They are all good and they all can break...just try to remember the insane amount of abuse these things take on a leisurely ride alone...I agree with OPT...generally budget drives most decisions...best thing you can do is to spend the time & learn how to properly maintain the vehicle...my $0.02 (and I've had several Polaris' - maintenance is key...)

 

I haven't checked ATV prices lately but one time I compared a Polaris to the nearest thing to it Yamaha made and the Yamaha was a lot more money and had less of the features I wanted. That was why I bought another Polaris. There was a local dealer that sold just about any kind of ATV you would want but they closed. It's 20 miles to the nearest Polaris dealer and I don't even know where I could find the other brands. The distance to the dealer isn't the main thing but it is something to consider. I've heard of people who have to drive 2 hours to the dealer because they didn't want what was sold locally.

 

Thanks you all for your good responses. They are helpful to me who knows very little about these ATV machines. I've read about the Kymco and will look at them in more detail. I've read about the exhaust heat problem with Polaris machines including melting some plastic parts. It seems to me that could be worked around somehow.

And I have certainly read poor reviews and complaints about the Polaris machines. I've read poor review and complaints about other brands too, but not as many as Polaris. Maybe that is a function of the volume they sell. Maybe the problems per machine are similar to other brands. I don't know. And I can't find any objective data.

But generally speaking, I haven't read that Polaris engines, transmissions or differentials are poorly designed or too week for the application. I haven't read suspensions or brakes constantly fail. The problems seem related to the electronics and "low cost" construction. I've read several complaints about the Active Descent Control being too aggressive.

We all remember the Ford/Navistar debacle in 2003 and 04 with the 6.0 liter diesel Super Duty. Many of these design faults have subsequently been corrected, (fuel injectors, turbos, EGRs, head gaskets, etc) but not without creating a terrible reputation for Ford. And there are other products out there that are known troublemakers. I gather from your responses so far that Polaris isn't that much worse for reliability than other brands, but behind Kymco.

That's the question I am asking. Based on your experiences and your friends experiences, is the Polaris brand widely known for major problems, especially in the last three model years. I favor the Polaris just due to my Minneapolis connection. And I'm a Twins fan too.

David

 

If you didn't mind having a bit wider machine, the Kymco 450i utv would be a pretty reasonably priced machine. Its basically the same price as any of the bigger displacement 2up atvs. It is not as wide as many utvs, about 56" wide. That's how wide the original Yamaha Rhino was. You get a dumping cargo box too so more room to haul stuff.

 

One of my friends has a Sportsman 1000 and it had the high temperature problem where the plastic and wiring either melted or was close to doing so. He put an aftermarket exhaust on it with the muffler on the back instead of the side and it solved the problem. He's had it a couple years and no other problems with it. If any quad would tear up the drive train it would be a 1000 but it's been a good quad so far.

I've had my 500 for 8 years and the only problem I can recall was the ADC breaking. I never use it but got it fixed anyway and it was an expensive repair. I've had other 500s with no problems. I never had an engine problem on any of my Polaris ATVs. I think all the major brands are close to equal reliability but I think Yamaha is probably a little better. My friend had his Grizzly 660 for a long time before he had any problems with it.

 

It seems like Kymco is very similar to the Arctic Cat. Same engine displacements, same transmission description, same wheelbase, and same load and tow ratings. It is a nice looking machine, well styled in my view. I read Kymco supplied parts to Honda for many years. And I read Kymco builds a few engines for BMW motorcycles. Not just anybody can do that. Kymco was/is a high volume scooter manufacturer for the Asia markets. I did not see a 2 up machine on their website.

This local repair shop I visited also said Yamaha makes a very reliable machine. But no 2 up option that I could see. I think most people prefer the side by side for two passenger riding, and I can understand why. Maybe 2 up options will be phased out. 2 up would not be very good for rough "tactical" trails. I like the 2 up option for the additional wheelbase length, and taking family and friends for leasurily rides now and then.

Good idea to "rebuild" the exhaust system on the Sportsman 1000. I wonder if he heat shielded the exhaust pipe also? I think most of our cars and trucks have exhaust heat shields protecting various components along the exhaust piping, from manifold to muffler(s). I gather "engine exhaust heat management" is something Polaris engineers need to improve upon.

Polaris is struggling with their Rzr recalls, which are also related to engine heat and a leaky drain tube on turbo models. This will hurt their reputation for quite a while, not unlike the Ford 6.0 diesel hurt Ford, or firey phone batteries have hurt Samsung. It seems Polaris is stepping up to satisfy unhappy owners from what I have read.

But the Sportsman is not involved in any recalls as far as I have read. So should I put the Sportsman 850 2 up on the top of my list?

David

 

My brother has a Polaris and had his share of problems, the only Polaris that I ever owned, a Sportsman 400 actually caught fire. I was a money pit. My old Arctic Cats have been bullet proof, my 2 cents. I would certainly look at a new Kymco, but as long as my AC's keep running....

 

Thanks hydrex. My friends here both ride 2014 Arctic Cats and have had pretty good luck with them. One is a 2 up which I have ridden. This machine lost a snap ring in the valve train somewhere and needed a upper end overhaul. But the extended warranty did cover most of the expense.

One thing that concerned me about the Arctic Cat quad is the fact that some of the specs stay the same from the 500, 700 and 1000 engine sizes. For example, towing was the same at 1050 pounds. I wonder what changes in the driveline there is between a 45 horse and a 90 horse machine. I should think there would be significant changes. 90 horsepower ought to push a lot of gravel with a front blade. My 30 horse Kubota tractor sure did.

Both of my friends advise against the Polaris machine based on their 20 years of ATV fun. Not reliable they say. Arctic Cat is headquartered in Minnesota also. I just had more experience with Polaris as a company, and that's why I am interested in owning one of their products. The performance is good, the features are good, the price is good. I'm just concerned about the reliability. I don't care for "my share of problems" or it burning up for all my money.

I have read here that the 570 engine is reliable, and I assume the 850 twin and the 1000 twin is of similar design and not over stressed. Safe assumption?

ATV Connection member's experiences with Polaris ATVs is useful to me.

David

 

The 570 is a single cylinder machine where the 850 and 1000 have inline cylinders. The 570 would have low end and mid-range power to spare for chores but not the type of top end speed of a twin. The twins idle smoother and have higher top speeds in general.

As far as towing and toting goes, it's more an issue of the chassis and suspension than the power available. Even small 300 class machines can pull a lot of weight in low range. The bigger machines do make it that much easier. Another thing that limits towing and toting (other than corporate lawyers) is the ability to stop a heavy load. I've had my ATV cart that is 4x4x3 full of heavy wet, freshly cut, hardwood that I have to drive down a steep hill up in VT. It's exciting to say the least. Even with really good engine braking I keep my hand on the brake lever the whole time going down with loads around 1100 lbs.

On the overheating issue; my son's put about 1000 miles on his new machine between So. Maine riding and our trip to the Paiute Trail in Utah. He hasn't had any issues to speak of. That's riding in mud, rocks, roots, water, sand, etc. It's done well and is an impressive machine.

 

It was the 1000cc Rzrs that had the most serious problems with fuel lines routed poorly and would sometimes ignite fuel because they were too close to the exhaust. One thing I have always disliked about the sportsman models was the gear shifter. The Scrambler 850 and 1000's shifter is a little different and looks to be a better design. On the sportsman, it appears to be way too long and there's nothing to keep your knee from bumping it when riding. I can see in rough terrain myself banging it, knocking it out of gear and destroying the transmission. Trying to shift an auto cvt quad while its moving is a definite no-no. The old Grizzly 660 gear shifter was terrible too, sometimes it was hard to find a gear. A few times when I had mine, it would be in between low and high and would make a horrible grinding sound and wouldn't move. It lacked positive engagement even when working properly. The 700's gated shifter works so much better. On my Brute, it "clicks" when you put in gear. A subtle little thing but I know I got it when it does. I don't think it will even let you move the gear shifter when its moving either.