Hello was looking at the sportsman thinking on adding one to the fleet. What I was wondering do they feel a little top heavy going up really steep hills and I do mean steep hills like the ones here in WV...

Artic Cat and maybe a polaris

 

I previously had a honda 300 4x4 and bought a '99 sportsman. It seemed like I sat higher but after about 600mi. I am used to the new machine. I don't really have any trouble up or down steep hills. Really like the EBS and have tried tricks such as blipping the throttle and using 4 wheel drive and pushing the override button to keep the EBS from sliding the rear wheels going down. Overall I am very pleased with the sportsman.


Gardner10 '99 sportsman 500

 

Been up some pretty steep, football sized rocks scattered on, pipeline "vehicle access" roads....hehehe. and was really impressed with how the Sportsman handled the grade. Very sturdy, or course for my own comfort I leaned over the front.

 

Nope!

 

Well, it's heavy anyway...but the worst wreck I had on mine was going up a VERY, VERY steep hill (I really don't think it would classify as a hill) and upon reaching the abrupt, straight-up top, I chickened and stopped my forward momentum...MISTAKE! Keep your body weight forward and don't back off...if you're gonna wreck..do it wide open. If I'd had the forward 'mo, I'd made it...as it was I flipped it about 10 times down the hill. But, it never went dead..landed on all fours..and other than a broken CB antennae, no worse for wear....although my britches needed changin'......