Polaris Sportsman 500
#11
GEE ANDY BASHUM hate to be the exception to the rule but as the owner of 95 magnum that has well over 4000 miles on it and it's still in great shape body (unlike owner)wise, scratches here and there and rack been rewelded couple times,not quads fault.It still has original belt on it has no mechanical problems.Had sold my 96 500 (first year out) to buy 98,the poor missguided fool last time I talked to him he had no Idea what a piece of junk he had,he was under the impression it was still great machine.But then again it's only going on 5yrs old.He is as hard if not harder on it than I was.I'm really glad after reading your informative post that I have gotten rid of my 98 (to a unsuspecting friend of mine that I ride with all the time)500sp.Little did he relize what apiece of junk he was buying he didn't relized how serious the scratches were on it.I may have to rethink my choice of two new 500sp,I have only had 96-2/98's 1/99 soon to be 2/00's.If only I had talked to someone as informed as you before I made all these mistakes.You know it seems the only thing that POLARIS has going for it,is the simplisity of them,you don't have to ever, have owned one,to know all about them.This just goes to show you how informed some people are in the connection.THANK YOU from myself and all the other missinformed souls in here.COB
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THE FORMER CORNCOB2
[This message has been edited by CHICKENman (edited 01-31-2000).]
[This message has been edited by CHICKENman (edited 01-31-2000).]
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THE FORMER CORNCOB2
[This message has been edited by CHICKENman (edited 01-31-2000).]
[This message has been edited by CHICKENman (edited 01-31-2000).]
#12
Andy, I too am relieved to hear about my piece of junk Polaris. I bought 2 in 1990. The old junky 350 4x4s had 7,000 miles on them when I sold them to an unsuspecting fool. Ofcourse I did not tell him that they were junk, and he just rides them. When the wife's had 200 miles on it, her son rolled it 200 yards down a mountain. It landed on it's wheels still running! Needless to say it did need a few parts; racks, handle bars, steering stem 1 strut, and that was all! After it was subjected to that kind of abuse, it still ran fine for 6,800 + miles.
My 1999 SP500s are just like the old ones, except they get twice the fuel economy. I had to walk home since I bought the new ones, the junky thing got stuck in a bog. I am sure that your Honda would have went right through. NOT!! I must have a tendency to lean in to a left hook, because I bought the new Polarises, or, could it be that you are incorrect with your assumptions?
Humm, Come to think about it, I don't like left hooks either. Dave
My 1999 SP500s are just like the old ones, except they get twice the fuel economy. I had to walk home since I bought the new ones, the junky thing got stuck in a bog. I am sure that your Honda would have went right through. NOT!! I must have a tendency to lean in to a left hook, because I bought the new Polarises, or, could it be that you are incorrect with your assumptions?
Humm, Come to think about it, I don't like left hooks either. Dave
#17
Since the Honda Rubicon will be released soon, I'd wait to see what it is like. Sounds like a real nice quad to me. The SP500 is nice, but the Rubicon could be the one. I know I'm going to test ride one as soon as they come out.
<A HREF="http://www.godigital-design.com/96Polaris.html">Schultz Motorsports</A>
<A HREF="http://www.godigital-design.com/96Polaris.html">Schultz Motorsports</A>
#18
#19
One question here for Chicken man. Why didn't you just keep the first sportsman. You have had a few brand new ones I see. Not exactly a long term test. You do see what I'm getting at. The Foreman will hold up better, but won't come close in performance. Its not exactly a myth. Its fairly proven otherwise it would never be mentioned. Not many people around here own polaris though other parts of the US have a totally different story obviously based on their popularity in the last few years. Two things made polaris what it is today- the sportsman and the scrambler. They are ideal sellers. The reason nobody around here has polaris quads is because the few that do or did have them had loads of trouble with them and it scared them off. Sure scared me off. I was really close to a sportsman for a while, but never could get myself to do it. I don't trade every few years either though. I will have mine at least 8-10 years. It has to hold up. We will just have to see if Arctic Cat makes a dependable bike, because even though I haven't had any trouble in a year and a half, that's not exactly grounds for a reliability reputation.
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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*
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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*