Mike,
I admit that I may have some bias towards honda atv simply becuase of the type of riding I do. I have spent more time on riding honda's than I have riding polaris's. In fact up until last year I had never ridden a polaris atv. Maybe you don't have to spend much time doing maintence on your polaris, but I found that I spent more time maintaning and fixing polaris atv's last year than I had ever spent maintaning and fixing in my life (previously honda) I ride a lot in sandpits/mx type terrain, swamps, and cricks. I found that the stock polaris is great on wide fairly smooth trails. Yes, faster than the 300 ex, but when I drive into the sandpit through the swamp and cricks, I was much happier and faster on the 300ex. The polaris can't handle big tight whoops and jumps nor dry run cricks nearly has well as the 300ex and quite frankly I was scared of breaking the polaris everytime the heavy thing smacked the frame on the ground after a jump or in the whoops/cricks etc. Although, I really enjoyed having the 4x4 in the swamps, until the belt would get wet. In one summer of riding, I replaced the belt,chain, and input shaft oil seal just to name a couple of time consuming items. I found that the polaris's are hard to work on and hard to maintain. I also know that my friends 300ex with aftermarket dg pipe/silencer, and k&n air filter and jet kit, and taller geared front sprocket is as fast as the stock scrambler 400. The work on the 300ex was all done by my friend at home within a couple of hours and was under $500. This is my personal experience and not just what I have read in 4WA. So, don't always be so quick to judge.
I do believe you some points and appreciate your posts.

 

Blaster, while I can appreciate the fact that you are giving real-world experiences (unlike the magazines), where you ride and where I ride must be 2 completely different types of terrain. Let me be the first to say that in tight hare scrambles the Polaris is out of its league, but as soon as the trail opens up a little bit it can more than make up for it. I have climbed hills that my brother couldn't even make on his Banshee, much less a 300ex. As for putting under 500 dollars in a 300ex and making it as fast as a 400 Scrambler, I just don't see it. I've put a Hell of a lot more than $500 in my 4-stroke and I have noticed very little difference. I have ridden a 400 Scrambler with a pipe, larger carb, and clutch kit (total of about $550) and I guarantee nothing short of a hopped-up Banshee will not outrun it. What it boils down to for me is could I have any fun on a 300ex? Not nearly as much as on my Scrambler. My brother and I hold it wide open most of the time and we always have to stop and let everybody else catch up. How much fun is that?

 

I haven't done anything to my polaris besides repair a whole in the case from the chain. Which can happen to any quad with a 450lb man on it jumping off a bank!

My belt has never gotten wet and i've been in plenty deep water.

My first quad was a 87 honda trx250. It was a good atv it had countless hours on and still started first kick. And ran great!

I hope my polaris is still running as good as the honda after 13 years of hard riding. I personally figure it will be.

My one problem with honda is the frames are just too lightweight. Yes, we want out atvs to be light but when they roll over 3 times the wheels still must be pointing the same way!
As i just seen my friend do to his 300ex due to a very small wreck. Up a hill he stalled it back it came rolled end over 2 times and the frame was destoryed! The left front wheel wasn't even connected to the frame.

But i would still like to have a 300EX or 400EX, but i doubt i ever will because if i get the money i will get a scrambler 500 or 400 2x4!

 

Mike,
You are right about the mags. ATV Sport is the best. Remember that article they did awhile back in '99 on the Sport? They really bragged it up saying what a great "sport" quad it was etc. What they didn't say was how much faster on a track a 250R is. They said Polaris intended it to be a fast trail quad. DUH!!! I was like wow! A magazine finally gets it! Not everyone wants to just keep going around and circles on the same old track. If Polaris wants to kick everyones *** with a race quad they will. Until then I still enjoy riding what I believe is one of the best trail riding quads made. A 300EX is a great quad too, but it's just not enough quad if you know what I mean. Kinda like buying a Ford Ranger when what you really need is an F-150. At least me anyway, I like a full size quad.
c-ya,

 

 

Never mind,the Honda boys dont wanna hear from me anyways,Good Day,====BILL

 

Thanks for replying...
Good , clean ,respectable debate is Fun and Rewarding esp. if Manufactors read and learn!!!
WE ALL Win with better product design.
Many Honda riders like the simplicity and rugged
design of our quads.
Many Polaris riders like being on the leading edge of Technology
Both groups are very loyal.
Magazines are in the business to make money..they know this... simply dont believe every thing you read.
I like and respect all motorheads who need the biggest,fastest etc. because they push the limits all the time.We trail riders benefit from trickle down design improvements.Most Honda riders would love to see a 2/4 wheel option on most models.Give us 15 mph on top end so we could have better races with Polaris! Keep it durable and simple.
I wonder how many riders would switch !!

aint no mountain high enough....

 

Andrew, I know what you're saying. The 300EX is a rather smallish machine, intended for average riders. The Sport by comparison is huge. I really like how the 300EX is for size though. If I put the preload settings for the shocks to the lightest setting, it rides really smooth, and the gas tank is narrow that I can hold on with my knees real easily.

KevinM, this is purely a joke. You said this in your post:
"My brother and I hold it wide open most of the time and we always have to stop and let everybody else catch up."
Just a suggestion, you should adjust or lube your thumb throttle if it takes you and your brother to push it!!!!! Again, just a joke.

 

Ok Mike I have an '86 Honda Big Red ATC. No it may not be 50 years old but being 14 years old and having nothing ever done to it other than changing the oil the thing still runs great! By the way how many '86 Polaris machines do you ever see around that still work without ever having anything done to them? So if you wanna bash Honda for reliability and durability, go ahead, but you're just making yourself look stupid......

 

Rooster,
The 300EX rides fine, don't get me wrong. And when I ride my friends the 300EX isn't uncomfortable. It's just I don't know that I would like that "knees up to my elbows" riding position everyday. That's one thing I really like about Polaris. You can kick back, relax and ride it like a big Harley. Ok, maybe not that relaxed... But you know what I mean. I like my big Hog. I never realized just how much bigger Polaris's were until I was on my gf's TB one day & my friend pulled up beside me on his 300EX & it seemed like I was at least a couple of inches higher than him, and I was on her "little" 250.
Just to make it clear with everyone. I don't hate Hondas (I had one )I just happen to prefer Polaris.
c-ya,