Steve,
May be... I'm sure that with enough straight dry trail, you can leave my Scrambler... but I'll catch ya when you come to the first un-passable trail. while youre off yankin on the front end, tugging and pulling, trying to get it turned around, I'll do what you cant... pass by you,letting of long enough to hit my AWD button, (you can go back and play in the dirt up where everybody parks and wait on the REST of us to return) and keep going right on down the trail... I've seen one Banshee, two 300exes, and 2-3 400 exes out where I ride... the Banshee was having problems getting over a 6-8 inch log at an angle(had a little mud on his tires..) the 300 ex actually did pretty good, it had blackwaters on the rear, and has the benefit of a reverse. The 400 exes were great on the access road at riding wheelies, until the Gregg County Sheriff Department rolled in and wrote a few tickets. I know a guy that has a 400 ex, but he's selling it because of the problems he keeps having with it, and the fact that a few of them have EXPLODED! Believe it or not, he's gonna buy a Polaris..
If you want to put them in their element.. I KNOW I CAN HUMILIATE YOUR 400 EX.. LETS RACE IN REVERSE!!!!

 

Mike,

My dad owns a Sportsman 500 and I own a Scrambler 500. The difference is huge. When I get off mine, and on to his, it feels like somthing is wrong, it feels like it won't accelerate and has no top end, like its dragging somthing. It's hard to explain. When I get back on mine, I feel like I am on a rocket! HUGE DIFFERENCE You cannot compare a Sportsman to a Scrambler, you would think that the decals were lying and you were riding somthing that had a lot more CC's not just a few different hop-ups.

I haven't raced a 400ex, so I don't know how they compare. But like Robert said, I do more than just riding the trails. There is no way a 2wd could make it, and sometimes I can't make it either.

To me the features of the Scrambler out-weigh the 400ex. At least we can all agree on that, the Scrambler does out-weigh the 400ex!

I like my Scrambler a lot, but if I had the choice I would still rather have a 5/6-spd sport 4x4 with a clutch, instead of the automatic. I am still suprised though how well the auto does when sport riding.

Adam Dowden

 

Jerome,

Instead of marginally increasing the horsepower with a mere jet kit, see what Olav Aaen has come up with. He takes a 38mm Mikuni TMX carb and punches it out to 42mm. I've seen a test in a prior issue of 4 Wheel Action where they tested the stock vs. a modified Scrambler 500, and the modified one beats it by about 3+ quad lengths. The only difference between the modified one and yours is the carb. What the heck, give Olav a call.

------------------
Mike Chero 97 Polaris Sport 400L/ 97 Polaris Trailblazer 250ES

http://users.penn.com/~hal9000/mikeetta.html

 

***THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR SHOP. WE ACTIVELY
RIDE ATVS HERE AT BOBS CYCLE. WE HAVE DONE ALL TYPES OF PERFORMANCE MODS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A
500 SCRAMBLER WITH A HIGH COMPRESION PISTON, PORTED AND POLISHED HEAD, PIPE, CLUTCH KIT AND A
NITROS CAN ATTACHED. ***

That quote was from a dealer in my area about the Scrambler they have in the shop now. Food for thought anyway.
Adam, I agree the benefits of a Scrambler 500 outweigh the performance of the 400 EX. Also when I rode a 400EX a couple of weeks ago it felt small, I thought I was riding those power wheels from Toys R Us !
I got the RCR kit so far on my 400. Mine felt faster than his 400EX to 30mph. (that's about as much as I could get it up to where we were) Another mod or two and I'm gonna start looking for 400EX's to spank with my slow, heavy , automatic Polaris. Plus I'll still have about the same amount of money in mine with the mods as a new 400EX.
c-ya,
Andrew Thomas
'99 Scrambler 400 w/RCR kit & '99 Trailblazer

 

Mudmachine
Define unpassable trail.I have made it through every trail I've attemped except two,And got stuck through nobodys falt but my own.And I have never been left behind!
True you can trail Blaze in 4W,and escape in reverse,Where I have to question my exit.But I can also spin on a dime and reverse direction pass you coming back at you before your belt drive has a chance to decelorate
I would gladly welcome a chance to ride with or race you, forwards, backwards ,sideways,My log fording limit seems to be 12 inches at 5 mph with momentum.And I've taken some frame lumps .Dented rims and trashed skid plates, but I always make it.And that was a stock ex.
I'm sure when it is fully moded, Full access to any trail wil not be denied.As far as problems with the machine I haven't had any besides normal where.But hey,,,,every company makes lemmons now and then.
If your friend is thinking about buying a Polaris. Why don't you lend him yours for a week? I'm sure he'll come to his sences and go back to honda. That is if he can find a 400EX.(long waiting list)
Anyway enough of my rant....I just like bustin polaris,,,,,Oh parden me (guiding light)shoes.
Lets see?
Polaris.....2 factorys
Honda......Global!!
Till next time.......Lights on for safty!
99 400EX 99 600xc sled Let it snow!!!!!!

PS. Bummer about the tickets


PPS Adam beware of engine heat.ie.Beef up motor beef up cooling system.I am reasearching that now for the ex..Blowing motors up sucks no matter whos it is.Just food for thought.

PPPS Has polaris updated the belt drive so it won't slip under two feet of water.I heard about one that went into a deep creek barly made it out,Then the belt slipped,Then the belt burned out.Is this an issue? So far I've made it through Two and a half feet of water with no problem.
[This message has been edited by trx430ex (edited 08-01-1999).]

[This message has been edited by trx430ex (edited 08-01-1999).]

[This message has been edited by trx430ex (edited 08-01-1999).]

 

TRX,
Define un passable... well, for you and me, thats TWO different definitions....lolol...
Lets see, a trail thats completely surrounded by a pine thicket growing so close that there is NO way to work between or run over them. The mudhole COMPLETELY going from one side to the other, and about 3 1/2 to 6 ft. deep. Water on top, but all that gooey, slimy, stanky smellin stuff in the bottom that seems to suck down quads. Throw in a couple dozen cottonmouths, swarms of skeeters, about 3 billion gnats, and a BUTLOAD of roots and old logs hiding under the mud just waiting to jam you up... and I think your 400 might be in trouble.. These aren't holes that are 10-15 ft. across that you can run into or jump... these holes vary from 25 ft. to 1/8 mile..(depends on the river)
Don't get me wrong, I had a 300 EX and LOVED it.. but its hard to work with a manual clutch machine when you're deep in the mud... and even worse if you need to back out of a hole... Granted, on a dry trail, im sure you can whip it around pretty good, but try whipping it around when the entire front end is under the mud... there is when you would probably wish for reverse..
If you'd like to ride sometime, I live in North East Texas, Just let me know when you wanna go!!...

 

IT ALREADY IS BECAUSE IF YOU READ MAGAZINES AND IF YOU BELIVE THEM THEN IT IS IF YOU WOULD LOOK BACK IN THE DECEMBER ISSUE OF DIRTWHEELS YOU WILL SEE WHERE IT SAYS THE 500 WOULD DO BETWEEN 68-70 AND IN THE ONE WHEN THEY HAD THAT HIGHPERFORMANCE SHOOTOUT IT SAID THAT A 400EX WOULD RUN 64 BUT I WOULD NOT SAY THEY ARE RIGHT BUT THEY COULD BE I WILL RACE ANY ONE WHEN I GET MINE BACK IT IS IN THE SHOP GETTING A CLUTCH KIT AND A PIPE PUT ON IT THE PIPE WILL BE A SUPERHEADER IT IS ON BACKORDER I WILL TELL U HOW IT RUNS WHEN I GET IT BACK. THE DEALER SAID THIS WOULD NOT TAKE ANY RELIABILTY AWAY FROM IT AND IT WOULD NOT VOID THE WARRENTY THEN WE WILL SEE WHO IS FASTER

------------------

 

Anyone want to have a reverse wheelie contest? I can't wait a see a 400ex try that!

Adam Dowden

PS-The belt slip issue is all with the rider.

PSS-Magazines give or take a 20-30mph top end speed depending on what issue it is! :-)

 

What? No "MaxRules" post yet?

Tree Farmer

 

mudmachine
OOOhhhhhhh no get me out of here now now now!!!.Ahhh%$#*&^.Anybody got a rope.


A400L
Why don't you pick on sombody your own size?Just give me a little time, All my bill money,And I,ll be there shortly.

Tree Farmer
Haa haa haaaa haaaahahaaa...haaaaaaaaa

[This message has been edited by trx430ex (edited 08-02-1999).]