I have been studying on getting a 500 scrambler for about 3 months know but the price and speed of the 2x4 is very tempting. How reliable is the 2 stroke engine? How often will it need to be rebuilt (2, 4, 5, 6, years) How long will it last? How does it compare trail wise to the 500. I am gonna be riding mostly trail. No race but i like FAST! Or am i just totaly off track and not know what i am thinking. I know I need the 500. Just a wild hair i guess. I like the much lower price, but i dont want something that is gonna take a bunch of work. I dont mind regular up keep and maintenance. Who knows? Its my bed time!

Anyways,

Tha Road DoGG

 

Of the two (500 4X4/400 4X2) I would sugest the 400. Obviously having the 4X4 capabilities isn't that much of a priority if your now comtemplating the 4X2. The 400 will be a bit more peppy'er than the 500, and while still on the heavy side, a few more pounds lighter too.

I'm sure you will hear plenty of horror stories about Polaris ATV's as this thread progress's, but here are my thoughts...

The 400 is a great buy (performance to value). For what you're giving up in suspension (although they now have 10" of rear travel, I'm speaking of the front struts) and weight (450+), you'e getting the ease of an automatic, an engine with tons of hop-up potential, comfortable ride, and a decent trail bike.

The best thing I can suggest you do is shop the different dealers in your area (not necessarily for price, but service and quality). Ask for references, look in the service area for awards/certificates and such, ride the ATV firsts (or at the least have them run it awhile for you).

Maintenance wise, theres not too much to them. Just break it in properly and keep an eye on your fluids. As a simple matter of routine you should put a new top end in every year, if not just rings. With average riding this shouldn't require a bore everytime, just a quick hone. Still I know a few guys with '96's who are just now doing this.



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Jerry Goodman '99 400L, '98 TBlazer

 

Jerry,

Come on, a new bore every year? I have a friend who has a 95 Sport that is still on the original bore. I looked at my bore this year while installing the Cool Head and found it to be in wonderful shape. Granted I probably don't ride mine as hard as you and yours makes a LOT more power (in which case you would need to bore every year) but a stocker? No way! I've seen strong running machines (like my friend's) that still have the original bore after 5 years.

When I first got my Sport, we drag raced (stock vs. stock) to see who was faster. We were dead even until the top end when mine walked away from his. I credit this to the taller greaing on mine. Heck he rides that thing every day too! I guess it't all in HOW you ride.

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

<A HREF="http://users.penn.com/~hal9000/mikeetta.html">MIKE & CELESTE'S ATV PAGE </A>

 

Mike,

I meant just a hone, and new piston (at least rings) for peice of mind. Honing is just making sure the cyclinder is still within a specified spec, so as long as the machine does'nt seize, just hone it, and kick down for a new piston, or even just rings, and you should be able to keep the stock bore for many years, again depending on how you ride your ATV. I would'nt bore it untill it need it.

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Jerry Goodman '99 400L, '98 TBlazer

 

The 400 is a very reliable engine in its stock form . I have customers that have nearly 5000 miles on stock engines one is getting a little tired but is still running none the less just not quiet as fast as it did in 1996. As long as you don,t hop it up to much it should run years without any rebuilds. The 500 4stroke should be a good piece to I have never done anything to one of them except adjust the valves on some older sportsman models when they started chattering a little.

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Kevin Gowdy aka Kagey 1999 Polaris Magnum 500

 

My stock Explorer 400 is an outstanding unit. I ride with a SP500, a 500 Magnum, and a Kawasaki Lakota. Hands down my machine is the quickest - its no contest. The owner of the SP500's father has a '90 Polaris 4x4 with a 350cc two stroke, the things got 4000+ miles and still runs very good. The owner claims to just do basic maintainance and keep the injector resivoir full.

Have no fear of the Polaris 2 stroke.

Chris

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THe 400 Two stroke is a good motor. Most people that i know with Polaris two strokes same story 2 3 or 4000 miles on them with no rebuild not even had the motor apart at all. Polaris has been dealing with two strokes a long time with there snowmobiles. I hope they always make there quads with two strokes.

 

I actually have no buisness being in this thread but i assumed that all two strokes were major upkeep. The truth is that Polaris has been making great 2 strokes for their snowmobiles for years now and the 2 strokes in their quads are just a step behind that. Every Polaris 2 stroke owner i have met had nothing but good things to say. Most of these owners were previous owners of 2 strokes but mostly non-Polaris 2 strokes.

I keep my bike outside and i am forced to work on my bike out side so a 2 stroke for me seemed to be a poor choice. If i had to do it over i would have bought the scrambler 400 4x4. A 2-stroke 4x4 with electric start and reverse....how can you pass this up.

Chris Picciotto
99 Scrambler 500

 

After reading all this it even makes me wonder if I should have got the 400! I was mostly worried about engine life, and for some reason thought they took a lot more maintenance than the 4-strokes. The dealer I bought from ordered the 500 just for me, because the only Scrambler 500 they had ridden was the '97 and they decided not to carry them. After they rode mine they ordered more and can't keep them. The 4-strokes are popular too. The way I see it is that if you will basicaly keep it stock, 4-stroke is the way to go on the Scramblers, but if you want to hop it up the 400's can get much more HP than the 500's for less money and less weight.

BTW-The Polaris 350 4x4 was the first Polaris I ever rode. I still remember how shocked I was at how fast it was, 4x4 or not, because at the time the fastest thing I had ridden was a Honda 300 4x4. It was loud though!

 

The 500 is clutched a little differently. It engages immediately and gets the quad rolling right off idle. The 400 in 2X4 or 4X4 is clutched so the engine has to rev a little before it engages. The feel is very different, and I would recomend driving both so you can decide which one you like better from this standpoint. I have a 500 HO and am happy. I believe I can ride it easier and slower through the woods when I want to, because of the different clutching. The 400 definetly has a huge hit when you get on the throttle. It's an awesome feeling.
I believe the 2X4 400 is the quickest of the 3, so if you don't need 4X4, it's a great buy. But if you think you might end up in some mud, the 4X4 capability is awesome for a quad like this. And I might as well mention that with the Titan tires, any of these quads will amaze you at what they can go through in 2 wheel drive.

I am fortunate to be able to say I also have an Explorer 500 to ride when I want to do some serious muddin', and stay clean while I do it. It is also a nice break in the comfort department. The scrambler is meant to be ridden standing. Although the seated ride is probably pretty good compared to other sport quads, for an old man of 42, I have to park my wide butt on that wide seat of the Explorer and get comfortable once in a while.

Good luck with your decision. You'll enjoy any of the three.