# pros and cons between polaris and honda



## nosfedgta

I am looking for pros and cons between polaris and honda on which might be a better atv for all purpose. Such as weekend fun, working around the house, hunting and doing food plots from time to time. 

As for what size and all id say from a 400cc up to a 500 cc.


Drew


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## sogafishin

I have owned many Polaris' anf Hondas   actually still own one of each   Go with the Honda it will be more trouble free and low maintainance    They are both great ATVs


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## rsm

honda over polaris anyday. The day I bought mine I looked in the service department and it had more polaris than anything else.


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## TATORNUTZ

polaris are powerful,but VERY heavy compared to hondas of the same size.Usually the only people who like or recommend a polaris are the ones who own one,and usually it's a garage queen.The hondas won't win a drag race,but they'll tow that popo home everytime it breaks down. go for a honda it'll be ready every hunting season,the foremans are powerful enough to work a food plot,fast enough to play around on(55mph,not that you need to go that fast on a 4x4 4 wheeler),light enough to maneuver around for playing or working  and it's a honda so it'll startup every time.


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## Ol' 30-30

Go Honda-I sold my polaris and will never own another one.


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## Gofish206

HONDA!!!:cool:


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## GaDawgs79

Honda all the way, bought two of the Ranchers about 5 years ago and traded up last year for two Foreman's 4x4.  I recommend winch ($499) and replace the plastic skid plate with a metal  one ($225).  Love them, guess that's why I got a Honda VTX1300R in the garage too.  Thats for the clean fun riding.


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## nosfedgta

Ol' 30-30 said:


> Go Honda-I sold my polaris and will never own another one.




why is that?


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## germag

Ol' 30-30 said:


> Go Honda-I sold my polaris and will never own another one.



Same here.

I had a 2004 Polaris 600 Sportsman. It was very fast.....lots of power. And it was smooth and cushy....like a Laz-E-Boy on wheels. But, it was HUGE....and VERY heavy. And it took about an acre to turn it. All of that was really kind of my problem. I should have thought about it more before I bought it. However....the carburetion on that machine was horrible and they never could get it straightened out. If you wanted to use it on a cold morning (anything below 40 degrees), you needed to get up 30 minutes early and let it idle at LEAST that long before it would get warmed up enough to run halfway right...it would spit and sputter and stall...no amount of choke was the "right" amount. They had it in the shop a few times and couldn't find any problems.....and they didn't really care much whether they fixed it or not. One guy told me "That's just the way these things are. You should have bought a fuel-injected one."

Well...that's just what I did. I sold the Polaris and I bought a fuel-injected Honda Rancher 420. I haven't looked back since...nor will I. The Rancher is an outstanding machine. Plenty of power, plenty fast enough.....and it starts and runs like it should every time I press the starter button.....90 degrees or 20 degrees....it doesn't care.


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## Ol' 30-30

nosfedgta said:


> why is that?



The overall quality and reliability of Polaris is no where near that of Honda (in my opinion).  And that is coming from someone who has owned both.  The only 2 brands of 4-wheelers I would ever buy are Honda and Yamaha.


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## Wild Turkey

Ive had 
3 polaris
3 honda
1 yamaha
1 kawasuki
1 suzuki

polaris vs honda
polaris has a better ride
honda will last longer and take more abuse.

Current polaris efi 700, 4 yrs never been broke or stranded. And I plow with it and run it hard.


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## throwdown

I currently own a Polaris 700efi and a Honda Rubicon efi. I like my Polaris better as far as power and ride, but my Honda will go everywhere my Polaris will go. I would be happy with either bike as far as quality, but will never own another Polaris due to the fact that the company does not stand behind it's products. I have never been treated as bad as Polaris treated me on a "WARRANTY" issue. When my Honda had a warranty issue they cleared it up, no problems, even treated me like a human being. Polaris has seen their last dollar from this person, just beware.


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## crossbreed

honda all the way man!!!!!!


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## Hooked On Quack

crossbreed said:


> honda all the way man!!!!!!



This threads 9 months old!!


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## RLFaler

I think naming their new quad the "Big REd'' is lame. Wasnt that their last 3 wheeler? or like their first 4 wheeler?


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## Swampagator

I have a Polaris and it is good and does what I need it to do.  I am very happy with it now with that being said, I do not have to run it trough a lot of water and am not playing with it a lot.  I use it to move trailers around tow the wood splitter and trailer in the woods while cutting fire wood. Moving deer stands and getting deer out of the woods (I need a knee replacement and refuse to get one so I use the 4 wheeler a lot).  
Now Polaris is belt driven and that requires a lot of service and parts are a bit salty when it comes to the price.  I have this one because I got a good deal on it.  Honda does make a good machine and very reliable as well.  It just depends on what you’re using it for.  If you’re going to be playing in water and a lot of mud go Honda or Yamaha, as if you get water in the belt of the Polaris you’ll need to get it serviced or else you will have to replace the belt soon after.  Polaris is not as water proof so to say as Honda and Yamaha, but as far as reliability goes I have not had any problems with mine.


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## Brad McDaniel

Bought a Honda Big Red last week. Wish it was a little narrower, but love the auto tranny. With some luck and a little tlc once in awhile, hopefully it'll last me for many years.


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## rjcruiser

RLFaler said:


> I think naming their new quad the "Big REd'' is lame. Wasnt that their last 3 wheeler? or like their first 4 wheeler?



Nope to both of those questions.  It was what they named their utility 3 wheeler back in the 80s.  Had different sized motor options, but the most popular was the 250cc.


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## SCPO

never owned a polaris but have owned honda 110, 2ea 200, yamaha klt185, 99 recon, presently own a 08 honda rancher 4x4 ES. i changed oil and filter if it had one each year and adjusted valves when needed. only problem i have had with yamaha with rust in gas tank.


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## Full Pull

I have two 09 Honda forman es modles 500 4x4 and are Great .


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## copenhagen cowboy

owned them both, loved my polaris 700 sportsman,, it was a beast, but the honda's are very reliable atv's,, I would say either one, as long as you buy one that has been kept up.


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## one hogman

*Honda vs Polaris*

Two words" HONDA FOREMAN!!!!!"


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## Georgia Boy z71

I have a foreman 500 and a 850 popo, I hate the honda it stays tore up I have yet to tear the popo up and it has a 3" catvos lift and 32" silverbacks. Popo all the way.


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## rackman

honda has a better transmission, polaris is belt drive.i've never owned a honda,had a polaris 500 sportsman never had any trouble with it, up graded to a 700 efi. it's ready when im. take care of my machine, no mud bogging or junk like that. it is hard to get around in the woods. cain't beat the ride . honda is going to discontinue the 500.they may come out with a I suspension same as the new 420 I suspension.all in all the honda is a better machine for the money.


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## Fineline

I am a used dealer here in Seneca, SC and keep Polaris and Honda's.  I have had Polaris' for years and love them as there are aftermarket parts for most all items that you would ever break or wear out.  Both good machines.


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## ccbiggz

*Polaris*

I own two Polaris, an 800 Rzr and a 700 Sportsman. I love the ride and performance of both of them. I've owned Yamaha, Suzuki, and Polaris, and the next one I buy will be a Polaris. I've never owned a Honda so can't comment on that one, but I really like Polaris.


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## RiverBassin

This is probably like a Ford vs Chevy debate..that bein said..Polaris for me...no doubtin Hondas reliability..there only drawback is they dont have independent rear suspension (with the exception of the brand new ones) or twin cylinders and the Hondamatic transmission is a piece of junk(from what i hear)...but for just plain cruisin a Honda is definately good...and its all in how you treat one..you could get a Homakatsu brand and take care of it and im sure it would last a good while........


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## msjjd

They make another 4-wheeler besides a Honda!


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## Tall Pines Club31021

polaris or honda not a hard choice really Suzuki or Artic Cat would be your better choice Polaris aint worth junkin and the new Honda sucks...but if you were to buy a older honda that would be a great ATV also


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## msjjd

Polaris are made for easy ridin and thats no fun, if you want to really ride and use a 4-wheeler for what it was made for get a honda......period.No doubt polaris is comfortable,easy on the hindend but if you reliability,low maintanence and all day fun get a Honda! It's all good get what you want,just get one.   (Honda).


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## 98triton

Polaris is like a big ole cadillac

honda is like a cummins/or superduty.

Honda is way tougher and will outlast any of em.


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## 98triton

08 Foreman 500 power steering

04 recon es


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## CUTT'EM 76

*atv's*

I say Polaris is just as good as Honda,in some cases better.


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## Georgia Boy z71

I have had honda yamaha polaris and artic cat and suckduki they all are junk when they break. I don't hunt with mine they were bought to mud bogg with the only reason honda's don't break is because they don't have enough power to break anything.You put the power to them and they will break just as much as the rest of them. It takes alot of money to get a foreman 500 with enough power to spin29.5 laws in thick mud. Or just buy a popo 850 put 32's on it and let it eat.


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## nosfedgta

well I got the polaris 500ho. I have never had a problem with it so far. I have 500 miles on since i got it. For the people that say the belts slips...... I think not. I had to tow a truck that was towing a camper up a muddy hill and th ebelt never slipped once~! I have had it in mudd, water, etc... never ever slipped. Its super comfortable, rides great, has tons of power. At durhamtown I have pulled a few hondas and kawi's out of some mudd holes. I drove in and towed them out. The true 4wd is awesome. Only time I got it stuck is when I got it high centered on the chassis.

Only downsides are its heavy, its a little big in the woods, and with the power it doesnt feel as fast as some others cause of weight.


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## msjjd

Was thinking of riding at durhamtown is it worth the money


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## nosfedgta

its awesome man. we have a blast everytime we go there. I got with a buddy of mine, my gf, and my daughter


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## Matt Justice

Super old thread, but it came up in my Durhamtown search. Do you guys think it's any better than riding in north Blue Ridge?


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