I had an 02 sportsman 700. I loved the power and the smooth ride. I spent countless hrs and crazy money to constantly fix it. I’m now a proud and very happy owner of an older Honda fourtrax and a Yamaha big bear. Both very reliable and I have done little to nothing to either of them even with them being much older machines! I won’t buy another Polaris. Great video
I had a 99 Polaris sportsman 500 atv it rode great loved the engine but there was always something going wrong with it! I finally got fed up with it and sold it.i went and bought a 2003 Honda rincon 650 atv i still own the Honda to this day and have 4500 miles on it i plow with it in the winter and use it to work up my food plots and its been bullet proof! I have never had to change a bearing or a seal nothing just a couple batteries and replaced spark plug every so often thats it. Its the same thing with polaris snowmobile i owned four brand new Polaris sleds in a row they where better than their atv but i was always having to replace this fix that never quite ran just right so finally i switch over to ski doo in 2002 best thing i have ever done. Im on my fifth ski doo know and its Unbelievable you just put gas and oil in them and ride never ever foul a spark plug or replace bushings or clutches. It can get to be really costly to find out your riding an inferior brand but it's never to late to switch i don't regret it one bit.
I recently sold my 2019 sportsman 850 to a very good friend of mine. I bought the machine new, after 4 years of ownership I can say it’s been a decent machine.for the price of these new machines the build quality isn’t nearly as good as machines from the early 2000s. I fixed up a 2002 Suzuki king quad 300 that’s been sitting in my field for at least 8 years and after about $200 of miscellaneous little things here and there it runs like new and everything still works. 2000 miles on it and it’s a solid built machine. Sure it doesn’t have the power or suspension quality of the new machines but it’s solid and reliable after almost 25 years
ive been done with polaris since 1997 with an ultra 700. the fix was duct tape the front louvers closed with purple duct tape since its brand new. couldnt ride in cold fresh powder because it would go right through the air box. i still have three 295 colts, my childhood.
I bought a new 2016 sportsman xp 1000. Broke down first ride. Found the spark plugs and caps were loose I called the dealer and explained what happened and was told it doesn’t happen and I must have been riding too hard. I was doing a break in ride on the trail . I laughed at him and never went back to that dealer again. Your video sums up my Polaris experience perfectly . I now have 2022 can am 850 xmr and completely happy with it. I also have a 2005 Honda rubicon I bought new which I recently did a 250 mile trip with . Not an issue . I spent more money in repairs on the 2016 sportsman in 5 years than my 18 year old Honda .
Brand new to your channel, Thank you for making this video, someone posted this link in a Facebook post in a sportsman group I'm in and after watching I had to open my UA-cam app and search for your channel specifically. I have 6 machines and 5 of them are Polaris Sportsmans and it IS very expensive to maintain them all and me and my brother are the same way, we have a parts cabinet that is better stocked than my local dealer because all my machines are ridden every weekend. Because my wife, friends and family are all ridding these machines, I've gotta make sure they are safe. Thanks again
I had two 2006 prairie 700s back in the day. Both new. Best quads I’ve ever owned and I regret selling them. Every machine after those had some kind of annoying issue.
Let the good times roll! I have an 02 prairie 300. I wouldn't trade it for 2 new Polaris' 570's or any old Polaris. Reason is I have a friend with a Polaris 500 ...piece of junk.
Anything Kawasaski is all but unstoppable as long as it has oil. My primary work horse / beater for my property and gathering firewod is a 1985 bayou 185. That little thing will pull 600-700 pounds of wood all day long and never complain. And when I'm not using it my 2 boys are beating it to death. It's almost 40 years old!
I had a 2001 Polaris sportsman HO 500, finally changed machine and had a look at new Polaris. Realized the amount of plastic and even the front was now plastic and not looking very reliable. Went with the Argo 4x4 700 and have not regret my purchase. I have a 8x8 argo and those machines are beasts so figured they must build their 4x4 as tough as the 6x6 or 8x8 and I was right. NO MORE POLARIS junk for me
I agree with everything you said. 1. The steering issue sucks. On my 2013 850 EPS after reading the forums, I bought the upgraded parts I needed to fix it. Only the All Balls heavy duty tie rod set and The Garage Products Delrin Bushings have held up fine. After 3 times plowing in my double wide driveway, the slop was back. 2. Delrin Bushing fix the problem permanently! 3. I was sick of buyying Polaris Wheel Bearing That just would not last, even wheb greased. So I Went for a Cheaper alternative...Rocky Mountain Bearings. I use only 100% synthetic grease on everything I own, as water will not wash it out. None of the new bearings have yet to be replaced, and feel like new with over 3k miles on them.
In 95/96 we were getting service bulletins from the factory before we actual took delivery of ATV's Snowmobiles and Water craft. I knew then they weren't the same company that brought us such good snowmobiles in the 70's and 80;s. I'm not surprised to hear this at all, Such a shame.
At least they addressed the problems then, the monoblock snowmobile engines got better oiling, the 500 sportsman got hardened camshafts, I can speak on their snowmobiles that they were top quality until 2005.
As a kid I always wanted a Polaris . It was my dream machine . In 2016 I bought a 1000 xp . You hit the nail on the head with everything you said in this video . Bushings wear way too soon , and the steering slop was sometimes scary . Cost me an average of $300 every time I took it for a ride . The final straw was that it just wouldnt start when weather got colder . I was left stranded in the woods more than once .I’ve traded it in on a can am xtp . Just waiting for it to arrive . Just the sight of a Polaris now makes me sick to my stomach. NEVER AGAIN
My friend owns a 2003 Polaris Sportsman 500 atv. It has 2000 miles and bushings were slop. We tried to drag a pallet on a plowed food plot and it ripped the hitch mount off the back. The square tubing frame where the hitch was mounted is paper thin ...looks like a Tonka toy. Contrast that to my 2002 Kawasaki Prairie ...the frame is a beast. A friend crashed one into an 8-inch irrigation pipe around 30 mph with right front tire (he went airborne with only minor injuries). Frame bent back about 4 inches. We tried to straighten frame with a chain, an oak tree, and a 4x4 with a v8. Tried low range and a short running start. After jerking it for half hour we managed to bend the frame back less than an inch. Ended up buying used frame and transferred all parts to it. Wrecked bushings are still good.
I was a Yamaha/Kawasaki/Polaris dealer in the 90’s. Polaris Warranty would not cover many things that Yamaha and Kawasaki would. Their customer relations was terrible. The build quality was also not to the standard of Yamaha or Kawasaki. (Or Honda or Suzuki, for that matter)
I’ve never cared for polaris. I remember a guy was riding with us and his filter got wet.lolit was a paper filter in these piece of shits. And it’s always that guy on the Polaris that breaks down and kills the day for everyone. If Honda made bigger I’d get another one.
I don’t know much about the new ones but my 99 sportsman 500 has done me well still on original engine no rebuild since it was bought new been through all the Hatfield McCoy trail system many times I did put shorter shocks to level out the rear axles and went to bigger rear tires to correct seat height 20 years ago and haven’t put an axle in it since they do have issue getting that right cause it still a problem I have heard
You tell'em brother! I bet it feels good to get that off your chest, but I'm sure you know you're wasting your breath. As long as people keep buying them, they'll keep putting out crap because the message people are giving them is: "We'll buy your product regardless of how bad it is". Just for reference, I've never had to change a bearing or bushing on any of my 5 machines.
It’s not just Polaris. It’s everything, these companies are selling overpriced crap with inferior parts. I have no idea how they can say “Made in America” and produce Chinese quality crap. Embarrassing!.
Youre 99 isnt a new polaris. I wanted one cause my uncle 01 was so good, i just burnt up my 2nd voltage reg and only took 20 miles, im so mad im gonna let this rott in my woods and go buy anything but a polaris
The SXS’s are the same quality. I bought a 1000 Ranger North Star for 26,000$ and it was a nightmare. It was a 2018. I’ve since moved to the Can Am Defender XMR and have done nothing but change the oils. It now has 4300 miles on it.
Your absolutely correct.i owned two 2015 570 and I care for my toys way more than most and they broke axles at 30 hours. The exhaust melted the plastic seat pan l now 14:57 have a 2020 pro XP and I have to put some of the quality blame on assembley.my XP pro when brought home had a trans cable so far out of adjustment I'm surprised the trans didn't get hurt popping out of gear grinding and the sales team took this buggy out and rode it for a day..the alignment was so far off it pulled the wheel out of your hand. Chat sites are saying the front cups in the diff are going to go out at 500 to 1000 miles if you get in the mud. I can go on but I'm sure others feel the same pain.
A friend had a 1996 Polaris Big Boss 6x6. The starter motor crapped out. He went to the local dealer. $600 and 14 day delivery from the country 2000km across the sea! On line I searched out a supplier in USA. After market nameless make drop shipped $38 plus $96 freight to our little country at the bottom of the world. Arrived within 5 days. Fitted and worked perfectly. Three years later the bike refused to run above idle... Worn out camshaft and rockers! Huge expense via dealer. He bought a brand new Yamaha Grizzly and gave away the Big Boss to someone who thought he might be able to fix it for less...
I have one of those older 500 polaris four wheelers. I think it's over 20 years old and it works great. I was just thinking about getting another newer one, but I don't like I'll get another polaris after watching this. Any suggestions?
I purchased a 20 year old Polaris 500ho and after working on it since the old owner used it and didn’t do much repairs over the years, I am happy I have the older one vs a newer Polaris.
In a similar boat. I’ve been torn between the Kawasaki Brute Force or the Suzuki King Quad. Suzuki seems to have really paid attention to the little things on their ATV because they don’t dabble in the SxS market
we ride alot and in our 50's and 60's we had 4 atvs 2 Hondas 1 Yamaha and 1 Polaris. The Yamaha and Polaris were female ridden and the only one we had to fix over and over and over was the Polaris 300 2008 model. We sold it and got her a Kodiak 400.
AMEN! In 2006 I bought a new 500HO, that thing was built like a tank. Front bash plate was steel, all snorkels were above the gas tank, and axles were heavy duty. In 2015, I bought a new 570. Wow, how pathetic. The front bash area was mainly plastic, snorkels were at knee level. The axles were downgraded big time, the rear axles were about the same size as the 500HOs fronts, and the fronts were a joke. Got rid of both to get a SxS. After seeing the build quality of the new Polariss, I wasn't going back to another one. Went Can-Am. Sure hated to get rid of the 500HO though.
That has always been my issue with Polaris - the poor build quality. These machines cost too much to be dealing with these kinds of issues. I went with a King Quad and couldn't be happier. No issues whatsoever. Is it the fastest best machine - no, but it does the job and the quality is there.
friend with a can am, $40000 dollar sxs, they said his power stereing would not work because of battery not enough power, new battery same thing, dealer suggestes installing second battery, at owner's expense, shouldn't that be the problem of Can Am?
I've addressed these issues and more, for years, in the Polaris Owner's Council but it seems they only hear comments from the Polaris Zombies who only know brand-blindness and are only able to sing praises. I had been providing input since 2018. I left the Council several months ago since it seems like a complete waste of time for anyone who actually wants to see Polaris improve it's products in a meaningful way. With a background in engineering, machining and fabrication my comments and suggestions were always trumped by people tossing up pics of their kids and dogs sitting in a SxS . Isn't that fucking sweet. Awwwww....your little sweeties don't fix sporadic power steering issues or junk storage compartments that fill with dirt or crap lids that break off. Anyone else's dash go blank when using their winch (in my case a damn Polaris winch to boot!)? The BEST ONE YET: I have a Sportsman 570 UTILITY EDITION - NO Lock & Ride accessories are compatible with it - not even a Polaris rear cargo box. What idiot over at Polaris engineered their UTILITY EDITION where NONE of their UTILITY works with it??? It's so blatant that it seems like an intentional slap across their customer's faces. I'm thinking someone in engineering made an April Fool's joke and corporate ran with it! I never got a straight answer from Polaris for this one. 3 of my 6 ATVs are Polaris. I do love my Polaris machines for what they do get right, but they need to do better or it will be 0 of 6. The competition is there and the gaps are narrowing.
Well said! I’m in love with the idea of buying a sportsman 850 or 1000 but these kind of issues, as an engineer & designer myself, make me absolutely cringe. It’s arguably damn-near negligent. We’re generally a Honda family and maybe that’s the way it should stay. Will a rubicon 520 ride like a sportsman, no! But will it be something that constantly fails and nags me in my already busy and hectic life (?) No! I’m thinking I’d rather have peace of mind if I’m spending this much of my hard earned $$$$. Another good video Billy! Keep em coming!
I looked at one. I wound up with a brute force 300. I wanna ride not work on them. The bf is meaty and we'll built. American companies gotta get their shit together.
We have a ‘93 Honda 350, and a ‘97 Foreman 400. We’ve gone through brake pads, and the exhaust on both…that’s it. The 350 has a 13hp snow blower on the front that really works that frame and front shocks/steering, no issues. To say the Honda’s are over engineered is an understatement. No way I’d ever buy a Poo. Never owned a Poo snowmobile but friends have, won’t buy one of them either.
I absolute love Polaris snowmobiles and atvs , at the top or near the top in all performance categories. I owned 12 snowmobiles in a row but had to give up due to losing my shirt every time I upgraded due to crappy resale as reflected by the quality issues . When you see the classified adds parting out 3 and 4 year old machines and 90 % are Polaris , there’s a problem 🙄
I had a ‘16 Polaris RZR S 900 and thought the frame looked like something off a piece of lawn equipment. It performed well and I sold it before I had any problems but there were some cheap things about it. I’ve never been a big fan of Polaris summer machines. I do like their snowmobiles at 600cc and smaller, especially the fan cooled models.
I have a 1997 Polaris Sportsman 500 and all I’ve done besides normal maintenance is put new tires on it. I have 2 CF Motos also and they are very good machines.
I hear the frustration in your voice, and like you, I do all the maintenance on my machines. I own 5 polaris side by sides and because of so many undercarriage problems with polaris over the last 10 years, I opted to buy a John Deere Gator. Cringed at the price but only real maintenance problem in 12000 miles has been the drive shaft (Grrrrr). Have yet to have any bushings, bearings, brakes go bad. Yes, a few issues here and there, but overall, I would say five or ten times the build quality on undercarriage.
It isn’t only Polaris…I recently replaced my 2007 Outlander 400 with a 2022 570 Outlander. The 2007 was built to last…the 2022 has had several parts replaced under warranty.
My 07 Yamaha Grizzly has 6000+ miles and is going strong. Required a new stator, a few new batteries and a couple of boots because I ride in Alaska. If my Grizzly wears out before I do, I’ll buy another one.
I have a Kawasaki Teryx4 sxs that I guarantee wont ride anywhere near as good as a Polaris. Not near as fast either. But if they had trails going from Wisconsin to Alaska it would make the trip with normal maintenance. Just don't drive like a mad man. And if I was organizing this ride, Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki would be recruited. Polaris, well, we had better like you a lot.(man that would be an awesome trip. Anyone in?)
Trust me bud when I tell you. I cussed Polaris all day today dealing with changing out the one way bearing on the primary for a 2022 Polaris sportsman 850. First I the whole shaft came off when I was trying to break the spider loose so I locktite the hell out of the shaft with the spider still attached and tightened the hell out of it. Gave it a week before I could work on it again and for the locktite to bond. So I go to break it loose today and with heat I broke my two breaker bars. A 1/2” drive and a 3/4” drive. So now I’m out of options with a bike that has only 400 some odd miles. It hasn’t been abused. Hell I haven’t even done the first oil change. So I ask myself why the hell i’m even working on the damn thing. Then they tell me at 5 months of owning it that they only have a 6 month warranty and they couldn’t get me in before the warranty expired so I would have to pay for it. If I brought it to be worked on 2 or 3 days after the warranty expires. Which would cost 2,200$ parts and labor. So it took me 4 months to get what proper tools I would need to do this and the parts. And now here I am. I’m calling Polaris tomorrow to tell them what I have going on and have dealt with and see what can be done. Everyone told me to try at least. I’m just fed up with the whole thing. I work 60 plus hours a week just to support my family so it’s not like I have all the time in the world. And sorry to type out a book complaining. Lol. But I am watching anything and everything on these damn bikes and this title just fit for the time I have had here.
I agree I have three Polaris machines razor ranger sportsman, 1000 and I have about 1500 miles on each and I’ve already had to replace the drive line on the rear on the Ranger four-door. Also some other little parts.
Customer literature says Quality Quality Quality As a local metal fab machine shop operator who worked directly for Polaris for 20 years all you hear internally cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction......
I had a Polaris ranger 570 and before I wore out the first set of tires I had spent $4780 in repairs and I don't ride hard. I sold it and bought a Pioneer 700 deluxe 5 years later it has 14k on it and all I have done is change the fluids and filters. I now own a Talon and am happy with both.
This man knows his shitHe's telling the truth. And the razors are a pile of shit too. For an American company, they ought to build quality, not garbage. Maybe they're getting all this shit from China. But they gotta hunker down and start making something decent.
My hobbies is building, riding and maintaining 90s polaris sleds I frigging love them but when it came time for a new atv I went with a brute force. I also own a 250 trailblazer love that little rig ,they made amazing products in the 90s with the technology of the time but the corporate greed took over around 2005 BTW the brute force had been flawless in the first 1500 miles.
I’ve had 4 Polaris’. A 1999 Xplorer 400 2001 500 Sportsman HO. 2013 850 HO. Couldn’t break them. I tried. Then I bought a 2018 900 HO Ranger. The slack in the drivetrain when engaging the clutches after shifting into gear was just scary. Felt like I was going to break something unless I feathered the throttle. Dealer after test riding said it was better than most🫣. Plus you could light up a drive belt in a New York minute if you didn’t use low range religiously when required. Never spun a belt on the ATV’s. As I said, rode them hard and put them away wet. Sold the Ranger after 3 years of ownership for Covid prices. What I paid for it less tax. I babied it the whole time I owned it as it felt fragile. Replaced it with a 700 Grizzly SE. I rode much too fast on my 850 so I figured slower bike was the only thing that would slow me down. Short of hitting a tree. Plus 10 year belt warranty. Win win.
@@randylee2549 The 500HO is likely one of the most reliable Polaris’ ever manufactured. The motor power wise was much less susceptible to ambient temperature than the 2 stroke. Also the Xplorer had a solid rear axle chain drive while the Sportsman likely had the best independent suspension on the market at the time, shaft drive. I loved the 2 stroke but the 500 was the better bike.
I’ve ridden some a lot of different Polaris 500 HO’s from the early to mid 2000’s and really like the way they handle and drive more than any other ATV I have ridden but I just hear to many stories about things breaking on Polaris.. especially the ones made in the last 5-10 years. I was considering getting a used Polaris 570 but not anymore. I recently picked up a 2007 Yamaha Grizzly 700 with only 1,800 miles that I’m very happy with.
Had a 2020 570 Sportsman, my first ATV ever, that I replaced with a 2022 CanAm Outlander XU, mostly because my overall feeling about the Sportsman was that it "felt cheap". Nice to get confirmation that I was right.
In the spring of 2013 I bought my wife and I a pair of new Sportsman atv (Blue 400 for her Red 500 for me). Since then, all we have done to them is put tubes in the tires and replace the boot from the airbox to the carb. Ours have been incredibly reliable. Good luck.
I have a 2004 330 Magnum. Has not give me very many problems. One thing I hate about it is the brakes.they suck lol. But the bike is so dependable. I love it. Wished it had a better brakes. I live in the mountains going downhill can get sketchy.
When i comes to Polaris they do love repairs , Its always something , The most dangerous has been twice where the front stub shaft shears off causing the front wheel to come off loosing your brakes
My 09 400 polaris and 08 500 with close to 3000 hard miles and zero problems, still original tires and batterys. Chains on all 4 tires for winter skiding firewood across the pond and up the hill. Sucks to hear all the bad stories from what should be a great ride.
I'm a gold certified tech for polaris in their commercial line. It's not my main practice, thankfully. I will not buy one, and my friends have been advised as well. They are not only unreliable, try to get parts. Not to mention all of the stupid mistakes I've seen from the factory. Like the dust cover being left on the throttle body so it doesn't start and pukes fuel into the crankcase. It's impossible that it was ever test ran.
I just bought polaris sportsman 570 trail this thing is sweet but only down side is driveshaft has tons of play thats all only has 450 km i hope this thing will last for long time
I look at all.... atvs in May 2023. I ended up with Argo 1000 xrt le 2up 2500 miles òn it very happy with it just fluid changes. Fast fun and rides really good. Price,winch,2 receiver, awesome tires 14" mags rims, power steering,unlocking front and rear... differentials,2up seat,3 year engine warranty. Would I buy again absolutely at this point.
I have a 2000 sportsman 500 ho has 19,040 miles on it put countless front wheel bearings and Hilliard in it. 3 clutches a water pump and maybe 7 belts. I have never opened the engine. Runs so good still.
It's a shame honda and Yamaha aren't paying any attention to atvs. They would be on top right now if they had 1000s. Also i just bought a cfmoto 1000 and i would recommend after 600 miles and 1 season
I am about to sell my 2004 Sportsman 500 and one option is CF Moto (because parts here are 3x the price they ar in the USA). CF Moto are cheap compared to Polaris, are their small engine models any good (400), where are they made, what is the history of the brand? ……. Any advice or opinion gratefully accepted
@jolyonrussell7021 they are easily the best machines made in China. The 400s and 500s are very minimalist, good entry level atv, still decent quality. 600 is a great machine I almost bought one before my brother chipped in a few bucks to get a 1000. The 800 is awesome and the 1000 is an 800 with better shocks, a winch, bumpers, better lights, storage, and bigger wheels and a windshield.
I have an ‘05 scrambler 500, I paid $2500 for it about a year and a half ago. It runs great and it was good for me to learn mechanics on. I’ve done lots of stuff to it
22 Polaris turbo R 1.5 years to get repaired from new the shop has a lot to do with the repair process but Polaris quality from new - power steering rack all changed took a year to fix and parked the whole time
2013 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO here. (Camo Edition). 1,460 mi. 189 hours. Original owner, The only stuff that went bad so far was, some batteries, the O-ring for the float-needle in carb, oil changes, and the idle-adjustment knob sticking out of carb & a few plugs in the tires. No loose steering or wobbly tires or anything I can really think of other than the the choke knob don't stay out by itself when cold. The wire holder-support for choke-knob broke off the 3rd day I owned it. Thinking about selling it in the spring. Probably one of the most gently used atv's around, I have a new 400.00 plow that I used once for less than 5 minutes. I'm 63 years old now. Was 2013 a good year? Sounds like the newer ones have gone down hill.
Still riding my 2009 Ranger 700 ! No problems other that normal maintenance! I think today I would probably go with a Can-Am Defender if I were looking for a new UTV.
I have a 21 850 ultimate trail with 5000km/250hours and that has all sealed bushings with o-rings everywhere except for the rear knuckle bushings that are the style you showed. The knuckle bushings had play at 400km. A couple sealed bushings had some play starting at 2000km. I ended up buying garage product bushings and replaced all the front bushings and the rear knuckle bushings. They are great bushings, they still don't have any play even after a few thousand km on them. The rear control arm bushings where it connects to the frame are still the Polaris sealed bushings and i don't believe they have any play yet. Other than upgrading bushings, i also did the front and rear frame braces as well as the rear diff brace from cecco racing. I had to loctite and crank that steering stem pinch bolt down a lot to take the play out of the steering. I just had it in the shop and found the under engine skid plate that is welded to the frame was bent up into the engine which was disappointing since I'm pretty careful not to beat up the underneath too much so i had to make a new thicker one. I just replaced the rear U_joints as they were getting pretty bad. The wheel bearings and tie rod ends have a bit of play in them now but i think im going to just keep an eye on them since they don't stay tight and realistically a little bit of play isn't hurting anything I also had the sway bar sliding back and forth hitting the springs so i have to get some clamps to put on the sway bar when it was brand new Overall it is unfortunate that a person had to get frame braces, fix the sway bar and make a decent skid plate just to feel like you are on a solid machine, but polaris isn't the only manufacturer selling machine that need modifications right out of the box. I knew buying a new Polaris i was sacrificing reliability for performance. Having said all that i am still happy with my purchase since mine hasn't really been too problematic and i do really enjoy riding it
I looked at a new polaris 450. From an engineering standpoint. I was very skeptical. The build quality was shocking. I went with a bf 300 my first quad. Your video helped me make a good choice. I wanted a midsize. And i didnt need 4wd. The bf 300 is the only game in town. Simple well built. I wanna play not wrench.
I have a 07 Sportsman 450 and have only had to replace the bushings once and nothing else other than batteries. I like the older ones as they had built in storage box on front and under the seat in the back. For someone who trail rides that is sufficient for me.
I was a factory certified tech for over 15 years. The bulk of my time was spent working on polaris. Those guys are the masters of figuring out the fine line between customer satisfaction and component durability. Every single choice they make is based on profit and they know exactly what they are doing. They bring a decent product to market and then spend the next 2 to 3 years figuring out how to cut costs on it. Ultimately leading to an assemble collection of parts that are just barely "good enough". Unfortunately, the MSRP's of their product would suggest that they are selling the John Deere's of the ATV's and UTV's.
I gave up on Polaris everything. They’re waaay overpriced and their quality has dropped considerably. They are so not worth the price they want. The worst part is, people don’t bat an eye and pay it. Don’t get me wrong, the other name brands aren’t much different. And one thing I thought I would never say, I bought a brand new CFMoto Zforce 950 HO Sport last year and I drove it 1447 miles without a problem at all. I’m 98% satisfied with the machine. Plus they’re so much cheaper $$$ than anything out there. I would highly recommend them.
In the late 90's early 2000's we were nothing but a Polaris family, everyone I knew rode Polaris, there would literally be 10-15 machines at deer camp and 90% at the local bar were Polaris, and in the winter it was all Indy, XC Edge etc. Nobody....nobody rides Polaris anymore and its a shame. Im very nostalgic when I see an old Explorer or Sportsmen circa those years, I have GREAT memories of BEATING those machines, mud, jumps, wide open throttle, they had a hard life and I loved it. No more. Honda, Yamaha, Can Am fill the trails around here and our garages, Polaris used to be something I was proud of and now its the cheap junk version of an ATV. Its frustrating as a consumer. Im sure Polaris wont hear this, and if they do they wont make the changes to sacrifice profit to make a better product..but just know that you're not alone, there are others out there that noticed too and have gone away from the North Star brand.
I can hear the frustration in your voice and that definitely sucks but no way I would trust any of that stuff being stock. I have a 2014 xp4 1000 and have upgraded the driveline bearings and control arms and Radius rods and not a problem. Best of luck!
I have a 2015 570 sportsman with ebs and power steering and a 2015 sportsman etx. The etx had a bad stator from the start. The 570. Brake start switch went bad after a year. Rear springs are junk and don’t get me started on wheel studs. I’ve owned both since new.
Polaris has got me twice. I had an atv, and the maintenance was no stop. Dealer and other people said Polaris has changed and things are a lot better now so I bought a utv and have owned that for a number of years now and I can tell you nothing has changed! The utv is even higher maintenance than the atv was! It’s ridiculous! In fact, I wonder how a machine could possibly be worse? Lesson learned, no more Polaris’ for me.
Thanks you just saved me a lot of money as I was looking at purchasing. A Polaris 850. I used to all an old model players. 400 explorer at math thing was tough. I think I'll look at Kawasaki Suzuki, or Yamaha for my next atv.
hello..thanks for this video..I bought a sportsman 2023 could you tell me the codes of the spare parts that you recommend to keep as spare? Thanks a lot for the answer.
5000 miles on my 2003 Arctic Cat in, no exaggeration, extreme desert riding - I've replaced tires and 3 CV boots, 2 rear axles and front/rear wheel bearings...Oh and I've gone through a few batteries...That's it. They don't make 'em like they used to - Irreplaceable. I am shopping for new but videos like this remind me of the corporate greed and shoddy craftsmanship I really want to avoid.
The frame build should be the first red flag. I've worked at some shops and a shop that is a Polaris /honda /Suzuki /can am /KTM dealer. Can am is second in janky junk
Polaris bearings have very little grease need to add more befor install, bushings need grease nipples and grease after every ride, steering coupler is fixed with a set screw and brearing mount will stay tight for a long time
Unfortunately you are wrong and right about this. Bushings and bearings on the old 500’s are garbage as well as everything nowadays. What I’m trying to say is Polaris have always BEEN garbage. We hammer 500’s, and they just suck. Speedo issues have plagued the older models (how is a speedometer allowed to have issues? Especially with AWD). Bushings have plagued these machines. The infamous polaris tie rod play, as well as the hockey puck bushing on the lower part of the 500’s steering stem. I have owned a Polaris scrambler 850 and lost 2 ball joints under 800 miles. I will never purchase another polaris as long as I live. They only work for so long, I’d rather a yamaha 700 and replace the airbox so it properly seals, and a can am and deal with the bad front differential than own a polaris and have the whole machine be garbage.
For the amount of people saying Polaris is bad is out of my mind, as a young mechanic I love Polaris, (most) of Polaris’s are easy and cheap to work on. I would rather pay 1000 for a Polaris and fix it ever other week for 100$ than a Honda that brakes every couple of months and spend a arm to fix it
I am in the market to get a side-by-side, (first one) Polaris is not even on my radar. I would get a Cfmoto before getting a Polaris, I hear too many negative reviews about Polaris (Social media at work). I would not buy a newer model, used or new Polaris regardless of price. (I just sold my 1995 Polaris Classic Snowmobile this winter, excellent snowmobile and had it for many many many trouble-free years) Unfortunately looks like quality at the company has gone downhill drastically.
I own a 2013 500ho!! 9200 MILES hanged wheel brgs front suspension bushings and starter wires wrotted off just a couple months ago!! Other than that no complaints!! Love it and when i bought it the price was 5999.00 cant beat it.. definately buy another one
I have a 2013 Polaris ranger limited I bought new . 10 years driving the back country of NE New Mexico and Oklahoma panhandle no problem. Replace breaks , belt, plugs and wires, tires , etc. haul firewood, dirt , plants, feed , etc. walk it in and walk it out of rough conditions
I had an 02 sportsman 700. I loved the power and the smooth ride. I spent countless hrs and crazy money to constantly fix it. I’m now a proud and very happy owner of an older Honda fourtrax and a Yamaha big bear. Both very reliable and I have done little to nothing to either of them even with them being much older machines! I won’t buy another Polaris. Great video
It's just a fact, everything Honda makes is over engineered .
I have three Big Bears, combined they have our 15K miles on them with only one carb replacement. Yamaha all the way!
@@mikehenry4743 same here, had a blue early nineties 350 big bear and it was an absolute beast. Manual shift and a low range, couldn’t beat it.
I had a 99 Polaris sportsman 500 atv it rode great loved the engine but there was always something going wrong with it! I finally got fed up with it and sold it.i went and bought a 2003 Honda rincon 650 atv i still own the Honda to this day and have 4500 miles on it i plow with it in the winter and use it to work up my food plots and its been bullet proof! I have never had to change a bearing or a seal nothing just a couple batteries and replaced spark plug every so often thats it. Its the same thing with polaris snowmobile i owned four brand new Polaris sleds in a row they where better than their atv but i was always having to replace this fix that never quite ran just right so finally i switch over to ski doo in 2002 best thing i have ever done. Im on my fifth ski doo know and its Unbelievable you just put gas and oil in them and ride never ever foul a spark plug or replace bushings or clutches. It can get to be really costly to find out your riding an inferior brand but it's never to late to switch i don't regret it one bit.
I recently sold my 2019 sportsman 850 to a very good friend of mine. I bought the machine new, after 4 years of ownership I can say it’s been a decent machine.for the price of these new machines the build quality isn’t nearly as good as machines from the early 2000s. I fixed up a 2002 Suzuki king quad 300 that’s been sitting in my field for at least 8 years and after about $200 of miscellaneous little things here and there it runs like new and everything still works. 2000 miles on it and it’s a solid built machine. Sure it doesn’t have the power or suspension quality of the new machines but it’s solid and reliable after almost 25 years
I have owned a Polaris since 1992, that being said I would rather shit in my hands and clap as to own another one!
A year after your comment … you made my day !!!!
Same
ive been done with polaris since 1997 with an ultra 700. the fix was duct tape the front louvers closed with purple duct tape since its brand new. couldnt ride in cold fresh powder because it would go right through the air box. i still have three 295 colts, my childhood.
I bought a new 2016 sportsman xp 1000. Broke down first ride. Found the spark plugs and caps were loose I called the dealer and explained what happened and was told it doesn’t happen and I must have been riding too hard. I was doing a break in ride on the trail . I laughed at him and never went back to that dealer again. Your video sums up my Polaris experience perfectly . I now have 2022 can am 850 xmr and completely happy with it. I also have a 2005 Honda rubicon I bought new which I recently did a 250 mile trip with . Not an issue . I spent more money in repairs on the 2016 sportsman in 5 years than my 18 year old Honda .
You should have told him that you ride your ATV as hard as you ride HIS WIFE and she doesn't break.
19’ KingQuad 400, my first atv and it’s bulletproof. No problems, no issues. No way I’d ever buy a Polaris.
One of the best.
Brand new to your channel, Thank you for making this video, someone posted this link in a Facebook post in a sportsman group I'm in and after watching I had to open my UA-cam app and search for your channel specifically.
I have 6 machines and 5 of them are Polaris Sportsmans and it IS very expensive to maintain them all and me and my brother are the same way, we have a parts cabinet that is better stocked than my local dealer because all my machines are ridden every weekend.
Because my wife, friends and family are all ridding these machines, I've gotta make sure they are safe.
Thanks again
Thank you for watching!
Almost 27,000 miles on my Kawasaki Prairie 700, and I've never had to replace a single bushing. I've also still got my original brake pads in it.
I had two 2006 prairie 700s back in the day. Both new. Best quads I’ve ever owned and I regret selling them. Every machine after those had some kind of annoying issue.
That's like a million on road miles equivalent
I still have my 2004 prairie 700 and the ONLY thing I have had to repair is to clean the carbs. LAST YEAR!!!! Nuf sed....
Let the good times roll! I have an 02 prairie 300. I wouldn't trade it for 2 new Polaris' 570's or any old Polaris. Reason is I have a friend with a Polaris 500 ...piece of junk.
Anything Kawasaski is all but unstoppable as long as it has oil. My primary work horse / beater for my property and gathering firewod is a 1985 bayou 185. That little thing will pull 600-700 pounds of wood all day long and never complain. And when I'm not using it my 2 boys are beating it to death. It's almost 40 years old!
My 2021 Honda rubicon is in stopable. I use it to plow snow with a60 inch blade. And the 570 hasn’t had any issues. ! Honda makes solid equipment. !!?
I had a 2001 Polaris sportsman HO 500, finally changed machine and had a look at new Polaris. Realized the amount of plastic and even the front was now plastic and not looking very reliable. Went with the Argo 4x4 700 and have not regret my purchase. I have a 8x8 argo and those machines are beasts so figured they must build their 4x4 as tough as the 6x6 or 8x8 and I was right. NO MORE POLARIS junk for me
I agree with everything you said. 1. The steering issue sucks. On my 2013 850 EPS after reading the forums, I bought the upgraded parts I needed to fix it. Only the All Balls heavy duty tie rod set and The Garage Products Delrin Bushings have held up fine. After 3 times plowing in my double wide driveway, the slop was back. 2. Delrin Bushing fix the problem permanently! 3. I was sick of buyying Polaris Wheel Bearing That just would not last, even wheb greased. So I Went for a Cheaper alternative...Rocky Mountain Bearings. I use only 100% synthetic grease on everything I own, as water will not wash it out. None of the new bearings have yet to be replaced, and feel like new with over 3k miles on them.
In 95/96 we were getting service bulletins from the factory before we actual took delivery of ATV's Snowmobiles and Water craft. I knew then they weren't the same company that brought us such good snowmobiles in the 70's and 80;s. I'm not surprised to hear this at all, Such a shame.
At least they addressed the problems then, the monoblock snowmobile engines got better oiling, the 500 sportsman got hardened camshafts, I can speak on their snowmobiles that they were top quality until 2005.
I work on all kinds of machines as well everything you said is spot on about polaris
I’ve got a ‘22 CForce 1000 and love it. 1100 carefree miles and counting. That includes plowing snow in northern Minnesota.
As a kid I always wanted a Polaris . It was my dream machine . In 2016 I bought a 1000 xp . You hit the nail on the head with everything you said in this video . Bushings wear way too soon , and the steering slop was sometimes scary . Cost me an average of $300 every time I took it for a ride . The final straw was that it just wouldnt start when weather got colder . I was left stranded in the woods more than once .I’ve traded it in on a can am xtp . Just waiting for it to arrive .
Just the sight of a Polaris now makes me sick to my stomach.
NEVER AGAIN
😂😂😂😂😂
Bro Yamaha Honda and Suzuki; they just run and the Yamahas just run and run and run
My friend owns a 2003 Polaris Sportsman 500 atv. It has 2000 miles and bushings were slop. We tried to drag a pallet on a plowed food plot and it ripped the hitch mount off the back. The square tubing frame where the hitch was mounted is paper thin ...looks like a Tonka toy. Contrast that to my 2002 Kawasaki Prairie ...the frame is a beast. A friend crashed one into an 8-inch irrigation pipe around 30 mph with right front tire (he went airborne with only minor injuries). Frame bent back about 4 inches. We tried to straighten frame with a chain, an oak tree, and a 4x4 with a v8. Tried low range and a short running start. After jerking it for half hour we managed to bend the frame back less than an inch. Ended up buying used frame and transferred all parts to it. Wrecked bushings are still good.
I was a Yamaha/Kawasaki/Polaris dealer in the 90’s.
Polaris Warranty would not cover many things that Yamaha and Kawasaki would.
Their customer relations was terrible.
The build quality was also not to the standard of Yamaha or Kawasaki.
(Or Honda or Suzuki, for that matter)
I’ve never cared for polaris. I remember a guy was riding with us and his filter got wet.lolit was a paper filter in these piece of shits. And it’s always that guy on the Polaris that breaks down and kills the day for everyone. If Honda made bigger I’d get another one.
I don’t know much about the new ones but my 99 sportsman 500 has done me well still on original engine no rebuild since it was bought new been through all the Hatfield McCoy trail system many times I did put shorter shocks to level out the rear axles and went to bigger rear tires to correct seat height 20 years ago and haven’t put an axle in it since they do have issue getting that right cause it still a problem I have heard
You tell'em brother!
I bet it feels good to get that off your chest, but I'm sure you know you're wasting your breath. As long as people keep buying them, they'll keep putting out crap because the message people are giving them is: "We'll buy your product regardless of how bad it is". Just for reference, I've never had to change a bearing or bushing on any of my 5 machines.
2009 Honda Foreman and never changed anything but a battery…rides like a buckboard but 100% reliable, I’ll take that rough ride any day.
@@TheIrongutz that sounds like my 99 dodge 3500,rides like a log truck but never breaks down 438,000 miles😊25 years old too
It’s not just Polaris. It’s everything, these companies are selling overpriced crap with inferior parts. I have no idea how they can say “Made in America” and produce Chinese quality crap. Embarrassing!.
I have a 99 500, only problem I had with this is the cam, and that after 20 years use. Everything, all brands have issues, cars, trucks, all.
Youre 99 isnt a new polaris. I wanted one cause my uncle 01 was so good, i just burnt up my 2nd voltage reg and only took 20 miles, im so mad im gonna let this rott in my woods and go buy anything but a polaris
The SXS’s are the same quality. I bought a 1000 Ranger North Star for 26,000$ and it was a nightmare. It was a 2018. I’ve since moved to the Can Am Defender XMR and have done nothing but change the oils. It now has 4300 miles on it.
Your absolutely correct.i owned two 2015 570 and I care for my toys way more than most and they broke axles at 30 hours. The exhaust melted the plastic seat pan l now 14:57 have a 2020 pro XP and I have to put some of the quality blame on assembley.my XP pro when brought home had a trans cable so far out of adjustment I'm surprised the trans didn't get hurt popping out of gear grinding and the sales team took this buggy out and rode it for a day..the alignment was so far off it pulled the wheel out of your hand. Chat sites are saying the front cups in the diff are going to go out at 500 to 1000 miles if you get in the mud. I can go on but I'm sure others feel the same pain.
A friend had a 1996 Polaris Big Boss 6x6.
The starter motor crapped out.
He went to the local dealer.
$600 and 14 day delivery from the country 2000km across the sea!
On line I searched out a supplier in USA.
After market nameless make drop shipped $38 plus $96 freight to our little country at the bottom of the world.
Arrived within 5 days.
Fitted and worked perfectly.
Three years later the bike refused to run above idle...
Worn out camshaft and rockers!
Huge expense via dealer.
He bought a brand new Yamaha Grizzly and gave away the Big Boss to someone who thought he might be able to fix it for less...
Thanks for showing us: just decided against Polaris. Was on my way to get a Sportaman. Gonna not be Polaris now.👍
I'd like to see a side by side comparison of a brand new sportsman 570 and say late 1990s sportsman 500. In depth. Plastics off, wheels off etc.
Polaris has ALWAYS been junk. The older ones may be more reliable than the new ones because they don't make enough power to cause any damage lol
You don't even keep the coolant level at the minimum line on the overflow bottle.🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
I have one of those older 500 polaris four wheelers. I think it's over 20 years old and it works great. I was just thinking about getting another newer one, but I don't like I'll get another polaris after watching this. Any suggestions?
I purchased a 20 year old Polaris 500ho and after working on it since the old owner used it and didn’t do much repairs over the years, I am happy I have the older one vs a newer Polaris.
In a similar boat. I’ve been torn between the Kawasaki Brute Force or the Suzuki King Quad. Suzuki seems to have really paid attention to the little things on their ATV because they don’t dabble in the SxS market
Try ARGO 4x4, they are good
we ride alot and in our 50's and 60's we had 4 atvs 2 Hondas 1 Yamaha and 1 Polaris. The Yamaha and Polaris were female ridden and the only one we had to fix over and over and over was the Polaris 300 2008 model. We sold it and got her a Kodiak 400.
AMEN! In 2006 I bought a new 500HO, that thing was built like a tank. Front bash plate was steel, all snorkels were above the gas tank, and axles were heavy duty. In 2015, I bought a new 570. Wow, how pathetic. The front bash area was mainly plastic, snorkels were at knee level. The axles were downgraded big time, the rear axles were about the same size as the 500HOs fronts, and the fronts were a joke. Got rid of both to get a SxS. After seeing the build quality of the new Polariss, I wasn't going back to another one. Went Can-Am. Sure hated to get rid of the 500HO though.
That has always been my issue with Polaris - the poor build quality. These machines cost too much to be dealing with these kinds of issues. I went with a King Quad and couldn't be happier. No issues whatsoever. Is it the fastest best machine - no, but it does the job and the quality is there.
Absolutely
friend with a can am, $40000 dollar sxs, they said his power stereing would not work because of battery not enough power, new battery same thing, dealer suggestes installing second battery, at owner's expense, shouldn't that be the problem of Can Am?
I've addressed these issues and more, for years, in the Polaris Owner's Council but it seems they only hear comments from the Polaris Zombies who only know brand-blindness and are only able to sing praises. I had been providing input since 2018. I left the Council several months ago since it seems like a complete waste of time for anyone who actually wants to see Polaris improve it's products in a meaningful way. With a background in engineering, machining and fabrication my comments and suggestions were always trumped by people tossing up pics of their kids and dogs sitting in a SxS . Isn't that fucking sweet. Awwwww....your little sweeties don't fix sporadic power steering issues or junk storage compartments that fill with dirt or crap lids that break off. Anyone else's dash go blank when using their winch (in my case a damn Polaris winch to boot!)?
The BEST ONE YET: I have a Sportsman 570 UTILITY EDITION - NO Lock & Ride accessories are compatible with it - not even a Polaris rear cargo box. What idiot over at Polaris engineered their UTILITY EDITION where NONE of their UTILITY works with it??? It's so blatant that it seems like an intentional slap across their customer's faces. I'm thinking someone in engineering made an April Fool's joke and corporate ran with it! I never got a straight answer from Polaris for this one.
3 of my 6 ATVs are Polaris. I do love my Polaris machines for what they do get right, but they need to do better or it will be 0 of 6. The competition is there and the gaps are narrowing.
Well said! Thanks for watching
Well said! I’m in love with the idea of buying a sportsman 850 or 1000 but these kind of issues, as an engineer & designer myself, make me absolutely cringe. It’s arguably damn-near negligent.
We’re generally a Honda family and maybe that’s the way it should stay. Will a rubicon 520 ride like a sportsman, no! But will it be something that constantly fails and nags me in my already busy and hectic life (?) No! I’m thinking I’d rather have peace of mind if I’m spending this much of my hard earned $$$$. Another good video Billy! Keep em coming!
What a frustrating shame!
I looked at one. I wound up with a brute force 300. I wanna ride not work on them. The bf is meaty and we'll built. American companies gotta get their shit together.
We have a ‘93 Honda 350, and a ‘97 Foreman 400. We’ve gone through brake pads, and the exhaust on both…that’s it. The 350 has a 13hp snow blower on the front that really works that frame and front shocks/steering, no issues.
To say the Honda’s are over engineered is an understatement.
No way I’d ever buy a Poo. Never owned a Poo snowmobile but friends have, won’t buy one of them either.
I absolute love Polaris snowmobiles and atvs , at the top or near the top in all performance categories. I owned 12 snowmobiles in a row but had to give up due to losing my shirt every time I upgraded due to crappy resale as reflected by the quality issues . When you see the classified adds parting out 3 and 4 year old machines and 90 % are Polaris , there’s a problem 🙄
I had a ‘16 Polaris RZR S 900 and thought the frame looked like something off a piece of lawn equipment. It performed well and I sold it before I had any problems but there were some cheap things about it. I’ve never been a big fan of Polaris summer machines. I do like their snowmobiles at 600cc and smaller, especially the fan cooled models.
I have a 1997 Polaris Sportsman 500 and all I’ve done besides normal maintenance is put new tires on it. I have 2 CF Motos also and they are very good machines.
Love my CFmoto !
I hear the frustration in your voice, and like you, I do all the maintenance on my machines. I own 5 polaris side by sides and because of so many undercarriage problems with polaris over the last 10 years, I opted to buy a John Deere Gator. Cringed at the price but only real maintenance problem in 12000 miles has been the drive shaft (Grrrrr). Have yet to have any bushings, bearings, brakes go bad. Yes, a few issues here and there, but overall, I would say five or ten times the build quality on undercarriage.
Amen amen 100% WELL SAID ! ILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE !!
It isn’t only Polaris…I recently replaced my 2007 Outlander 400 with a 2022 570 Outlander. The 2007 was built to last…the 2022 has had several parts replaced under warranty.
I have a 2001 Honda Rubicon and it didn't cost me a thing in repairs. A little rough to ride but it always gets me home.
My 07 Yamaha Grizzly has 6000+ miles and is going strong. Required a new stator, a few new batteries and a couple of boots because I ride in Alaska. If my Grizzly wears out before I do, I’ll buy another one.
I have a Kawasaki Teryx4 sxs that I guarantee wont ride anywhere near as good as a Polaris. Not near as fast either. But if they had trails going from Wisconsin to Alaska it would make the trip with normal maintenance. Just don't drive like a mad man. And if I was organizing this ride, Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki would be recruited. Polaris, well, we had better like you a lot.(man that would be an awesome trip. Anyone in?)
I have a 650 sportsman crap. Overheats glows red junk. Never again. I’m Honda
Trust me bud when I tell you. I cussed Polaris all day today dealing with changing out the one way bearing on the primary for a 2022 Polaris sportsman 850. First I the whole shaft came off when I was trying to break the spider loose so I locktite the hell out of the shaft with the spider still attached and tightened the hell out of it. Gave it a week before I could work on it again and for the locktite to bond. So I go to break it loose today and with heat I broke my two breaker bars. A 1/2” drive and a 3/4” drive. So now I’m out of options with a bike that has only 400 some odd miles. It hasn’t been abused. Hell I haven’t even done the first oil change. So I ask myself why the hell i’m even working on the damn thing. Then they tell me at 5 months of owning it that they only have a 6 month warranty and they couldn’t get me in before the warranty expired so I would have to pay for it. If I brought it to be worked on 2 or 3 days after the warranty expires. Which would cost 2,200$ parts and labor. So it took me 4 months to get what proper tools I would need to do this and the parts. And now here I am. I’m calling Polaris tomorrow to tell them what I have going on and have dealt with and see what can be done. Everyone told me to try at least. I’m just fed up with the whole thing. I work 60 plus hours a week just to support my family so it’s not like I have all the time in the world. And sorry to type out a book complaining. Lol. But I am watching anything and everything on these damn bikes and this title just fit for the time I have had here.
Same mood I was in
I agree I have three Polaris machines razor ranger sportsman, 1000 and I have about 1500 miles on each and I’ve already had to replace the drive line on the rear on the Ranger four-door. Also some other little parts.
Customer literature says Quality Quality Quality
As a local metal fab machine shop operator who worked directly for Polaris for 20 years all you hear internally cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction cost reduction......
Been down the Polaris path and learned the hard way too. Power and comfort is top shelf, but nothing they make holds up.
I had a Polaris ranger 570 and before I wore out the first set of tires I had spent $4780 in repairs and I don't ride hard. I sold it and bought a Pioneer 700 deluxe 5 years later it has 14k on it and all I have done is change the fluids and filters. I now own a Talon and am happy with both.
This man knows his shitHe's telling the truth. And the razors are a pile of shit too. For an American company, they ought to build quality, not garbage. Maybe they're getting all this shit from China. But they gotta hunker down and start making something decent.
My hobbies is building, riding and maintaining 90s polaris sleds I frigging love them but when it came time for a new atv I went with a brute force. I also own a 250 trailblazer love that little rig ,they made amazing products in the 90s with the technology of the time but the corporate greed took over around 2005 BTW the brute force had been flawless in the first 1500 miles.
I’ve had 4 Polaris’. A 1999 Xplorer 400 2001 500 Sportsman HO. 2013 850 HO. Couldn’t break them. I tried. Then I bought a 2018 900 HO Ranger. The slack in the drivetrain when engaging the clutches after shifting into gear was just scary. Felt like I was going to break something unless I feathered the throttle. Dealer after test riding said it was better than most🫣. Plus you could light up a drive belt in a New York minute if you didn’t use low range religiously when required. Never spun a belt on the ATV’s. As I said, rode them hard and put them away wet. Sold the Ranger after 3 years of ownership for Covid prices. What I paid for it less tax. I babied it the whole time I owned it as it felt fragile. Replaced it with a 700 Grizzly SE. I rode much too fast on my 850 so I figured slower bike was the only thing that would slow me down. Short of hitting a tree. Plus 10 year belt warranty. Win win.
Which was better, 1999 xplorer or 2001 500 ho? I already have a 2007 500 ho efi, I just want 1 more and these 2 choices are mint oldies
@@randylee2549 The 500HO is likely one of the most reliable Polaris’ ever manufactured. The motor power wise was much less susceptible to ambient temperature than the 2 stroke. Also the Xplorer had a solid rear axle chain drive while the Sportsman likely had the best independent suspension on the market at the time, shaft drive. I loved the 2 stroke but the 500 was the better bike.
I’ve ridden some a lot of different Polaris 500 HO’s from the early to mid 2000’s and really like the way they handle and drive more than any other ATV I have ridden but I just hear to many stories about things breaking on Polaris.. especially the ones made in the last 5-10 years. I was considering getting a used Polaris 570 but not anymore. I recently picked up a 2007 Yamaha Grizzly 700 with only 1,800 miles that I’m very happy with.
Had a 2020 570 Sportsman, my first ATV ever, that I replaced with a 2022 CanAm Outlander XU, mostly because my overall feeling about the Sportsman was that it "felt cheap". Nice to get confirmation that I was right.
In the spring of 2013 I bought my wife and I a pair of new Sportsman atv (Blue 400 for her Red 500 for me). Since then, all we have done to them is put tubes in the tires and replace the boot from the airbox to the carb. Ours have been incredibly reliable. Good luck.
I have a 2004 330 Magnum. Has not give me very many problems. One thing I hate about it is the brakes.they suck lol. But the bike is so dependable. I love it. Wished it had a better brakes. I live in the mountains going downhill can get sketchy.
When i comes to Polaris they do love repairs , Its always something , The most dangerous has been twice where the front stub shaft shears off causing the front wheel to come off loosing your brakes
My 09 400 polaris and 08 500 with close to 3000 hard miles and zero problems, still original tires and batterys. Chains on all 4 tires for winter skiding firewood across the pond and up the hill. Sucks to hear all the bad stories from what should be a great ride.
I'm a gold certified tech for polaris in their commercial line. It's not my main practice, thankfully. I will not buy one, and my friends have been advised as well. They are not only unreliable, try to get parts. Not to mention all of the stupid mistakes I've seen from the factory. Like the dust cover being left on the throttle body so it doesn't start and pukes fuel into the crankcase. It's impossible that it was ever test ran.
I just bought polaris sportsman 570 trail this thing is sweet but only down side is driveshaft has tons of play thats all only has 450 km i hope this thing will last for long time
I have a 2017 450 with abut 485 miles on it. The compression release bearing came out and destroyed my top end. It is a terrible design.
I look at all.... atvs in May 2023. I ended up with Argo 1000 xrt le 2up 2500 miles òn it very happy with it just fluid changes. Fast fun and rides really good. Price,winch,2 receiver, awesome tires 14" mags rims, power steering,unlocking front and rear... differentials,2up seat,3 year engine warranty. Would I buy again absolutely at this point.
I have a 2000 sportsman 500 ho has 19,040 miles on it put countless front wheel bearings and Hilliard in it. 3 clutches a water pump and maybe 7 belts. I have never opened the engine. Runs so good still.
It's a shame honda and Yamaha aren't paying any attention to atvs. They would be on top right now if they had 1000s.
Also i just bought a cfmoto 1000 and i would recommend after 600 miles and 1 season
I am about to sell my 2004 Sportsman 500 and one option is CF Moto (because parts here are 3x the price they ar in the USA). CF Moto are cheap compared to Polaris, are their small engine models any good (400), where are they made, what is the history of the brand? ……. Any advice or opinion gratefully accepted
@jolyonrussell7021 they are easily the best machines made in China. The 400s and 500s are very minimalist, good entry level atv, still decent quality. 600 is a great machine I almost bought one before my brother chipped in a few bucks to get a 1000. The 800 is awesome and the 1000 is an 800 with better shocks, a winch, bumpers, better lights, storage, and bigger wheels and a windshield.
Yes, Honda is going cheap. I'm seeing it.
Love my 1000 CF!
I have an ‘05 scrambler 500, I paid $2500 for it about a year and a half ago. It runs great and it was good for me to learn mechanics on. I’ve done lots of stuff to it
22 Polaris turbo R 1.5 years to get repaired from new the shop has a lot to do with the repair process but Polaris quality from new - power steering rack all changed took a year to fix and parked the whole time
2013 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO here. (Camo Edition). 1,460 mi. 189 hours. Original owner, The only stuff that went bad so far was, some batteries, the O-ring for the float-needle in carb, oil changes, and the idle-adjustment knob sticking out of carb & a few plugs in the tires. No loose steering or wobbly tires or anything I can really think of other than the the choke knob don't stay out by itself when cold. The wire holder-support for choke-knob broke off the 3rd day I owned it. Thinking about selling it in the spring. Probably one of the most gently used atv's around, I have a new 400.00 plow that I used once for less than 5 minutes. I'm 63 years old now. Was 2013 a good year? Sounds like the newer ones have gone down hill.
Still riding my 2009 Ranger 700 ! No problems other that normal maintenance! I think today I would probably go with a Can-Am Defender if I were looking for a new UTV.
Running into this right now with my sportsman touring SP 570. The entire front end is sloppy at just over 2000 miles. Absolutely ridiculous.
I have a 21 850 ultimate trail with 5000km/250hours and that has all sealed bushings with o-rings everywhere except for the rear knuckle bushings that are the style you showed. The knuckle bushings had play at 400km. A couple sealed bushings had some play starting at 2000km. I ended up buying garage product bushings and replaced all the front bushings and the rear knuckle bushings. They are great bushings, they still don't have any play even after a few thousand km on them. The rear control arm bushings where it connects to the frame are still the Polaris sealed bushings and i don't believe they have any play yet.
Other than upgrading bushings, i also did the front and rear frame braces as well as the rear diff brace from cecco racing. I had to loctite and crank that steering stem pinch bolt down a lot to take the play out of the steering. I just had it in the shop and found the under engine skid plate that is welded to the frame was bent up into the engine which was disappointing since I'm pretty careful not to beat up the underneath too much so i had to make a new thicker one. I just replaced the rear U_joints as they were getting pretty bad. The wheel bearings and tie rod ends have a bit of play in them now but i think im going to just keep an eye on them since they don't stay tight and realistically a little bit of play isn't hurting anything
I also had the sway bar sliding back and forth hitting the springs so i have to get some clamps to put on the sway bar when it was brand new
Overall it is unfortunate that a person had to get frame braces, fix the sway bar and make a decent skid plate just to feel like you are on a solid machine, but polaris isn't the only manufacturer selling machine that need modifications right out of the box. I knew buying a new Polaris i was sacrificing reliability for performance. Having said all that i am still happy with my purchase since mine hasn't really been too problematic and i do really enjoy riding it
As long as you are enjoying it, keep hammering the trails! Thanks for watching
Hi think yes , it’s the only top manufacturer needed mods on brand new machine out of the box like you said.
I looked at a new polaris 450. From an engineering standpoint. I was very skeptical. The build quality was shocking. I went with a bf 300 my first quad. Your video helped me make a good choice. I wanted a midsize. And i didnt need 4wd. The bf 300 is the only game in town. Simple well built. I wanna play not wrench.
Awsome, thank you for watching
I have a 07 Sportsman 450 and have only had to replace the bushings once and nothing else other than batteries. I like the older ones as they had built in storage box on front and under the seat in the back. For someone who trail rides that is sufficient for me.
I was a factory certified tech for over 15 years. The bulk of my time was spent working on polaris. Those guys are the masters of figuring out the fine line between customer satisfaction and component durability. Every single choice they make is based on profit and they know exactly what they are doing. They bring a decent product to market and then spend the next 2 to 3 years figuring out how to cut costs on it. Ultimately leading to an assemble collection of parts that are just barely "good enough". Unfortunately, the MSRP's of their product would suggest that they are selling the John Deere's of the ATV's and UTV's.
If you're this upset with Polaris, why do you have so many and why haven't you switched brands?
what's he supposed to do with them? give them away? certainly can't sell them.
I gave up on Polaris everything. They’re waaay overpriced and their quality has dropped considerably. They are so not worth the price they want. The worst part is, people don’t bat an eye and pay it. Don’t get me wrong, the other name brands aren’t much different. And one thing I thought I would never say, I bought a brand new CFMoto Zforce 950 HO Sport last year and I drove it 1447 miles without a problem at all. I’m 98% satisfied with the machine. Plus they’re so much cheaper $$$ than anything out there. I would highly recommend them.
In the late 90's early 2000's we were nothing but a Polaris family, everyone I knew rode Polaris, there would literally be 10-15 machines at deer camp and 90% at the local bar were Polaris, and in the winter it was all Indy, XC Edge etc. Nobody....nobody rides Polaris anymore and its a shame. Im very nostalgic when I see an old Explorer or Sportsmen circa those years, I have GREAT memories of BEATING those machines, mud, jumps, wide open throttle, they had a hard life and I loved it. No more. Honda, Yamaha, Can Am fill the trails around here and our garages, Polaris used to be something I was proud of and now its the cheap junk version of an ATV. Its frustrating as a consumer. Im sure Polaris wont hear this, and if they do they wont make the changes to sacrifice profit to make a better product..but just know that you're not alone, there are others out there that noticed too and have gone away from the North Star brand.
My 2022 Suzuki king quad 750 is a beast. No issues
Went from a 2012 king quad to a can am outlander 1000, going back to a kingquad, can ams not worth the problems
Was about to buy 2 2024 Polaris 570 Trail editions till I watched this…. What do you recommend as best alternatives to 570 trail edition?
I bought a 2023 Polaris general 1000 a year ago. What a pure piece of junk. Don’t buy polars.
As long as you can get parts you're way better off keeping your old stuff running. Way cheaper in the end and easier on your head.
I can hear the frustration in your voice and that definitely sucks but no way I would trust any of that stuff being stock. I have a 2014 xp4 1000 and have upgraded the driveline bearings and control arms and Radius rods and not a problem. Best of luck!
I have a 2015 570 sportsman with ebs and power steering and a 2015 sportsman etx. The etx had a bad stator from the start. The 570. Brake start switch went bad after a year. Rear springs are junk and don’t get me started on wheel studs. I’ve owned both since new.
I had an 07 it was junk they put the Module behind the Radiator how smart was that !!
Polaris is Junk ..........
Polaris has got me twice. I had an atv, and the maintenance was no stop. Dealer and other people said Polaris has changed and things are a lot better now so I bought a utv and have owned that for a number of years now and I can tell you nothing has changed! The utv is even higher maintenance than the atv was! It’s ridiculous! In fact, I wonder how a machine could possibly be worse? Lesson learned, no more Polaris’ for me.
I was just about to buy one but not now. I'll stay w/ yamaha or honda. thanks so much
Thanks you just saved me a lot of money as I was looking at purchasing. A Polaris 850.
I used to all an old model players. 400 explorer at math thing was tough.
I think I'll look at Kawasaki Suzuki, or Yamaha for my next atv.
You changed my mind; I am NOT buying a Polaris atv
hello..thanks for this video..I bought a sportsman 2023 could you tell me the codes of the spare parts that you recommend to keep as spare? Thanks a lot for the answer.
My 2013 Honda Rancher has had zero problems at 11 years old. Only fluid and filter changes.
5000 miles on my 2003 Arctic Cat in, no exaggeration, extreme desert riding - I've replaced tires and 3 CV boots, 2 rear axles and front/rear wheel bearings...Oh and I've gone through a few batteries...That's it. They don't make 'em like they used to - Irreplaceable. I am shopping for new but videos like this remind me of the corporate greed and shoddy craftsmanship I really want to avoid.
I’m on ab 7k for a 2013 366 and haven’t replaced ANYTHING this wheeler is mint
Polaris has always put out major crap but sells on the Made In USA! Id never buy one same for Ford!
The frame build should be the first red flag. I've worked at some shops and a shop that is a Polaris /honda /Suzuki /can am /KTM dealer. Can am is second in janky junk
There is a lot of people who have bought Polaris machines that have regret. They have gone down hill. It’s time to reevaluate what we are buying.
i have a 2019 850 and the next one wont be a polaris for sure!!!!!!!
Polaris bearings have very little grease need to add more befor install, bushings need grease nipples and grease after every ride, steering coupler is fixed with a set screw and brearing mount will stay tight for a long time
I’ve owned a 2014 ranger and rebuilt the suspension using aftermarket parts because Polaris OEM parts are ridiculously high.
Unfortunately you are wrong and right about this. Bushings and bearings on the old 500’s are garbage as well as everything nowadays. What I’m trying to say is Polaris have always BEEN garbage. We hammer 500’s, and they just suck. Speedo issues have plagued the older models (how is a speedometer allowed to have issues? Especially with AWD). Bushings have plagued these machines. The infamous polaris tie rod play, as well as the hockey puck bushing on the lower part of the 500’s steering stem. I have owned a Polaris scrambler 850 and lost 2 ball joints under 800 miles. I will never purchase another polaris as long as I live. They only work for so long, I’d rather a yamaha 700 and replace the airbox so it properly seals, and a can am and deal with the bad front differential than own a polaris and have the whole machine be garbage.
For the amount of people saying Polaris is bad is out of my mind, as a young mechanic I love Polaris, (most) of Polaris’s are easy and cheap to work on. I would rather pay 1000 for a Polaris and fix it ever other week for 100$ than a Honda that brakes every couple of months and spend a arm to fix it
Been there with everything you said with multiple polaris machines. Went to honda never been happier
I am in the market to get a side-by-side, (first one) Polaris is not even on my radar. I would get a Cfmoto before getting a Polaris, I hear too many negative reviews about Polaris (Social media at work). I would not buy a newer model, used or new Polaris regardless of price. (I just sold my 1995 Polaris Classic Snowmobile this winter, excellent snowmobile and had it for many many many trouble-free years) Unfortunately looks like quality at the company has gone downhill drastically.
I own a 2013 500ho!! 9200 MILES hanged wheel brgs front suspension bushings and starter wires wrotted off just a couple months ago!! Other than that no complaints!! Love it and when i bought it the price was 5999.00 cant beat it.. definately buy another one
Just bought one a month ago. Already the Transmation is making strange noises and the display screen flickers colors and engine light comes on.
Either the alternator (it's called something else for Polaris)not charging the battery fast enough or the battery isn't holding charge properly.
I have a 2013 Polaris ranger limited I bought new . 10 years driving the back country of NE New Mexico and Oklahoma panhandle no problem. Replace breaks , belt, plugs and wires, tires , etc. haul firewood, dirt , plants, feed , etc. walk it in and walk it out of rough conditions