[Sparky87]

Had a odd conversation today with a guy out at the local riding area. He asked me how I liked my Rmax usual small talk. Then he mentioned he was had looked at a Rmax and was very worried about maintaining it?..... I said ok I did the first service wasn't bad. He then asked me about the 5 oils I had to change? I did kind of set him straight that there was a few plugs on the oil system but definitely wasn't that hard to service.

Anyways I thought it was a bit funny that a polaris guy was weery of maintenance on a Yamaha vs Polaris. I'm sure there are some guys on here who have owned both what is your comparison on eaise of maintenance on a Yamaha vs Polaris sxs?

 

[POHLHAMMER]

When you constantly have to do unscheduled maintenance/replacement on parts , it causes paranoia. I bleed blue because its never been a issue to have to do scheduled maintenance..

 

[Sparky87]

I came from a Can-am. Preforming maintenance was ok. It seems like nowadays no matter the brand there tends to be lots of plastics to remove. I have not had to rip into my Yamaha yet (outside of the first service) but I'm not really sure it's any better or worse for that than any other brand for that.

 

[SKELLEY521]

If it wasn't for Aftermarket, the PoPo guys would be fighting over parts.
Look at them on the trails, everything that's broke has been upgraded with Aftermarket and they have the stickers to prove it.....LOL

If he can't change fluids, it's best he stays where he's at.

 

[therebel19]

The thing with my Poaris was the fluids were hard to decipher if you wanted to run anything else and some of them were expensive. Maintenance was no harder or easier then the Yamaha's I've had with the exception of the belt access. Luckily we don't have to worry about getting to the belt often.

 

[DILLIGAF]

Luckily we don't have to worry about getting to the belt often.

Yeah you do, Had to open mine up 12 times last year before I snorkeled it. The amount of crap that the CVT sucks in is insane.

 

[therebel19]

Not me. Only time I did was to put a milled sheave in. I like snorkels but I never had the issues you did without them. I ran grease.

 

[jimclemjr]

one of the first ATVs I had was a Polaris. I was so disgruntled with their proprietary robbery on their oils and parts I decided I would sell it and never have another one. They would not share what oils/greases were in the identified bottles for each diff or drive and/or the requirement of the oil ratings, Maybe it's changed since then, a decade + ago, but I am definitely not desirous of a Polaris even tho you have to admit they do have a sweet sound )))))))

 

[Planetcat]

This single most important thing to me is reliability. As much as I gripe about the difficulty in getting to some of the maintenance areas of my Yamaha's, I know that once I do the maintenance per factory spec, I don't have to worry about breaking down 15 miles from camp just before dark in bear and mtn. lion country. Sure, Polaris makes it easy to get to the belt and other maintenance areas, but after sitting in my buddy's Ranger XP with broken belts two years in a row on hunting trips, never will I get one nor does convenience do me any good when I don't have a parts store stuffed in the bed.

 

[Spentcoins]

FYI, you can get all of the Polaris compatible fluids from Amsoil. Trust me, I've used a LOT. Lol

 

[Mad Dog_037]

FYI, you can get all of the Polaris compatible fluids from Amsoil. Trust me, I've used a LOT. Lol

I don't ever have to, I am true blue Yamaha lol

 

[Bill_B]

I am by no means brand loyal and have owned a lot of different machines. Here's my take:

With the way the sport has evolved over the last decade I can honestly say that at least 50% of the riders I come across have never been on a four wheeler of any kind and don't really know the first thing about off-roading. Picking a line, what mud holes to enter and which ones to stay away from, and when to apply more skinny pedal and when to let out. I ride with a handful of people who are exactly what I just described and these are the people that traditionally get left stranded on the trails or need a fix. A few weekends ago we were with a Teryx 4 (these things are extremely reliable) who took the wrong line over a downed log across the trail and got high centered front side of the machine..... rather than back up and try again said individual just stayed in the pedal, dug a rut with his rear tires and broke an axle. We had people in our group later joking about "should have bought a <insert any brand that wasn't Kawasaki>" when in all reality this was no fault of the machine, it was driver error.

Prior to my Wolverine I owned a couple Polaris models and I put them through their paces pretty darn good and never broke anything. Now I won't sit here and say they don't have their quality control issues and that the Yamaha's aren't a higher quality product, but I do think a lot of it depends on how smart and skilled of a rider you are. While I love the way the UTV industry has evolved, it has also taken so much of the skill factor out of riding because a lot of these machines are rolling off the floor with 30" tires and close to 2' of suspension travel and all you need is $20k or semi decent credit. One of the most amusing things to me is seeing someone roll up with a $24k machine and a $400 trailer that's just falling apart at the frame lol.

Anyways, I went off on a tangent about reliability and it being what you make of it...... I love servicing my vehicles almost as much as I love riding them. I take a lot of pride in knowing that I keep that machine going and well lubed for whatever adventure comes next!

 

[dygz21]

Bill_B I could not agree more and we have actually had locals say that in WV about the people that bust their shit up. They said you can tell who learned on fourwheelers and who just went and spent a lot on a side by side not knowing. I have not owned a Polaris, but many Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda over the years. I have had friends with bad luck with the Polaris, kinda steered me away.

I have not minded doing the maintenance stuff on any of my machines so far. Its def still better than some car stuff!

My Dad always said take care of a machine and it will treat you right. Oil and grease are cheap LOL

 

[SKELLEY521]

I grew up with dirt bikes; 3 & 4 wheelers.
This is my first SXS.
My son has had several 4 wheelers, but rolled the X2 over a steep hill on a trail that he shouldn't have been on and made a bad judgement call.
It happens and I told him where he screwed up. He told his mom that dad didn't kill me or even yell......LOL. I was just glad he didn't get hurt.
He bent the ROPS and I busted 2 CV axles during recovery.

Sometimes I cruise trails other times I play hard. That's what I bought it for.
I am very meticulous when it comes to maintenance. Heck, I think I changed all fluids/filter 4 times in 2500 miles.
I lube all movable parts and sometimes wash only suspension and driveline components.
I don't care about plastics to be honest.

I have many cracked plastics and some flaps. I don't care.
The windshield and roof both have several cracks and chunks missing.
But I guarantee that if you checked my car over mechanically wise, it's top notch and doesn't only operate very smoothly, it's noise and squeak free.

 

[Bill_B]

My RZR didn't rattle off the showroom floor.......



🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[Mad Dog_037]

Yinz, ( for those not familiar it's the same as " y'all " ) said it best and if I offend anyone it is what it is but from experience it is the ones who have never been on a 4 wheeler who end up getting stuck or breaking something, with experience comes knowledge or never being the first one on a ride to attempt a mud bog, always watch the first few go through and pick your line!

When it comes to maintenance I do the majority of the work on my sxs but I also take it in twice a year for routine maintenance and service that said I do the same with my Truck as well...you take care of your vehicles in turn those vehicles will take care of you !

 

[Jimbo]

Yinz, ( for those not familiar it's the same as " y'all " ) said it best and if I offend anyone it is what it is but from experience it is the ones who have never been on a 4 wheeler who end up getting stuck or breaking something, with experience comes knowledge or never being the first one on a ride to attempt a mud bog, always watch the first few go through and pick your line!

" never being the first one on a ride to attempt a mud bog"

Ahh yes, the sacrificial lamb theory, LOL

 

[Mad Dog_037]

" never being the first one on a ride to attempt a mud bog"

Ahh yes, the sacrificial lamb theory, LOL

Exactly ! With age comes wisdom and knowledge !

 

[SKELLEY521]

Wife is from Chicago so she says You'ns a lot.
Deep mud ruts will show who's experienced.
Always stay in the rut line.
I love watching guys think I'll put one side in the ruts and keep the other side out on the bank for traction.
They are the ones that end up on their side.

I picked a rut path and stayed in it.
I framed out once and when I jumped out to hook up winch line, I was waist deep in mud water.
Floor was at my belt line.....lol. I easily winched out, but if I tried the 2 tire trick, I'd been come-a-longing back over on it's wheels.
Ask me how I know. Experience.....lol

 

[therebel19]

I have no problem going first. Go in 2wd, spin the tires, put it in 4wd and back out and tell everyone to have fun because I can't make it. I really don't care for mud anymore. Even if I can make it, all it does is make a mess for me. Snow, rocks, tree roots, even sand, I'm down for that. I'm not saying I don't enjoy watching other people play in the mud, its just not my thing if its serious enough to need a winch.