help! new to the wheeler world. i am trying to decide witch way to go 400 ho or the 550 efi . the 400 is a nice pick only 4 hp less than a 500 ho and the price is great. however the bigger mill and efi , along w/ twin arms has me thinkin is the extra $1600 worth it both machines are new 2012 . also are there any probs. with either i should know about ex. efi problems thanks any words of wisdom needed

 

The 550 also has 14" rims with larger 26" tires. and a larger 5.25 gas tank,that extra 20 miles of driving range on a fill up can come in handy many times.

Not sure if EFI is a big deal,all my ATVs had carbs and started and ran without a issue.
I rode many EFI ATVs and besides not having to choke on cold start ups you cant tell them apart while riding vs a carb ATV.

If power is a concern the 800 Sportsman is the same price as the 550 and has much more HP and EFI.


If it was me Buying new,I would rather have the 400H.O with $1600 in my pocket. The trails up here do not let any ATV go faster then 30 MPH at most anyways.

 

I'd also be inclined to go with the 550. Obviously faster, bigger gas tank, 26" tires, better ride (although the Polaris has always had a good ride in the Sportsman line), and EFI. With EFI you can start it and go in the wintertime. Not so easy with a carb. Takes a few minutes to warm up sometimes. Having had both, I'd stick with EFI.

 

The 550 is worth the extra money easily. I had a 2012 400HO for about 6 months. Good bike, lots of fun, but it got boring quickly. If you are going to do casual trail riding and dont demand a lot from it, it will be great for you. It is a lot of quad for the money for sure. I ride hard and fast and it just wasnt enough though..especially in the hills of west va. Also, it SEEMS that the 400 does not have the resale value of the 500's. At least that was my experience when I sold mine. The 550 rides better, has more power, and is much more refined.

More power will generally cost more...the 550 is no powerhouse, but it has a good bit more then the 400 for sure. The 800HO is the same bike as the 400, except it has a different engine and a lot more power...but same handling characteristics (good and bad)..can get for around same price as the 550xp...do you want more power or handling and refinement?..if both, and if you want a polaris, the 850xp is it.

 

If money isn't the deciding factor then I would go with the 550. The 550 is a much more refined machine whereas the 400 is a very basic machine. Neither one will be real impressive when it comes to power and they both run the same drive train (just different orientation on the bike), so performance will be very similar. Both very capable atv's, but the EFI and the upgraded suspension and overall better design (my opinion) would sway me to buy the 550.

 

thanks for all the advice on the 400 vs 550

 

Trailbird,

The 550 would be my choice. It's catorgorized as a "Premium" ATV. The 400 is a "Value" ATV.
In addition to the reasons mentioned above, the 400 also lacks engine braking. I owned a '95 Polaris Magnum 425 (bought new) that lacked EBS. It got old really fast constantly using the hand brake. Not for me! Never again!

For $1,600 more I feel the Sp550 is well worth it.(isn't power steering also standard on the Sp550?)

On another note, resently I took a very close look at a 2012 Honda Rancher 420 foot shift and ESP models. These ATVs impressed me with liquid cooling, fuel injection, and $5,000-$5,500 price! Talk about bang for the buck! Worth taking a look at?

How much were you quoted for the Sp 400?

 

Power steering is a $1000 option up here,its can come with or without on a XP.

Really cant compare a 420 Rancher to a 400H.0. The Sportsman is a full Size ATV exact same machine as a 800 Sportsman just with a 455cc motor. It has a much higher load and towing capacity over the smaller Rancher and ground clearance.
The Ranchers are smaller Mid size chassis with smaller 24" wheels,no low range,diff lock and most are SRA not IRS and has a weaker OHV motor vs the OHC 455 with 5hp more.

The 400H.0 is more in the league of the Full size 500 Foreman and even then has a few more options over the Foreman.

 

"With EFI you can start it and go in the wintertime. Not so easy with a carb"

EFI or carb, I never just start it up and go in the winter time. EFI don't have a thing to do with warming an engine up. I can handle pulling a choke lever. Not a big deal.

 

That what I tell people ,EFI does not warm up engine oil any faster then a carb. Its not good to go when the oil is still like jello.