May purchase a 2000 Polaris 335 Sportsman. Any experience or advice would be apreciated! I have a few Honda 3 wheelers, thats all the experience I have.

Edit to add that [s]I[/s] the kids will mostly use it for recreation and some light duty work.

bump for prime time

DO NOT BUY POLARIS
If there is one thing Japs know it is building 4-wheelers and dirt bikes.
I have a '98 250 2-stroke Trail Boss, my friend has a '00 325 4-stroke Trail Boss, and a neighbor has a '00 90 Scrambler for his kid.

My 4-wheeler has had
-$600 new front strut assembly
-new sprockets and chain
-all wheels are bent
-front break binds
-transmission is being fixed in the shop right now

'00 325 =
-New chain/sprockets
-Break problems

'00 90 =
-front wheels are bowed outward 45 degrees
-front wheels rub
-brake dosen't work

Cousins YAMAHA

'86 Blaster =
New tires and breaks
ONE new chain
One rebuild caused by lack of oil
THATS ALL

Get a Yamaha or something that isn't polaris

Polaris' have ZERO long term reliability


-DEERSNIPER
[sniper]

Zero reliability....hmmmmmm.  My dad has a 92 Polaris 350 L 4x4 with about 2000 miles of climbing mountains in Montana and hauling wood and general trail riding in snow and mud here in MN and has had a grand total of two cans of chain lube, one bottle of tire Slime and one spark plug.  I have a 2000 500 Sportsman HO.  So far (in about 750 miles) have had to change the oil.  I have rolled it twice and hauled more shit with it in and out of the woods and the mountains and it has not skipped a beat from 115 degrees to 25 below zero.  I would buy another one in a heartbeat.  I have a very good friend who has a ranch in Montana who uses 4 wheelers EVERY day and he prefers Kawasakis.  

I really like the belt drive of the Polaris.  Some will say that the belt can get wet and leave you stuck.  I have yet to have this happen, and I've had my Sportsman in the mud/water up to the seat (with the exaust bubblin' away).  I did smoke the belt once, pulling a loaded enclosed 2 place snowmobile trailer up a hill in reverse.  OOPS.

I have another friend with a 400 Sportsman.  He literally beats the shit out of it.  He's a guy who like to jump alot.  I have yet to hear of him breaking down.

I guess everyone has a opinion.  Honda's are very good machines too.  I've had good luck with my Polaris, so I'll stick with it.  BTW-I like Polaris sleds too.

Sleepy717