Thanks for that .. I guess I'll have to pop into the dealer soon and see what they have available .. make sure I got da missus with me too .. as it will eventually be hers ..

Cheers,

Trev

 

You should really get the one that meets the most of your needs. I personally like the Outlander because it does everything good and with a 3.5 year waranty it's a no brainer.

 

A buddy of mine was riding with an outty in his group. Said it was a very fast machine, but he didn't like the front fenders on them. The driver of the outty was absolutely covered in mud on the wet trails because of the way the front fenders cut across the tires .. I'm not interested in getting covred in mud, and I'm sure my wife is even less interested in it. Alright now and then, but on a continuous basis .. nah ..

 

Mark down another vote for the popo 500ho. I own a 2005 500ho and have a friend with a 1997 500 that has over 15k miles and still runs good. The Fuji Heavy Industries engine that comes on the sp500 will last forever. My next pick would be the OL400. Don't care much for the bike, but the rotax engine will out perform everything in it's class and some above it's class. Last and not for any particular reason would be the Kodiak. Kodiak is a good machine, but other than size and weight it doesn't stand out in anything. It is a very nimble quad though.

 

Whatever you do,don't get a polaris. I have a 2004.5 500 H.O. that I bought new and have been fixing it ever since.
So far I've had to replace the cooling fan twice,the first one went within 6 months,the second one about a year later.The centralized hillard gearcase is a piece of crap they use unsealed russian bearings, so much for made in U.S.A. I'am on my third one of those if you count rebuilding one. I've also had to replace the temp. sensor and both rear drive shafts and the 59 tooth gear in the transmission the splines were stripped off.The speedometer just went last week.
This quad is completely stock with only 950 miles operated by 40+ year old rider.My friends have a honda 450s and an ac 500 and they never break.Before you buy a polaris do a search on polaris speedometers or awd problems,you better pack a lunch! Polaris only has a 6 month warranty for a reason, they would go broke.

 

The Kodiak may be the most reliable quad next to most hondas in the ute class

 

I think that any mfg has it's good and bad .. look at Yamaha's Griz ... and Yamaha is one of the tops for reliability. Polaris here is offering a 3 year extender (total of 3.5 years I guess) but I don't know how much for. I've questioned myself on wheather or not I trust in the name, but after talking to a few people who own them I come to the conclusion that one's as good as the other these days. My father uses polaris snowmobiles and doesn't have any troubles either .. I think that maybe you just got a lemon, unfortunately. sorry to hear about all your troubles just the same.

 

If you play in the mud, skip the Polaris. They are overheating son's of bitches. Whoever designed it so the radiator is so low and open needs to be replaced. I ride with a few polaris' and even in the cooler spring weather we were stopping to let them cool down. Mud would pack into the radiator and it was just a short matter of time before the overheating light came on and we would have to pull over repeatedly.

I have an 05 Kodiak 450 and really like it. My other choice at purchase time was the Outty, which I regret getting b/c it pretty much offers the same options as the kodiak but for a little cheaper and a much better warranty. IMHO the Kodiak has the best looks though, and that's what counts....right?! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]

 

Not much of a mud runner myself. I guess a rad-guard is a must-have from what you're saying .. unless the rad is well protected from impacts, just not from mud? I guess if I did go mudding I'd make sure there was a stream nearby to wash her out with.

 

Yeah, I mud 75% of the time and not the first over heating prob yet. We have 4 polaris in my group, I also have 2 grizzlies, and I have a bud with a zuki KQ700 and one with a Honda. None of us have ever had an overheating issue in the mud. Also, as for the bad luck sportsman guy. You got a lemon, which all manufactures make. As I've said i one of the guys I ride with has an 97 sp500 with over 15k miles and only thing done to it at all was he replaced the belt 2 weeks ago. This is the first and only thing ever done to this machine.