I want a new quad I'm looking at the xplorer. I would be using it for trail riding, plowing snow and yard work. I'm concerned about it being a 2stroke. How are they at working(pulling pushing towing.
thank's

The 400 Xlorer will work hard and play hard. If you buy one you wont regret it.
I have beat the hell outta mine now for almost 3 years and it still runs and rides as good as the day I bought it.

Andy G

I also am interested in the Xplorer for the same reasons as you, but I will also be doing a good deal of recreational riding. Since the Xplorer seems the best value in it's class, I want to investigate this atv first. Unfortunately, none of the local dealerships carry it in stock. My biggest concern is the 2-stroke motor - noise, smoke, reliability. Can anyone comment on these items? How much louder is the 2-stroke vs. a comparable 4-stroke? How much smoke and smell does it produce? Do they load-up while putt-putting around?

Any other info you can supply will be helpful.

Thanks

Kurt

The Xplorer has that destinctive Polaris 2-stroke hum...It is a bit higher pitched than a 4-stroke and it's sound carries less far. Mine smokes a bit but not enough to be a nuissance. I'd rather have it burn a bit of extra oil and protect the motor.

Very reliable and powerful. Acceleration is great and so is fast trail riding. A very good machine for most anything. Don't let anyone tell you not to mud with a chain-driven quad. It's hogwash. The chain cleans itself...plus most mudholes have water on top so upon exiting it washes off debris.

Kurt
I also have a Magnum 500 which is a 4 stroke and I have to say that the 2 stroke is no louder than the 4. They do sound differant but one is not louder than the other. As far as smoke,the only time mine
ever smokes is when it is first started up and is cold. Once it is warmed up the smoke amd smell goes away. I can ride behind my 400 and never smell it. That could be because I use synthetic injection oil but regular oil wouldnt be much differant I dont think.
I have let my 400 idle for a couple hours at a time to let the headlights light up camp and never have I had a problem with fouled plugs or anything else.
If you have anymore questions, leme know.

Andy G

It sounds like for your use, it would be a near ideal choice. They are excellent trail machines, are light in weight (for their power), and can actuallu do real work. I have almost 3600 miles on mine with no problems at all. This is the hardest machine to overheat I ever owned. The fan cycles so seldom I usually wonder what that funny noise is.
To answer Kurt, noise is about = to a 450 + 4 cycle machine, but is a 2 cycle buzz more than a 4 cycle thump. Smoke is hardly noticeable if you run the synthetic oil, which also extends spark plug life. Reliability is excellent, at least for me. It does load up some from true putt-putting, but less than other 2 cycles I have ridden. 10 or 15 seconds of 'open er up' is all it takes to clean it out.

I have a 250 Xplorer that is a 2stroke.The only time they smoke is when u crank them up.Polaris sells oil that provents that.The smell isnt any differnt than a 4strke,just the odor.They are great i would reccomend them to any one who was wondering.

I am absolutely crazy about my 00 Xplorer.It is alot lighter than my 99 Sportsman 500cc by 110 lbs,and you can really feel the lighter weight to,and its the fastest stock utility quad also.Its a super hill climber and probably one of the best mudder's around.It developes excellant wheel speed and throttle response and is also a great worker.

On the down side,im not yet convinced of this chain thing.Mine has been replaced free of charge from Polaris.Its possible that I had a bad chain right from the factory,only time will tell.

The quads oil injection system is awesume.You can ride about 500 miles before a fill up is need.Smoke is very minimal.After the engine warms,smoking is not really bad at all.

Your going to have a blast on this quad,
Bill

My opinion of the Xplorer:

I was able to find a dealer an hour away, so I made the trek to test drive the Xplorer 250 4x4 last night. I must say that I was extremely impressed with this ATV. The feel, comfort and performance is exactly what I am looking for. It did take a few runs to get the load-up cleaned out but after that it ran and idled (for quite a while) like a champ. But I personally just cannot purchase this machine because of the tinny sound and noise of it. The unit I tested was much louder than a comparable stock 4-stroke, almost to the level of the motorcross bikes I have had it the past. (can these be made any more quiet?) Being in CT where there are no legal places to ride to begin with, noise is a major concern. Private property owners don't seem to mind to offer permission to ride on their property as long as the ride is quiet. If Polaris had the same machine in a 4-stroke version at a similar price, I would be sold.

The search continues.....



Thanks for the help!

Kurt

I have been extremely happy with my machine. I've had it for about 9 months and no problems at all with the motor. It doesn't smoke except when you first start it up. When it's warmed up it doesn't smoke at all. I consistantly out mud sportsmans and other utility quads i ride with. I also win all the drag races with them. The xplorer is by far the fastest utility i have ever ridden. I know that the 250 is a good machine but you should jump on a 400. There is a huge difference. As far as the noise goes, it's not that bad with the stock exhuast. Sounds like most of the other utilities just a little higher pitched because of the 2 stroke. I love the sound, I guess you just have to love two-strokes like i do. If you want to see some pics of mine, go to the new xplorer pics. They are the most recent ones.

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/jjtdiceman