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The Durability of Prostar Engines vs. Japenese Rivals

7079 Views 35 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  rainmanx, 
M
I'm quite curious to hear folks experiences with Prostar engines vs. those from Japanese rivals. I have only ever owned Japanese ATVs from Yamaha and Honda. I maintain everything I own very well and simply don't have a crazy aggressive riding style where I beat on stuff. However, I have friends and and have seen others who abuse mechanical equipment.

Either way, I'm curious if subjected to the same conditions, if the Prostar motors can hang with their Japanese rivals? Meaning, if you are someone who is hard on your equipment, would you get the same life from a Prostar as you would say a Yamaha? Conversely, if you take care of your stuff, would you get the same life from both?

My biggest concern with the Prostar is just how much HP they get out of a small package. Normally with that kind of power density comes a loss of reliability.

I have a 1000 S on its way. I'm going to give Poloris and Prostar a shot. I hope they don't let me down.
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D
I just sold a 2018 with 7900 miles. Maintained often but also used pretty hard, almost abused. Had a 2015 850 and sold at 6000 miles and my first polaris was a 2012 850 and sold with 8,000 miles. Never had a problem with any of them other than one way bearings in the clutch and general wear items like brake pads, ect. Never blew a belt. Changed belts at 5000 miles. Changed a arm bushings in all of them at abiyt 5-6 thousand miles.

Bought a new 1000 xp ride command this year. Expecting to get 6-8 thousand miles before selling it also.

D
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Deucer said:
I just sold a 2018 with 7900 miles. Maintained often but also used pretty hard, almost abused. Had a 2015 850 and sold at 6000 miles and my first polaris was a 2012 850 and sold with 8,000 miles. Never had a problem with any of them other than one way bearings in the clutch and general wear items like brake pads, ect. Never blew a belt. Changed belts at 5000 miles. Changed a arm bushings in all of them at abiyt 5-6 thousand miles.

Bought a new 1000 xp ride command this year. Expecting to get 6-8 thousand miles before selling it also.

D
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Great feedback. Did you get rid of the units at 6-8k miles because they were in need of a major overhaul, or you simply were ready for something knew and of course as the mileage rises the potential for a major issue rises?
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D
I ride alot. There was nothing wrong with any of the bikes I sold. They all were in good but used condition. I do a good job of maintaining but I do use them pretty hard. Usually 1000 miles is 100hrs on meter. Lots of slow rocky trails and deep snow in winter. 29" tires with studs.
Once they get past 8000 miles, I figure I got the best part of the bike used up and prefer to be on the newer end of things. My father had an old 2001 with over 20,000 when he traded it in for a 570.

None needed any major work.

D
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D
I forgot to mention that my 18 was a 1000. You are going to love the ride and POWER of the polaris. The power steering great. The clutching is spot on from factory. Love the fly by wire throttle. I really looked at the s1000 myself but most of our trails are 50". I also wanted the ride command.

The old 2001 was a 335. Good old bike. Father was 87 years old and could not steer it anymore and got the 570 with EPS.

D
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Deucer said:
I forgot to mention that my 18 was a 1000. You are going to love the ride and POWER of the polaris. The power steering great. The clutching is spot on from factory. Love the fly by wire throttle. I really looked at the s1000 myself but most of our trails are 50". I also wanted the ride command.

The old 2001 was a 335. Good old bike. Father was 87 years old and could not steer it anymore and got the 570 with EPS.

D
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That ride command is awesome. I do wish they had that on the 1000 S. My biggest concern with the 1000 S is will the stock shocks be sufficient after they did away with the Walker Evans 2.0's? If I have to Ill add aftermarket shocks, but I'd really prefer to avoid this given the upfront cost of the S.
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D
Mine all had the stock shocks. I bet you will be satified with the stock shocks. If not, you can wait a year or so until the sticker shock of a new bike has past and then get a set of WE's.

D
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WillB
The reliability of Prostar engines is not in the same league as the Japanese, For that matter, the entire Polaris line up lags behind in quality, fit and finish.

Polaris is obsessed with power and competing with Can am, this will never change.
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tomang07
WillB said:
The reliability of Prostar engines is not in the same league as the Japanese, For that matter, the entire Polaris line up lags behind in quality, fit and finish.

Polaris is obsessed with power and competing with Can am, this will never change.
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Matter of opinion. Honda putting out 36hp in a 670cc motor is a joke.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
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WillB
tomang07 said:
Matter of opinion. Honda putting out 36hp in a 670cc motor is a joke.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
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Longevity is not pathetic. It will get you down the same trails as more power, and unlike Polaris, you will spend far more time riding than fixing.
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tomang07
WillB said:
Longevity is not pathetic. It will get you down the same trails as more power, and unlike Polaris, you will spend far more time riding than fixing.
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Sure, crappy, boring ride forever. Enjoy.

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bp405
I'd line the Prostar engines up against any competitor and say they are at least even if not and IMO better in reliability.

And @WillB please spare us the "my honDUH will go any where your 1000hp ATV does" line. It's like me going on diesel forums and saying a gasser can pull the same loads. Yes it's true to a point but is far from accurate.

I'll say this when Fuji was making a large portion of the engines for Polaris a while back it's not like you were hearing nothing about the Fuji engines and all the failures were on the Polaris side. I would say the issue rate was the same and I will say IMHO minus the learning curve of the new to market engines and some design kinks that needed to worked out in the first several years of the new Prostar motors, Polaris in house motors had a better built engine.

Let's not forget the tried and true Yami 708 motor that was so bad they pulled it from the line-up within 2yrs and went back to the 686.
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Sprotsman
WillB said:
Longevity is not pathetic. It will get you down the same trails as more power, and unlike Polaris, you will spend far more time riding than fixing.
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So this week your out on Polaris? You’ve really been flip-flopping on this subject. Last year it was “Polaris sucks, I’m done and buying a Honda”. Well, you got the the Honda and what a few months later SOLD! Then you said you were ordering a brand new 850. Now they suck again?
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MrEd
Sprotsman said:
So this week your out on Polaris? You’ve really been flip-flopping on this subject. Last year it was “Polaris sucks, I’m done and buying a Honda”. Well, you got the the Honda and what a few months later SOLD! Then you said you were ordering a brand new 850. Now they suck again?
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I skip right over all the back n forth flip flopping nonsense that comes out of that cornhole.
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bp405
@WillB has been doing this for years, LOL!!! When he had the Sporty 400 he was going to get the 570. Then he picked up the honDUH. For a while he was going to go canned ham. He's a tough one to follow!!! Will buddy you sir need to get yourself that 570!!! That'll be a great machine for you!!!!!
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Sprotsman
I certainly have no complaints with mine!
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D
If I had to ride a honda rancher, I would quit riding.

D
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Scrappy507
My 98 yami big bear 350 has been abused, and I mean abused throughout its life and it keeps trucking. The power is garbage and it can’t do 10% of what the Polaris’ can, but it won’t die. My Polaris 700 which is 2004 so not prostar has been to the same level of abuse and it also keeps on ticking. And it does do a lot of that.
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R
The japanese do make good engines..But you will need to decide if you want to put money towards a chiropractor or the machine! A friend of mine has a 05 Rincon 650 with 20k miles..Needs a timing chain tensioner...Needs A arm bushings. Rides like a tractor. Separate brake controls for front and back, so be sure to modulate them and know which hand does which in a quick stop!

Try changing the rear brake rotor is a nightmare.
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D
20,000 miles on a Rincon. The guy must have kidneys made of steel. I would be Pee'n blood, and I can't even mention what my hemroids would be doing.

D
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