I have a 99 Xplorer 400, my brother a 97 Xpress 400. Up until now, I always said they were trouble free, but no more (woe!).
It finally warmed up enough to ride (was 45 below windchill last weekend) and my brother's ride had it's first breakdown. At least he got 5000 miles in before it happened.
We were chasing cows when one ran into some thin bushes, not the kind you fear popping a tire, but the kind that makes you happy you are wearing gloves.
Trying to reconstruct what happened, here is my best guess. One or more of the viney branches reached up the handlebars, and broke the little spring in his parking brake release! Snapped it right off. Now when he wants to release the brake, instead of just pulling back on the handle and having a spring release the little pawl, he has to reach around with his other hand and release it manually. Oh, the humanity of it all!!! (I hope all detected the sarcasm here)

Now whad should we do, start pouring money into it, trade it off for a new Polaris, or maybe get some other brand of bike that has better park release springs? If only we had invested in handguards... (more sarcasm)

All in all, I don't see how we could complain when we have a combined 8600 miles (him over 5000, me close to 3600).
At least it is something we can fix ourselves.
We are very good about greasing our machines and all, and I just wanted you all to have an example of how well these newer Polaris machines are put together if you take proper care of them.

 

If it still performs well,fix it and RIDE ON,
Bill

 

I would burn that thing and buy a Honda Forman. It may not be near as fun to ride, but you are not likely to have to deal with parts falling apart. I say you go back to the Polaris dealer and demand your money back. Damn Polaris dealers sell you on that true 4X4 and excellent ride crap only to put your life at risk with faulty brake mechanisms. Hell, I would not take it back to the dealer... Keep it as evidence and sue Polaris. This kind of crap just burns my $$$ up. I think I am going to go out to the garage and set my SP500 on fire. The last thing I want is to put my life in jeopardy with a ATV manufacturer that is willing to put faulty brake mechanisms on their machines.

Damn it... I am pissed.

Good luck man... maybe you can find someone to haul your bike off before it is too late. I would be more than willing to help you dispose of it if you would like? I just need your address.

Greg

 

Well you no if it were a Brand X bike it would never have happened Becuse god knows poilaris is just pure scrap. There just not worth the time to fix em And also one other thing why would any body buy one There must be some real problems with themselfs spending all that cash on Junk. Let the war begin LONG LIVE POLARIS !!!!!!!!!!

 

Get a Honda! Tuff as a brick ,unfortunately it rides like one also.

 

man, that POS. I swear i would never buy a polaris, i would just rather ride them than anything else i got

 

And I'm thinking about getting another one . . . I may have to reconsider.

 

Repent! It's surely a time of the end times! I think I hear the horsemen of the apocalypse riding in now on Yamaha's.

 

Having riden my 2000 sp500 more than 1500 miles in the last year in everything from KY snow, AL creeks, GA dirt roads, southeastern KY moutains (mud, snow, gravel, strip mine silt ponds Decieving) sometimes pulling a New Kodiak (water Pump Leaking). I can not even think of a reason to go with another brand. What you don't know is that I did flip it backwards early in its life (simply fixed what I broke) and more recently while climbing off off the machine (on the wrong side at that paticular time) had it roll/chase me down a moutain in DB National forest. Point being I have road the sp500 hard but I do take care of it. By the way when I rolled it down the moutain it done little to no damage. (rolled 3 or 4 times I think it was kinda hard to tell running from it)
After all this here is why Polaris is the better machine:
Starts in ccooollldddd weather
runs great in cold weather
ground clearence
4 WHEEL drive
carrying capacity
towing capacity
plenty of power
belt drive works great (when sealed correctly)
smooth ride
great brakes (if you stay on top of your pads)
abd the main reason I bought itt in the begining its MADE IN THE USA!

 

Update! The dealership where my brother got his Xpress is willing to give him the part required to fix his bike. It sure is nice of them to absorb the cost to keep a customer happy. I mean it must cost all of 89 cents or so. The only thing is now he will have to wait until he goes to that town again before he can get it (O'neil). He should have asked them to drop it in an envelope, I suppose. Oh, well, it is 20 below wind chill again, so I doubt we are gonna go riding anytime in the near future. Back when we were younger, a blizzard wouldn't have stopped us, but now, older and wiser (?) we stay inside. I say if God wanted us to go out in terrible cold he wouldn't have given us electric heat!

Thanks to all who replied, especially those who gave me a good laugh.

One last question : since he didn't have to pay for the repair, is it still called a breakdown? I mean I know a guy who drives a brand X with 'no problems'. It has been in the shop a few times, just he didn't have to pay for any of it (extended warranty).