They also said they prefered the Sportsman for work, but the Honda for recreation. I thought it would be just opposite, if you had to choose one, although both are capable of each task.

 

clindst,
Compared to a Honda 300 ... the Sportsman 500 is a big step up! Yes, it has more power and will go faster if that is what matters to you. My '98 will do 60 .. on a long straight downhill run More realisticly though, about 52 on a flat stretch; at lower altitudes you may do a little better. I'm in Colorado and rarely ride below 6000' elevation.
But if you ignore the power .. even go for a 335.. you will find that the IRS suspension handles the rough stuff so well that you don't even bother to slow down for stuff that brings other ATVs to a crawl. You go faster without even trying!.
On steep and loose stuff, I havent seen any 4-wheeler do better. Most won't do nearly as well. (notice I said "4-wheeler" ... I'm not even going to try to compare it to a MAX!)
Reliable? Everybody has different experinces here, and every manufacturer has lemons. I guess I've been lucky. Mine had a bad alternator and on front half-shaft was "not straight" when new. Both were fixed under warranty, and I haven't had any problems since. I have over 1200 miles on it; still on the original brake pads (and I don't have EBS), and haven't even changed the spark plug.
I do not "baby" my ATV ... I work it hard and play hard, but take good care of it when I get back home. I plow snow with it, clean the horses pens, drag disabled cars with it, and even pull a pickup-bed trailer (8' Dodge full size) loaded with 25 bales of hay with it. I take it all over Colorado and once-a-year to Moab. I've said before, If I was going to buy another ATV, it would be a Red one with EBS .
The only "problem" I have with the Sportsman 500, is the fact that it is so wide that it is a tight squeeze in some of the places we ride .. but so far I've only hit one place where I couldn't go because it was too wide.

About the '00 Kodiak ... that's my wife's choice. It's lighter, smaller, easier to steer, and doesn't require as much "muscle" to get through the really tough stuff. She isn't interested in going fast.
I don't like the rough ride, noise, or the awkward shifter... but she loves her ATV and thinks *it* is the best!

Tim Bundrick

'98 Polaris Sportsman 500
'00 Yamaha Kodiak
E-mail: http://marina.fortunecity.com//victory/272/index.html

 

I know the SP 500 is a big step up but i still think the Xplorer has mor preformance, not that that is my only criteria, but it is more likely to be better than the honda adnn can do jsut sas much also a 100 more cc's. I never have any problems wiht teh honda with p8ulling or not being strong enough so i am sorta leaning toward the Xplorer 400 do u think that would be a good choice, also is there anything wrong with aa 2 stroke or chain driven?


Chris

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96' Honda 300 4x4 93' Timberwolf 250 2x4

 

If you do more work than play go with the Sportsman 500 or 335. I have a 335 and it performs superbly. But, since you seem to want performance more than utilization ,go with the Xplorer 400. With the concentric drive it shouldn't be a problem taking care of the chain.

 

I have a 2-stroke 250cc machine and feel the power is more than adequate. I ride with a 300 2X4 Honda and I can out perform the larger quads in most type of terrain we ride in.

 

clindst...I would look into the scrambler 400 over the xplorer. The scrambler is the lighter faster sportier of the 2. Did you see the hot seat 400 scrambler? Full mod 60HP! Thats a fast, fast polaris.

 

dominater, i do a alot of mud riding and river crossing and a LOT of towing, i think the Xploer is the oerfect breed between teh Sp500 and the scrambler

 

I just got a 2000 explorer 400. The rear travel has been increased to 9 inches for 2000. It is faster than my 500 mag both in acceleration and top end, however the low end grunt (pulling power) is not quite as good.

[This message has been edited by joemag500 (edited 12-27-1999).]