fair enough, get the polaris and get used to paying shop bills . . .at least he'll have awd until it breaks.

 

And when it breaks it will be 3wd like a Rancher only with more power.

 

Why shucks, the parts manager at the Polaris dealership is my new best friend, and everybody wants friends don't they?

 

Well if you are serious about mudding go with the polaris if you are worried about the reliability get the extended 5 year warranty but be sure you buy from a dealer who knows how these machines are abused and rides himself. The honda is a good bike it is suppose to have a similar limited slip differential as the AC 500 which I too also own but it will not pull with my sportsman. A good example is me and my wife went 4 wheelin yesterday on the sportsman after a terrible rain storm and let me tell you going up stuff that is so steep you couldn't stand on it gets hairy the sportsman went right up where the cat has spinned with just me on it. It really does make a difference with 4 wheels pulling and far as some of the problems with polaris is the brakes and tie rod ends they have replaced the tie rod ends with a new himem tie rod end with a plastic cover that you can fill full of grease and on the brakes when the factory ones wear out just get a set of the heavy duty ones I think they are called ebc...good luck in whatever you get...

All my friends want me to go with them just to pull them out...

 

I heard the best saying I've ever heard yesterday while out wheelin with a bunch of guys. One guy said his Honda 300's headlights weren't that bright and then went on to say that Honda messed up on the lights, but then he said "that's ok though, Polaris messed up on everything".

haha!

 

You can't beat the mid size Rancher! Yeah I have heard the "AWD" aguement from every one on these boards. Our ATV club has roughly 40 riders here in south western Washington, & not one, did I say NOT ONE rider has a Polaris! The main reason is the reliability factor. I have had my Rancher in mud & the wheel in the air did spin, but the one on the ground was pulling!

You should test drive them both. Another factor people don't talk about is the dealer service. The dealers hopefully will have a good reputation.

Good luck on your choice

P.S.
Honda, the way to go!!!!!!!!

 

Have you posted this same question on the Honda Forum?If not give it a shot!

 

Well have you ever considered that when the polaris has the wheel up in the air it will spin 2 but the new rancher will do that to but it will give all the power that is stuck not the one that is in the air free wheeling


"Boy that polaris is Stuck again" "RIDE RED"

 

Did you ever consider when the wheel is down on the ground you have 4 wheels pulling instead of 3...So in conclusion even with the sportsman with one wheel in the air you have as much pulling power as the rancher does with 4 wheels on the ground...mind boggling isn't

I'd rather have 4 wheels pulling for the same price...

 

Well did you ever consider that when the sportsman has 1 wheel in the air it still has 3 wheels pulling but when it has all 4 wheels on the ground it has 3 wheels pulling compared to the rancher with 3 wheels pulling. I must admit if the new limited slip is anything like the AC it is a good system but is not better than the true 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. Never could understand how people have so much trouble understanding no matter what you do with the limited slip, whether they be alternating from a stuck side or what, you still only have 3 WHEELS PULLING DUH...there is no way that 4 wheels can be pulling like the locked in system on the polaris due to the design, you might say well you were in mud and both front wheels were spinning if so they were either alternating back and forth due to the speed you have them spinning...take it up a steep grade where you are going slow and watch the front then you will see one wheel spin and then because you are not in something slippery like mud you will see the wheels alternate back and forth depending on which side has more pressure. I know this to be a fact cause I have done it with the AC 500...Now take the Polaris and do the same thing both front wheels spin or pull...