KING HIT
Bazz and the boys go head-to-head with the two big guns in the 450-500cc sports ATV class.
FEATURE/PHOTOS: BAZZA
CRASH TEST DUMMIES: SCOTT BENTLEY, TONY CABAN.
There will come a time, if ATV makers have their way, when four-wheelers outsell dirt bikes in Australia, as they already do in the US. In America, believe it or not, ATVs outsell bikes by about three to one, and in Europe, since a licensing arrangement called Quadricycle was implemented, allowing ATVs to be ridden on public roads in some countries, sales of quad bikes have taken off. It's clear to American and European authorities, if not to those here, that ATVs are an important recreational resource for people who don't want to ride motorcycles but still want motorised fun with family and friends.
Meanwhile, farmers are the biggest customers for ATVs in this country, but sports quads are gaining more attention here, and so they should. The best of them offer performance that satisfies the most hard-core petrolhead, and in a package that screams OUTTA HERE! to anyone with a mother-load of red corpuscles and somewhere to play. Compared with some of the dirt bikes out there, sports ATVs are also great value for money.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Two of the most popular quads in the 450-500cc sports category are the Honda TRX450 and the Polaris Predator 500. Whatever similarities they share on a spec sheet, they're quite different in real life but both are genuine high performance sports ATVs. We went over both with a fine tooth-comb before hitting the track so we can tell you exactly what makes them similar or different. Here's a summary that won't take long to read:
The size of it: The Polaris is longer than the Honda (1250-v-1283cm wheelbase), and nearly 30kg heavier. The extra pork is noticeable, and it's the first thing most riders would criticise in a side-by-side comparison with the Honda. Polaris says it would rather build strong ATVs that last than build light ones and face chaos in the warranty department. In short, Polaris built this Predator like Honda built the XR650.
On the other hand, Honda went to aluminium swingarms on the TRX250R in the late '80s and as far as we know have not had large scale swingarm failures. Yamaha has had problems with aluminium swingarms though, and we've seen the proof.
The backbone: The Honda has an upswept chassis with independent double wishbones and Showa shocks up front, and an aluminium swingarm and linkage-type shock at the rear. The Polaris has the latest gull-wing lower A-arm setup at the front and a steel swingarm at the rear, working with a big fat Fox shock. The Predator also has the Polaris Rider Optimised (PRO) steering system that uses a small linkage to "virtually eliminate bump-steer." We think it works pretty well. Savage bump-steer is not a Predator problem.
The brakes: The Predator has braided steel lines and single-piston front calipers. The Honda has non-braided brake lines and twin-piston front calipers. There's nothing in it. Both ATVs feel great under hard braking, although the Honda's lighter weight should give it an advantage in outright stopping distance. (As an aside, the Predator parks on the front brake and the Honda on the rear).
The maintenance thing: The Predator has grease nipples on the steering stem and the A-arm pivot points, the Honda doesn't. We thought radiator protection could have been better on the Polaris: the Honda has plastic radiator guards but the Predator none. Having to remove the sparkplug from the Predator engine is what you'd get as second prize in a prison raffle, but on the Polaris, no tools are needed for suspension adjustment and that's neat.
The Polaris choke is handlebar-mounted but the TRX choke is on the Keihin carbie. We like it on the bars. The Honda has a gravity-fed fuel system while the Predator employs a fuel pump. Neither method seems to have any real advantage, though no doubt claims will be made to the contrary.
Starting it: The Predator has electric-start, the Honda kick-start. Kicking the engine over at the beginning of the day is cool but not so cool late in the afternoon when you're totally rooted. Then again, a kickstart bike is less complicated and has fewer components to fail. Frankly, the Honda starts so easily it's just not an issue.
The rubber thing: The Polaris has Maxxis RAZR/PRs on the rear, a square-knobbed tyre that works well on a motocross track or anywhere you need aggressive traction. The Honda has a more rounded knob pattern in it's radial two-ply Dunlop KT335H, a less aggressive tyre that would probably work better than the Maxxis in sand.
GETTING IT ON
They're the main mechanical differences. Now let's see what makes these ATV's different in the real world.
The Honda is taller in seat height (828 versus 813mm) but it's much lighter and definitely feels smaller, although neither of our six-foot-plus testers said they felt cramped on these bikes, even when standing on the pegs.
We reckon there's one ergonomic item Polaris might like to look at. The Predator seat kicks up at the rear and if you're trying to get your weight back, you can't help sliding forward. It's annoying. It's also one reason that race bikes have flat seats. The Predator also has grooved panels on the sides of the fuel tank which, after a while, create a rubbing strip on the inside of your knees.
One thing that struck us right away was how quiet these bikes are. Our test session was interrupted by a freestyle dimwit riding around the track in riding pants and a singlet. His bike could be heard way over the other side of the circuit but you needed a hearing horn to pick up the quads. Both get top marks for being socially acceptable.
Both are also very stable, and confidently predictable on chopped-out terrain, although we thought the Polaris was plusher from a recreational rider's point of view. The Honda has firmer, more race-oriented suspension while the Predator setup favours weekend riders who'd rather race their mates across the dunes than on a whooped-out motocross track. That doesn't mean you can't race the Predator. What it means is that the Honda is more race-ready out of the crate. On the down-side, we thought the Honda's Showa shock responded poorly to rebound adjustment.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Okay, now the nitty-gritty. If you're expecting huge differences in the power delivery of these main event fighters, you're half right. In standard trim, both have strong engines that shove out enough grunt for everyone but national championship contenders, but they deliver the power in different ways.
Once again, the Honda is more race oriented that the Polaris but there's seems to be very little difference in the respective top speeds. To us, the Polaris feels like an enduro bike and the Honda feels like a motocrosser. The Predator has a tougher bottom-end but the TRX stomps away once they hit the midrange. The TRX is geared slightly lower ( 38-14 versus 37-14) but it has a cloud-level first gear that doesn't help when you're trying to get the holeshot. We ran the two of them side-by-side in third gear roll-ons and every time the same thing happened. A strong bottom-end pushed the Predator into the lead but the Honda got away once the TRX's fat midrange kicked in. The Honda engine also revs harder and this makes it easier to break the rear end away for really sharp turns or big swoopy slides. But here's something Honda might like to work on. First gear on the TRX is way too high. It means you have to clutch the engine in slow first or second gear turns where the Predator whangs around with no clutch piano at all, the benefit of having a broad spread of power and a strong bottom end.
IN A NUTSHELL
Both are great play bikes. The Predator has a smoother power delivery and the Honda is more peaky, so choose the weapon that suits you best. The Predator is a fast but more cruisy machine while the Honda's MX-style power requires more concentration to get the most out of it. If you're still learning how to ride, the Polaris would be an easier machine to get used to and is less intimidating. If you're into serious trophy collecting, you'll spend less money on the TRX450 to reach those trophies first.
Bottom line: which ever one you buy, you sure as hell won't be bored.
TAKEOUT
"They scream OUTTA HERE! to anyone with a mother-load of red corpuscles and somewhere to play."
|