Look at the Suzuki 750 King Quad.

 

I find that too, if only this 700 lb ATV weighed 500 lbs instead I could just carry or push it out instead of winching it out.

Its easier to winch a 3500 lb truck out of a ditch than push or lift a 500lb ATV out of one.

 

No matter how many scenarios you come up with that heavy is better I will come up with just as many as to why lighter is better.

His original concern was; “and lighter is better for me if I'm alone and get it stuck or hung up”.

Years ago when we went off-roading in vehicles I drove a ¾ 4-wd and most of my friends drove Jeeps. When they got stuck I was usually the one to pull them out because I could pull twice the weight that they could and when I got stuck it would take 2-3 Jeeps chained together to get me out.

Bottom line is a lighter vehicle is easier to get unstuck that a heavy one, period.

 

There a post going on right now,why a XP850 ATV can,t push a 72" blade but a 500 1200lb side by side Ranger can. Light is great for sport ATVs but bad for Utility ATVs,Skidders and Tractors.

500lbs or 1000lbs its still takes a winch to get the machine unstuck.

 

Well, on that front I can tell you my Polaris, my son's Polaris (sold so he could by a sporty Renegade), and my 3 buddies' Polaris machines have been pretty bulletproof. We all have (or had in my son's case) the 500cc engine in years from 2002-2006. One of the 2002 machines needed a new battery, a couple had sticks go up under the machine and tore CV boots, my son ran his machine in high when it should have been in low and burned one belt, and I had one small issue with the foot brake cylinder. We use low gear where we are alot more than high gear. We climb nasty rocky hills, go over and through areas where loggers have left a mess behind, deep waterholes, deep mud, snow, ice, slush, and just about any other condition. All run like charms and are still fun to ride. Does my plastic look factory fresh? No. Does my full metal (from the factory) skidplate have a few dents in it? Yes. Would I buy another Polaris after my experience and my friend's experiences? Yep. In a heartbeat. Oh, and my machine has over 2500 hard miles on it.

 

Its going to get fun when we get into the Honda 3wd vs Polaris AWD ,SRA vs IRS Drum brakes vs Disk and OHC vs OHV power.

 

When your ATVs hit 13,000 miles lets compare repair costs. I am one of those strange people that prefer dependability over "AWD" and a cushy ride.

I'll tell you that several of my friends ride Polaris ATVs due to their plush and cushy ride. Everyone that I know personally that has purchased a new Polaris within the last 2 years has has issues with them. I'm sure there are Polaris ATVs out there that have a great service and dependability record.

One has a 09 850 EPS XP with close to 5000 miles on it. One complete engine overhaul, the EPS unit has been replaced, one clutch assembly, 3 seized brake calipers and rotors and one broken spring. I'm sure his ATV is capable of going where I go but he wont take it in to those kind of places because it's more than he can do so his ATV has not been beat or abused. Being a die hard Polaris fan he will tell you to never buy a new Polaris without pruchasing the extended warrantee.

One friend bought a new 2010 RZR back in early July, with less than 200 miles on it the front diff came apart.

quote "Went for a ride up to Warm Lake last weekend and about 1/2 way back, the Rzr started feeling squirrely on corners, smelling hot and making a grinding noise. stopped and the front diff was smoking and leaking fluid. waited for it to cool some and then rode on home with no more trouble. Took it to the dealer on Thursday and they found a shaft bearing gone and the clutch plates in the diff all chewed up with metal shavings."

when he got it back this is what they said;
quote " Yep, it's fixed and running great. Found out that they used a plastic cage in the front diff, till 5/10/10 and had major problems with it."

A PLASTIC cage??? WTH??

Our brand new RZR 4 had the rear diff come apart with only 170 miles on it. We also have three 2009 RZRs and they all have about 5000 miles on them. We jsut got one out of the shop; top end rebuild, new clutch assembly, both driveshafts, both front axles, front diff OH, and ball joints. We have spent enough money on two of the RZRs that we could have bought a 4th one.

We also have 4 Rancher 400 ATs all with over 6000 miles on them, the crumby 3-wd drum brake ATVs. Total repairs on all 4 wouldn't cover 1/2 of the purchase price of a new one.

My good friend has a 2010 RZR 4 and he was bragging that he had 300 trouble free miles on it with no problems. While out riding the other day he used low range and now the entire machine has such a sevier vibration it's headed back to the dealer. Last week while we were out checking out a local forest fire he took his 2010 550 xp touring and with only 270 miles on it the right front axle started clacking and spitting grease out of the boot so it too is headed back to the dealer.

Where I live people put 1000s of miles on theri ATVs every year and without question Honda's are their number one choice.

Polaris has come a long way over the years but they are still on the bottom of the list as far as dependability goes, ask any ATV dealer owner to tell you the truth.

Is Honda the greatest ATV out there?? I doubt it and if I bought a new ATV today there's a good chance it wouldn't be a Honda. To me this isn't Honda vs Polaris it's just answering the OP question.

 

Thanks alot, now you got me depressed.

 

Wow that last POST brought a tear to my eye LOL ..I have also seen the things that Specta speaks of for the polaris reliability but not quite on that level.. We have buddies who ride polaris atvs and the problems these guys have are pretty nuts .. like rear ends falling apart..


If you ask any honda guy if his machine is the fastest baddest highest ground clearance best ridding atv ever he's gonna tell you NO..You ask him if its more reliable than a polaris ATV he's gonna say OMG yes..


The thing is this wasnt a honda vs polaris thing the guy was just asking a question..some people cant afford to have their machine in the shop alot and reliability is VERY important to them..

 

As far as I'm concerned Honda is not only behind the others in features but they are falling even further behind every day.

I think they really need some type of locker up front, even a viscous coupler like BuRP and CanAm uses, anything is better than the 3-wd they are currently using but I bet it will never change. I know that 4-wd is more aggressive than 3-wd but I have not been left behind because of that single reason but then we don’t have mud bogs out here either.

I wish Honda would dump that 3-speed in the Rincon. That was a purpose built ATV, it's just that no one has a purpose for it.

Their OHV engine delivers a lower center of gravity and stability is one of my priorities and I actually prefer a SRA to IRS. A "smooth cushy" ride is not high on my priority list but then I would never care to ride a Forman 400 more than a mile or two either. I'll take stablility over ride comfort any day.

Disc brakes stop better but than my drum brakes do but my drum brakes have never failed me or not stopped me in time.

I have a video of my friend riding his 765 pound Polaris 2-up in the snow and when he couldn't go any further (snow got too deep) I blew past him on a 719 pound Outy Max and he still had a hard time following me in my tracks. His was heavier so why couldn't he keep up? Too many variables maybe?

IMO I own one of the best ATVs ever built. Is it the most aggressive?? Fastest?? Best riding?? Nope, none of the above.

13,000 miles and I've never walked home or been towed home. I've spend very little for repairs and it has the greatest transmission that has ever been put in an ATV.

I have a choice of what to ride every time we go riding. I can take a 2010 550 touring, a 2010 750 Suzuki KQ, a 2010 750 Kawasaki Brute Force or a RZR and I take my Rubicon every time. I just like it.