evrytime i come on this forum there is a new topic on some polaris being junk.i beleive half the people posting this stuff doesnt even have a atv.i had a 99 polaris 500 sportsman that i put 5000 miles on it in 2 years.the only trouble i had was 1 set of tierod ends/thanks to the cheap polaris steering stem bushing/i upgraded to the brass bushing with no more troubles.i put 1 set of rear wheel bearings in it. 3 sets of brakes.and 1 belt.i rode this quad very hard and in the mud all the time and i never had alot of bad troubles like the rest of you.my honda 300 4x4 /i had to replace the whole rear end hubs and axles rearend housing bearings and seals and so on and i right drive shaft.now i had very bad service out of that honda so i bought a polaris to try them out.i bought a new leftover 99 400 explorer and sold the sportsman to a man and it is still going.there is 8 of us polaris men that ride together everyweekend and no one has broke down not one time.so could it be we are getting better polaris atvs or someone is getting lemons?

 

I totally agree, my 1994 Honda 300 4x4 was really bad (bought it brand new), it had an electrical problem they could never fix. It would just not start for days, sometimes it would sometimes it would not, it was especially bad when it got wet, Honda dealer told me there was nothing they could do! So anyway I have a 2000 Sportsman ride it allot, 2300 miles on it so far and nothing has been replaced but a CV boot that a stick got caught in there and tore it up. I ride with several Polaris machines , all different models and years, we have never suffered a break down, on or off the trail, none of these machines have been in the shop for nothing other than a spring tune up. Oil, grease, fluids things like that. Mine is the only one that needed a repair, the CV boot. now these machines have between 2300 -5000 miles on them. We must get the good batches up here too. Very puzzling.

 

I agree with your first sentance 4x4

 

I agree. While I sympathize with those with problem Polaris machines, I just don't see too many here. I PERSONALLY know owners of 7 machines, and the owners of all but one are satisfied with their reliablilty. The mileage runs from under 1000 miles, to over 5000. I don't really know of any troubles that were not self inflicted. We had one stick through a radiator (the screen in front was tough enough, the guy got stuck, put it in reverse, and the front wheel threw up a stick into the radiator from the back), and a few steering stem bushings & tie rod ends, and that is about it (for 6 of them).
Anyway, of these 7 machines, only the owner of 1 really has anything bad to say about it. This guy is unique to our little 'group', though. He bought a 1995 425 Magnum that was OBVIOUSLY wrecked badly for $1500. I say obviously, as when he got it it had both racks bent, one front A-arm bent, and the other was new, the handlebars were crooked, and the rear swing-arm was cracked. It has been nothing but trouble (DU-UH) and also part of it is HIM, although he won't admit it. He can't ever remember when he last greased it, but when suspension bushing work loose, they are 'cheap' or 'shoddy', and the locking hub design is 'stupid' because he fixed one 3 times in 3 months and it still doesn't work right (although the one he never took apart yet is still fine). He will concede it is fast & smooth riding, but still insists it is not him. The miles are impossible to determine because whoever wrecked it took out the odo. I can say the tires on it were bald, and obviously not the ones it came with from the factory.
Now this guys 'daddy' bought a brand new machine of another brand (does it matter which?) for $6000, and it went over 1200 miles before the first repair (and they took it to the dealer, because this brand of machine is 'worth' it) so it MUST just be better designed.
I know all brands have thier bashers, as well as those who will defend them above all else, but from my experience most of the problems I see are not the machines fault. I think that part of the problem people have been having with Polaris machines is they are SO different than the others, in terms of driving style and maintanence required, so what works with the other brands may not be what is best for them. Also people often get whichever machine is available (or cheapest) with little regard to how well this model is sutied for what it will be used for.

 

OK,I have a 2001 sportsman H.O. full camo stock 120 miles 12 hours on it.It smokes,grinds from reverse to forward,creeps along with no throttle.I will sell it if anyone wants it,if you live in the central florida area let me know.It is going back on friday to the dealer to be traded in.Also I ride with a 2000 H.O. sportsman and it clunks and grinds as well.His also gives us the occasional backfire.The only other problem he has had is a linkage problem,it bent badly,tranny shifter.I dont know about yours but the 2 i have had direct exp. with are not worth the $$$$$$.I have owned a kawi 400 bayou and it did'nt give me any trouble.Also my brother has a 220 bayou and his runs like a champ.I am not really loyal to any brand just the one who gives me the most value,dependability for my buck.POLAIRIS DID NOT!I probably will stay away from the new 650 kawi just because it is so new and I am gun shy now after wasting 8k on this machine.Honda will get my business,a new 450s 2002,hopefully I may have to wait but it will be worth it.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

And oh yeah Polairis I believe is JUNK sorry but true.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

<< OK,I have a 2001 sportsman H.O. full camo stock 120 miles 12 hours on it.It smokes,grinds from reverse to forward,creeps along with no throttle.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] >>



Get your head out of your a$$ and take it back to the dealer. At 120 miles, IF, what you say is true it will be made right. But I think your full of it. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

Sportsman500camo
&quot;grinds from reverse to forward,creeps along with no throttle&quot;
sounds to me like the IDLE is to HIGH. mine did the same thing for the first day. then i turned the idle down and plowed all winter w/o ANY problem. i love the shift on my sp while plowing- it's the easiest thing!

i show my SP no mercy. my expectations are very high. it's never let me down.

 

Thanks mtpockets you know it does seem to idle high.AND POLARPUP,I really care less bro what you think.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Maybe the dealers that are prepping them for sale have no idea what they are doing? I am not sure what goes into getting them from the crate to the showroom floor? Sounds ot me if it creeping and grinding it is simply a high idle and when you try to put it in gear it grinds because the idle is to high.