I've been looking to buy my first quad, I will be using it mostly for hunting, trail ridind and snow plowing. I'm not into jumping or beating on a quad(I'm partially disabled). I see Polaris gets trashed alot and was wondering what the biggest problem with them is. I like what the Magnum 500 has to offer, but because of all the negative press, may go with the new Kodiac. And since I'm on the large size(6'2"-240) i am afraid the Kodiac 400 may be too small for me. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

 

The reason Polaris quads gets so much negative things said about them, is because people who own other machines think theres is the best and come in here and make up things. I am not saying Polaris is the best quad out there, cause they aren't perfect, but neither are any of the other quads

 

Go into the forum "Utility ATVs" under the thread "Ultimate Auto-Utility" and read what poster Kagey has to say about his Magnum 500.

I'm currently using a Sportsman 500 in many product reviews and articles to really strain the SP500 to get a good view on any possible quality problems. Haven't found any yet. The majority of riders don't seek riding conditions like in the "Mud Runner" review on the front page. Stay tuned for future articles.

 

My best advise is only listen to the people who own a certain machine. If someone says "a friend of mine" or "a guy I know" then it may be biased. Talk to the owners of the bikes you are interested in and judge for yourself.

 

SGTSHULTZY,well some people tell the truth about their quads .Im one of these people.My Polaris Sportsman is one of the biggest pieces of crap known in the ATV world.I have had NUMEROUS problems with mine.[Go to 99 Sportsman in the forums]BUT-BUT-BUT,I will defend my Sportsman,since I personally know alot of very happy Polaris owners as well.No doubt you can get a Lemon no matter what you are purchasing,I feel like thats what happend to me.Im presently working with an attorney to get me all my $$$$ back for my purchase.Will I buy another Sportsman?I will definatly not buy one from the same dealership that I got this one from IF I decide I want another Sportsman.Giving your size,yes,the Sportsman or Magnum are excellant choices,so are the 500AC,or the the larger cc 4x4 quads.GOOD LUCK-----BILL

 

Boy,did I screw up by saying ''BUT,I'LL DEFEND MY SPORTSMAN'''What a screw up on my behalf.I was in a huge hurry when I wrote that.There simply is NO defending anybody's quad that turns out to be a Lemon.What I really meant to say was that I beleive the Sportsman to be a very nice and generally trouble free 4x4 to most folks who own them,and I just so happen to be the poor sucker that had to get a rare Lemon.Sorry,hope I made myself more clear.BILL

 

You're 2 inches taller than I am and considering a Kodiak? I own a Grizzly which has been trouble free (1,600 miles). I considered the Magnum 500 too. But the fact that it costs the same (where I live) and is 100cc smaller, and has a small gas tank,(by comparison) helped my decision.

 

Sarge: For what it;'s worth.....Let me tell you about this last elk hunt and maybe that'll help. Had four quads in camp, Kawasaki 300 4x4, 99 Sportsman, 98 Grizzly and a new Honda 450ES. Four riders each did about 80 miles that week, lotsa mud water crossings and rocky trails.

Here's the assessment:

Most likely to take a licking and keep on ticking: the Bayou

Easiest on the behind: Sportsman followed by the Grizz with the Bayou and Honda being judged to be "rough".

Best & fastest in the mud/rocks: Sportsman

Best on the roughest rocky trails: Honda 450 ES or the Bayou

Only quad not to suffer the indignity of having to get pulled out of a stuck: Sportsman

Judged to likely require the most mtce: Sportsman

Personal Favorites: Two chose the Grizzly, one likes his Honda and one chose the Sportsman.

Note: The Sportsman made it through mud crossings where the Grizzly and others did not. The higher clearance and the AWD being the difference.

Can't go wrong with the 450 ES, Grizz or Sportsman in my opinion. Best rider of the bunch was the guy on the Bayou. I think he could take it just about anywhere ....

Me? I like the easy ride and superior mud/rock performance of the Sportsman but that Grizz ain't far behind. If you are fearful about breaking down, I'd go with the Honda or the Grizz.

One more note....All thought the Honda was easier to steer than the Polaris or the Grizz.

Good luck!

 

My brother-in-law and I each purchased our first atv's just recently. We went to all the dealers together, read all the same mags, read the postings on this site (even have my own under Buying), and agonized over the same decisions. The ending? He got a Polaris and I got a King Quad. So far we are both equally happy with our purchases. Our friends have Yamahas and Hondas. So get all the info/advice you can, assimilate it and make the best choice for YOU. Good luck and have fun!

 

The easy way to look at this is the Sportsman/Magnum is the better choice. It is very easy to ride, it's big so you'll fit just right with room to spare, heck it's a caddy compared to everything else. BUT just like Bill I had a LEMON everything went wrong and I have alot of friends that never did have one problem. I would recommand the polaris BUT PLEASE get it from a very good dealership even if you pay alittle more. I said I would never get another polaris period after all of the problems I had with the Sportsman but now I have a 99 Scrambler from a very good dealership. PLEASE if anybody is looking to buy a polaris ATV DO NOT GO TO SRS MOTORSPORTS in NC, They will definatly screw you so bad that you'll think you are big bubba's bitch in jail. I know a couple of people that had to find out the hard way including myself. Do get the magnum over the Kodiak, I have ridden them both and they do not compare.