Yes! Another Sportsman finds a home!
Congratulations on making the best choice

 

Ok guys, I've read this whole string because a friend of mine and I are both Polaris owners, he has a 03 sportsman 700 and I have a 2000 sportsman 500. I posted last week reguarding sliding on downhill trails in Kentucky and Hondas hanging on to the trail. Well it happened again this weekend only my friend had his 700 role down the hill because apparently when the front hubs locked in it jerked his front end in and pulled to the left abruptly and from there on gravity took over. Mine once again slid down a hill and going up the other hill it started spinning because only one wheel locked in this time and I had to be winched up the steep hill, as I said in my other post these hills are easy 45% hills. As God is my witness I had a older friend of ours took his Honda Foreman 400 and back it up the same hill with absolutley no effort at all. My friend with the 700 is putting his up for sale this week because he said he feels he can't trust it anymore to get him out of what he might get into. I feel bad because I was the big pusher of the Sportsman but Im having serious doubts about mine also . If I can't be sure that both hubs will lock in every time, I can't put my butt on a steep hill and feel like im going to the top or sliding out of control to the bottom. We borrowed a friends new Rubicon and drove it up the same hill and the pulling power on the hill was like night and day. The Rubicon just goes up it with very little throttle being given and never broke a wheel loose in the dirt. It was a totally different ride. Guy's I hate to admit it because I was the biggest Honda basher down here but it honestly made a beleiver out of me and I felt much safer on that steep hill on the Rubicon. I think maybe the Sportsman was built for hard work and pulling but on real steep hills it's left me feeling like I can't trust it anymore.

 

Nightal, engine braking is something you take for granted when you have it, but really miss it when you don't. My vinson has awesome engine braking. Keep in mind another factor contributing to the stable feeling of the honda is a much lower center of gravity than the sportsman. (of course that high center is nice in the mud.) It's give and take...

 

I think either one of these machines would have suited you well and been great machines.I would have personally chosen the rubicon just because of hondas awesome reliability, and they will pull with the best of them in my opinion. I love my foreman 400 4x4, and have had it for 3 years, and have yet to take it to the dealer, or have serious problems out of it, and it also goes great in mud. Also, if you dont believe hondas will pull good, just check my pictures[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]. I absolutley love the torque of my foreman 400. Like i said though, either machine would probably be just fine, so really it all boils down to which you like best.
NIGHTAL: I am also from kentucky (garrard county), and was wondering what part you was from, and where you was when all that happened to you.

 

RedneckE ,, It happened to us down in Monroe County. That whole area is mostly up and down hills and they are pretty steep hills. I just was amazed how the Hondas seem to pull the hills down there with very little throttle. It just blew us away watching it. We are kinda considered outsiders because we have Polaris's and aout of 17 riders the other week 12 had Hondas, they say its all they will ride on those hills due to flipping and climbing issues. I don't know if it's because the Polaris has more power and breaks the wheels on the dirt easier. All I know is the one I took up this 125ft climb in elevation and went as slow and flawlessly and I never felt like it was going to start spinning or slip. It was a totally different feeling

 

Hey RedneckE that one I siad pulled the hill backwards was just like yours but I think it was a early 90"s model. It has 9600 miles on it and get this,,,,the guy has never changed oil in it yet :-) What a hoot

 

Thats hard to believe its lasted that long if he's never changed the oil in it.I guess its becuae its a honda[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] J/K. Mine will outlast me then because i change my oil every 500 miles.LOL. I have not had a single problem out of it, and have been very very happy with it.I do a lot of farm work, and a lot of pulling with it, and it has never let me down.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Talk to tou later.

 

Hi, I sold my HO, which did not give any problems. In fact I have had 2 HO's on seperate 1000 mile trips with no problems. i just bought a 600 and just rode it. I am impressed. It steers quicker and is more precise in handling. The ride is great too..................I think I have found the perfect quad.....................................I highly recommend the 600

 

Way to go on the 600! I've had mine for a while now and love it. I did have one minor problem with performance. Apparently the nut that holds the spider to the clutch backed off slightly causing a flat feeling when accelerating. The dealer retightened the nut and put some locktite on it. Back to outstanding![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]