Polaris Sportsman 400/500/600/700

Approval Rate: 67%

67%Approval ratio

Reviews 48

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  • by

    big4x4mudder

    Thu Apr 21 2011

    I have had 2 sportsman 400s a 94 2 stroke and an 01 4 stroke and would get another in a heart beat. Both were great quads and I ran them HARD. The 94 had lots of power it would keep up with any 4x4 quad on the trails. The 01 needs more power but it is just a 400 so I can't bitch much about it. The sportsmans are heavy but I went through alot of stuff that other quads got stuck in so I think the weight helps. If you are looking for a quad to do 75mph get a sport quad but if want a work horse/trail machine get a sportsman.

  • by

    858585

    Tue Feb 15 2011

    There is nothing wrong with Polaris ATV's, I own a 2002 500 H.0 and it works perfectly to this day. I use the Atv pretty much everyday in the summer and use it to plow snow in the winter. This machine is the hardest working and most reliable bike I have ever owned. I highly reccomend them.

  • by

    nick1123028360_6

    Sat Oct 02 2010

    I have a mint condition 1995 Polaris Sportsman. About 1350 miles and still looks like it was out of the showroom minus a few scratches and dings. Runs like a raped ape. This is a 2 stroke Oil Injected classic and it truly is a engineering masterpiece. I have pulled so many deer out of the Northern Michigan woods I can't keep track. I'm talking Commercial Forest land and not some cream puff groomed trails. of course I take great care of my machine but it really was the best purchase I made in my lifetime!! Nick

  • by

    kyleamos09

    Thu Sep 02 2010

    I have a 2003 polaris sportsman 700, nice atv lots of power. i went to start it, it start fine then put it in reverse and it stalled. Now my electronics are not working. Not sure what happend any thoughts?

  • by

    longcct

    Fri Aug 27 2010

    My husband and I bought a 2008 Sportsman 500 Touring to ride around our 75 acre property. We were very pleased with it the first year. It made ease of up and down steep terrain without any problems. It was a comfortable ride for the two of us. Our Sportsman was always garaged when not in use, but after less than two years and less than 500 hours, our wiring harness completely fell apart. Wire after wire broke leaving electronics not working until the ignition and everything totally quit working. We purchased the Polaris because we heard that they were more reliable than other ATV's . Repair technicians at the dealer said they had never seen anything like the deterioration the wiring harness. Polaris does not have any customer service except at the dealership and the dealer could not offer any information about the abnormal deterioration but it was not a recall issue. Cost of new harness and repair was high. I am very dissappointed in the reliability and of lack of customer se... Read more

  • by

    agents0x0

    Wed Aug 25 2010

    yellow - sportsmen 500 - 2000 all stock bought new in 00 some extras- front/rear bumpers, front/rear rack extensions, handguards w mirrors, saddle bags the polaris has been a great machine for me been out on a ranch for a time, mostly a fun machine have been riding more and more last cpl of years lately been putting 20-40 miles a day during atv trips mostly up in mountains on trails this would be 9000 - 13000 feet in ouray/silverton colorado located in san juan mnts vehicle has performed flawlessly and even starts easier since i have been riding more have replaced normal stuff- fluids, filters, plugs, battery finally replaced front tires. still on old tranny belt at 1300 miles NO big failures. we drive for long times (sometimes 7 hrs) up in mnts on trails - lots of low range definately have been wearing it in now pros- power , plenty nice looking, big and goes where u want. plenty of ground clearance no problems cons- big. somewhat heavy steering is definately heavier- hav... Read more

  • by

    jsl55575

    Sat Aug 07 2010

    I made the mistake of buying a 2003 Sportsman 600. It does ride very good and used to have good power. Now it has been parked in the garage because it won't start. There is no spark. I guess that I was unreasonable to expect it to keep running forever. After all, it does have 271 miles and almost 30 hours on it. A real piece of CRAP. I tried to give it zero stars, but it isn't allowed.  I almost forgot - the drive belt delaminated at 56 miles. DON"T WASTE YOUR MONEY!

  • by

    dog06d80

    Wed Apr 14 2010

    look's like it's unanimous....these thing's are complete junk!!!! go to the honda page...not near as many bad review's....on top of all that ...these thing's are the most unsafe atv ever made...they actually start in any gear!!!!!!! my 5 year old nephew was hurt really bad on one of these pieces of crap because it started in gear!!!!...and all you morron's rave on how fast they are??? atv tire's are only rated for 45 mph....that's why honda's are slower and sit lower....they are actually safe!!!......how these thing's even make it through the showroom floor is beyond me?...polaris should have they're ass's sued off!!!

  • by

    adnrewadog

    Sat Apr 10 2010

    i am thinking about buying a polaris 500 sportsman for 2200. should i jump on it? the guy who is selling it is a good friend of mine so he would not cheat me. it has a half ton winch and outfitted with racks.

  • by

    fordisbest1

    Tue Mar 30 2010

    i got a 2005 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO (carb) which is the best thing ever. Climbs hills like a goat, goes through mud like a tank, and quick enough for me. Flipped it down a hill about 25 times at D&K offroad park in Manchester, Ky. Replaced three wheels and a shock and ran like new. Keeps up with a 2002 Honda 400EX jetted, intake, and exhaust. I am happy with my polaris, it is the toughest thing ever.

  • by

    country08088

    Tue Mar 30 2010

    I own an '03 Sportsman 700 (carb) since new. Overall, a GREAT quad! I ride it like I stole it and it keeps on going!!! Only problem I had was within 50 miles, kept leaking antifreeze from water pump housing. That's cuz the stock cover was plastic, so when it heated up, it expanded. I have 1150 miles on it now with 27" Mudzilla tires, Dalton clutch kit, relocated radiator to front rack (To keep it out of the mud) and custom snorkel kit and 2500lb Warn winch. Since I put on the new tires, the ONLY time I get stuck is if I bottom out. But most of the time, I can rock it out standing on one side in low range, ton of power!!! Only bad thing I have to say about it is it takes a long time to warm up. It's a beast!!! Had it up to the gas tank cap in water/mud 5 times, made it out 4 of them. Go get one!!!

  • by

    sergmesa

    Sat Mar 20 2010

    I have a 2004 Polaris 700, I have owned since March of 2004, It has power, looks, and enough room on the seat for a cow. I stop using it for about a year not because it broke down but I have other cheaper quads. I wore out the tires, and the drive belt, ($50.00 and I replaced myself in 45 minutes) after a year of sitting I think it needs a new battery, to be fair it has been 6 years, I think thats fair. Oh yes, I think my buddy replaced a front drive, when I let him use it. Good bike.

  • by

    derrickhann

    Sat Mar 06 2010

    3 stars i have a polaris 2002 sportman just add gas line antifreze to your gas in winter time it will take care of your idle prblem ,

  • by

    gonefishing

    Thu Jan 14 2010

    I own a 06 Sportsman 700EFI, INCREDIBLE!! I've pushed it to the max several times and it has never failed me. Broke through the ice fishing once, about 5ft deep, machine floated and swam its way to good ice then climbed out. It will run an easy 60mph, has a great towing power, and strong hole shot. I've plowed snow with it for 3 years now and haven't found anything it couldn't move. My dad has a 05 Sportsman 500 HO(carb), doesn't always idle well in cold weather. The 700EFI I have will start in the coldest weather, just had it in -15 deg a week ago, never missed a beat. I've heard lots of bad reviews about older sportsman models, the new ones seem to be much improved. I have nothing bad to say about my machine! If you buy any ATV, GET A WINCH!! You won't use it all the time, but its a life saver when you need it!!!

  • by

    p047de00

    Mon Dec 21 2009

    Ive got a 2008 polaris 400 h.o. Nice machine, no issues. over 2000 miles no problems at all. Lots of power and torque. Excellent suspension, great riding machine. The plastic panels don't stay clipped, but other than that no failures. I've hauled tons of firewood this summer on a 4x8 trailer and this machine never quit. Most friends have different machines but the newer Polaris have come a long way. Alot of the parts are from offshore thats why there are so many different fastener types. The Jap brands are really good and have been tried and tested. Alot of folks around me have older Honda's, Yamaha, and these things never let them down. They have been atving for donkey years and the machines still run like a top. My friend bought a used 1994 Polaris. What a nightmare. He rebuilt the engine. Months later the tranny went, he rebuilt that. Now the suspension is falling apart. The machine cost him almost the price of a new one. I would not recommend a used Polaris! My atv got the ... Read more

  • by

    doctorandy

    Tue Dec 15 2009

    I have a 2004 Polaris Sportsman 600 (carburated) I bought brand new. It never ran smooth, leaked antifreeze right out of the box. I had it serviced at three different dealers to get it to run smooth- they all charged me to clean plugs & spray some gumout and never fixed a thing, they were clueless-- all of them! Finally, I found a tractor dealership who re-jetted the carb and it runs good in the warm weather now but not in the cold. In the meantime, I went through three stock batteries before I replaced with a chinese no brand battery that's lasting. Also consistently overheating whenever pulling a mower or riding for more than 30 minutes. The front 4wd had to be replaced because it locked up and was very difficult to steer, and have been through at least three starters. The first winter, it would not shift out of park in the cold weather- took it to the dealer where they kept it for two weeks and did absolutely nothing and gave it back to me broken. I then decided NEVER to go t... Read more

  • by

    carp62

    Tue Dec 08 2009

    I owned, or technically own a 2008 polaris sportsman 500 h.o. As of July 4th 2009 I had less than 80 miles and about twenty hours on it, and had used it for nothing more than plowing snow as of that time. We had brought it to northern MN that weekend to "break it in". Long story short, my son had been riding it for a very short period of time and out of literally nowhere it started on fire and burnt down to absolutley nothing but charred frame in the matter of only a few minutes. When I contacted Polaris to try and resolve the $6000-$7000 issue at hand, they did nothing but turned their backs and said that it had to be my fault despite the fact that we NEVER rode the darn thing. I would never recommend a Polaris product to anyone and all family and friends that have ridden them in the past have ceased to do so, or have planned to never buy another one. Polaris has proved that unless you are willing to purchase an extended warranty, they will not stand behind their product. Prett... Read more

  • by

    polarisstew

    Sun Sep 13 2009

    2007 Sportsman 700 efi. 700 miles on it. White bros/Polaris muffler, K&N air filter. About 20mpg, Awesome ride, awesome brakes. No complaints whatsoever. I had a bad sway bar end link bushing. It split and fell off. The dealer replaced all eight bushings while I waited. Never overheated (wash the mud out of the radiator after each ride), original battery, Original everything! I've had it up to 68mph (with more to go) on a 95 degree day,& I've plowed my driveway with it @ 20 below. I ride the hell out of it. I ride with Honda guys, Yamaha Grizzly fanatics, Suzuki King Quad 700 nuts and the occasional Arctic cat freak. They all go great it you take care of them. This is my 3rd new Polaris ATV in 13 years and have no complaints about any of them. My next one will probably be an XP850.

  • by

    r_keller

    Sun Jul 12 2009

    sometimes YOU GET A BAD ATV, SOMETIMES YOU DONT, I HAVE A 700 TWIN +2 POLARIS 08 OUT OF THE BOX, HAVE 10 HRS 150 MI HAVE RIDE THE HELL OUT OF IT 6 HR STRAIT AT FULL POWER MOST OF THE TIME, TO SEE IF I CAN BRAKE IT. SO FAR ITS DELIVERED POWER AND CONTROL AND RIDES BETTER THEN I THOUGH IT WOULD. 4 BY 4 IS GOOD, COOLING FAN GOS ON AND OFF NOT OFFEN. THE SASPATION IS GRATE ON THIS UNIT, SOFT GLIDE, WITH LOW PSI 3 POUNDS. GOOD HOLE SHOTS. THIS 700 SEAMS TO EAT FUEL TO ME, OR I AM TO HARD ON IT. SO FAR I GOT A GOOD DEAL. MORE LATTER -R-

  • by

    unclebob9

    Sun May 24 2009

    We have a 2004 700 sportsman carb and a 2006 500 EFI, Both seem to be fine, more power than we need. the 700 has the clunk when shifting and the 500 can be hard to shift. the ride is super comfortable, they climb like a goat. Only seem to get hot when driving in low when you should be in high. The overheating problem many are mentioning, might be too much antifreeze. Water does the cooling, antifreeze is there to protect the internal surfaces. If too much antifreeze cooling will not be as good. this seems to be a common error made. People think more is better, not the with antifreeze. bob

  • by

    xxyamahariderx_x

    Mon Apr 27 2009

    I bought my 700 polaris sportsman 03 model and its the most powerful thing i own. It has never been stuck and ive had it in the lake and deep mud but it needs to be faster. My yamaha 350 raptor can out run this thing by far. But if i had a choice of pure power, i would have to pick the polaris sportsman 700.

  • by

    glenng

    Tue Apr 21 2009

    hey, i have a 2003 polaris sportsman 400. ill start with problems...where should i start. the starter blew in the first 50 hours. the electrical was gone in 60 hours. the pull cord snaped and its pretty damn slow if you ask me. it has a decent amount of power when it runs though and can go over some tough terrain. my kid's 2002 arctic cat 250 4x4 is the best machine EVER it is 100% bullet proof. one winter it was incased with a 3" layer of ice all aorund/on it and in spring, with no hesitation started right up.i have also hauled my truck (silverado 2500) 2 miles up a road with the arctic cat! great little machine!

  • by

    jessicabrushet_t

    Wed Feb 25 2009

    we bought a 2004 sportsman 600 and in two months we put in 2000.00 of parts and labour with another 1500.00 worth of work needed. Needles to say that we traded this bike and will never own another polaris. We were in touch with the company and were given the run around. We now own a 2008 Bombadier 800 XT and love it.

  • by

    popo600

    Fri Feb 13 2009

    I have a 2004 sportsman 600,great machine has all the go you could want.will go where no man has gone before, if you know how to ride one.theres no other machine that compares to the ride and power of this machine ! compared to a honda with crappy suspension,no balls and electronic shift!COME ON NOW GET REAL....... honda rancher 350 you would be lucky if it beat your own ass,then again it probably did!!!!!

  • by

    polarislvr

    Sun Jan 04 2009

    01 sportsman h.o. If any of you morons know what that is. I live in a mountainous area with plenty of rocks, hills, PONDS, etc. I have over 3000 miles and none have been easy on it. It was the baddest bike on the trail for years. Honda made a good lunch(rubicon). I'm getting an 800 soon so i'll let u know how that goes. polaris truly revolutionized atv's. i challenge any one to find a standard that was'nt started by polaris. AT, 2 or 4wd, floorboards, irs, anything else. i did have to buy a battery after it sat out over winter, no shelter whatso ever.

  • by

    ryanjinpa

    Thu Dec 11 2008

    My father, uncles, and myself all have Polaris Sportsman 500's. We've got a 1998, 2000, 2005, and a 2008. Nothing but good experiences with all of them and the older models are still going strong. Excellent quads for running all over our mountain/hunting ground. Very reliable, tons of power, and will go anywhere we need them to. Keep up with normal service and maintenance and they'll serve you well for years.

  • by

    ilovehondaitsn_umber1

    Tue Dec 09 2008

    i had a friend that owned a polaris 500 and his was ok but it just never had any fricking power at all. i beat his ass on my 05 rancher 350 in repeated races. i love honda!!! if you want something with power torque and everything in between. by a honda!!!!!!

  • by

    roadoff96

    Thu Nov 27 2008

    Got a 2007 sportsman 700EFI at first I was scared to by one I heard alot of bad things about them, but I got to good of deal to pass up and so far its been a great ride can't compaine its always there when I need it starts right up even when freezing cold or really hot out, or even if its sat for months at a time. I live in the country and tow alot with it and its never let me down, moves about anything. I have never had any problems with overheating like some do. I have rode or owned them all just about and all have good qualitys but so far the Polaris has been the nicest

  • by

    racermod

    Thu Nov 27 2008

    i have a 03 700 sportsman good machine but even with the 4x4 off when you break the rear tires loose the fronts kick in. this doesn't seem right to me, is this right?

  • by

    joey0101

    Tue Nov 18 2008

    hello i need some help i have a 1998 polaris 500 sportsman it worked good up until tonight i was driving and the motor just died sounded pretty rough along with a cloud of smoke however the buggy still has lots of compression like usual it has a nice blue spark and is gettin gas through the carburator timing chain is tight and it has oil in the oil filter black but not gritty it turns over  . oil pump? i really hope somebody can help me this is my brothers buggy and he is not gonna be impressed with me haha so if u have had a similar problem could you please help me out thanks.

  • by

    yamahapatriot

    Sat Nov 15 2008

    my grandpa has a 2004 polaris sportsman 400 and it is a HUGE PIECE OF SHIT!!! When it was less than 1 year old the ball joint snapped off along with the rest of the wheel! this has happened 2 more times since then! It also overheats like crazy, when i run it for more than 30 minutes the fan comes on and never shuts off, also the 4 wheel drive hasn't worked since 2006. oh yah one more thing, the right rear cv shaft broke so now it is a one wheel drive. I have a '92 bayou 220 and the only thing bad on it are the rear brakes and a bad electric starter. but all i have to do is use the pull cord to get around that.

  • by

    diamond0001

    Tue Oct 14 2008

    I have a polaris Sportsman 800 2007 model, from day one with one mile on it it had a laoud clanking noise. I am told again and again that this is normal but again it is loud and noisy. Further, if you ride this 4 wheeler the way it should be ridden no need to pack a lunch because you will be at the shop before lunch. It overheats in temperatures greater than 85 degrees every friggin time it is pushed a little. The power is great but to experience it, the unit must start!!!! What the hell is wrong with polaris???? If you market and sell a large atv you should have the reasonable expectation that it will run!!!!! They should recall every unit ever made and make a formal apology to all people who have unwisely purchased these units. Interestingly my Yamaha Grizzly which is 2005 has been abused from the day I bought it and guess what!!!! It runs like a top!!!!!!!!!!!

  • by

    millajw

    Mon Sep 29 2008

    I have a 2005 Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. which I bought new in 2005. Always been a Polaris fan but will never buy another of their pieces of crap ever again. About 1 year after having bought it it would not start, have now replace 3 batteries in the thing. The shifter is so incredibly hard to shift that at times you have to actually shut the machine off and let it cool down, for whatever reason, and then will resume shifting. at least a dozen times now when starting the starter continues to start and impossible to shut off the machine unless you disconnect the battery. And finally the kicker, while putting in food plots the right plastic fender melted, not dripped but melted as in molten lava completely covering the exhaust in 2 to 3 inches of plastic approximately 6 inches long thus burning my leg. Again, I have always been a Polaris fan but will never buy one again. this is particularily due to how Polaris has handled my complaints. First, they know this is a problem since they have ... Read more

  • by

    1derful6

    Wed Sep 17 2008

    I have a 2005 Polaris Sportsman 800. Works extremely well in the winter whether riding or plowing snow. As for the other three seasons, after about 2 to 3 hours of trail riding the damn machine overheats. It's like clockwork. Start out fine, run for about 2 hours in all kinds of terrain and then the overheating problem raises it's ugly head. Is this a problem with the Polaris Synthetic Coolant or is it a problem with the thermostat ? I've even tried using additives to the coolant such as "Water Wetter" and it still overheats while my friends leave me in the dust on their Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis, and Kawasakis. Please send help. I believe this deficiency can be rectified.

  • by

    polarismaster

    Sun Aug 24 2008

    l have a 700 awsome qaud some minor probs but other then that its a blast tons of power and nice smooth ride

  • by

    polarisrider

    Fri Aug 15 2008

    I have a 2007 polaris sportsman 500 H/O and unlike you guys mine rides really good. i have 1500 miles on it and over 100 hours. It has more power then the Yamaha Grizzly 600 that is around me. I think the quad rides good and is very powerful.

  • by

    doc93476

    Sat Jul 26 2008

    ya hey im thinking bout getting a 700 sportsmen i am only 15 but i got expeirence and i want to plow with it and im not planning on mudding with it just riding on trails and pulling some things but i dont want to waste my money on some peice of crap that will keep breaking down on me.(speacially overheating) does anyone have any edvice for me?..

  • by

    charlesbr

    Tue Jul 15 2008

    i have a polaris sportsman 600 and i need some help. It will start and run good for about 20 min then it shuts down and will not restart until it has sat and cooled off for a while looking for some siggestions does anyone know what is wrong with this thing

  • by

    leiphasw

    Sat Jul 12 2008

    I have a 99 Sportsman 500. I bought it new and it has about 750 miles total. I love it. I mostly use it for snow plowing my 1/4 mile gravel driveway (Pennsylvania) and pulling logs and hauling rocks in a small trailer in my woods. So far I changed the oil once (bad me), bought a new battery a year or so ago, and replaced all the bulbs once when a loose battery connection blew them all out. Other than that, it just costs the gas to keep it running. My neighbor got a Sportsman 700 the first year they came out (?). He is always working on it or paying for repairs. So I think it depends on the year of a model to determine if it is any good or not.

  • by

    atvforever

    Thu Jun 12 2008

    Ive got an 05 400 sportsman and its like riding on a turtles back except turtles can go thru water, we brought it in water once and the belt got all messed up, the CV boots keep going out of it, plus it always makes an anoing rattling sound which is supposibly normal but its a good pulling machine, I use to have an 02 500 HO Sportsman n that was kind of nice but we traded it for an 07 Honda Rincon 700 and that is a true machine does anything u need it to and then some without having any problems, plus its got no belt to worry about its fully shaft, the only polaris ive ever liked is my 2000 Trailboss 250 2WD cuz its chain driven and a 2 Cycle motor which makes it pretty quick, almost as fast as my 400

  • by

    djdady

    Mon May 26 2008

    i have a 2007 polaris sportsman it rides very nice but there is a clunk noise in the front end.polaris says its normal but the sound is awfull .it sounds like the front end is done

  • by

    element565

    Thu Mar 06 2008

    Huge piece of crap. the electrical went bad in the first 500 miles. when every you would use the winch. the fuse would pop.

  • by

    ksorvino

    Thu Feb 14 2008

    are these belt driven??? which ones arent?thanks

  • by

    mcolligan

    Mon Feb 11 2008

    where the heck is the engine oil drain plug on a 2005 polaris 700 EFI, can anyone help---Thanks

  • by

    polarisproblem

    Mon Jan 28 2008

    i have a 2002 700 sportman and it blows oil out around the oil filter it is junk can someone help me solve problem

  • by

    jaredbear

    Sun Jan 27 2008

    I purchased a 98 or 99 polaris 500. It is my first atv and have taken it through one of the muddiest places I have ever seen. ( Highway 90 by Crosby, TX) The atv is all stock, I took it through places it should have not made it. Some snorkled atvs had more trouble than me. Muddy trails, creeks at least 2 feet deep in most places and deeper in others. Little problem with the belt when it gets wet, there is no drane plug so I had to rev the motor in neutral till I got the water all out. I don't like the whole submerging idea, but I was glad the 500 could hang like it did. I will snorkle this atv for safety purposes, everyone who submerged their atvs had mechanical trouble at some point, too much work for me!! This atv is awesome!! I'll stick to the deep wood trails and 2 foot deep creeks, thats enough for me. I recommend a polaris to anyone.

  • by

    polarisrocks

    Sat Dec 01 2007

    i have a polaris sportsman 2007 700 EFI and it works great i have only gone up to 65mp but its better than my old Honda POLARIS IS THE BEST. be careful atvs are dangerous

  • by

    ccrb48ec

    Sat Sep 15 2007

    verry noise piece of crap, electrical problems from the start

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