polaris predator 500 thoughts?

[uchi]

I've been offered one in trade for my car. Its an 05. Engine has been worked on. Think he said its been bored with a 4mm crank something or other. Carbs been rebuilt and jetted. Few new parts. Wondering what you guys think of these? I'm sure its gonna smoke my 400 and this way my gf would have something to ride with me. What do you guys think of these things?

[Flynbryan19]

They're pretty quick, but HEAVY and have ackward handling. The build quality is just not there compared to the jap quads either.

[uchi]

Cool thanks. So how reliable will this be? I know not much stacks up to the 400s in reliability.

[honda400ex2003]

i have heard the 05s are better than the older ones. they had issues with them. i would say it will be faster. i know they are faster than mine when it was stock anyway. The geometry is a bit better on the new ones, and the shocks are said to be soft a bit, at least it has good tires already with the razrs. The new shocks are better than the old ones though so you are ok there. I would get it and if you like it keep it if not give it to the wife. I know ladies who ride them and like them. Take it for a test ride if you can see how it runs and how you like it. I have never actually ridden one of them so i am not sure. i read a thread a while back that they were comparing the two. good luck, steve

[uchi]

Cool thanks steve. I told the guy I'm game for a trade so we ll wait and see what happens. I think the 400 is going 416 with a cam over the winter anyways. And this week it gets the 13t put on. So the gf will likely kill herself. Haha

[honda400-4-ever]

Polaris=JUNK

[honda400ex2003]

polaris on trade=decent for wife to ride lol, it may ok for her. no prob uchi. good luck and let me know what you do. steve

[uchi]

Lol. Ill copy and paste his mod list when I get home. She's been bugging me to buy her a quad for a while. I don't get it she makes 80k a year and wants me to get her one. Lol

[uchi]

my mistake its an 04, not sure where i got 05 from. heres the info he posted on it


Hey i just got this on a deal im not as interested as i thought. I will tell you as i was it has hindle pipe and header,twist throttle,im waitin on new nerf bars,has 4mm crank,20 over,i was told i cant tell i dont know.I do know i just had the carb done and jetted it works way better now.Smokes my buddys predator that i know has work don and i out weigh him by at least a buk.I got dune tires for it from some clown on the net and there brand new only prob is one is for 8in rim and 1 is for 9in rim im real impressed.LOL has elec start sounds badass loud rumble like my 5.0. One of the rear fenders has little crack in it im goin to try to bring to work and plastic weld it.Has newer razors on back and tires on front LOL.Heres a pic i can send better 1s if needed only one on comp. 4500$

[timmy400exfast]

it sounds like a pretty good deal to me

[timmy400exfast]

is it tld edition

[uchi]

Not sure. Ill post a pic after dinner

[timmy400exfast]

k cuz i think the 04 and down tld's shocks dont have rezzies on the fox shox but 05 and up do just queing you in man dont want you to get ripped off

[honda400ex2003]

I thought that there was something different with the 04s compared to the 05 and up. the geometry is different i think too. I will try to dig up the thread that we were discussing the pred in before. steve

[honda400ex2003]

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=356085&highlight=predator this is the other one from a while back. I am not sure what they all said but here you go if you want to read it. maybe you did already, lol. steve

[uchi]

K ill get a pic up shortly. So if its 04 should I avoid it? Or should I work him down on the deal?

[honda400ex2003]

i would ride it and see how it is. then go from there. steve

[uchi]

Thanks steve. Ill take a read shortly

[timmy400exfast]

ah i think with some suspension and hadling mods you should be good but i think honda400ex2003 is right about the geomotry being different even though the look the same btw they are a pretty comfortable trail quad

[uchi]

Its gonna have to be faster than my 400 for me to get. :)


Originally posted by honda400ex2003
i would ride it and see how it is. then go from there. steve

[honda400ex2003]

i guess it is not the greatest read but it has a bit more info in it. lol, steve

[uchi]

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w2/low5L/predator003.jpg

[timmy400exfast]

that aint a tld but prolly will still be faster than the ol 400

[timmy400exfast]

especiallly with a +4 mil crank

[uchi]

Very true. I made him an offer that's pretty sweet. So let's see what he says

[timmy400exfast]

that will be a great sleeper quad

[uchi]

Yup hope it works out. Guy hasn't gotten back to me yet so hopefully he's not backing out.

[timmy400exfast]

ya when i traded my ktm i had a bunch of ppl back out i hate it:mad:

[uchi]

Man I hate dealing with people. I've been trying to unload my car for a few months. Had a dozen people back out already. Had one guy drive 6 hours to back out after making me wait a few days. Pretty annoyed by things

[honda400ex2003]

looks nice, steve

[uchi]

looks like a done deal. im going to look at it this weekend if all goes well with my trailer and bringing it home if its good. hes seen pics of the car doesnt wanna see it in person. so hopefully this weekend ill get to choose between what i wanna ride, probably the 500 just to see how it stacks up against my neighbours 400 arctic cat. but if its as fast as it sounds it should eat him :D if not then it becomes the gfs quad, lol

[Flynbryan19]

That is atleast an 04' maybe even an 03'. The TLD's had black plastics for 03 and 04.

As for the differences in 05' they offered two models that were actually different. The Std model had a normal (wide ratio) tranny and did not have resivior shocks. The TLD model had a close ratio tranny and resivior shocks. 04' and up models had a slightly shorter swingarm (wanna say 1/2"). That was the only "geometry" change in any of the model years. They were all identical otherwise.

My 03' wasn't a "bad" quad. It was just very heavy, poorly built/designed, and for the size of the motor not very fast. It will be a fun quad, but I have ridden several 400ex's and have obviously owned an 03' Predator as well as ridden an 05' TLD predator. I can tell you from experience that your 400ex is a better handling and better built machine than that predator.

[uchi]

cool thanks man. i wouldnt doubt that the 400 is a better machine. from the looks of it not much beats these things in build quality. if nothing else itll be a fun quad for my gf till she dumps it, gets scared to ride it, and then i trade it off for a street bike :D

[honda400ex2003]

Hey thanks for the info on the pred. I was not sure what they all did to them, i just read the last post and was going off of that. lol. thanks again, steve

[timmy400exfast]

that dvx will not beat the that predetor with the +mil crank if your 400 barely beat that pred will blow it out of the water

[uchi]

thats what i figured. i looked over some vids of the 2 and the pred looks a bit faster, and seeing as its modded i see it laying a shilacking. its gonna be a toss up, that modded pred over my modded 400, which will i prefer, lol. lets hope the guy doesnt back out, im supposed to go up on sat and get it :D

In my opinion predator's are decent bikes but not what people make them out to be. As far as year changes,

2003: First year of the pred. The suspension was VERY poorly valved from the factory, the trans is very weak and known to grenade, they have a lower steering stem which makes for even more awkward feeling. Stay away from them. "Anti-Squat" rear suspension, is horrible. Almost impossible to power wheelie, and bad preformance. Excessive wheel spin. 10in rear rims with an odd bolt pattern.
2004: Updated trans which shifted much smoother and much more durable. Rear swingarm was 5/8in shorter and improved to be stronger and lighter. new 9-inch rear wheels, new ball joints in the front suspension, new rear fenders, a new chain guide, a new top motor mount, new suspension valving and a redesigned heat shield.
2005: The TLD was released with piggyback fox podium x shocks. Standard model got better valving. A taller steering stem made for better ergos. Also came with reverse.

Im not sure about the last two years, but I believe in 06 they ditched the "pro steering"

The preds are decievingly quick. I rode a BUILT one, and it felt.. dirt slow. I thought it was pathetic. But when I watch other people ride it, and other people race it, im like damn thats quick! I like them but definitely not my favorite quad.

[uchi]

Great info thanks a lot. :D

[uchi]

talked to the guy last night, looks like a done deal. im going to get the quad on sat. i got my k cities confused and thought he was an hour and a bit away, infact hes almost 4 hours in each direction, lol. man its gonna be me and a case of redbull riding shotgun tomorrow i tell ya :D

[timmy400exfast]

ha good luck

[uchi]

lol thanks, shes here now, needs a couple things but a strong performer. pulls like a mother :D