Okay,
I know there are ATV specific forums out there, but I figured someone here might have experience with a Polaris EFI machine.
Looking at buying a new 800 EFI Polaris Sportsman in the next week or so. Does anyone here have a Polaris EFI machine that can tell me the good the bad the ugly?

Already have an '04 400 Sportsman and love it (gotta love IRS ).
I am sold on Polaris, just have no experience with EFI

~Rob

 

Jeez boy, why on earth do you need an 800ci, v-twin, fuel injected, 4wd fourwheeler. Wait a sec, I answered my own question.

DroolingBlue

 

Buddy of mine has one, that thing is insaine. I have a 99 sportsman 500 with a little over 11,000 miles on it now had the carb rebuilt twice . Want to get another one, I'm going to go with a 500 EFI. I heard the EFI are a little more fuel efficent.

 

I have an 04 sportsman 500. 350 miles, and its junk. Been sitting torn apart for nearly a year now. I get mad every time I think about it. I have been planning to get it back together for some time now. Its just every time I think I about it, I want nothing to do with it. I will never have another polaris, even if they paid me to take one. I would rather have something that you could ride more then you have to work on.

 

Rob, You already got your utility quad. Now it's time for something to play with. What about a Yamaha Raptor 700 EFI?? Now that would be a FUN ride!!!!!!!!! You could run circles around my wimpy Kawasaki KFX 400 with a beast like that!

If I wasn't broke from spending all my money on my truck.....I'd be at the Yamaha Dealer! That EFI they added to the Raptor is awesome, so I hear.

 

That's interesting. We've got an 03 Sportsman 500 and it's been great. Only problem we've had with it is the tranny belt shredded on it because mom towed 1000-2000lbs in high gear for about a year straight like I told her not to do. Ever since then, not a single problem. It's been hooked to that same trailer every day and gets it's ever living butt worked off. I love our fourwheeler. I just wish I could get it out more often to go and play with it.

 

Wow! 800cc...
Here I'am sporting around on a little Kawasaki Prairie 300 4x4.

MikeyB

 

I bought an Polaris Sportmans 800EFI, limited edition in Dec. This machine is just awesome. With the EFI, you just turn the key and go. We ride in the Spring & Fall when
the temps are all over the board. I had a 98 Polaris Sports
man 500, sold that with 3,000 miles on to a friend. I
replaced that with a 01 Polaris Sportsman 500. I sold that
to my friends father with over 4,600 miles on it, then bought the 800EFI. This was "want" vs "need". I never had a problem with any of the Polaris atv's. The 500's had more then enough power for me, but the 800 does it a whole easier, with less effort. We trail ride with an average speed of about 16-17mph, per the GPS. The 98 is the best on fuel, 100 -125 miles on a tank. The 01 is a HO, (high
output)90 - 115 miles on a tank. The 800EFI is still new and I'm getting about 80+ miles on a tank. The 2006 fuel tank is just a tad smaller then the 98 & 01 model, plus you have twin cylinder, and about 300cc more. Like I said, I never had a problem with any of the Polaris atv's, and only up-graded because of "want". Kind of like "wanting" a new
truck... I think all of the new machines are very nice, and
EFI is the way to go. I will stick with Polaris, like I have always stuck to Dodge trucks. Whatever machine you buy, I'm sure you will enjoy it. Have fun, and ride safely.

Jim

 

What went wrong with your Polaris???????????

 

I run only Polaris machines also, my brother married the local Polaris dealers daughter. And they sponsor our race cars

My best friend just bought a 06 sportsman 500 EFI. My brother has a 05 sportsman 600 twin. The two machines are vitually identical with acceleration and top speed. The 500 EFI starts and idles much, much easier. Also the 500 EFI gets better fuel mileage. The only thing that we all like better about the 600 twin is the exhaust sound. All in all though both are great machines.

IMO, for 4x4 atvs, Polaris has BY FAR the best suspensions out there. Nothing else is really even close. They are also strong and reliable machines. But, also IMO, for reliabilty, nothing compares to Honda. Its just Hondas are slow and terrible suspensions, at least for woods or trail riding. Bret

 

I kind of follow a couple of the atv boards. I'd go over to atvconnection.com or highlifter.com (more for the mudder crowd).

I think the first review of the 800 Polaris I saw they liked the machine, but trashed the belt by the end of the testing (which was probably abusive). Polaris generally seem to be heavier when comparied to other machines in the same class, but a little extra steel isn't necessarily a bad thing in my book. The Sportsman is like 770 lbs, were a Brute Force 750 is 604, and an Outlander 800 is 639.

The only downside I could think of with EFI is that I understand some brands can be pull started with a dead battery, and some won't.

If I were in the market for a bigbore EFI machine, I'd be looking hard at the BPR Outlander 800...

 

I bought a new 600 Sportsman a couple of years ago. Plenty of power and speed, and the ride is unbelievable. I've yet to do any serious off-road, but use it primarily for work in the country. I have a front dump bucket and scrapper blade that I use with it. It will pick up a bucket of wet sand or horse manure and take it anywhere you want it. I used it last year to spread gravel on about 700 feet of driveway. It done a good job, but I still need to run a harrow up and down the drive a few time to smooth the "speed bumps".

I had a Honda before this one and would no doubt buy another Polaris, but I would go with the EFI on the next go-round. I think that with any gas engine, EFI is the only way to go.

 

I have a 06 EFI 700 Raptor and love it. Wont ever go back to a carb. Just turn the key and push the button. Last winter a budie who keeps his machines(750 Brute Force and Z400) at my house sometimes came over to ride last and when he went out to the garage to start both our machines he came back in and cursed at me. His Z was hesitent to start and took a lot of cranking and my EFI raptor just poped rite off and purred like a kitten. I think it was around 10 deg that day. I will keep this machine and probobly get a 800 Outlander someday down the road for our Colorado trips. I have mixed feelings abought the Polaris line of machines. Generaly they tend to be bad feelings but I agree that they are making improvments and getting better. I just dont think they are good enough yet. They are still way to heavy and slow. They are hit and miss for reliability. You either get a good one or a total peice of junk. The one time I tried Polaris I happen to get a total pile of garbage. I averaged $100 a month in repairs. The real big kiker is that the 800 Outlander has 25% more horspower than the 800 Polaris and wheighs 110 pounds less. My cousin just ordered a 800 outlander Saturday so when it comes in I will be sure to get some seat time.

 

i have 2 Arctic Cat 650 V Twins. They arent EFI but racing an 800EFI polaris isnt even fun for me. On rough trail the cats suspension is untouchable when riding with a polaris. i am waiting for 10 minutes for him to catch up because his machine doesnt take the bumps very well. Maybe because the Polaris 800 weighs more than its CC's. Too heavy.

I beat the high holy crap out of my Arctic Cat. The 700 EFI cat is nice but still slow and feels like a 500 compared to mine. I guess i just have freak 650s because mine run amazing compared to machines they should be smoked by. I blew my rear differential a couple weeks ago due to jumping it way too much. i think my shocks will need to be replaced from lots of 15 foot drops wearing them out. My rear bumper needs replaced because i wheelie too much and it is bent a little bit.

Well thats my rant. I guess you were asking about EFI. it sure is nice, heh. My arctic cat dealer services all brands and the machines he gets the most are polaris with problems. I took mine back for a rear brake light switch, and my other 650 is perfectly fine. no problems.

 

??? No clue, you tell me. JUNK!!! It was a lemon thats for sure. I had a 95 425 magnum 4x4 and the only problem I ever had with it was a couple of flowed spark plugs and one battery. That was 3 years and I don't remember exactly but well over 2000 miles. This sportsman has really been junk to say the least. I am more then disapointed with it. 4 belts, and the main drive chain that was a couple hundred dollars. Keep in mind this is with 340 very easy miles. It looks like a very very large timeing chain or transfer case style chain. It broke it in two. Wouldn't you be disapointed? There was always alot of back lash in the drive train, so I now know what it was. It is an 04.5 with park, so maybe it has something to do with being one of the frist ones with that transmisson. Kinda like an 03 ford 6.0