I am looking at purchasing the polaris sportsman 500 or the yamaha grizzly 450. I will mostly be trail riding but also using it to plow my drive way in the winter.

 

Well your in the Polaris forum so you know what you'll hear here. I would check them both out and ride em at a dealer. I love my Sportsman 500 I havent had any problems whatsover with it and its great for trail riding. I dont plow with it but many of the guys here do I'm sure they'll chime in. I never rode a grizz but I know you will be happy on the Sportsman. Its like riding a Cadillac through the woods, extremely plush ride with enough power to do just about anything. I put a lot of time on mine I have over 400 miles on it and just got it in October I'll probably triple that since its getting nice out. But like I said check them both out and decide you wont be disappointed with the Sportsman though, it's a tried and true machine that everyone in this section loves!!

 

ive riden teh sportsmans and been pulled out of mud holes and out of eth wood from broken chains and other barts by both and they both are good. i would perfer the sportman thow. but it is up 2 u. i love plowing with my scarambler 500 2/4 works great we don't get to much snow at a time so the 2/4 works ok. they both had enoghpower to pull me out in low but he sportsman 800 would take me out in high with no prob at all i was scarred and under the control of teh puller. i could lock up my brakes and he wouldn't know haha.

 

If physical size is an issue, I believe the Yamaha will be smaller and lighter than the Sportsman. You should ride both of them, that will probably be the deciding factor for you. The integrated front storage on the Sportsman is very handy. With the Yamaha, you'll have to get a box of some kind to take your goodies along. Good luck.

 

The polaris sportsman is a heavy machine compared to other 4x4's but in your case and mine the weight plays a big part toward plowing. You dont need to rely on engine RPM to keep you moving like on a lighter quads as the weight will help you get traction.I use mine for plowing all time and it does a excellent job. I also work at a fairly large car dealership and we have allot of snow to move {sidewalks} and it does it w/ no problem. The only thing I would sugest is when you buy a quad get one get one w/ EFI it realy helps w/ the cold start mornings!

 

want an honest opinion? ok i have rode both as one of my freinds has a 450 yamaha and i have had sportsmans. the yamaha is easier to ride in very tight trails it turns easier it goes very well anywhere you put it. it will keep up with the 500 in the woods up to about 25 mph i myself prefer the ride of the polaris to the yamaha the yamaha is alot stiffer than the polaris when lined up side by side they are prtty even out of the hole but once the polaris gets moving the yamaha fades away the top speed on the yami is about 52/53 the polaris will go over 60 the only problem so far with the yami has been a large rock hitting the front diff as it only has a plastic cover and meesing up the servo motor and front brakes at about 1200 miles. if you are a smaller person you would prefer the yami

 

I agree with colt2245p 100%.

 

tequila, you really have to test ride each machine since as stated previously, the ride is the big difference here. It comes down to your riding style, if you like a cushy ride quality sitting most of the time, the SP 500 is going to be your machine, if you enjoy a bit more sporty/stiff ride standing a lot to soak up the bumps, then the Yammy may be more to your liking. The Sp will absorb the washboard where the Yammy will get thrown around a bit.
They are both very capable machines with fairly close power, the edge going to the SP 500 slightly, they will both plow snow well with the edge going to the SP 500 due to the extra weight, the SP 500 seems to be a bit more solid bike as the Yammy is aimed more to a sport ut market where as the SP 500 is designed more to the trail/work market.

Interesting side note here...I found the SP 500 ride a bit to soft for me so I actually went with the more sporty, (in my opinion), SP 400 instead. I just liked the tighter handling/stiffer ride/lighter platform of the SP400
To each their own!

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>They are both very capable machines with fairly close power, the edge going to the SP 500 slightly</end quote></div>

I rode a 450 grizzly there not even close in power. Others can tell you the same. ------- Or here.

421=26hp
499=35hp

10 extra hp is noticable. There less power differance between a 660 Grizzly at 41hp.

Polaris (2007)

Hawkeye 300=17
trailblazer 330=19 hp
Phoenix 200=13 hp
sportsman 450=29.7 hp
Sportsman 500 Ho (carB) 34.5hp
Sportsman 500 EFI/x2/Scrambler 500=36 hp
Predator 500 = 48 HP
Outlaw 500 = 48.6 HP
700 EFI= 44 HP
800 EFI/ 800x2 = 50.2 HP

Honda (2007)

250ex = 16.8 HP
300 EX= 17.1 HP
400 ex= 34.2 hp
500 (fm and fe) =26.9 hp
680 (rincon) =38.5 hp

Bomb (2007)

400 = 28.9 hp
500 = 39 hp
650 = 55.3 hp
800 = 61.6 hp

AC (2007)

400 = 24.8
400 DVX = 36.6
500 = 32.0
650 H1 = 39.3
700 EFI = 41.4

KAWASAKI (2007)

KLF 250A7 = 17 HP
750 (PRARIE AND BRUTE)=50.1 hp
360 = 21 hp
700 = 48.7 hp

Yamaha (2006)

450 Kodiak = 26 Hp
350 bruin = 21.3 hp
350 raptor = 26.8 hp
yfz 450 = 38.6 hp
700r = 47 hp
660 = 40.9 hp

 

I had the exact same problem back in 2006 Yamaha 450 or Sp 450
I love Yamaha (still have two sleds) but after two long months reading and asking questions.Guess what I bought?.......Yes two of them.......ovber the phone ,,,...Never even ridden them first.....just sat on them in the showroom!!.....My homework I did was enough to tell me these wee the ones for my wife and I.

I was not disappointed.......Very happy with them.
I do strongly agree with Dodge57Hemi....Plowing the Polaris has the larger weight,If your using it for plowing........No question in my mind Polaris.........Check the brakes out on both of them too!!

This was one of my reasons to stay away from the Yamaha......Drum ..Don't know if the changed them from 2006 to 2008!!..........Caper........