Even with all the quirks and reliablilty issues, the Polaris Sportsman 500 4 X 4 is my vote. I have one sitting next to my Brute Force, and there are more than a few things I appreciate about the Sportsman over the BF.

I think the 2000 model turned the corner for Polaris, especially with the belt problems that plagued the 1999 model. But if any of you design or marketing wienies from Polaris are reading this, please encourage your company to take a tip from the Japanese models and PERFECT the stinkin machine over a year or two and do not have these significant changes year after year.

As mentioned, Suzuki did it. Yamaha did it with the 350 Warrior. How bout Honda's Sportrax 250/Recon 250 powerplant?

POLARIS, YOU JUST NEED MORE RELIABILITY!!! Stop changing the quads so durn much year after year!

P.S. If I HAD to choose one quad, I would still be riding the Brute. Too much intoxicating power to give up, once it has been sampled. Truly dred, man. Truly dred.

 

Polaris' are junk.

 

Admittedly, I do not have as much experience with ATVs as many of you but I can offer an opinion about hydostatic drives.

I liken a utility ATV to a piece of construction equipment although much smaller and, of course, more fun potential during off-duty hours. One version or another of hydrostatic drive is being used by just about every backhoe, hydraulic excavator, dozer, loader, pan, skidder, etcetera, etcetera. While most heavy equipment receives good to great maintainance, they are really ridden hard and put away wet on a regular basis. Heck, most of the time they are not even put away.

With that said, I would have to say that, from a design standpoint, that the Honda automatic drive in the Rubicon has to be ideally suited for utility applications.

My 2/100ths of a dollar.

 

I have to admit that the hydraulic automatic was secondary to my purchase decision originally. I had actually gone down to buy a new Kodiak with a belt drive, but when the dealer told me the price deal on the Rubicon, I couldn't pass up that kind of savings... Almost bought 2.. Wish now that I had. What started out to be a purchase that my wife could occasionally use has turned into my personal sled. I do wish they had included the ability to shift between 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive, but beggars can't be choosy. I fixed that with a WARN 2x4 unit. Made a world of difference. Besides, the rancher AT fits her better anyway, and has the same tranny in a smaller package.. so that is the way we are going to go now.

I can't say that there is any advantage between the two, but I know I hear a lot of complaints on the belt based systems. You can't always believe what you hear, and knowing most ATV riders, they only perform maintenence when something breaks...so a lot has to do with how well they follow the manufacturers suggestions. Then you get the guys who like to jump in on a conversation and talk about what they heard a friend of their second cousin say.. they don't really know for sure, but it has to be true right?

I guess the bottom line is that both types are proven designs capable of providing acceptable service when properly maintained.

 

honda 300 4x4 gets my vote had one and drove it for years I sold it for more than what I paid for it and I drove it for 6 years! other than oil and brake pads and tires I put nothing into that quad and I beat the thing into the ground and it kept coming back for more I drove it up trees over trees through mud snow rain hell I have had water well over the front racks it pulled all sorts of things including cars and trucks that were stuck in ditches if it had traction it would pull a hell of a lot I overreved it a lot say in second gear and tore around dumping the clutch and sliding the back around corners I rolled it at least 15 times both ways end over end and sideways I put one dent in the side of the gastank the bars never bent it could squeeze through some trails or bushwack better than most because it is narrow but it has excellent stability I jumped it many times the front end dove a lot but if was fun I must have had at least 12000 miles on it and im not exaggerating it may have been more it had no guages it was driven daily and driven hard It wasn't bulletproof it was bombproof when I think about it makes me want another honda!

 

How? I've got a 700EFI with more than 2000miles that has never seen a shop, or ever had any down time. I just don't understand how it is "junk".

 

As for the best, I like the first big bore the Sportsman 500. It made the big bores what they are today.

 

i agree, the 96 sportsman 500 changed the way manufacturers think. look at what all the flagship models are now, big bore, IRS, front diff lock machines.

 

Polaris 400L Sportsman. This was the model with the 370 cc 2 stroke. Engine was also in the 6x6 till 1997 or 1998 before they went to 4 strokes. I had ( I think ) a 1996 Sportsman 400L and this thing would wheelie just by nailing the throttle. Power was absolutely awesome for such a small motor.

 

Over my 17 years of riding, I will have to say my personal favorite/best is the Yamaha Big Bear.

Ryan