Jimbob,
How could you even think for a moment after reading my posts that I favor Honda just because I work at a Honda dealership?This could not be further from the TRUTH.I have and will continue to speak of Honda's shortcomings,but I'll also let you know that there is not a more reliable ATV on the market either.Just the same,Polaris ATVs are VERY exciting,however,they also have the worst record for reliability to.

As far as me going to the Honda Forum and staying there?YAH RIGHT!If you have a problem with me posting about the problems I've personally had with MY Polaris ATVs and dont want me in here anymore,TRY and get me BOOTED!The moderators have been accepting my posts for 5 yrs with no problems so I sure as hell dont care what YOU or ANYONE else thinks of what I post!

When you see a post from me,maybe just skip by it.I have NO intention to stop informing other fellow ATVers of my problems with my two Polaris quads,so get USED to it or skip by it.


Bill

 

I can't explain it other than it just must be driver error. I must have ridden it too hard up the ramps into my truck, back down the ramps and into the driveway. I guess I will just have to baby it from here on in if I keep it. Maybe just drive it in parades and such and hope it can handle that type of abuse. All along I thought I was easy on the equipment but I guess not.

Well put Muddy! I'm with you on this one.

I did not start this post to get everyone all fired up. I was just requesting that anyone who currently has or has previously had this problem contact Polaris customer service and make sure their dealer does the same. Again, this is the only way Polaris can have an official record of the problem and if the reports warrant, a redesign. It only takes a couple of phone calls.

 

700Guy,
I bought my 99 Sportman in late 1998 because it offered more features than any other 4x4 on the market for about the same price.I liked the switchable 2wd/4wd.I liked the liquid cooling,true 4x4,IRS,plush ride,ground clearance,auto trans,and big 500cc engine.I wanted to beleive that I purchased the best utility 4x4 ATV for the $$ I spent?After ONE day of ownership,the problems started.I took the quad back to the purchasing dealership the NEXT day because I had a dead battery.Picked it up a few days afterwords.The problems just did not go away so I started a lawsuit against the dealership and Polaris and FINALLY went for repairs to a differant dealership and wound up selling the slug.

Hoping that my Sportsman was just a RARE lemon,I purchased another Polaris product,my 2000 Xplorer 400cc.It is 2 times WORSE than my Sportsman,ALLWAYS a part failing!To say im sick and tired with Polaris reliability records would be a gross understatement.

Honda's?
They do not have a 4x4 ATV that is as nice to ride or that has the features like a Polaris utility does,however,someone that rides between 2000-2500 miles a yr like me does NOT want to own a ATV that is prone to parts failure faster than the manufacture can make the part.Yes,I work at a Honda dealership and my dealership is owned by the SAME guy who owns a MULTI Line ATV dealership about 30 miles from this one.Even the owner of this multi line dealership shares the same feelings towards a Polaris as myself,you know,nice features and all that,however,BUYER BEWARE!Polaris has come a very long way with the reliability thing,however,they still have far to many problems when compared to Honda's.Heck,one look at the Honda Forums and one look at the Polris Forums is all one needs to verify this?


I like the features that a Polaris ATV offers,I am fed up with the amount of parts failure that often occur with a Polaris though.

I dislike Honda's lack of IRS[New 003 Rincon FINALLY has it],they have no true front locker,they lack switchable 2wd/4wd on everyone of their 4x4 models except the 450 Foreman and new Rincon,lack of liquid cooling except for two models,I dont care for Honda's lack of real good ground clearance,I dont like that they still use outdated drum style brakes either.Compared to Polaris ATVs,a Honda does not have near as many features,but the same can be said of Honda's reliability records,not nearly anywhere near as bad as that of a Polaris.

Bill

 

Here is the latest. I went to my garage this morning to load my SP700 to take back to the dealer for another attempt at repairing the coolant leak. The Polaris gods must have read my posts and are smiling. I let it run for approximately twenty minutes through several fan cycles and it is now not leaking. It could be the Polaris gods or more likely that I retorqued the bolts the night before last and the sealer they used may have taken a while to set up. Who knows? For now I will just have to keep an eye on it and hope Polaris does make an improved cover.

Hairback357,
I do own a Glock 17 and I agree with you, it is a fine weapon. Only the frame is made of plastic. Glock wouldn't be stupid enough to make the barrel and slide out of plastic. Plastic is ok for some applications but not where it is subjected to heat. The last time I checked no one was making a plastic frying pan.

 

Bill I have read probably over a hundred post from you with the exact same thing said I say enough maybe if I was like you I would just slam Honda in there forum for all the problems I have had with Honda's I have owned. But I don't see where that would be productive here is my experience I have posted this once before and here it is again.

From my point of view I have owned several Honda's Yamaha's and one Kawasaki right now I have 2 Polaris 4 wheelers 2 Yamaha Wave Runners and 1 Yamaha YZ 250.
My 99 Polaris Sportsman has over 2,300 Miles on it with no problems yet. My 99 Scrambler has close to double that since I ride it the most and I have had nothing wrong with it except for a starter. My Hondas on the other hand My CR 500 was always broken I rebuilt the engine 3 times and my Honda 350 4X4 one transmission I had to rebuild the engine once my Honda 110 three wheeler went through 2 transmission and my Honda trail 110 I had to rebuild the engine once and 3 transmissions. The YZ 250 has had one transmission so far. I have had the best luck with Polaris my father also has a Sportsman with 1500 miles and still no problems. All of my friends who also ride Polaris have had no problems other than Brakes and tie rods which are typical of Polaris. So my opinion of Polaris is really high from experience.

 

I OWN 2000SP500 AND 2001SP500HO I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE SP500/ TOP ENDS, CAM, TIMING CHAINS, HEAD GASKETS, WATER PUMP SEALS, THERMOSENSERS, THERMOSTATS, BALL JOINTS, TIE ROD ENDS, A-ARMS, CLUTCHES, ALL THE FRONT DRIVE SYSTEM YOKES THE SRING PINS HAVE FELL OUT NUTS AND BOLTS HOLDING THE YOKES IN PLACE, REAR SHOCKS LEAKING, REAR CV JOINTS CLICKING ALL OF THE REAR CV JOINTS, TRANSMISSION, STATOR, STARTER I THINK THATS ABOUT IT BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT ABOUT 90% OF THESE ITEMS WERE DENIED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOLKS SO I BOUGHT THE PARTS AND DID THE LABOR MYSELF
2001 SP500HO RIDDEN ABOUT THE SAME NO PROBLEMS

 

Jimbob,
I totally understand your point that all manufactures have problem ATVs once in awhile.But the fact remains that no manufacture has the amount of problems that Polaris does.I see evidence of this everytime I visit my 12 differant dealerships every month.I see more Polaris ATVs in their back rooms for repairs than any of the other manufactures ATVs.I hear the complaints from the service techs working on them to.

Im a licensed ATV Safety Instructor and a once a month check up with these dealers is something I do.

Bill