UTV: Polaris vs Yamaha

[EricL]

I had been a Honda guy since the early 80's, 3 wheelers back then. I had ridden my Honda Rubicon from 2003 until 2007 when a friend let me ride his new 700 Grizz. The next day I had a new Grizz. When people asked why I changed, there was no hesitation: fuel injection, diff lock, IRS, power steering, 4 wheel disc brakes, ride quality, etc. I ended up owning 4 different Grizzly's with no issues or problems ever. I am looking at side by sides and need a little education. If you have intel that I could use, please share. What, why, how, issues, shortcomings. I am thinking the differences won't be as glaring as my story but I do believe in doing lots of research before spending the coin!!

Thanks in advance!!!

[BAR300]

If you buy Polaris get the longest warranty you can afford-Your gonna need it. The newer 900 Rangers seem better than the old 800's so that might be a better bet, not to mention Polaris recently stopped making the 800's. Polaris has a long history of making crap then not admitting it's their fault for making the crap. That said, the Rangers are the best for what they do, smoothest riding-best power, ect...but it's going to break, you just have to be prepared for it.

I'm not impressed with Arctic Cats the last couple of years, Honda's are probably solid ( I haven't checked them out) I did look at the Kawasaki's nice if your not going to hunt with it, doesn't seem all that rugged to me. Can Am's got lotsa power and look cool, but haven't owned one. Yamaha as you know makes a quality product, hard to go wrong with a rhino in my opinion.

[EricL]

Good info BAR. I think you can see what I'm thinking. Went at looked at some Polaris units today. Just in the education stage at this point.

[AKBEE]

Just an FYI in case you aren't aware- Rhino was replaced by the Viking (2 models). They look pretty sweet. I hear some negative things about the Polaris but I have been in one a few times that has been used really hard and had almost no maintenance done to it and it runs like a clock.

[Fishkill]

Viking is too big and way under powered, been in several Rangers, they run well and go places you would not think they could go, they do have reliability issues in the drive line and suspension. My choice is either the Kawasaki Teryx or Ranger, the Teryx seems more reliable. If money were not important, Can Am.

[AK Bearcat]

We have a 2013 Arctic Cat Prowler, that we got after last hunting season. So far we have over 450 miles on it and it has done what we have asked of it. We will be taking it hunting here in a few days and then we will really be 'testing ' it out. One issue that I have is that whit a full soft top on it, it is noisy inside. The other thing that I need to watch out for is how deep of water I attempt to go through. It looks like 26" of water is going to be the limit at this time. That may seem like a lot, but as others know, there are times when the water can but up to the seat on a good four wheeler. We have replaced the 26" tires with 27", and have been looking at lift kits but have not found/seen one that I like.
Spend some time talking to people in the field hunting and see what they have to say. Sometimes it can be interesting.

[alaskabliss]

I have 1300 hard overloaded hunting and mudding miles on my 2008 ranger and haven't had a problem with it that I didn't cause. I have never heard of all these Polaris issues and I hang with a bunch of ranger owners.
All machines have there pro's and con's. The polaris has a big following and accesories and aftermarket parts are easy to find. Axles can break and do. Upgrade them with Super atv axles and you will be done with it. The stockers will last as long as your not hard on it in reverse while turning sharp, or even turning sharp forward and getting traction.
I have replaced brakes, tie-rod ends, ball joints and wheel bearings. All were needed but I do run wheel spacers and that will speed up wear, along with oversize tires and all the mud and crap.
I just replaced the stock battery and also run another under the hood with a custom battery box.
My advice is to go out and kick some tires. Find what fits you and does what you want. I wanted a hunting rig that would get me in and out with a load and the ranger fit the bill.
Good luck in your search

[MORSNO]

Yamaha has another UTV coming out this fall, part of their 5 in 5 years plan. Yes, Yamaha seems underpowered compared to the Polaris, but how fast do you go with your UTV? It's a work horse not desert sand rail, it will get you there and back without having to replace A-arms, belts, driveline, etc. Look at the threads in this part of the forum, what is falling apart? You know what is dependable.
* And yes, I own both Yamaha and Polaris products

[Martin14]

We have a 2013 Arctic Cat Prowler, that we got after last hunting season. So far we have over 450 miles on it and it has done what we have asked of it. We will be taking it hunting here in a few days and then we will really be 'testing ' it out. One issue that I have is that whit a full soft top on it, it is noisy inside. The other thing that I need to watch out for is how deep of water I attempt to go through. It looks like 26" of water is going to be the limit at this time. That may seem like a lot, but as others know, there are times when the water can but up to the seat on a good four wheeler. We have replaced the 26" tires with 27", and have been looking at lift kits but have not found/seen one that I like.
Spend some time talking to people in the field hunting and see what they have to say. Sometimes it can be interesting.

I've currently got my 2011 Prowler torn down in my garage because we encountered water that was a little too deep. After I'm done cleaning everything out, I'm going to attempt my own snorkel job. I'll post pics/specifics if I'm successful.

[kenaiphisher]

Yamaha seems underpowered compared to the Polaris, but how fast do you go with your UTV? It's a work horse not desert sand rail

Rangers are not "sand rails" and nor are Rhinos. They both are geared for utility purpose, Rangers just have more power. As others have mentioned, the 800's have had their issues; that's why the came out the the 900 in a whole new design. I have a 2013 Ranger XP 900 and I love it. I have several friends that have 800s and my 900 is leaps and bounds better.

I have heard mixed reviews on the Yamaha UTV's, just like the Polaris. There is no perfect UTV, you just have to decide what fits your needs and take care of it. I only have 500 miles on my Ranger 900, but they are hard mile with big loads. I have yet to have a single issue. Just my $.02....

[EricL]

Excellent information guys. I went to ER Polaris and got some good information. That 6x6 did get my attention but Paul said it won't be in the line up in 2015 thanks to the EPA.

[bashley]

I've been a Yamaha guy for many years but I always shop around. The new Honda Pioneer really caught my eye because it doesn't have a belt drive, but it also doesn't have a low range. After several weeks of kicking a lot of tires I bought a 2014 Prowler HDX 700. The amount of features, huge bed size, and leg room really sold me. My biggest concern was reliability, but after long, honest, talks with my dealer most of my concerns were put to rest. I'll accept a few little annoyances that I'll have to fix over getting something I'm just not happy with.
I've been in the Ranger XP 900 and was not impressed, it did o.k. but I just don't understand what all the hype is about. I've been in the Rhino 700 and was very impressed with the capability of that machine. It felt rock solid and every time I thought we were screwed it came through it just fine. Unfortunately I really needed the third seat and the Rhino does not offer that, and the Viking just wasn't jiving with me too much. It's bigger than my HDX, without any more power, and IMO is kinda ugly.
Like previously stated, they all have there problems/ shortcomings. Just decide on which ones you're willing to accept.

[theultrarider]

Love my Ranger 6x6. Ill never go back to just 4 wheels. Not for a hunting rig or workhorse. Pretty amazing unit. Yes. Like with all toys there's a few issues. Most can be taken care off and avoided. I dont think I've had a toy of any kind or brand that didnt have a few bugs. Good luck with your decision.

[shayno]

I don't think the rhino is under powered for what it is.. I love mine and I only expect that it do what it is intended for. I have wayyy more than 1300 miles as stated earlier and with great maintance it has never left me stranded and runs great. If you want a go fast get a rzr, if you want to have more of a hunting machine get a ranger, rhino, prowler. All have their pros and cons. I personally don't like Polaris, ive been stranded 80 miles 2x on a NEW snowmachine.......... so I will learn from my mistakes. The benefit of the rhino is the size, its a baby compared to the rest of the machines anymore. The bad thing about the rhino is its small..you see what I mean, its a trade off. I do great in small trails and I easily keep up with the wheelers. My rhino does 51 mph, so I don't know how much faster it needs to go. I wish that Yamaha would build a 6x6 rhino, I would totally be into that! If I was new to the market I would look at the new can am 6x6!

[Akheloce]

Since a significant portion of my cabin commute is on boardwalks and bridges built for ATV's, the Rhino's size makes it the only UTV that is useful to me. I have a 450, and it has plenty of power. I haul 1000-1500 lbs of material regularly, and it climbs some tough hills no problem.

In the Air Force, we had Rangers. I personally think the Ranger rides rougher, and is more nose heavy when entering mud holes. The Rhino, IMO is a better balanced off roader.

To be fair, I have replaced both rear axles in my Rhino, the brakes twice, and all 4 wheel bearings in the 5 years I've owned it. Also, the thing holds mud like nothing else when trying to pressure wash it. Might as well buy a washer, since if you were at a car wash, you'd probably go through $20 every time.