Rancheres I think the ruby is a great machine honda has built, don't get me wrong I'm not saying it sucks, the auto tranny they developed looks very impressive but for me to buy it I want to see a 24 hour torture test on the machines tranny before I would concider buying one.
The polaris interest me cuz they combined the best of both worlds a utility chassis with a high perfomance motor off of a "sport quad".

BELTS WITH NEVER BE OBSOLETE......AT LEAST NOT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

2000 SCRAMBLER 400 2X4

SCRAMDADDY400

 

Bis: Your learning as a Honda owner that Polaris and Honda riders never agree on anything expect to disagree. That is on who's is the best quad. However if every vote counts then i say just ask them whom has the best resale value in 1 to 15 plus years and beyond. Why, that hits a nerve don't it. Of course I might pay a bit more in getting a Honda, but it's sad when a Polaris dealer will give you top dollar for a quote second rate quad in Honda. But go to a Honda dealer and they won't hardly touch a Polaris (nor any other dealer). Just like others that say they are not bashing the other product (which is obviously bull, I am and not denying it, but I will say I'm not too) I am not either. I am just pointing out that the Honda and Polaris are made for TWO different people. Democrats and Republicans. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it, and to H### with the military votes.


IF ANYONE TAKES THIS SERIOUS TO BAD, IT IS A STINKING JOKE A JOKE, I repeat a JOKE.

 

I'm glad to see that the belt slipping episode I witnessed was a little out of the ordinary. Maybe my brothers SP did have a bad seal or warped plastic housing or something else wrong with it. Still, I'll think twice before purchasing any belt driven quad. That's just my preferrence. I sat on an Xpedition the other day and it seems to be a pretty nice quad. Then I looked at the price tag. Cripes, the SP400 was cheaper! Maybe it had gold handlebars or something.

 

Why pay more for a Honda when it's the most featureless quads made.You don't get switchable 4wd,disk brakes and true all wheel drive but they cost the most?

 

I read stuff like this and I wonder if the SP500 is for everyone. I am surprised at how little some people know about quads. Not that ignorance is a bad thing. I know some of you have not been riding for 25 years. I hate to say it, but I really thing you need to have some knowledge of how a quad operates to own a SP500 and be happy with it. The Hondas for the most part are idiot proof. You just ride em and wash em. The Polaris's require a little common sense. I have seen people in thick mud with the bike in High just smoking the belt and not letting off the throttle. I have also seen people get water on the belt and begin walking to the truck. Why? Because they do not understand their machine. If this guy his belt wet in water up to the top of the wheels, he has a bad seal. Replace it and end of story. The fact that he did not know to put the bike in nuetral to dry it tells me he is not knowledgable about his machine. Next thing you know, the belt "problem" is the topic of discussion again.

Just so you don't waste $5 on the belt seal to find out that is not your problem, try filling the clutch housing with water, and see where it drains. This will help you figure out which seal is actually leaking. My 2000SP500 leaked once, and it turned out to be the seal behind the clutch. Of course you have to replace the cover seal also, but it is better to be sure before you start.

 

gregsims: Ah, so the SP500 is the "thinking man's" machine, huh? :-) I guess that's why the manual states that if you get in water up to the running boards you need to shut it off and immediately cart it off to your dealer. I guess they figure if you don't know what to do already, you're not smart enough to figure it out even if we tell you. Of course, the dealer is usually no help here either.

So, what I'm getting at is unless you've had your belt slip before, how are you suppose to know what to do? And if you do know what to do because this has happen to you before, that tells me that this still is an issue with this type of tranny, no matter how hard people try to say the problem is now solved.

Thanks for the tip about the seal. I'll pass the info on.

 

Alaskaweasel,

Good point. Honda & Polaris guys always agree on one thing that their quad is best.

It really gets down to riding style & needs as to which is best. I don't mind paying more for good products.

Its like drinking beer. In highschool & college we always went for quantity over quality in choosing our beer. Now that money is not an issue I don't mind buying that imported or micro brew.

Its about choice people.

 

The Polaris Manual says that your atv can handle water up to the floorboards, not that and then you have to take it to your dealer, you can go through water27" deep, in high range, and as deep as you please in low range. I would rather have my belt slip and then dry it, and get out of the water, then have water get into my engine, kill it, then have to have a POLARIS pull u out. Which one would be your first sign of deep water?

 

Floor boards! I go through deeper water than that on my snowmobile.

 

Snowshark: SO true, about both points, HEAH HEAH!!!!