Honda vs Polaris

[Dogshooter]

I have been riding Polaris ATV's since 95 and haven't even looked at anything else till recently. I see all the other manufacturers have FINALLY started putting a suspension under their ATV's and was just wondering how their ride compares to the Polaris's. I am considerind a new  (2007) Rincon and would be interested in any opinions you guys might have formed thru experience. My current ride is an '04 500 HO Sportsman. If anybody has ridden both, how would you compare comfort, handling, and performance. Thanks for the input.

[30-30man]

I don't know but I bet the Honda will be around longer. 

[Drilling Man]

I don't know but I bet the Honda will be around longer. 

i'll bet you it will too!!!

[BackCountry]

Thinking old school again, There are no guarantees that the honda will out last the polaris. Polaris has come a long way and makes a very reliable machine. The rincon also is a nice machine  but is better left for the trail. If you plan to do any work I would stick with Polaris. The Rincon only has 3 speeds and no low gear. As far as the comfort of the ride, polaris still rates at the top.

[Drilling Man]

  Here's why i said the Honda will last longer....

  I've been buying ATV's since 1969 when i bought my first Honda ATC90...  I still have it..  Since then i've bought numerous Honda ATV's and several other brands...  The last few ATV's i bought have been Yamaha's...

  My good friend neighbors and my brother have bought 12 Polaris's ATV's in the last years....  Some 400 2 stroke, and the rest Sportman 500's on up includeing 3 700's last year.

  I'm NOT going to sit here and list all of the problems those polaris' have had and the poor resale to get rid of them later on....  But i will tell you they have had plenty!!  Includeing the 500 my brother has right now sitting in the shop waiting 3 months now for a seal that the dealers can't seem to get....

  My last two new ATV's are a Yamaha Kodiak 400 and a Grizzly 600...  The 400 has 3,450 FARM miles on it, and the Grizzly also is used for work!!!  Neither has been in the shop for repairs!!!  The two old Honda's i also own have not been in the shop for repair...  The Honda i traded in to get the Kodiak brought me a very good price for trade in....

  If that isn't enough, my Yamaha, Polaris, Kawasaki dealer's mechanic told me that if "reliability" was my main concern, to buy a "Honda" or a "Yamaha" as those have been the most reliable in his experience...  He also said "don't buy a polaris if you want the most reliable"....  He went onto say, he works on the Polaris the most by far, and the shop proved it by haveing numerous Polaris' in it for repairs...  Keep in mind, that dealership doesn't sell Honda and DOES sell Polaris!

  Now, that may not be good enough for you, but it is good enough for me, and from what i've experenced, it's been good advise!!

  DM

[30-30man]

I know this is not an atv but I too did not heed the warning my buddies were trying to give me about Polaris.  I've owned one used(thought I just bought a bad one) and one brand new Polaris Jetski.  They were both junk. It was just a poor design, the computer was strapped to the battery and was always getting pulled on to charge the battery.  The box also was bombarded by constant water spray from the impeller.   They were in the repair shop more than they were at the lake.   I have since sold them and bought a Yamaha Waverunner.  No problems in 5 years and it still has the original battery.  That is the main reason I steered away from Polaris when I bought my atv.  There is just an over proportion of bad reviews on Polaris vs Yamaha and Honda atvs to go along with my experience of Polaris' products.  Everybody can't be lying about the problems.  I have a  Honda 1985 atc 110 that is still running and it is ridden about every weekend.  Polaris might have a better ride, suspension, or what have you but one thing they don't have is reliability.  You have to earn that by longevity and a good reputation.  A lot of American companies ruin their reputation by rushing things to the market before they are reliable.  Polaris is no exception

[Dogshooter]

The reason I started this thread was because I have a 95 sportsman I bougtht new and a 05 just like it. I haven't had ANY problems with mine and I have friends with Hondas that have had nothing but trouble with their Hondas. Very expensive trouble. One buddy has had to replace rear drive shaft several times. BUT they still swear by their Hondas and are always ragging on me to get a Honda. My local dealer works on all brands too and his gripe is about Yamahas and Hondas . Says he just doesn't like working on them and hates dealing with parts people from honda. Guess owner loyalty is kicking in here a bit.

[Drilling Man]

Guess owner loyalty is kicking in here a bit.

  Owner loyality "isn't" kicking in over here!!  I use my ATV's as work tools along with some recreation, and if it's breaking it's NOT makeing me money....  It's just like my dozer or tractors, if it's junk it's junk, and that's EXACTLY what i'd call it and tell you....

  I stand by my last post 100%..

  DM

[30-30man]

Let's ease up a bit fellows.    ATVs are like trucks, most of us have strong opinions.  Let's just agree to disagree here.  There's no need to brew bad feelings.

[Dogshooter]

Guess I struck a nerve. Sorry fellas. I promise, I'll never buy another Polaris and will only consider Hondas. 

[SURVEYOR]

Just sold an 1984 200m. Never let me down. My neighbor loves it as much as I did.

Got a little used 2002 Arctic Cat 250 2x2. What a work horse. Slow, heavy, and very strong. Used a Polaris 500 Sportsman last summer. Nice, but too big!

[Dogshooter]

Just wanted to let you all know I decided on a Honda. I got a 500 Foreman ES with Power Steering. So far I really like it. I'll get back to ya in a year or so and report on the reliability of this one. 

[sburd]

  Here's why i said the Honda will last longer....

  I've been buying ATV's since 1969 when i bought my first Honda ATC90...  I still have it..  Since then i've bought numerous Honda ATV's and several other brands...  The last few ATV's i bought have been Yamaha's...

  My good friend neighbors and my brother have bought 12 Polaris's ATV's in the last years....  Some 400 2 stroke, and the rest Sportman 500's on up includeing 3 700's last year.

  I'm NOT going to sit here and list all of the problems those polaris' have had and the poor resale to get rid of them later on....  But i will tell you they have had plenty!!  Including the 500 my brother has right now sitting in the shop waiting 3 months now for a seal that the dealers can't seem to get....

  My last two new ATV's are a Yamaha Kodiak 400 and a Grizzly 600...  The 400 has 3,450 FARM miles on it, and the Grizzly also is used for work!!!  Neither has been in the shop for repairs!!!  The two old Honda's i also own have not been in the shop for repair...  The Honda i traded in to get the Kodiak brought me a very good price for trade in....

  If that isn't enough, my Yamaha, Polaris, Kawasaki dealer's mechanic told me that if "reliability" was my main concern, to buy a "Honda" or a "Yamaha" as those have been the most reliable in his experience...  He also said "don't buy a polaris if you want the most reliable"....  He went onto say, he works on the Polaris the most by far, and the shop proved it by haveing numerous Polaris' in it for repairs...  Keep in mind, that dealership doesn't sell Honda and DOES sell Polaris!

  Now, that may not be good enough for you, but it is good enough for me, and from what i've experenced, it's been good advise!!

  DM

How come nobody talks about the problems Honda covered up for years with dirt getting into the engine due to poor sealing on the pull start.  This was a common problem for many Rancher owners who rode in muddy conditions.  Honda would not replace the engine because they claimed the warranty was voided when the owners went in water deeper than 12inches.  I did notice the new Ranchers come with the pull start already blocked off.  Guess they got sick of hearing about that problem.  Too bad they took one of the best built ATV's out there (with the exception of the pull start sealing problem) and replaced the steel skid plate with a flimsy plastic one and exposed the axles and drive shaft so stuff can wind around them.  The biggest improvement from the old 300 to the Rancher was the enclosed axles.  I also loved how narrow the Rancher was compared to my Polaris, it was great in the woods.  If they would take the new 420 Engine and put it in the old Rancher frame I would buy one today.  It might ride like crap but it would be nearly indestructible.

I will never own a Yamaha Utility ATV again.  The frame bends too easily and the bumpers look tough but are just a tad better than paper (okay, slightly exaggerated). 

[hillbill]

i have a Polaris 350 sportsman and love it, everybody that rides it comments on the huge power it has, however they also comment on the crappy brake system. which i knew about before i gave way less than it was worth when i bought it.it has about 16 ft of chain on it that will cost me about 100 buks to replace this winter.when i serviced it lately i had to almost completely disassemble it to  completely to fix the things that were wrong with it.if yu werk on it yurself, yu will be frustrated by the crap thats in the way.so far its been reliable but my impression is that if yu want a scooter to ride to death, then git a polaris, if yu want one to maintain and last a lifetime then get a shaft drive yam or honda. god i hate werkin on polaris, and this aint the first one ive worked on.but if yu get one worth the money then ride it to death and then move on.the motors are bulletproof, the suspension is so so, trannys are good if yu dont mind a little grind once in awhile.but then agin mine is a older bike.roun a 92 or so.

[Trav]

The only opinion that really matters is the one from the man putting the money on the counter when they purchase whatever ride they think is the best for them.  Personally I will have to be really impressed by a machine to get me to purchase a ride other than a Polaris.  My first Polaris was a 1984 Trail Boss 250.  I rode the guts out of that thing, and my friend whom I gave it to a couple of years ago still rides it.  Yes, it did spend some time in the shop, but ALL of it's problems were caused my ME.  I don't care who makes the machine, if you ride it hard enough it is going to break.  My current ride is a 2004 Sportsman 500.  I don't like the shift mechanism, but that is a minor issue for me (they changed the shifter design in their 2004.5 models).  I ride with guys how have Polaris, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki etc.  I love to get to the top of the hill, over the rock pile, or across the mud hole and look back and see the other guys sitting there with their helmets in their laps wondering "how the heck did he to that?".  I know that my style of riding is not for everyone (scratched plastic does not scare me one bit).  I ride hard, really hard sometimes, and my Polarises have done me a real good job.  Some say that others are better for work, and my opinion is that if that is you opinion, then but something else.  My dad runs Polaris on the ranch.  He does not ride nearly as hard as I do, but he puts lots of miles on each year chasing cows, fixing fence, doctoring calves etc.  The only time he has had his in the shop is for routine maintanance such as oil changes.  You choose your ride, and I will chose mine, and what ever ride you choose, you are welcome to ride with me anytime.

[markc]

You choose your ride, and I will chose mine, and what ever ride you choose, you are welcome to ride with me anytime.

Well said Trav..

[glockman55]

Buy a Yamaha Grizzly and don't look back.. You'll thank me later.

[CaptOnion]

Honda,Yamaha,Suzuki,and Kawasaki are top of the heap when it comes to reliability.

My cousin started an ATV tour business 5yrs back with 25 new Polaris 400s,and 500s where he takes people out on either 4 or 8hr tours.After the first year maintaining them became a full time job in itself.He never went a full week without one broke down bike,and not just minor issues.At the end of the second year he traded all his Polarises for Bombardier Outlander 400s.Although he has had less problems with them they were anything but trouble free with electrical,and frame issues.
One of his tour guides has been running tours from the beginning with a 450 Honda Foreman,and has had zero problems(that left him on the trail) with it,and had 18000k on it last year when the odometer quit working.His guide retired his 450 this year,and replaced it with a new 500 Rubicon,but kept the 450 for a back up bike.
My cousin is trading all the Bombardiers before business starts back up in the spring for either Honda 420s,or Suzuki King Quad 450axi(hasn't decided yet,but leaning toward Suzuki because of the IRS).Either way I bet he will be pulling less hair out of his head in the future.

[Norm1057]

400 Suzuki Eiger semi-auto.

Wanted a 250 but the 400 was the smallest the dealer had with 4wd. Hoping to get another within the year. I've riddin only Hondas and Suzukis while guiding and found the Suzukis a better ride.