Used ATVs on craigslist are 10 to 1. Even doing a specific search for yamaha, suzuki or arctic the polaris shows up cause those sellers place those brands as key words in their listing.

In a word, yes. If you gave me one I'd trade it in on something Japanese, preferably Yamaha.

I beg to differ... I have owned them for 20+ years and had zero problems. Just routine maintenance

Owning is far different than using. Putting around the yard every once in a while and a few weekends at deer camp every year is all the work most will ever likely see.

We use our atvs every day. They're rode hard and put away wet. Yamaha has always proven to be the longest lasting. I just looked and our '12 Grizzly 450 is sitting at 15,800 miles and 4,600 hours. I'd love to see a Polaris that even approaches that.

There are more used Polaris ATVs for sale than any other make because more new Polaris ATVs are sold than any other make. It's about market share.

Not by a long shot around here. I'd guess the japanese brands outsell polaris 10 to 1. Polaris is pretty much considered a POS by everyone I know, I haven't seen anyone driving one in years.

I've known some guys that owned a polaris. I've never known anyone that bought their second one though.

Never had a Polaris......been around some on trails....

All comes down to features...pricing....warranty.....reputation....promotions

Razr's are popular around my parts...I've have had Honda..Yamaha and now a Kawasaki...

Kawasaki Teryx comes with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty..unlike the other mfg's 6 months

In spring of '18 they offered $2K off MSRP....that's when I bought mine..its been trouble free at 3500 miles

Utah has miles & miles of public land/trails to ride....when you're 40+ miles from the truck....

You need a reliable machine to get ya back.....

The folks here that just use the Rangers for putting around the deer camp or the neighborhood like them well enough. Folks that use them for work, not so much. The gas well hands that drive them every day will typically pick a Japanese machine. My father's Ranger has seldom been used in a harsh or aggressive manner and it's rare that it goes a year or more without something breaking or crapping out. The motor has held up fine, but not much else. On the flipside, the Honda and Yamaha ATVs mostly just get oil and brakes, and they get worked harder.

just another tid bit.........Teryx oil pan holds 4 qts.........

Most machines are only 2 qt......

I had a Kawi Prairie 650 that made 13,000 miles before got tired of pouring money into it to keep it fixed. Was a lemon from the start and I would be hesitant to go green again.

Mine's blue..........

I do miss the growl of that big V-twin.

Polaris R&D department is the customer in my experience. They push a lot of there products out before they are ready, my oil fill is under the fender on my big boss 6 X 6 , they have a lot of firsts and they ride better than most, need to work on reliability.

IME - Polaris aren't all that great.

Back when I first got married - I worked at a dealer and salvage yard. Saw Polaris engineering up close - couldn't give me one. In the time since, owned and ridden with friends who've owned every make and model under the sun.

The brand that consistently had issues, lost the most value and caused the most grey hair was Polaris.

For me - it begins and ends at Yamaha. They run and run regardless of maintenance it seems.

Honestly, I just pull deer out of the woods with mine. We do a little to manage the property, cutting trees and whatnot. I don't really hotrod mine around or goof off with it. For that purpose, I want it to crank and run. Honda does that for me year after year with little issue. I just change the oil/filter and put gas in it.

I'm on my second Polaris Sportsman. The first one was a 2000 Sportsman 500 and when I finally sold it 2 years ago, it had over 16,000 miles on it. All I ever had to replace was a belt, tires and 2 CV boots. I bought another Sportsman, a 450 in 2018. It's an incredible machine and I suspect it will give me just as much service as the first one. I've also owned 2 Yamahas and a Kawasaki. Talk about a POS. I'd never buy another Kawasaki.

My experience with Polaris is you get to know the dealer service department real well. Have had 2 Rangers and gave up on them after early clutch failures, overheating, belt problems and engine braking working when it felt like it. Have 2 Yamaha Vikings now and standard maintenance only. Both 2015 1 has almost 7000 the other 5000. They also do better in the traction department than Polaris. The Yamaha has a locked rear in the back and an e-locker in front. Polaris locks after it senses wheel spin which is often too late. Polaris does ride nice and offers an open rear end if you ride on grass/lawns.

I cut and sell firewood use my atvs hard 1st was a Polaris ran it for 3 years sold it for junk. After that I went thru Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki over the years. The only machines I buy today are Suzuki King Quads! You cannot kill them. Kid who worked for me backed one off a ramp where it was sitting with the oil plug and filter removed while I drove to town to buy them. He drove that thing out to the woodyard loaded a car trailer dull of wood and was unloading it when I got back. I just figured it was seized up and stopped there but no it was idling away as he was unloading. Put pan plug in spun on filter and filled it with Rotella when started again it calmwd down after a few minutes and xooled off. I am still using that machine. Fired the kid though.

90 mile loop yesterday on my '18 Kawi........

Along with a bud on his new 1000 General.....

Another bud with his '14 Razr 800...

Reliablity is very important when you're 45 miles from the truck

My oldest grandson drives my Yamaha Rhino like he ripped it off from somebody, yes from me, but so far it is holding up well. I wish all makers could figure out how to make the plastics look nice longer.

I have a '12 RZR 800. It runs great most of the time but I have had a couple issues with it. Last year, the oil pressure valve froze. That requires dismantling the entire engine to get at it. Right now, I have a shop appointment for it next week (assuming the shop isn't forced to close down). It won't run unless it's cranking 2500 rpm or more. It won't idle at all.
I'd trade it but I need a 50" that will fit in my pickup and of the very few 50's made, the Polaris is the only one that will fit in easily. The AC and CanAm are too long. I'd have to leave the tailgate down and I can't do that and pull my camp trailer.

I have had a '97 Sportsman 500, a 2013 RZR 800 Trail LE, and my current machine, a 2019 General 1000. All of these machines have been great, trouble-free vehicles, used for recreational riding, hunting, snowplowing, you name it. Routine maintenance is all I ever have had to do. I would buy another in the future without hesitation.

Polaris are cheap and popular.

I hate the noisy basturds .

Cool looking country whether you are ridding junk or not.

Yeah, those Rangers sure do suck..........my 2006 500 has probably carried out more dead animals than most people have ever seen.

The shop found the problem quickly and cheaply. The bolts holding the throttle body had vibrated loose and it was sucking air. That could happen to any of them. So, in 4000 miles, I've had 1 problem with my Razor, the oil pressure valve. It was a pricey fix because it required a complete tear down of the engine to get at it. The part itself was only $10.

I have owned a honda atv for 20 years and a polaris for 13. The polaris is more comfortable for me to ride but I have more in repairs in it than I paid for the honda. I am planning to sell or trade the polaris in for a new honda and keep the older foreman.

My son, who is a ATV mechanic, says Honda is what I would buy. Most reliable by far.

I'll never have anything that doesn't say Honda on it. I have a 2012 Rancher that looks like it was used in the D Day invasion. Runs like new. Change oil once a year and put gas in it.

Kawi still rolling......

I'm an oil fananic.....usually twice a year......

due right now.....easy to do on this Teryx...4 quarts.....Wix or K&N filter

Front & rear diff's getting fresh oil too.....rear wet brakes are in sealed rear end...

Tractor type hydralic fluid

I will not drive my Polaris sportsman any farther than I am willing to walk


Learned this lesson the hard way


LC.

Best parts of this post are the pics. Love rugged country. Thought Bryce canyon was something to see till Zion blew my mind.

I got's lot's of pics..........

Great pics!
Wife, dog and I are going to Moab next month with our Polaris General- hope to get some great pics and Go Pro vids of our own.

Best advise I've ever read about using our Sportsman 400. The old '96 Kawasaki 300 is more dependable and has a rope starter and compression release if that electric starter wouldn't work. Not so that Polaris. The battery is near impossible to get to and even a new battery last year is dead this year. It is on the charger now hoping to bring it back to life, but I just don't trust that PO(S)laris.

I'm west of Moab......the Swell area.....much less traffic/people..........

but ya got's to know where to go..........north & south of 70

Henry Mtn's are ever so present.....they move........

Yes much more interesting view than trees in a forest. At least to my taste.
Thanks

nice pictures ! i still own just 1 ATV yes its a Polaris it works fine for what i use it for haul`n deer,yard work and grandkid rides. myself when i go out to hunt,hike or whatever i use my 2 feet its quiet,no stink and you see more animals close.

Sometimes when I go alone......I think exactly about that....

Even traveling fully equipped with extra gear...spare...patch kit...winch...Viair DC pump.....etc

These modern machines are quite reliable...but one silly computer glitch & you may be screwed

I may end up 40+ miles from the truck...with no hiking short cuts if you had to walk out......

Seeing other persons....especially weekdays may be of no chance...

Most recently I've been riding with a buddy & his '14 800 Razr....good to have company along the way......

tikkanut,
You are a fortunate man Sir.. That is awe inspiring country.

yes sir.......I realize that & never take it for granted.......

trip planned for Wednesday........

these pics.....Utah's well known but remote Henry Mtn's...last range in lower 48 to be surveyed

I have been considering a sxs. From what I gather, those RZRs are great when they are running but have reliability issues. Honda has a great reputation for reliability. I owned a small honda ATV and never has a problem. It seems that Honda is sometimes lacking in performance.

Right now, I have a 2007 Kawasaki Brute Force 750i. It is fast and powerful. It’s reliability has been okay, but not great. I am having problems with it now and have thought about replacing it instead of fixing. If I do, it will be for a Yamaha or Honda.

Basically.......what will fit you or your family the best......

2 seater ? 4 seater ? 6 seater ? Your usage ? balls out Dunes.......Trails......hunting/camping/farm-ranch ??

All the big three build good machines........Honda......Yamaha......Kawasaki......

OK........Polaris.........Big 4.........

All have good points.......bad points.....

I've had Honda......Yamaha....now Kawasaki......

Features.......pricing........warranty......reviews.......mainly........R E L I A B I L I T Y.....

Me ? loading Kawi for another 80 mile loop adventure in the morning........

It is very good to see you posting RELIABILITY for that area that you ride in Tikkanut. That said I'm remembering that saying that if it has tits or tires, sooner or later you will have trouble with it. There seems to be a logical explanation why those Henry mountains were the last area to be surveyed, they are remote and there is not a lot of traffic back there. And probably why you like it in the first place. There were days that I rode a dirt bike a hundred miles in a day, but that was Wisconsin where I could at least walk out to civilization. Going out there in that remote an area with just you and your UTV is kind of risky imo. Do you carry a satellite phone because I don't imagine cell service is available. That was the epiphany for me when I went out west on my Harley. The wife asked me what if you get in trouble and I told her that I'd just walk to the nearest farm house! That was Midwest thinking. Where I was you could see the curvature of the earth before you would see a farm house. You keep yourself safe out there and maybe think about bringing another buddy with another UTV.

no Sat phone.......been ridin' with a bud or two lately.......

Do carry a GPS ResQ Link devise.......emergency use only.....

Basically a life or death situation to call EMS or Search/Resque

purty big empty country out there.......

Yeah, those helicopter rescues get kind of expensive, but I suppose when you get to that point, you don’t care much. What about the dust riding with some other guys? The first guy gets a great view and the back guys just get dirty. Even on a dirt bike, the dust was always an issue where we rode.

Dust.........yes......oh yea......

Utah ...April 2020........

prob go down as one of the driest months on record.....

Our high desert riding area is no exception...

Even for the lead dog.....its dusty...sometimes the wind is generous and blows dust away before next machine

Smart riders space themselves apart to stay out of dust

pic file.......feast or famine.......flash floods or dust....take your pic

Had a Polaris 20 or more years ago. Pure junk. A friend of mine works on atv's/utv's. Fixes Polaris 10-1 over everything else combined. Still won't have one on the place. That being said,I know a lot of people have good luck with them.

Except for their electric shift. Give me a toe shifter or CVT anytime over that.

Do you run the factory air intake and filter system on your XTX in all that dust?

Factory air box

keep a spare clean filter on hand

I’m with JG my older Polaris Ranger has never given me any issues. The only issue I’ve had is the plastic getting busted when I steal mama cows baby calves to band and they ram it. I’ve hauled hay with it, dirt, calves, dead deer, and pigs as well as fencing tools and chainsaws. No ISSUES...

First Ranger I ever bought was a 2006 Polaris 500.
And one of the best I ever owned. Tried to wear it out. Never could!

Polaris is not reliable in my experience. Yamaha and Honda are.

not a fan of Polaris

Here in southern Ohio, the Japanese ATVs command a premium in the used market, Polaris are significantly less in resale value

I've had a couple of Polaris, the '96 Sportsman 400 4X4 and a 2003 Explorer 250 4X4. I did not like the brake system on them, and the combination of belt and chain . and IIRC, the SAE and Metric mix? maybe I'm confused on that, just seemed odd to me . I did like the higher stance, larger footprint and ground clearance they offered - but I'd still go with a Honda/Yamaha

I think Polaris is much more appreciated as an ATV in snowmobile country, but outside of that, my perception is they are a lesser quality alternative.

I've only had a Prairie 650 4x4 in Kawasaki. It was nice, no complaints. Not a fan of Suzuki ATVs mainly because my experience has been temperamental fuel pump/carbs, but I've only had older models.

[YamahaThreadJack] Just picked up a Grizz 700 EPS today, 37 miles so far.


[/YamahaThreadJack]

Just returned from Moab, UT, after a few days of riding the trails. Our Polaris General is the perfect machine for this kind of venture- it handled deep, dry sand and slickrock trails with ease. Did not see a lot of other riders- the virus has kept most people away. We had the trails to ourselves in the morning, with most coming out to ride in the afternoons. Saw two Can Ams, every other side by side was a Polaris, mostly RZRs. Weather was fine except for wind. Scenery is nothing short of spectacular!

ahhh Utah.........

Sounds like you had a nice trip......

There's a lot of room between Honda and POS. I'd put Polaris well above POS but a little below Honda. There are a lot of them out there that have been highly reliable.

What are those Trackers like that Cabelas is selling now? Modified golf carts? Service? Parts? I'm highly suspicious that they're junk.

my 2001 polaris 500 has 4100 hours on it. I did redo the suspension recently. and I use it on our property 5-6 times a week.

I just got through hunting Axis with WTO in W TX. He has an '01 500 model as well with a few less hours on it and it just won't quit. He hunts in some very, very tough country, for sheep especially.

recently talked to a guy here in Podunk

'11 Ranger....claims 25K miles on the farm

That's a lot of fuggin miles/hrs

does his own repairs...nuthin major....

All these machines are good to a sense......

Features....warranty....pricing...

I just spent 75 miles on my '18 Teryx today..

More 4x4 low range....than Hi 2.......rocks....more fuggin rocks

Trail was up hill both ways.......go figure.......

actually down hill can be worse......Kawi has engine brake that really helps

bring your Polaris to Utah

We enjoy ATV rides, but there are not any groomed trails here in Alaska I am aware of. Our machines are mostly used for hunting and berry picking and rarely go over 15 mph. Most of the time the trails are so bad we can't do 10 mph with out jarring our teeth loose. I a run the Polaris Big Boss 6x6, a 2011 model and ran a 1996 for 13 years with little problems. I prefer it as it will haul moose and pull trailers and buck brush better then any 4 wheeler I have seen. For many years we would hunt out of a wall tent for about 3 weeks in the fall at a camp about 15 tough trail miles from the highway.

We sold the wife's 2001 Sportsman 500 a few years ago and only replaced a stater in it. In 2014 bought a Polaris Razor LE 570 for her and i think I had to replace a starter solenoid. I also think it is safer for her. Now that we have reached the age of 70 we don't venture out for as long or far as we used to with out a younger guy along, if something happened to me way back on a trail it would put my wife in a tough spot. That is why we use machines that are easily capable of carrying two riders and some gear and Otto the Mini Schnauzer.

As far as the best machine, ya got me and I personally believe none of them are as reliable as a car. The short limited warranties speaks volumes. I am surprised at how long they run considering what they are used for. I think one of the reasons we have had good luck with our machines is we take care of them and ride slow, change engine fluids regularly and grease them.

The old Honda 300 4-wheeler and the 3 wheeler's they made are the most bullet prof models I am aware of. If you go to any remote Alaskan village there will be several old Honda's zipping along with riders barely out of their diapers. They don't baby those old Honda's and many of them have been exposed to sandy ocean beaches for mos of their life.. LOL

I doubt I will ever get another ATV and my old Big Boss is handy on my property. If I was richer, I would look at one of those fancy Can Am side by sides like my buddy spent about 25 grand on.

That describes many of the 'groomed' trails here in so. Idaho. They remove the rocks and logs that nothing can get over and call it a trail. Some get pretty hairy.

Had to repair a lot of stuff on the Polaris ATV I had, but it never stranded me. Brand spanking new Kawasaki’s have stranded me twice. Won’t happen again. I love Honda’s, but Yamahas have been even better....I’ve brutalized two Big Bears, and couldn’t kill them. Suzuki’s have intrigued me, but never owned one. All my experience is 10yrs old or so, and ATVs only....so not trying to tell anyone what’s what these days. Just enjoying the conversation and pics. I’ll have to have one again before too long. I’ve ridden in and driven most of the new UTV stuff these days, not owned. but I’d always buy another Honda or Yamaha. The Kubota I was in TOD had cool features and a nice ride, but was more a tractor than a sport vehicle, and was loud AF.

Here's an interesting article about the RZR/Ranger front differential, comparing it to Can-Am's Visco-lok. I don't know what models of Polaris this refers to or if's in any of the ATVs. I do know that when my RZR's in nasty stuff, it just keep pulling. If it has 1 wheel on the ground, it's moving. I can't feel any slipping or shifting in or out. It just keeps going.

POLARIS DIFFERENTIAL

I have had three Polaris ATV's. I now have a Yamaha Kodiak. The Polaris models have a lot of mechanical issues.

"Now I have a Yamaha Kodiak" speaks volumes. Our Polaris Sportsman 400 gets minimal usage, but just getting to that battery to change it out every couple of years sure gives me pause about how the rest of it was engineered.

The Trackers are made by Textron the company that Now owns Artic Cat ....They also make Beechcraft and Cessna air craft and Bell Helicopters.....I have a 2017 Textron Stampede 900..... That has been flawless at 150 hrs and 400 miles of rough terrain.....Smooth and quiet rattle free The suspension and components are very well built.... it will run in the 60s ....It is the basically the same machine as the Tracker 1000 SXS......Mine was built in GA...I thank the current Trackers are made in Minnesota....

Can't help myself. I have to say dandy buck.

two words: satellite phone

Happy Polaris owner...Just lucky I guess.

Last year I had an oil pressure relief valve freeze up on my '12 Razor. It let the pressure build up to several times normal and the engine wouldn't even turn over. It was just a $10 part...that required dismantling the entire engine to put it in.

It went to our local shop to buy a polaris sxs, the 570, ended up with the honda 700. They sale way more polaris but like they told me, if you trade in every few years, get a polaris, if you dont, get a honda. My 03 honda rancher, can't kill the thing.

Between my father an I, all our ATVs are Honda and the newest is a dozen years old. They are indeed hard to kill. Not perfect, but tough. As I have said before, most of the oil-field guys here run the Honda 500 and 700 SxS rigs these days, and they seem happy with the reliability and longevity. Many were less than happy with Polaris for that role.

I'll add another thing, when folks start modified them for bigger tires than they can handle, portals, etc....and then install homemade snorkel systems and treat them like submarines, no wonder any have issues. The biggest complain I've heard about the polaris sxs is they are belt driven and have had issues with catching on fire more easily than others.

That's interesting. Dawson Geophysical has probably 100 Rangers in their yard right now, and have been using them for years. I will admit it's hard to go wrong with Honda though.

Polaris ATV's and UTV's are pure junk for any sort of hard use. They do ride nice. Any of the Japanese brands are better by a significant margin.

It's probably safe to say that Polaris has turned out some "winner" model and some "losers", like many other manufacturers. Some that are great designs and some that have chronic problems.

Pro, the twin cylinder 700 and 600 models where the absolute worst. Electrical problems galore with both. In addition they blew head gaskets like crazy.

I have not been happy with repairs on either of the two Polaris models we have had. Starters, belts, pulleys, fuel pumps, and regulators have failed, sometimes more than once.

I got a 2013 Yamaha Kodiak 450, and so far so good. I live on a farm and use them for weed spraying, hauling irrigation fittings and pipe, herding a few cows, and that sort of stuff.

I’d have to say around here, more Polaris are sold than anything else. I have two Polaris myself and no issues other than a belt on the Ranger. I stuck on some muskeg in 2016 and burnt up the belt. I do know quite a few people have blown their rear diffs out while in turf mode on their Rangers. I honestly think it’s misuse though. With that being said, I knn n is more wiped that have had issues with Can-Ams than any other ATV/UTV manufacturer.

My Polaris General 1000, and yellow Lab, at 12,000'+ elevation near Silverton, CO this past week. 125 miles of trails, including some very steep climbs in the Kendall mountain area. Awesome machine, no problems whatsoever, power to spare for the hilly stuff. Monday's ride was 80 miles, and at the end of the day it took less than 3 gallons to fill the tank back up!
Lots of UTV's on the trail, I would guess at least 80% of them were made by Polaris.

I've never been a UTV person...always done everything I needed on foot or horseback, though I have hunted off 4 wheelers a bit with friends.

I just pulled the trigger on a Polaris Ranger 570, full cab enclosure. The only reason why I went with that was because it fits the legal width and weight parameters for some of the trails around here, and I got a 10% veteran discount. Everything I have read and people I have talked to indicate that no more a percentage of Polaris are in the shop for repairs or warranty work than the other brands. It just seems so because so many more Polaris are sold.

I got this for grouse hunting and trapping. Maybe for getting further from a main road down a 2 track, then hiking in from there---for big game. I have no desire to hunt from it like most every antelope hunter in Wyoming and moose hunter in Alaska seems to do. I have a bad taste in my mouth for the vast majority of UTV users that I have crossed paths with, so I feel a bit awkward getting this thing.

We'll see how well it holds up.

My cabin neighbors run Artic Cats and Polarises? Polari?

Anyway, they travel in packs of 3, so there is generally one running machine to fetch parts for the other 2.

I say that... like 30% tongue in cheek. There are always going to be breakdowns. Everything breaks, and it is partly a function of how its treated. But those two brands break way more than the comparable Japanese machines IME. Not saying they deserve the POS moniker.

Interesting to hear the dislike of the Can-Am machines, as they have a 6X6 out that every owner that I know of loves. I'd be interested in a 6X6, just not a Polaris.

We have had Polaris ATV and several Rangers. Used on the farm/ranch but not abused and we have had good luck with them.

Mine is an RZR 800, they've since replaced it with the 900. I like it for the atv trails but also because I can haul it in the back of my pickup and still pull our camp trailer.
We have hundreds of miles of 50" trails around here (at least 100 of which are on fire right now). We seldom see any other UTV's when out riding.