when I used to have my old 500HO, i had no worries or concerns going downsteep hills with it, the single braking lever is not as bad as some people think, id probly prefer the single brake lever too the two seperate brake levers

 

Just so you Polaris riders know, ... when a Kodiak 450 is in 4-wheel drive the front and rear axles are solidly connected together via the drivetrain, (unlike the Polaris 4x4 on demand system), and when you apply either the front or rear brake all four wheels will slow down equally. So having more than one brake lever really isn't too complex afterall.

 

I am not causing trouble, and by the other responses, you can see that quite a few other people feel the same way... I am not a biased person when it comes to buying a machine.... trust me i did my home work... i went to every dealership, sat on and tried everymachine, from a 250 to the 700's, ect. And when i was done, i took the kodiak 450, i personally put all the specs together of every machine, and i thought the kodiak 450 had everything i was looking for.

Now Co, i think you should do the same, either go on their websites, or go into the dealership, get the features and spec of both machines and compare them. They are both great machines... you would be happy with either one.

 

Missery, I have checked out the machines on websites, forums and in person. I think I am down to either the Kodiak 450 or Big Bear 400. I am not sure if shifting or auto would be best. I want to plow, trail ride and hunt with occasional other work opportunities with MINIMAL problems. The belt drive systems worry me and would the auto be best for most trail and work situations.

Thanks to everyone with their input, this is great.

 

Out of this group, I would take the Kodiak. I just think its more nimble and manageable. The power on both will be good and the Sportsman was the #1 quad for many years, so its no dog (despite all of the early problems it had years ago). I prefer the yamaha handlebar bend and the lighter weight. At the same time, I would say the sportsman would be the best for plowing due to the weight. If I was totally focused on plowing, I'd get an Arctic Cat 500i with a manual shift, or possibly even a Bombardier even though its the ugliest thing out there.

For ride comfort, its neck and neck. Yamaha will have the better seat, but the Polaris I would imagine would have an ever so slight advantage in ride comfort. I would still go with the Kodiak for trail riding though.

If you can get a chance to ride either, it will help you trememdously in your choice. Just like buying a car, you drive it and just suddenly realize which one you really want.

 

Well I bought the Kodiak 450. I loved the engine breaking. Also, I found that the brake pedal got in the way of my big feet on the Polaris where it didn't on the Kodiak. Thanks for everyones input.

 

Congrats on the new Kodiak 450, it is a great machine. Be sure to read the post on this forum titled "problems with 2005 Kodiak 450", so you can buy the correct grease gun fitting to grease the suspension with.

 

Outerlimit, I am surprised and delighted to see you expousing the virtues of single hand braking. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
You have a good point about the braking. However, it isn't quite the same. The front wheel drive of all Yamahas (except the newer 660 grizzys) are connected by a spring operated cam mechanism that is designed (apparently) to reduce drive line shock. They are not solidly connected. So when you apply the rear brakes, the rear wheels actually will have to slide for a short distance before braking is applied to the front wheels. Then when you get back on the throttle, the rear wheels will have to spin a small amount before torque is applied back to the front wheels. The more torque applied across the mechanism, the worse the effect. Although if you prefer to get the benifits of single hand braking like a Polaris, I'm sure you can connect the two hydraulic circuits of the Kodiak together, then your rear wheels won't slide. Hope this helps.
BryceGTX

 

I am the owner of two polarises and recently a yamaha Bruin and still looking for another. Due to the sound advice given on this site, the wife opted for the Bruin due to engine braking. After experiencing the Yamaha transmission we will never go back to Polaris. We and the kids ride some pretty hairy trails and hills. The polaris may be quicker,faster, awd etc. , but from a parents standpoint, it definatly isnt safer. The kids ages 21 and 17 refer to it as the safe bike and are demanding another. After riding Polaris for years they are well acquainted with them. Also not everybody likes a 34 inch seat height, especially a 5'6' woman. And then they refer to it as user friendly.

 

yamaha! yamaha! yamaha!