Polaris 500 or 800

[CRAZZY_CARL]

I am trying to decide which 4 wheeler to buy I am trying to decide whether to buy the sportsman 500 or 800 and if I should spend the extra money for an EFI. Let me know your input?

[bmxer18]

500 efi is amazing own one love it but i wish i would of got an 800 more power taller form the ground u wont bottom out on stuff and get stuck but either one are amazing

[Pickert]

The bigger the better I say.

[Tom318]

Depends on what your going to be using it for. If you are going to be doing allot of pulling and work the hell out of it I would go with the 800. I'm 6'4 and 225lbs, I have an 08 sportsman 500 HO and it suits me just fine for trail riding and hunting purposes. I actually just got back from a trail ride in Central Wisconsin I was riding with another 500 ho, a couple polaris 700 efi's, Kingquad 700 and a Can Am 650, to be quite honest they might have a bit more get up and go but I stuck right with them in the goop. I also have a 54 inch blade that I use to push snow with in the winter, Would I like to have more power? Yes!! But do I really need it?? No. Good Luck with your decision, either choice I think you will be happy

[south40]

I have an '07 sportsman 800 efi and it works awesome. I use it with a tecomate plotmaster to rip up food plots. The 500 might pull it just fine, but the 800 definitely works hard when the unit is set all the way down into the ground. One thing about it is that it weighs something like 750 lbs. One of the heaviest quads out there. If you are not set on Polaris, I might consider a Yamaha or Can-Am. I am pretty sure they are at least 75 lbs lighter. For plowing snow the heavy Polaris 800 is tough to beat.

[bigdave1029]

Look at it as a investment, E.F.I. is super tuff you can do anything to the motor and the computer does the fuel / air ratio for you. Throttle response will be at no contest to a carb for sure, and if you go on a trip to different sea levels there's no rejetting the carb. And its cool having the badest quad on the block.

[Stump]

If you are not set on Polaris, I might consider a Yamaha or Can-Am. I am pretty sure they are at least 75 lbs lighter. For plowing snow the heavy Polaris 800 is tough to beat.

Or a Kawi Brute Force. I'm loving my 750i and honestly rides and feels better(to me) than any Sportsman I've ever rode on. Can-am....I couldn't afford it. And I had a tough choice between a Grizzly(because I'm a huge fan) and the Brute Force. Went BF because I got a smokin deal. And helped my ground clearance with after market shocks which gave me about 1.25"-1.5" more than stock.


BF 750i(2009)

Towing capacity 1,250 lbs.
Curb weight 652.7 lbs.
Ground clearance 9.7 in.

Polaris 800(2010)

Dry Weight 741 lb. (336 kg.)
Hitch Towing Rating 1,500 lb. (680.4 kg.)
Ground Clearance 11.25 in. (28.6 cm)

Yam Grizzly 700FI(2009)

Ground Clearance 11.8 in
Weight 648 lb
Towing Capacity 1322 lb

[buck1765]

I heard the B.F's roll easy on gravel. Stump, have you heard anything about that???
I have a Sportsman 700 efi and love it. I have been working the piss out of it and haven't had a problem yet.

[Stump]

I heard the B.F's roll easy on gravel. Stump, have you heard anything about that???

Only when doing things your not probably suppose to be doing. What better way to break in a new quad than to roll it with less than 10 miles on it. I was "checking" to see how strong the handle bars were.

[buck1765]

I hear ya. Got mine hung up on a stump Sunday morning. Was spraying some tall weeds and didn't see it. The are heavy pigs to move.

[james brown]

The best wheeler that i have found is the honda rincon 670. Its got plenty of power, fuel injected, liquid cooled, automatic or manual (simple slide of a switch), and is shaft driven instead of belt like polaris and the brute force. I have a 650 and love it. I have put that mother through some tough spots and got the pics to prove that it still runs strong.

[Swens]

I own a 2008 Polaris Sportsman 500 and I can't see any reason for owning anything bigger. I use it for food plots, climbing hills, pulling trees, trailers full of wood. It never has a problem doing anything I want it to do.

[Roofer]

The Polaris 500 EFI has very close to the power of the 680 Rincon. The Rincon also has no low range. Good for trail riding, but not for working or slow technical trails.

The 500 EFI will get 100 miles to a tank of fuel. The 800 will get 50-60 miles.
The 500 does good, but the 800 seems to have twice the power. My wife rides a 500 EFI, my dad has a 08 800 HO EFI, and I ride a XP 850, so I have hands on experience with each one.

With the XP 550 and 850, the power is increased (quite a bit with the 850), the suspension is much better with the IFS instead of struts, and the mileage with the 850 is right on with the 500 (100 miles to a tank). Also have the option on power steering. Mine doesn't have it, but it steers easier than the older sportsmans. All the Sportsmans steer easier than the 06 brute force I had. I haven't ridden a newer one.

Sportsmans are known for their suspension. There isn't one better on the market for trail riding.

I would definitely opt for the EFI. My brute was the only carb machine I had that worked great in all weather, but the EFi is even better. With EFI, you still need a programmer with mods. The air/fuel doesn't respond like a car because there is no O2 sensor.

What are you going to use it for?

[Roofer]

I heard the B.F's roll easy on gravel. Stump, have you heard anything about that???
I have a Sportsman 700 efi and love it. I have been working the piss out of it and haven't had a problem yet.

The BF's and Grizzly's are tippy, but aftermarket wheels and tires solve that.

That is a thing about the weight issue. By the time you get decent wheels and tires on the Jap machines they are alot closer to the weight of the Sportsmans.
Not putting down the Jap machines though. I loved the brute I had.

[Stump]

I would definitely opt for the EFI. My brute was the only carb machine I had that worked great in all weather, but the EFi is even better. With EFI, you still need a programmer with mods. The air/fuel doesn't respond like a car because there is no O2 sensor.

What are you going to use it for?

Roofer,

Would I see a lot of performance differences if I put in a programmer with the mods on my BF 750i?

If so, what are we looking at for $$?

[Roofer]

Not sure what mods you have, but yes, you will see increases if it's dialed in correctly. Google power commander

The PCIII is supposed to be real good with the ignition module. Velocity Devices (VDI) also has one. I'm not real up on the brutes anymore, so I'm not positive what everyone is doing. These places will help you out with any questions.

It's best to get things "tuned" correctly when doing mods so you don't burn things up. Some mods don't need any tuning where others do.

[dbl lung]

I purchased a new 2005 Polaris 700 EFI. It has ran flawlessly for the past 4 years. I pull a Mossy Oak Tuffline Disc for food plots and push a 60" Moose snowplow for my driveway and sidewalk. The thing does not even grunt. The only issue is the gas mileage is poor.....but I don't do much trail riding so I don't care. The machine thus far is bullet proof. The only thing I have added to it is a warn 2500 LB winch. I check the oil regularly but have never had to add any to it. One friend has the same machine and another has the 800. They are both very satisfied also.

Personally I have heard some real horror stories (bad trannies, over heating issues, oil burners, ect) with the other manufacturers. The older smaller Polaris' had issues with the belts but I have not heard anything negative about the newer models dating back to about 2004.

I would definiately buy the biggest (the 800 or even the XP 850) if you have the money. It is always better to have to much than wish you had more power. Good luck in your selection.