If the belt on the SP500 is dry and slipping, he is either in high gear, or he has clutch problems. I have a Rubicon and a SP500. They are both good in different ways. I very much prefer the SP500 and the wife prefers the Honda due to the 4 wheel engine braking. As far as performance goes, the Polaris walks all over the Rubicon. I think it has more low end and better trail manners. I have entered many mud races, and I have always finished in the top 3. To be honest, I have only seen a couple of Hondas even come close to the Polaris. Anything can happen in a mud race and I have heard of Hondas winning, but only on ocasion. The mud races I have entered have been all been won by Polaris. Polaris has taken 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in almost everyone. the races that were actually held in mud (not water) were even worse. Out of 30 bikes that enters, probably 20 or more were Hondas. Only a few even finished the race. In this particular Race, Brad, Trey and myself finished 1,2,3 all on SP500s.

You Polaris haters can think what you want, and ride what you want. If you intend on mud riding, I think the new Polaris's (2001) are the best around. You do not have to work on the Triple sealed drum brakes after every ride. You do not have to worry about mud getting in your pull rope housing and taking out your crank seal, and if you do happen to take a dunk, the Polaris is much more likely to be undamaged.

As far as mudding goes, I doubt that any of you have more first hand experience than myself. I have seen what works and what does not work. I have seen what holds up and what does not. I know what mods cause damage and what mods cause more damage. I know that a lift kit and Mudzillas on a SP500 will not hold up as long as a lift kit and mudzillas on a Rubicon. Does this mean that the Rubicon is more reliable? If this is all you do to it, the answer is yes. If you lock the front end to make it perform even close to the Polaris, the answer is no. They can and probably will both break eventually.

Greg

 

Everyone says the Rincon will be the sportiest of the big 4X4's. Why is that when it's full-time 4X4. I'll take a 2wd/4wd option anytime over a non-belt driven transmission...that's why I bought a Grizz instead of a Rubicon and I'm a die-hard Honda fan (cars, generators etc.)

 

I thought that I read somewhere that it was going to be selectable 2wd or 4wd?

 

Hey maniac,

I too love the Honda reliability, especially my 85 Big Red (after 17 years, I finally have trouble – a leaky gas tank).

But for those of us who use these machines for transportation over rough backcountry roads, a good suspension is a necessity. Until now the pure utility Hondas have not been able to compete with the IRS machines (especially the Sportsman and the new Grizzly) in rider comfort – even your Rubicon only rides marginally better then the Big Red on rough uneven terrain.

If the Rincon is half as reliable as my Big Red, and as comfortable as my Sportsman, it will undoubtedly be my pick as the best machine available.

 

everyone always wants to throw up hondas being reliable is hockey.when you produce an atv with 10 horse power and drum brakes with 2 inches of suspension and it is geared so low that top speed is only 45 mph .what do you expect to tear up on a 10 horse engine?let honda get a 40 horse engine with 9 inches travel and being geared to run like a rocket then you will see more and more problems.all the old men around where i ride ride a honda because they say it rides good and doesnt tear up.but when you ride 5 mph what atv doesnt ride good?whats to tear up when you only ride turtle speed?maybe the muffler gets stopped up with dust?holler if you hear me!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

All i gotta say is that for $7,599, there are definately better alternatives. The Prairie will still be the quickest, The 700 and 660 will be more capable in the mud with their 4x4 systems(compared to the Honda). I do agree that the belt drive tranny's arent the best thing out there,but, I don't think that a 3 speed automotive style is the hot ticket in a 40hp quad either though. As far as the pulling competions go, put some better tires and add about 100lbs of weight on the Prairie's racks and it should be unbeatable. This is why the Polaris's do so good in these event's, because of there weight. But as mentioned, it's a Honda and the mags won't consider it's pushrod engine low tech, nor will it lose points for drum brakes, but such is life. I don't buy based on the mags. Who ever throws a 5 speed into this big bore war will get my money.

 

Hey I have a leaky gas tank on my three wheeler to, nothing a pound of apoxy didnt fix real well. Oh, And i may be a rookie in here. But You put me on a trail and In have 10000 miles and over a thousand hours on ten different wheelers. I have owned grizzlies and Kodiaks and magnums and Big reds and Ranchers and all kinds of wheelers. I have had race cars and have taken apart transmissions and put them back together. Im not saying im smarter then anyone in here, but im 37 years old, And i have had a lot of toys. SO just because i only have ten posts mean my opinion is nilch. You are sadly mistaken. I will tell you straight out that a Rubicon rides better then most other fourwheelers even with its dual swingarm in the rear. And Ill tell you it handles better then anything ive ever owned, And the engine is the most powerful on the market. And If you tell me Polaris walks on a Rubicon at a pulling match, Your a sadly mistaken. I have watched many matches where rubicons wooped Polaris, But thats not why I buy Hondas, No, I buy Hondas because of there reliability, and you know what if you want to say my rubicon is slow, your are once again sadly mistaken, my Rubicon runs about 58 mph, only 4 mph lower then a sp500 in 2wd. Trust me ive raced them! I liked my magnum, dont get me wrong, Bu t I just hate belt drives, If i get the littlest amount of water in there it starts slipping. Now Ive got 2700 miles on my Rubicon, and no problems yet. My magnum had 1100 miles on it and the starter went, then the battery, thats why I sold it, I got rid of it before big problems started arising. So thats my 2 cents. I dont mean to offend anyone, Im just voicing my opinion.

 

maniac ...you said the rubi rode better than anydual swingarms!!!!!!!!!!!!!at the first of this post i thought you were 12 years old but now i know you are 12.honda is the best on earth for slow engines //drum brakes//shittylooks/no suspension/but they are reliable!id rather buy parts for my cadallac than buy preperation h for my *** from riding a honda.after you get a couple slipped discs you might come to your senses.holler if you hear me!!!!!!!!!

 

Slipped discs are from disc brakes, and yes the Rubicon has a great ride, And probably the most comfortable seat on any of my past wheelers. And your gonna whine about A rubicons ride, compared to my wheeler the thing rides like a cadilacc, you sound like a spoiled brat. Trust me, Compared to anything in a lower class its a smooth wheeler. And who the hell cares what it looks like. And You know what, Ive never had to touch my drum brakes, they work just fine. So obviously you dont know what your talking about. And Im 37 years old. Want my birth certificate, how, may i ask, old are you.

 

Yeah i was robbed on that pulloff.