Hey guys my father-in-law is looking for a 4x4 quad to get him to and from the duck blind and down some trails at a good clip. He is not very mechanically inclined and is about 6'3 275lb so reliability is a main concern. I noticed a dealer on ebay with some left over units and thought I would pick your brains on them after you check them out ...
#1 2000 Expedition 425
#2 1999 Sportsman 335

pros and cons of each would be appreciated or any other suggestions would also be appreciated..

Thanks,
Triston

 

The Expedition has proved to be a reliable ATV for Polaris line up.It is the only gear driven quad Polaris makes to date.It's a wise choice if a gear driven quad is what you want.Plenty of power and TRUE 4x4 [when AWD is activated] will supply plenty tire to ground traction in the bad terrains ect.

The Sportsman 335?
Not a good choice if your pa-in-law likes to ride the trails at a good clip?It is heavy for its meager size of 335cc.Very slow when compared to its bigger brother,the 500cc Sportsman.On the bright side?Its an automatic,no shifting of gears.I have two friends who were talked into buying the 335 Sportsmans instead of the 500s[dealer was out of stock] and after purchasing the 335s,they had the opportunity to ride my 500.They were SO very disappointed that the dealership salesman had mis-lead them about the power differance,they could'nt beleive it!

Personally,if you are going to buy ANY USED belt driven ATV,bring along a friend/mechanic who has exstensive knowledge of belt driven quads!
WHY?
Belt driven quads are as good as any quad in the hands of an experienced ATVer,however,get an owner who has little previous knowledge of belt driven quads and you could be in for alot of repairs like,belts,clutches,ect.That can get expensive later.He can test ride the quad and detect belt/clutch problems before you buy the quad.Best of luck on either quad,
Bill

 

Hey Bill,

What a great response I appreciate you taking the time to peck all that information. That is pretty much the take I had on the two machines but not having a lot of experience with polaris I just wanted to get some different opinions and viewpoints.


Thanks,
Triston

 

Xpedition is a good choice if you don't mind shifting gears. The 325s are decent machines, but not for 'going at a good clip'. They have been called 'lead sleds' and they are when compared to the 500s.

 

Right on on the SP335 evaluation!! I have one, and I should've spent the extra $$ and went with the 500. The ride is still sweet though.

 

Triston,
I am very pleased with my new Xpedition 425. Tons of low end torque (have started out in 3rd gear before I even realized it!) It climbs very well and accelarates nicely. I too am a big guy, and probably wouldn't suggest the smaller sportsman. I like the positive traction of the gear drive and manual transmission. The more it breaks in, the smoother it shifts.
It will definitely clip down the trail at a good pace. However, if running 60 mph on the flats & straights is important, he better go with a higher top end atv like the belt driven sp500. A buddy and I each have xp's, and top end so far is only around 48, although they are not broken in yet.

Hoping to eventually find a moderate pipe to gain some top end?? thoughts anyone??

I have found two dealerships in that will sell brand new 2000 model xp's for $5350, for what that's worth. Check into the shipping on ebay!! I have seen a couple in the crate, but check the warranty.
later,
clay

 

Well, I have to say that I like my 335. It's as tough as nails and hauls my 245 pound rear-end around fairly well. Pertaining to the fellow that weighs 275-or whatever, he might consider the new prairie 650 (618 actual cc's) or wait for the infamous Sportsman 700; granted,if all the rumors are true.