Never driven a sp400 but drove Xpl400 and really liked it, the Xpl is a better deal would like some opinions please, I thought the Xpl drove nicer than any other quad and had good ground clearance and power but the fuel consumption scares me, all replies would be appreciated

 

I have a 96 Explorer 400 and love it. It is so much fun being able to go through the mud with the best of them and then be able to keep up with all of the sport quads also. I have never rode a sportsman but, I don't think I would trade my Explorer for one. I like to do alot of fast trail riding and then being able to go through the mud when we get to that huge mud hole.

 

I have a '98 Xplorer400...Wouldn't trade it for anything...except a scrambler. The 4 stroke machines are so heavy and they lack any form of decent speed. I actually took my machine to an ATV pull and outpulled a pair of sp500. That was when I was purely stock...this year, I'm wanting to take on some HO's. Oh yeah, I outpulled a pair of 600 grizzlys too!!

'98 Xplorer400, K&N, boysen pro-reeds, green spring

 

the Xplorer 400 is pretty decent on fuel, I ride with a couple we all fill up and go the same distance and they never needs anymore gas than I do to fill back up. I guess the only thing the Sportsman 400 has over the Xplorer is shaft drive and a better ride, and some more ground clearance. The Xplorer 400 is fast and powerful no doubt about it. It is fun to drive, if it had shaft drive it would be in my garage instead of the mighty SP 500. Love the 400 Polaris 2 stroke it is so smooth and powerful. But for myself I hate chains. Even though personally I know no one who has ever had trouble with them on there Xplorer 400.

 

I have an xplorer 300, my friend has a 400 sportsman. I was not impressed with the power of the 400. I really expected the sportsman to have alot more power than my xplorer, but it isnt as big a difference as I thought it would be.

 

I have an Xplorer 400, a 99 model with 3800 miles, and the only repair I made so far was to replace the rubber washer in the steering with a metal one. The 01 machines have the steering problems fixed, and fixed right. Not that they didn't steer or handle good, they just worked loose faster than most.
Mine gets fair gas mileage. I can get between 35 and 40 MPG if I am easy with the throttle (on open roads, not hard trail rides). I think mileage would compare with any other machine if driven the same speed through the same terrain. If you try to keep up with an Xplorer with a 4 cycle machine, you will have to run it pretty hard, which ruins mileage. Puttering around, the 4 cycles are easier on gas, but not at 40 MPH.

 

I have a new 2001 Sportsman 400 and ride with 3 other Explorer's and few 500 Sportsman. They are all great machines. The Sportsman 400 is not the fastest or the most powerful out but I love mine. Very smooth to ride, power is still good and just handles well. 4 stroke in my eyes is the way to go. As times change more and more 4 strokes will be out. They are taking the place of 2 strokes because they are more enviromentally friendly.

You can't go wrong with any Polaris model. Get what suits your needs the best. It is all opinions from other including myself. I like mine and would not trade it but get what you like best or you won't ride it.

 

Both machines are great but feel very different to ride. My brother has an XPL400 and I have a Scrambler 400 2X4. I do like the XPL400 compared to my 500 Sportsman, but when you realy want to go nuts out and get a little crazy, The lighter and faster 400 2X4 is a total rush. If you plan on doing anything other than that though, the XPL400 might be the way to go.

 

The performance of the Xpl is much better than the Spn. If you choose performance mods then there is no question as to which quad to buy....Xplorer. I plan on buying one for my next quad. There is one in our riding group and it is has VERY impressive performance.

 

i have a 96 400 xplorer and i average 26 MPG riding in the hills and woods of north central PA. that is over a 100 on a tank. my *** gives out before the fuel