, the safety factor of 4wd, in steep ,loose downhills, is great. A person needs very little experience, and they will safely and easily, go down the scariest of hills, in total control, and never touch the brake lever. PLUS, if i ever do get the experience and confidence, i can flick it to 2wd, and go down the hills like a pro. Like i said, with a yamaha, you have a choice...2wd or 4wd.
As far as needing to be in low for slow driving...just ask your dealer. The reason, is the polaris cvt, uses the belt as a clutch, and the leverage of being in high, at low speeds is very detrimental to belt and pulley life. The belt, on the Yamaha ultramatic is always engaged, and will not slip,( if kept dry. )So again, on a yamaha, its a choice...high or low, doesnt matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage.
My kodiak is all disk brake, and im coordinated enough to handle separtate brake levers. In fact i can use front only, back only, or both....again, with a yamaha, its your choice.
The yamaha, has a much better system of 4wd. I can select, at any time, and it will engage when i want it to, either 2wd, 4wd (which some people referr to as 3wd), or fully locked 4wd. It doesnt depend on wheel slippage to engage...its my choice, when i want a certain traction, I can DEMAND it...unlike the polaris, which will only give you what the engineers at polaris figured you wanted. Try taking a polaris and hooking it up to the neightbors boat and trailer, and then back it up the front yard, on a wet morning. The polaris will spin the back, before the fronts will work...leaving damage on his lawn. The yami, can be selected, and engaged, and ready to work, with out damage to the lawn....ask me how i know this. Been there, done it.
Ever ride the trails in the winter? Try comming off of a hard throttle, and see how much fun it is, to hold a straight line...with only rear engine braking. Ask me how i know that one...seen it many times. from diehard polaris guys, who know how to ride.
You get the point....with yamaha, its all about the drivers choice. You can have the level of traction, YOU want, anytime, any where, no excuses, no wheel spin(unless thats what you want).
Now do a search, of past posts, and look for problems on polaris and yamaha. Youll get an idea, how dependable the quads are and how happy the owners are.
Originally posted by: Backinthesaddleagain
A) Why is it that 4 wheel engine brake is so important......yet single lever 4 wheel brakes is such a crime??? 4 wheel engine braking is something I don't have.....and don't need. My much denigraded ( by anti-Polaris Jap bike biased people) single lever 4 wheel brakes work perfectly. I guess maybe some of them
need 4 wheel engine braking because their DRUM brakes shuck.
B) The Polaris must be in low when going slow.........hmmmm........that's a new one. It's also completely wrong. 85% of my trail riding is done in high.....including slow trail riding. I could ride 100% of the time in high but when doing rock crawling or slow technical steep hills and such....low is simply better suited. But let there be no mistake.......this machine could get along splendidly without a low range what-so-ever.
C) The Yamaha is narrower across the legs. Yes, I suppose it is. Does that make it "more comfortable" when riding standing up??? I suppose if you are used to something else. But then you very quickly get acclimated to the wider stance.......not a detriment. It's just like getting used to driving a new car........just a little different than your old car. The Polaris is better sitting down.......correct.......but that's an understatement.
I considered the Yamaha Kodial 450 before buying the Sportsman 400. I also have ridden one in the same trails I regularly ride my Sportsman. If you compare the machines you will see that the Sportsman is......a Sportsman. It's the same full sized machine as its bigger bore bretheren. By comparision the Kodiak is a little toy and has no where near as nice a suspension. It's very squirilly/unstable in comparision to the Sportsman as well. It IS lighter and therefore it does have better acceleration. That, in my opinion, is it's ONLY winning point over the Sportsman 400. The Sportsman has HUGE storage, rack capacity, ground clearance and its ease of use is second to none. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is ideal. Just hit the switch and you get full power to BOTH front wheels when needed. I have yet to find an instance where I wished for a mechanical lock-up with an additional little lever to bother with when working my way through tricky stuff. Remember, the Polaris system gives you full power to BOTH front wheels and it does it seemlessly on the fly and it simply doesn't get any better when you consider ease of use and effectiveness in application. Polaris AWD machines are awesome mudders and I don't think there are many who will dispute that. The proof is in the slop. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
After riding the Kodiak 450 in the same trails I ride my Sportsman I've come to conclude that the Kodiak is better for acceleration.......the Sportsman is better for virtually everything else.
Good Luck, Bob
Originally posted by: hondabuster
There are other differences as well.
The yami has 4 wheel engine braking, polaris 2.
The yami can be in high or low, when going slow...your choice. Polaris must be in low.
The yami is narrower accross the legs...if you want to stand while riding, its more comfortable.
The polaris has a better sit down ride.
You might want to try a test ride on each, to get a feel for riding position and engine peppiness.
There are other differences as well.
The yami has 4 wheel engine braking, polaris 2.
The yami can be in high or low, when going slow...your choice. Polaris must be in low.
The yami is narrower accross the legs...if you want to stand while riding, its more comfortable.
The polaris has a better sit down ride.
You might want to try a test ride on each, to get a feel for riding position and engine peppiness.
need 4 wheel engine braking because their DRUM brakes shuck.
B) The Polaris must be in low when going slow.........hmmmm........that's a new one. It's also completely wrong. 85% of my trail riding is done in high.....including slow trail riding. I could ride 100% of the time in high but when doing rock crawling or slow technical steep hills and such....low is simply better suited. But let there be no mistake.......this machine could get along splendidly without a low range what-so-ever.
C) The Yamaha is narrower across the legs. Yes, I suppose it is. Does that make it "more comfortable" when riding standing up??? I suppose if you are used to something else. But then you very quickly get acclimated to the wider stance.......not a detriment. It's just like getting used to driving a new car........just a little different than your old car. The Polaris is better sitting down.......correct.......but that's an understatement.
I considered the Yamaha Kodial 450 before buying the Sportsman 400. I also have ridden one in the same trails I regularly ride my Sportsman. If you compare the machines you will see that the Sportsman is......a Sportsman. It's the same full sized machine as its bigger bore bretheren. By comparision the Kodiak is a little toy and has no where near as nice a suspension. It's very squirilly/unstable in comparision to the Sportsman as well. It IS lighter and therefore it does have better acceleration. That, in my opinion, is it's ONLY winning point over the Sportsman 400. The Sportsman has HUGE storage, rack capacity, ground clearance and its ease of use is second to none. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is ideal. Just hit the switch and you get full power to BOTH front wheels when needed. I have yet to find an instance where I wished for a mechanical lock-up with an additional little lever to bother with when working my way through tricky stuff. Remember, the Polaris system gives you full power to BOTH front wheels and it does it seemlessly on the fly and it simply doesn't get any better when you consider ease of use and effectiveness in application. Polaris AWD machines are awesome mudders and I don't think there are many who will dispute that. The proof is in the slop. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
After riding the Kodiak 450 in the same trails I ride my Sportsman I've come to conclude that the Kodiak is better for acceleration.......the Sportsman is better for virtually everything else.
Good Luck, Bob
Bob, you need to relax...sounds like youre uptight about somthing. I was giving advice to2manytoys, it wasnt meant for expert riders like yourself, who can and do go down steep hills in 2wd.
For inexperienced people like me and my wife and daughters, the safety factor of 4wd, in steep ,loose downhills, is great. A person needs very little experience, and they will safely and easily, go down the scariest of hills, in total control, and never touch the brake lever. PLUS, if i ever do get the experience and confidence, i can flick it to 2wd, and go down the hills like a pro. Like i said, with a yamaha, you have a choice...2wd or 4wd.
As far as needing to be in low for slow driving...just ask your dealer. The reason, is the polaris cvt, uses the belt as a clutch, and the leverage of being in high, at low speeds is very detrimental to belt and pulley life. The belt, on the Yamaha ultramatic is always engaged, and will not slip,( if kept dry. )So again, on a yamaha, its a choice...high or low, doesnt matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage.
My kodiak is all disk brake, and im coordinated enough to handle separtate brake levers. In fact i can use front only, back only, or both....again, with a yamaha, its your choice.
The yamaha, has a much better system of 4wd. I can select, at any time, and it will engage when i want it to, either 2wd, 4wd (which some people referr to as 3wd), or fully locked 4wd. It doesnt depend on wheel slippage to engage...its my choice, when i want a certain traction, I can DEMAND it...unlike the polaris, which will only give you what the engineers at polaris figured you wanted. Try taking a polaris and hooking it up to the neightbors boat and trailer, and then back it up the front yard, on a wet morning. The polaris will spin the back, before the fronts will work...leaving damage on his lawn. The yami, can be selected, and engaged, and ready to work, with out damage to the lawn....ask me how i know this. Been there, done it.
Ever ride the trails in the winter? Try comming off of a hard throttle, and see how much fun it is, to hold a straight line...with only rear engine braking. Ask me how i know that one...seen it many times. from diehard polaris guys, who know how to ride.
You get the point....with yamaha, its all about the drivers choice. You can have the level of traction, YOU want, anytime, any where, no excuses, no wheel spin(unless thats what you want).
Now do a search, of past posts, and look for problems on polaris and yamaha. Youll get an idea, how dependable the quads are and how happy the owners are.
I ride in snow up here in the Northeast all winter long and guess what???.........The Kodiak couldn't go with us on many rides because he didn't have enough ground clearance for the deep stuff. The only machines in our group capable of riding the kind of snow we had all winter long here were the Grizzly, Acrtic Cat and Sportsman machines. The Kodiak simply didn't have the ground clearance.
As for engine breaking in the snow.....2 wheel vs 4 wheel......I don't really know and I don't really care. I don't have engine braking, never had engine braking, don't need engine braking and don't care to have engine braking. My 1988 Polaris didn't have engine braking either. My 4 wheel single lever brake handle, however, is a real pleasure to operate and I do knarly hills all the time.
The following statement is blatantly false: "So again, on a yamaha,....its a choice high or low, doesn't matter, but on polaris, its gotta be low, or risk damage."
If this is so then please explain to me why I did many many many miles over the course of several years on my 1988 Polaris Trailboss 250 with the CVT single range tranny.......no low range......just high range. I also never replaced the belt or even removed the CVT cover for that matter. If this is such a poor design, then why is it that Polaris currently uses this very same CVT single range tranny in many other models.......without "risking damage"??? The low range is there for plowing, work and prolonged slow speed operation. It's a nice feature on a top of line utility quad. To construe this point such as you have to mean that you must use low range when going slow "OR RISK DAMAGE" is just plain incorrect and you should retract your statement.
The other points you bring up are simply a matter of preference and not detriments. I happen to think the Polaris AWD system is superior.....you disagree.....I think we'll have to agree to disagree.