Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
#11
09-12-2004, 02:48 AM
Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
Originally posted by: Coyotechaser
I just can't do it. I can't suggest buying either quad. Between the two, I'd prefer the Rubi but I can't see spending that much money on a 500. You don't have to listen to me and you can forget that you read this. I have to suggest that you look around more. You can get a King Quad 700 with EFI and IRS for less money than a Rubi. Heck, the Vinson 500 would do the job for much less money. The Kodiak 450 is a good machine and it has IRS, auto, and a locking diff. It also cost much less.
I just can't do it. I can't suggest buying either quad. Between the two, I'd prefer the Rubi but I can't see spending that much money on a 500. You don't have to listen to me and you can forget that you read this. I have to suggest that you look around more. You can get a King Quad 700 with EFI and IRS for less money than a Rubi. Heck, the Vinson 500 would do the job for much less money. The Kodiak 450 is a good machine and it has IRS, auto, and a locking diff. It also cost much less.
#12
09-12-2004, 06:26 PM
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Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
Thanks for all the replies. The results seem mixed - a few more Polaris votes/owners. I'm going to visit my Polaris dealer again this week to see how negotiable they might be on a leftover 04 500. Will prob do the same for the Honda dealer and see what happens. I've ridden the Polaris for a bit, but don't have any real seat time on a Rubicon. I'd like to know the real difference in IRS, and if it is something I can live without or not. I think it boils down to this - Polaris has IRS, Honda has the best tranny. I need to decide which feature I'd rather have.
As for the Polaris 500 and RUbicon being overpriced, I dont know. Looking at the Kodiaks here: http://www.yamahadiscountprices.com/yamahaatvs.html
The Kodiak 450 is just a couple hundred less than both Polaris 500 and Rubicon. My Honda dealer also carries Suzuki and Yamaha, and says the same class of machine is priced very similarly from all manufacturers. I didn't get down to details on prices though. I do think all these machines are overpriced for what you get, but that's just the way it is.
As for the Polaris 500 and RUbicon being overpriced, I dont know. Looking at the Kodiaks here: http://www.yamahadiscountprices.com/yamahaatvs.html
The Kodiak 450 is just a couple hundred less than both Polaris 500 and Rubicon. My Honda dealer also carries Suzuki and Yamaha, and says the same class of machine is priced very similarly from all manufacturers. I didn't get down to details on prices though. I do think all these machines are overpriced for what you get, but that's just the way it is.
#13
09-12-2004, 07:46 PM
Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
http://www.polarisofchattanooga.com/
check out their prices, before going to your dealer ... i got my 500HO from them.
check out their prices, before going to your dealer ... i got my 500HO from them.
#14
09-12-2004, 08:02 PM
Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
abernathy in TN sells honda and polaris and has the best deals, website www.abernathycycles.com
i'd go with the polaris if i were you. if you want a comfortable ride, once you go IRS you won't go back. it's soo much better than SRA. the hondamatic tranny may be a little better, but polaris now has a lifetime warranty on their belts, so you don't have to worry about them. plus polaris is also doing their factory authorized clearance, really good deals.
i'd go with the polaris if i were you. if you want a comfortable ride, once you go IRS you won't go back. it's soo much better than SRA. the hondamatic tranny may be a little better, but polaris now has a lifetime warranty on their belts, so you don't have to worry about them. plus polaris is also doing their factory authorized clearance, really good deals.
#15
09-12-2004, 10:19 PM
Red Rider
Honda, accept nothing less!
Honda, accept nothing less!
Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
Seeing the 05 Rubicon gets a redesign, you shoud be able to get an 04 for real cheap! You are giving up the updates of course (new body style, Trax-Lok, and disk brakes in front), but you could get a Warn 242 and still be ahead a bunch of money. All the big Honda utes are way over priced!
#16
09-13-2004, 02:46 AM
#17
09-14-2004, 01:22 PM
Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
If you are dead set on Honda or Poplaris, I would go with Honda. I know and have ridden with two guys with Polaris, When they are working they are great and comfortible, but they have had them in the shop more times than riding. One is a 04 500 H.O. and the other is a 04 600. Just my $0.02.
#18
09-14-2004, 05:33 PM
Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
In my personal experiances I would never buy another Polaris again. My parents have a 92' 250 4x4 and my uncle has a 96' 400 4x4 and BOTH of them have been only semi-reliable (as in something brakes but you usually can drive it home). LOTS of electrical problems on both also, switches going bad and the 4x4 not working. I've heard polaris has gotten better since 2000 but I still wouldn't buy one. Every honda/yamaha my family has owned has been 100% trouble free except for one honda 300 4x4 had the rear bearing go bad but its on its 3rd set of tires since new and has ALOT of abuse. The only reason Polaris is around today is because they had the AUTOMATIC tranny and part-time 4 wheel drive way before anyone else. Polaris has the best riding quad though!
#19
09-14-2004, 06:45 PM
Honda or Polaris, opinions needed on 1st ATV
After 6 weeks of research on the web, mostly on forums like this, I'll be driving to Abernathy's this Saturday to pick up a new '04 Rubicon. It's about a 5 hour drive for me, but none of our local dealers will come close to their price - $5650 out the door. For several reasons I wasn't inclined to wait another 3-4 months and pay $600-800 more for an '05, mostly impatience I guess, and there's also the possibility that the "management" will find something else to do with the $$....more than a few of you know how that goes.
Because this is my first ATV I'm not going to bash any other brands. I looked at (and test rode where possible) several different makes and models, and I kept coming back to the Rubicon - very smooth running machine, best tranny in the business, a proven design, and it's very difficult to find any real complaints on this or any other forum about them.
With the $1000 I'm saving at Abernathy's (no sales tax for me, either), I plan to get the extended warranty, a winch, and a county plow with all of the associated hardware and still be below $7000. I'll probably wait until next spring to get the Warn 424 unlocker just because I would like to be more familiar with the machine and how it's supposed to behave before I go making any modifications.
That's my two-cents worth[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
Because this is my first ATV I'm not going to bash any other brands. I looked at (and test rode where possible) several different makes and models, and I kept coming back to the Rubicon - very smooth running machine, best tranny in the business, a proven design, and it's very difficult to find any real complaints on this or any other forum about them.
With the $1000 I'm saving at Abernathy's (no sales tax for me, either), I plan to get the extended warranty, a winch, and a county plow with all of the associated hardware and still be below $7000. I'll probably wait until next spring to get the Warn 424 unlocker just because I would like to be more familiar with the machine and how it's supposed to behave before I go making any modifications.
That's my two-cents worth[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]