Polaris Sportsman v Honda Foreman Rubicon Raw Comparison! 

I’ve been a third party ATV mechanic for over ten years, and have personally owned several of each Polaris, Yamaha, and Honda ATV’s. Polaris quads are fast and fun, but I continuously have at least one Polaris in the shop getting an engine rebuild, not to mention electrical problems and clutch issues. Pretty much the only thing Honda’s come in for is oil changes and the odd CV axle. Take it for what it’s worth. Polaris parts are incredibly expensive, almost impossible to find aftermarket, and they’re a nightmare to work on.

Picked up 2023 Rubicon today and put it through its paces. Fantastic machine!

I bought a 2020 sportsman 850 brand new, within the first 1k miles, all 4 wheel bearings were bad and all the suspension bushings were shot. I sold it and bought a 2022 Honda rancher 420 foot shift. I miss the power and comfortable ride of the polaris, but I know that honda will always get me home. Next machine will definitely be a grizzly 700

2020 Honda Rubicon 520 going on 11k km and not a single issue. I work the wheeler hard and pile the kms on the trail. Awesome 4wheeler. No complaint.

Excellent comparison video gentlemen! As far as reliability is concerned, I've had 5 Honda's and not one issue with any of them other than torn boots and broken pieces as a result of poor operator decisions (we drive'em on rough trails) - lol. One of our regular's, Crazy Dave, owns an 800 Sportsman that he literally abuses the crap out of to the point that half the body is being held together by zip ties, yet has never had a breakdown. And then there's Taco's 550 Kitty. It hauls the big man's 350 lb carcass around with barely a complaint despite its odometer pushing 20,000 kms. I guess what I'm trying to say is they are all quite reliable when you consider what they are used for and how hard they are driven (on average). Thanx again for the awesome review boys!

The Rubicon is by far the superior machine , ive owned all the japanese quads over the yrs there just superior build quality and function , I own Grizzlys love them last one was a Rubicon

Both machines were surprisingly fun for trail ripping and if you’re into work they would be good for that as well! Good review DO 💪

Every Polaris should come with a mechanic. I’ve owned them & people I know as well who has problems with them. They are comphy to ride but look cheaply made. That front storage box is a nice feature when your not putting anything on the rack but I’ve seen so many of them broken off. I have a first Gen Rubicon that it’s hard to part with & I use it mostly for plowing snow. Only major problem is reverse lockout switch needed replaced & front a arm bushings but I never heard of a unhappy Honda owner except there under powered.

I have had my 2009 Honda rancher 420 foot shift for 13 year and I have beat the crap out of that thing and I have only had one problem with the fuel pump and it still running strong today

I be had several Hondas throughout the years starting with a 110 3-wheeler through a 250R ATC and then into the quads with a 300 4x4, 400 4x4, 450 4x4 and the last was a 500 Rubicon and they were all very good. My biggest problem I see with the Polaris is the plastic racks back when I was riding hard with a bunch of extreme mudders when someone was stuck another person would push them out and sometimes those PoPo racks got broken

Having owned Polaris and Honda I will take Honda every time

Been running Hondas since 91’ and not much has changed, not the gnarliest machine but a reliable do all workhorse. Currently running a 21’ Rubicon foot shift. I don’t knock other brands I go with what has always served me well.

Both are great machines. I've owned both, and both never let me down.

So raw!!!!!! 2 fun little rippers!

Great video guys... I have owned (my first and only) Honda Foreman TRX 500 a 2012 with ES and ESP and had good resale when I sold it spring of 2022. It wasn't 100% reliable either as I had freeze up between shifts in the gear, more so in colder sub zero weather and especially when going up a steep hill. Nothing pissed me off in being on a steep hill then having to get stopped by my shifter which I considered a safety issue. It didn't do it as often with more kilometers on it. Sold with 8000 kms or 5000 miles as it was getting dated and started getting into the bigger maintenance. That being said I purchased a 2022 Polaris 570 Trail Edition with the intention of keeping it for at least 4-5 hunting seasons and to be on the safe side got the extended warranty. Issues that was expected the clunking getting into all gears and sometimes take off, was explained by Polaris technician that its the way the clutch is set up and how the helix chucks slap into the gear mechanism. Now that it was explained, that is a quality and poor engineering issue from Polaris so I will hold them accountable should any failures happen during the warranty period. Also the gear shifter (handle) and how it works is substandard compared to the Japanese brands. It's like I'm putting an old tractor into gear. The plus side to the Polaris is the HP and plush suspension, ground clearance, and the AWD system (including low gear selection), the gearing and handling is way above the Honda's performance. In summary I think Honda has reliability and quality on its side for reputation. Polaris has over all better performance, handling and comfort. I'm an older guy at 59 and the comfort and performance was a consideration in my purchase. It was a trade off for reliability.

Awesome information and great video really learned alot

I own 2007 Polaris 700 EFI I beat it out and still running now. Awesome machine. Remember!! Kept it clean and wash it well. After done ridding it.. 👍🏼

I bought the wife a 23' Polaris 450. Comes without engine braking for slower speed dirt-gravel road riding. I like the engine braking for myself riding much faster and aggressive at times. Main reason for buying the 450 Polaris for Her is the one brake does both front and back braking, simple and easy to use in rougher trail conditions. 4x4 on demand, again simple and easy to use. Comfortable seat and great suspension. Good selection in Rack accessories. She likes accessories and so do I. The new wench design is a awesome fitting accessory. I Had to have it on Her machine even though she didn't want it. Lets not forget how tough it looks, damm. I had Her test the 570 first. Big complaint is color selection for the 450, Green and Burnt Orange.

Honda all day. Just better build quality and reliability.

Good comparison Boyz. Yeah Polaris always has the edge in ride quality in factory form over the Japanese units. Also Polaris has the lightweight steering which is great in slow tight trails but can be a little twitchy at high speeds I’ve noticed... cheers my friend!!

Great video boys, great honest reviews of both machines. Honestly if your a honda guy your gonna buy a honda if your a Polaris guy your gonna buy Polaris.

I like my 2007 Polaris 500HO, it has 5500 miles on it and zero issues. I recently changed the belt for the first time, but looking at the old belt you really could not see any wear. I will be replacing the springs this summer because they are getting tired.

I’d really like to see a sportsman 570 trail vs Grizzly 700 se or xtr comparison also can’t wait to see the new Outlander 700 vs grizzly. You guys to great videos!

Great video, I bought a 2021 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS in fall of 21 and had nothing but trouble. Fuel Guage didn't work day 1, took 2 months and several trips to the shop to fix. Bike would not turn over to start if it was below 40 degrees (bad during hunting season) and it was in the shop most of 21 hunting season. By 30 hours and 120 miles every bushing in the back squeaked, you can't mount a rifle to the front racks because it is all flimsy plastic held by one center hinge and two rubber straps that dry rot fast. I also had a hole in one rear cv boot that was there in 1 month. Just trail rode a few times and mostly around the farm hunting. Worst thing it did was go through several creeks less than halfway up the wheels. In 2022 Hunting season was stopped due to stop ride order recall so I had to wait for them to fix it. Piece of junk. The dealer eventually bought it back but I lost some money considering the headache and I didn't ride it much. Learned my lesson. It was a nice riding machine, looked awesome everyone loved it and it would climb any hill but I will take the rough riding Honda anytime.

My 2022 Rubicon is sitting quietly in the garage. The FA7 blue color, deluxe. Can't wait to stick a lift and bigger tires on, really crawls through mud and performs wickedly nice.

Good video and comparison. I sure wish Honda would update the Rincon…. With EPS, diff lock, and make it a 800cc. Thanks

Great video fellas

Both are nice machines, but you’ll be hard pressed to match the quality and durability of the Rubicon. I just bought a new 2024 Rubicon 520 with manual shift, and other than scant storage… it’s a world class machine.

I have a 2022 Polaris sportsman 450 and absolutely love it. I take it trail riding on tight trails and it’s holding up great. The ride is extremely comfortable compared to the straight axle Hondas I ride with, and the machine is very powerful too. I’m very pleased with its reliability so far. I chose the Polaris because I really like the suspension, look, and power. You can never go wrong with a Honda in most cases, but Polaris will always be the machine for me.

I love my 2022 rubicon , I have also a rzr turbo and to be honest I found more exiting riding my quad 🥰

Excellent job. Thanks.

Polaris has the ride and seat Honda has the reputation of reliability dependability and quality craftsmanship Honda beats Polaris by a MILE. I’ve owned both Honda by a MILE !!!

Now what would your thoughts be on something like a brute 750? More power than both bikes, it's only a few hundred more expensive than the Rubi if you grab the last year's model and you get so many benefits compaired to the 5-600cc bikes. It's got the typical Japanese reliability.and just as big of an aftermarket support as Honda or can am.

Great comparison! BTW you can adjust the level of steering assist on the Polaris, Low, Medium and High. I'm not sure if you can do that on the Honda.

Awesome review, I’m the person that would sacrifice all the positive options of the Polaris to go with the reliability of Honda. I or my family has owned Polaris trailblazers and scramblers of the past but you can beat the durability that the Japanese built atvs provide. Polaris has came a long way tho!

I have a trv 500 "443" seems pretty great so far 400 miles of pinned trail riding. Yes seems a little underpowered top end had to stiff in the front shocks up two notches but it seems to hang with everything just fine and holding up

Yeaughhh!! New content brothers! If you’re gonna beat on them take the Rubicon without question . If you’re gonna be low mileage gentle use , low abuse , take the sportsman 450 for the comfort . But honestly in this current market offering my opinion only I’d skip both of these machines and just find a dealer not charging set up fees and buy a grizzly 700. 15hp more , high quality and similar price point while offering more performance. Most dealers right now are adding accessories and marking them up. I’ve literally seen those 450 sportsman’s marked at 9500-9800$ now . My new grizzly was $10,600 plus sales tax OTD. No fees of any sort . Glad to see new content chad ! And Brian too lol. Now one of y’all buy my excellent condition premium xp 1000 sporty so I can get it off my books 😂. Btw …..better buy soon , Yamaha is supposed to be doing a price increase in June , and Polaris just went up another 1000$ on the entry level sportsman 1000. It’s $15,499 msrp now !! Otd for most people will be around 18-18,500! . Absolutely insane e .

Outstanding Video! I hope you folks can do the same video with Yamaha Kodiak and Can Am Outlander 450.

Last year I looked at both bought the Honda Foreman I didn't get the Rubicon mainly because I wanted it old school. I have the live rear axle not independent suspension and the foot shifter no Auto push button anything no power steering even less to break. I really enjoy the machine the main selling Factor was I've always been a Honda person and the track record for Polaris reliability hasn't never been that great from what I've heard

Both are good machines, Honda obviously has the durability of the Honda name but i dont know much about either to be hones.. I did skip forward until i see you two absolutely stunning men. Just a couple good looking dudes i tell ya lol

I have owed several hondas they are reliable. But I have a 2012 Polaris 400 that I bought after it was sunk. It's not quite as reliable as my hondas but it's a lot nicer to ride on. I wish one of the manufacturers would make one with out the handle bar mounted light (useless with anything on the rack) and they could skip the fancy led screen too. Thanks for a good review

I will say my 2018 sportsman 570 is holding up better than my 1000.....almost 6000 miles on the 570 and no major issues, just maintenence items like bearings, a battery, and a belt. Both are meticulously maintained but the 1000 wears out things faster for sure.

Where would Honda's DCT fall at in this comparison? Also, the Honda Foreman seems to be what most of the dealers promote sighting the solid axle as superior for most riding. I would be interested in your thoughts.

The long term maintenance records from my experience with both was Honda went 4000 miles before needing repairs , My Polaris had been in the repair shop 5 times by that time other than that Polaris seemed to be the one I liked to ride the most .

Nice review. Would love to see anything on a can am 570. Thank you.

Thanks for the review. Did the test Rubicon have Honda's 'DCT' transmission? As for the power steering (PS), I commented in one of your prior videos that the Polaris PS has quite a lot of play, leading to vague steering at speed. With the ignition OFF, just wiggle the handlebars on the Polaris and compare the amount of play when doing the same on a Can Am. There's LOT more play in the Polaris. Furthermore, both have more play than that compared to an older Polaris (same XP model) which had only manual steering. For racing, the enhanced precision, along reduced front end weight of manual steering should yield better performance.

I own a Rancher 420 DCT and '20 Rubicon 520 and last year got a '23 Grizzly. The Grizzly really surprised me. Not only loads more power but the suspension is much better and a lot less engine vibration. It makes the hondas seem like riding a tractor.

Sweet...It's amazing how each machine differs..... Next.... Let's get KING QUAD VS GRIZZLY..

It really cracks me up to hear people with no miles talking about how good their stuff is. I have a 2003 Honda 350 that's pulled moose and trucks and pulling cars off of snowbanks. It's out every year and until I got a 2015 I plowed with it every year. The only thing it needed was one brush in the starter.

Honda is well known for reliability great machine thx for video bro

04 Honda Foreman es 2" lift 26" swamp lites. Still going strong.

Nice trails, where is the ride area? I have a 2009 420 Honda Foreman with 4000 Kms. Love my foot shift manual, almost always find the right gear instinctively. An excellent fun reliable machine. I’ve ridden a few other machines but not enough to justify a comparison. Wish ii could get a 520 Rubicon manual shift but a) none are available in British Columbia & b) over $14,000 Canadian all in - yea too rich for me right now.

Nice comparison! I would like to see how far both quads went on a gallon of gas, riding together like this. While I like the idea of 90hp on paper, it doesn't make sense on the trail 90% of the time in my opinion. Plus, with the price tag on the 1000cc atvs, the mfgs can go piss up a rope! The 500-700cc are not cheap either but it is what it is. Honda 520 Rubicon foot shift eps=great utility and reliability with sacrifices in speed. Polaris 570 Utility=less reliability but with utility and speed. Might the Yamaha Grizzly 700 be the best of both worlds? If I was shopping right now I'd end up with one of these 3 machines.

Would love to see a shootout between kodiak700, Rubicon 520 , can-am 570 , polaris 570

One thing I can appreciate in this video is the unbiased opinion, because when it comes to Honda versus Polaris, I’m Honda all the way. Lol. But you did give Polaris it diligence, as far as a fair race. But I do believe the DCT Transmission would have been much better competitor in this case. Lol.

I have a 2018 570 sports men , I brought it new , I am very happy with it . Other than putting racks on it my self And changing oil I have had no trouble with it . 🤗

I wanna see a video like this between the king quad 750 , the brute force , and the grizzly, and maybe the canam 570 and sportsman 570 , they are close in power I think to those 700s

Bought a 2022 Honda Rubicon 520 has 450 miles on it and I love it

I missed this invite.. The Big Red would have been a contender in this catagory.. Lol.. 👍👍👍 #teamwaxoffroad #staciescountrycooking #makeatcsgreatagain #savesportquads

Bought a 21 Polaris 850 couldnt be happier with it the comfort and power. Polaris and canam is where it’s at, twin power. Honda needs to go to belt drive, who likes changing gears, and build a bigger motor for god sakes. Still a old mans bike imo, about as fun as riding a bicycle.

After I’ve Owen a 2021 450 for a year it would be hard for me to go with something else I just think it’s a very power full reliable for me and trust me I rode it to its limits and nothing has broke just a control arm because I got it a wreck with it but that’s all that’s broke

The Older Sportsman 500 were well made, 2005, etc. I did the mistake of buying a 2-up 2018 570 with power steering. I sold it 6 months later. Polaris power steering is all over, hard to keep on the road. Brought it into the dealer to have fixed, they said it is made that way. I will be buying an older 500 without power steering, way more control. Seems like the newer the product, the lesser quality.

Picked up my 2024 rubicon eps manual 5spd😊

Purchased a 2003 Polaris sportsman 500 ho before they added a bunch of cheap plastic features to their brand. Would still rather have a metal rack, but overall, machine runs great. Happy that I went with older well made items vs new junk.

I still got a 1988 Honda Foreman and a 2018 Rubicon but sold the 2002 Polaris Sportsman because of the belt slippage a few tomes but it did ride nice

My 2013 foreman is faster(57mph) than a new one ? What is Honda doing ? 45mph?

Honda boy right here. Not the fastest but definitely the most dependable.

I did a 99 foreman vs 2008 sportsman comparison this year. Bought the foreman cause my bosses sportsman died off the Ramps before I could even work it. The 99 took its place and has paid for itself.

Both good quads, but Polaris Sportsman 570 is the right choice.

The Honda reliability is unmatched.

I live in Canada and absolutely love my 2020 honda rancher 420 with foot shift and straight axle, plus i have a backup pull start that does not come on most quads besides honda and the suzuki king quad 400 models. I noticed the rubicon model you had has the backup pull start or it looked like it did. I would take the straight axle over independent just for pure hauling loads on a trailer and high speed corners are way nicer then with independent. I myself grew up with race quads so the rancher was just sounded perfect for me and its faster then the foreman or rubicon. Awesome video as always, i wish there was 2 episodes a week.

I went with the 2023 sportsman 570cc vs the Honda 518cc or the cforce 600. I do a lot of trail riding in the mountains of Colorado and Utah. Like the suspension and power of the Polaris for a machine that usually carries both me and my wife. May have opted for the Honda if I was going to be riding alone.

The one most critical aspect of these machines is durability...And that is where the dual ends...Honda...Hands down!!!

I had to chuckle at all of the times you said the function of the Polaris was better, but your guys preferred the Honda. :) No prebiase there at all. I have a 2016 Sportsman 450 and a 2018 Sportsman 850. They are the Cadillac of 4 wheelers. The 450 is very quick and nimble, the 850 has monster power and is super plush. I couldnt ask for anything more, and will never buy anything else. I've had Honda's and Yamahas. If I had a Honda now it would last forever, because it would sit in the shed while I enjoyed my polaris machines .

Great vid man. I hate to say this but id pick the Honda on this one 🤣🤣🤣

How about adding the Can Am 450 or 570 to these shoot outs

In this case I would go with the Honda but if you have me a 570 Polaris I would 100% go for that. I’ve had good luck with mine

Hondas DCT shifts a lot faster than I've ever seen anyone shift a manual... so for sporty shifting, thats a better option. And if you drive it like its a sports car, and know how to make it work for you, they perform beautifully

One thing that always sucks about these reviews is they arent able to speak for the long term maintenance cost and reliability of the machines. Polaris makes some bad ass macines and for a much more attractive price but unfortunately they accomplish that by making sacrifices that will cost you down the trail

How does Honda make all of their atv's sound alike. If I hear an atv coming down the trail I can always tell if it's a Honda.

Honda will be running long after the sportsman!!!!!!

I have a polaris 22 sportsman trail edition and after only having it a month the belt went out on it and the seal in side the drive belt compartment was leaking oil,and unfortunately polaris tried real hard not to cover this under warranty but finally gave in after lots of emails,so if i knew then what i know now i would never had bought a polaris!!

I bought my 2021 Rubicon brand new and absolutely loved it sadly a month after I owned it I was struck down with cancer I finally made the tough decision to sell it 3 months ago some lucky soul got it at a good price it only had 24 mi on it My doctors wouldn't allow me to ride. I bought it on payments but always made double payments so I had it down like $2,600 and sold it to somebody with that low mileage not a single scratch on the plastics or anything for $5,000. Cancer medication is a real reality folks co-payments of $2,500 is not unheard of for one medication. I hope to get another quad one day but it's going to take my wallet a long time to rebound. Once you get some miles on the Honda the foot shifter works like butter

So I'm old and bad lower back that said I have NEVER OWNED OR RIDEN A ATV BUT YOUR VIDEO'S ON KINGQUAD AND THE HONDA HAS ME WONDERING WHITCH IS BETER FOR JUST PUTERING AROUND AND FARM,YARD WORK PLESE HELP?

I’ve owned a Honda foreman, canned ham, and a Polaris. The honda is 22 years old and I couldn’t kill it if I wanted to. The can am made it 9 months before it took a shit, the sportsman was the biggest piece of shit ever. Finally went with Grizzly 700 XTR, best machine I’ve ever owned.

They both look very capable to me, the Honda sounds better, the Polaris seems much smoother though. I can't imagine reliability being an issue on either of these. I know people that ride the heck out of these atv's and never do anything but put gas in them, and I mean for years and years. Good stuff.

I came back to this video because even though I'm still fighting my cancer I'm tired of listening to doctors I want to enjoy life while I'm here I thought about the Polaris but I think I'm going to get a rancher this time

Ive got a polaris 450 utility for sale, or trade for Honda

I buy American made unless there are performance losses. Did you not know there are 3 levels of steering assist? Belt drive vs shifting, KISS. The AWD system has been proven superior by many tests. This was a good video showing the rider input,feedback. I like smooth

I have a 570 Polaris Trail Edition and I’ll take the Honda over the Polaris. I had a 21 DCT EPS Rubicon and wish I would have stayed with it.

My brand new 570 is already making a ticking noise from the tranny and engine. I don’t even ride hard. Only on the road and trails. This thing has plenty of power, BUT I’m not sure of the reliability. Ive literally had the belt slip twice because of literal puddles. I don’t intend to mud ever. But this machine is very worrying. I’m not the type of person to be worried 24/7 while riding, but with the Polaris I am. Don’t get me wrong it’s a good machine. But I’m not gonna buy another Polaris. At 7:23 in the video. Those puddles look like giants compared to what I went through, surprised the belt didn’t slip or that you didn’t have any other problems. Wishing I went with a Honda or can am.

Japan quality and reliability are fantastic and cvts are not good for towing or anything else but I do like how the Polaris has a tach

Got a 2003 honda foreman runs like champ

Those older sportsman HO's had engines made by the Japanese manufacturer FUJI. Real reliable engines.

Can’t go wrong with either machine. They’re both capable. Sometimes things break quickly sometimes they don’t. I have a 2018 and 2022 Polaris 450. I love them.

I have a 04 sportsman 400 that still performs great.

IMO, the build quality is better on Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha. A good friend owns a dealership that sells Honda, Polaris, and Suzuki. The machines requiring the most maintenance/broke down are the Polaris'. His shop is so full of those Northstar Ranger's. He'd drop Polaris for Kawasaki!

As a former 450HO owner and former Polaris employee I can say the 570 is the better choice of engine, the 499cc engine in the 450ho is not the greatest quality wise the 570 is well built and has more aftermarket support. I ride a Grizzly 700 now.

I drove one of my buddies Honda and I like Honda but there ATVs aren’t it in my opinion. I do have a Polaris 570sp and I absolutely love it. I’ve never had any problems. The AWD on the Polaris is definitely better because I’ve taken mine on trails against my buddies rubicon 520 and when he needed to lock up it only caused him to bounce. If it was a truck or SUV I always prefer 4WD but Polaris definitely has it figured out.

I’m a big mud rider. Got a honda 520 on 33” outlaw 3s. My buddy had a sportsman 570 and the second ride he blew his dif. Not even 12 hours on it both front axles snapped and then the back bearings. I’ve put my Honda threw hell full well expecting it to break and nothing has. Even in peanut butter handlebar deep the engine turns the tires almost like nothing. Durability wise a honda is much better.