you mean bigbear as in me, if so i never said anything about the vinson.

 

I don't really call it polaris bashing. Just what I see. I hunt in several aresa of east Texas and around the Big Black river in MS. You see lots and lots of new polaris', but no older ones. Maybe they didn't make that many and that's why. Sure there is a few old ones, rarely ridden I'm sure. But still...where are the old one? I see lots of late 80's and early 90's Suzuki and Honda. No Polaris.

Yes my KQ is very underpowered but it fits my needs. It's a full size ATV with a small motor. Full size in larger tires and fenders than most other 300 class machines. And 45-50 is as fast as I want to go on a quad....any quad. The only need I really have for more power is I pull a small boat to the river and some trash trailors. But lets see, I believe the KQ was the first ATV with IS front and rear. The KQ had the first locking diff. No electric sensors to fill up with water and short out...just a cable. Intergrated engine/transmission/drive. I remember when the Prairie came out, big deal about a selective locking diff. What, been one on a KQ for years. And I use mine and yes I can lock the diff in any gear.

Plus when I bought mine in 99 Polaris had a big problem with water. Get in a little water and the belt will slip. I guess they've fixed that now. Plus I didn't want an auto. And I certainly didn't want a 2 stroke utility quad.

If you can afford to buy a new polaris every couple years then you won't understand my point. Me? I bought mine to keep for a long time.

Maybe realibity is just a suzuki thing.

 

Sorry bigbear, I meant maverick.

And robnhouston
I had a 2000, and I never had the belt slip, even when it was submerged in water.
Is that the problem you are talking about, cause I sure didnt experience it.

 

we bought our polaris and its lasted a long time. but thats your opiniion i guess.

 

Just curious...why did you sell your 2000 and what to you have now?

 

Kinda like getting a new car, after a while, you just want a new one.
I couldnt argue with what I was offered on mine either.
I bought a 03' vinson, for 5200 otd, that's why I have it and not a 700 sportsman.

 

I'm just gonna let you all know right now that with all the going back and around with the orgin of the power plant on the Twin P, and if or not it holds sand with the 700 pooh pooh polaris, well, first let me start like this; at the end of the day I've got an old Big Wheel (Yes, the plastic toy tri) with a bed sheet tied to it that serves as a sail. I shot a few srews in the plastic tires that I fancy as KNOBBIES, and I promise you I will stomp every machine you can pit against it!!! ... through the woods, switch-backs, water-crossings, hill-climbs, mx tacks, ovals, unders, overs, you name it and me and my air-powered BigWheel will take home the cup!!! Sure, you're saying; What if the air is still that day, hmmm? Well, I thought of everything, i.e., the Poulan 38cc weed-eater motor that I fassioned as a ready reserve just in case that unfortunate situation should come to be. It's got a Hemi six-pack intake glued to the top of it(with some modification, of course, as the intake is so much larger than the motor itself) and when those nuts meet the squirles things are gonna get crazy, so hope the breeze is up the day you meet me and mine out there!! Now, that probably sounded just about as silly to you as the 700 Polaris keeping up with the Vinson in anything but a flat-out street drag did to me. I've got to let you know that I've been blessed with money to play with and as much time to do it in. Not bragging, but I've had most every machine mentioned in these forums, from pure sport to sport utility. I could probably find something that I didn't like about every machine I've sat my butt on, but that's just machines...none are perfect. That said, I will try to explain what I've learned over the years and various machines; The Sporstsman line of Polaris, be it the 500 ho, or the 700 are fine if you're about to take your lady on a tour of the rolling pastures, or about to slip in to your favorite woodline headed for your favorite deer-stand, as it's a sure comfy ride going there, and is about all that machine is good for. Put it in real water and get ready for the slipping belt that Polaris is famous for...don't dare let off the gas, as you will fill the cover and PVT with carp and water, and the crossing will be something you'll wish you had thought better of. Put it in deep snow and/or a serious snow covered hill climb and you better have brought an extra belt and tools, as you're going to smoke the belt you're using...litterally. Get used to using low-range a bunch, and you can get at least a little more time out of the belt, but not much. Four Sportsman I've owned, and they all have that same story to tell me. Last winter I had enough and parked my 700 Pol and broke out an old favorite of mine...Quadmaster 500 by Suzuki. That machine, simple and basic as it looks, will smash a Polaris 700 in everyway I can think of, with the exception of a drag. But, who buys a 4x4 to drag? I look for dependibility, versatility and the ability to put it through the woods at a high rate of speed if need be, feeling in control of the machine at all times. Sorry, but the Polaris Sportsman is never going to offer you any of that. It is a lumbering pig of a machine that will beat you to death when it gets on top of you, and sooner or later it will. Also, wait until you're going down a steep hill and you find out that when you just turned off the four-drive, only one of the front hubs released...it's going to hurt! That very thing went down with me on two different machines. It will ****** the bars from your hands and all the strenght you can muster will not be enough to twist them back straight, as you're fighting the full weight of the machine on one locked wheel and end for end comes quick, and in that position you'll never get off to one side in time to clear yourself from the machine. I spent a month in the hospital waiting for the surgeries to end so I could go home and start healing. I've been riding since suzuki put the first quad out back in the early eighties, and I've been hurt majorly twice...both times on a Polaris Sportsman.
The Vison is a machine that I regularly put through it's paces, and I'm telling you right now that the Sportsman doesn't exist that will even come close to performing with it. Faster isn't worth a nickle if you need a wide open flat field to use it. Lets go hit the twisty trails and hill-climbs and snow jumps and you'll soon find the errors of POLARIS

 

I was actually faster through the trails on my Polaris.
And if you hated the Polaris so much, why did you have 4 of them? Makes no sense to me.
And anything that comes down on you, whether it be 600lbs or 740, it's going to hurt.
I roled the vinson down the side of a hill when the engine breaking locked up the back wheels and sent me sideways.
I'm tired of riding my vinson hard and breaking or bending something.

 

I still don't get it, if you loved that Polaris so much WHY take a chance on another, then still defend the Polaris. I can understand the money savings part, that came into play when I bought my first ATV. Because as I said I look at them all. Actually favored Yamaha because I rode 4 different Yamaha dirt bikes when I was younger. The best deal was on the KQ.

Someone would have to offer me a foolish amount for my KQ to sell. 1) because I perfectly happy with it and 2) it would only cost me more to purchase a new quad.

 

I rode my quad for 3 years and lost only $500 on it that's why I sold it.
I was thinking of selling it anyway, but when I was made that offere, I couldnt refuse.
Then it was just looking for the best deal.