I see the MSRP of the 500 HO Carb is $5999. The '07 SP450 MSRP was $6299. If I had bought a 450 last year I'd be kicking rocks knowing i could have purchased a 500HO carb for less one year later. At the same time in Dec of '04 I purchased a 2005 SP400 and I beleive the MSRP at that time was $5999 for the SP400. Now they don't make the SP400 and today I could buy the 500 HO Carb for the same price. The MSRP for the 2005 SP500 HO Carb was $6799 I think, plus it had the EBS, PXT's & Rear work lights.

I think Polaris was unsucessful with the "Deluxe" option package in 2007 due to price and decided to add such items as EBS/ADC as standard. I think last year Polaris was asking a lot for their Deluxe machines and really stripping down the standard machines. This year they did a better job of meeting in the middle.

Anyone know if the 2008 Sportsman models have rear work lights? I don't see it mentioned in the text, but it appears to be physically on the machines in the pictures. I'd think that if they had them they would mention this since the other brands don't have them.

 

Does anyone know why they droped the "Hawkeye" name and now call it a "Sportsman mid size"? The hawkeye is not a Sportsman! It is a great quad for the price and the size but is not compariable to a "Sportsman" Polaris seams to be trying to confuse the public by changing names.

 

Because they wanted to, The way i see it is they can do whatever they want, Why not name it Sportsman Midsize its look like a sportsman that has shrunk.

 

I am sorry to say that if I was in the market for a new machine I'd probably look elsewhere. I have ridden with an Outlander 800 and the low end power is amazing. The fact that the Scrammy is mainly the same since what... 99, is laughable. In a time when the market is so competitive and constantly changing, it's hard to believe that they give us the same old line. There are a lot of options out there. I predict a slow sales year for PO PO.

 

Sportsman still offers a more complete package for my needs than any of the others. Ride, shifting pattern, comfort, AWD. But will not be looking at a new one until there is a big enough change to jump off my present one.

 

Yeah I was looking for a new machine. If I already had one or an older Sportsman 800 there certainly wouldn't be anything really worth :upgrading" or trading for. I had the same thing with the Rincon when the new 700 EFI Rincon came out. I had an 05 and drove this one and was no different really. Certainly not enough to justify a trade in and about 3k to boot. I think we need to see some real world reviews of these new 08 models from all brands. I mean the 10 percent improvement could elevate the Sportsman a bit in terms of acceleration with the Outty 800. There is a video at Atvnation and the Polaris dude said that would be the main difference you would experience on the new Sportsman was acceleration and speed. S o apparently they are trying to close the gap on the OUtlander in terms of acceleration.

Someone told me the Grizz 700 would actually out run a Sportsman 800 but I don't know about that.

 

Well Polaris went Backwards with this NEW Sportsman 400 H.O. (455cc)

They should have never called these two Sportsmans...............All sportmans were and should be built on the same frame!!!!!!!!!...No question about it!!!!!.....The Sportsman line is why Polaris are where they are today!!!..........

So Polaris tell me please is my motor a 450 or a 400 H.O.??

I am sure glad I got my 450 Sportsman in 2006 (or 2007) now I would not buy the Sportsman 400 H.O.
They cut too many corners to call this a Sportsman!!!!!....9" ground clearance.....Come on!!!!!!
The Sportsman 400 H.O. In my view is just a Hawkeye 450.........

I think they dropped the Hawkeye name due to the fact people know the Hawkeye as trouble in the first year for most!!!!!!Lets call it a Sportsman .......people will not know the differance.........WRONG I DO!!!!!!
Thanks for listen to me I am Smoking through my ears right now!!!!!......Caper......

 

as far as the 800cc only a 760, I will give a company 10 maybe 12 cc under
but thats it, 40cc under is a joke!! they messed it up when they first came out
with the motor now they are trying to find a cheap way to get more out of it.
don't get me wrong I am sure it is not slow!! but 40cc under what the sticker on
the side says come on!!!!!!! just call it a 760 please, forget the dumb #'s game
as far as scrammy goes I won't even get started!!!!!!!!!!! they did make one
person happy on the scrammy the CEO of can-am!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Right on the money............Now they are calling a 455cc a 400 H.O.
What's with that??????..........Caper.............

 

So what did polaris change on the sportsman 800 ? just color?