I know magazines aren't the best for giving accurate information but they are partly true and from what I can remember I have never seen a kodiak be compared to a sportsman just because the outcome is always obvious. The sportsman is way better. My friends father owns a kodiak and a sportsman (both within a year or two, not quite sure) and they both say that the sportsman is way better. My friend always has to take the kodiak because his dad keeps the sportsman for himself. I have driven both and yes the sportsman is bigger, but that all goes away when you start really driving it and falling in love. I don't have anyhting against kodiaks I just feel the sportsman is an all round better machine.

P.S. I may be wrong about the magazine thing. I just can't remember anything specific.

 

Sparkster~

I don't even think the Kodiak and Sportsman 500HO are in the same class, but I could be wrong. I wouldn't put them in the same class (too many differences). I agree, for me and the type of riding,(rock climbing, off camber situations, etc) that I like to do, the SP500HO would be my choice over the Kodiak. But people do have different preference when it comes to riding, and in some instances I'm sure the Kod would be the right choice. (Can't personally think of one for myself, but I'm sure there is [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img])

As far as magazines go, I agree w/you on that one too. Seems like I did read somewhere that the Kodiak has won ATV of the year, but I don't know why or what they were comparing it too. Actually, I would love to ride a SP500HO just to see how it feels & performs. I occasionally ride my brother in laws SP700, and it's a very nice quad as well.

SilverBear

 

My Kodiak has been tighter than a duck's a$$, watertight. As mentioned, if I'm looking down a huge, rutted, STEEP and slick mountain give me any thing but a Polaris to go down it. I've seen too many of them slide uncontrollably down steep mountains with their driver scared to death cause of no engine brake in the front wheels. Enough said...

 

Jahm~

We haven't had a single problem w/ our Kodiak. In fact, it has bloody well amazed us by going places the 500cc quads were fighting to get to. I'm guessing that weight factor was the issue in the Koodiaks favor.

SilverBear

 

Yes the Kodiak is a fine quad but the sp500 is really in a different class. The sp is the one to beat in the mud and smooth ride in my opinion. But the size and weight is a factor in our mountainous terrain. One time, while riding on a ledge, all the yamys and hondas went by a rock that stuck out. The sp 500 hit it due to the width and kicked off the trail on a very high ledge. Due to the weight, we had to do a 3 point winch setup to get it back on the trail. Most bikes we could have just lifted it back. Around here, show me a bad mudhole and I'll show you a way around it. But there is no way around the close to vertical downhill mountain trails which require engine brake in the front wheels.

I checked out a new Griz the other day. I like those powder coated racks and the seat height didn't seem as high as a sp 500 but the front end was higher. I'm considering one but wonder if it can go off the trail like the Kodiak can since I use it to drag deer in the woods.

 

The Sportsman is (overall) a superior machine, and is more appropriately compared to the Grizzly 660, or the Artic Cat i, rather then the Kodiak.

Still, the Kodiak is a nice machine – about as good as you can get in a midsize solid axle machine. The “fit and finish” is excellent; steering ease is easier then a Sportsman; and it is much lighter. There may even be situations (few) where the lighter weight produces an advantage. One downside is a lack of grease fittings. (With our climate here in Newfoundland, the Big Bears and Kodiaks are notorious for wheel bearing and U-joint failures.) The Kodiak is a good compromise if you don’t want to spend the extra dollars for an IRS machine.

But the Sportsman is in another class. The IRS, locking front differential, extra power, and extra ground clearance make it a superior machine.

Sitting on each machine in a showroom (or driving then around a parking lot), the decision is close. Driving each one over different terrain, or simply using them for utility work, the decision is easy.

The Sportsman 500 has at least one big advantage over the Grizzly and Artic Cat as well: it is the least expensive of the three.

 

Which bike is better is subjective, to my buddies and I the Kodiak is Superior due to reasons mentioned above.

 

Silverback,

Your right, I guess I failed to consider what exactly this person needs in a quad. It would deffinately not be in my top choices but everyone has different needs and I'm sure the kodiak would be a great quad for many people.

 

silver, I am only going by what I saw with a new Grizzly 660 that sank, and the driver was complaining about how much water got in everywhere. He said his Prairie 650 was much better as far as being waterproofed, and in fact a 650 was playing in the same hole as the Grizzly, up over its seat without drinking any. So, that is my only experience to compare the two. He regretted trading the Prairie in for the Grizzly. After a stock Sportsman 500 winched the Grizzly out, and the Prairie had to back out, the sportsman drove right through with no problem. That was the best testament to Polaris I ever saw. If your Yamahas are adequately waterproofed, then I am gald to hear it. I will stop telling everyone Yamahas aren't waterproof. I haven't ridden the Kodiak or (new) Grizzly, so maybe I shouldn't comment on them. I do have a lot of seat time on a new Big Bear 400 4x4, Honda Foreman, and on 2 Artic Cats, a 500 and a 400. I do think that if I wasn't a diehard Polaris guy, the Prairie 650 would be the machine to buy.

 

Jahm~



<< Which bike is better is subjective, to my buddies and I the Kodiak is Superior due to reasons mentioned above. >>



You are actually quite correct. All quads have their strength's and weaknesses, and alot of that depends on the type of riding that you do and the type of terrain that it's on.

I don't know what the seat height is on the SP500 but on the Grizz, stock, it's 34.6&quot;. Personally, I don't think the SP500HO compares to the Grizz660, a more accurate comparison would be the SP700, it's a lot closer on size and traits. I think you'd be happy with a Grizz should you ever decide to change, I'm sure it will haul your deer as well as the Kodiak. I really need to get some more time on our Kodiak. Its a nice ride, and I haven't had a chance to really test it out. (Wife hates the Grizz, so she's not to willing to swap rides with me very often. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] )

SilverBear