Polaris atv 2016

With so many options, looking for a good, all-around quad can be difficult. Luckily, companies like Polaris never cease to innovate their vehicles. The Polaris Sportsman is an excellent ATV that can tackle steep climbs, muddy conditions, and rocky terrain.

The Polaris Sportsman is a multi-purpose, budget-friendly quad, great for work and play. Its powerful engine, rack extenders, Polaris-exclusive technology, and limited-edition accessories appeal to those searching for a capable yet fun four-wheeler.

This Sportsman has a lot of power to take on many tasks, such as towing and hauling. With a top speed of 63 mph and 44 horsepower, it will get you where you need to be quickly and safely. Sufficient power delivery, unshakeable grip, superb features, and a reasonable price point give off-roaders exceptional value. But that is not all it offers. Learn all about this iconic vehicle in this article.

The Polaris Sportsman

The Polaris Sportsman succeeded the Sportsman as the company&#;s carrier value model in For a list price of $6, that did not move since , this ATV came with Electronic Fuel Injection, chassis and engine upgrades, and almost a decade of inflation for free. The Polaris Sportsman was also the first to offer Electric Power Steering (EPS).

Aside from the above bonuses, the Sportsman was narrower to support rider comfort during long trail rides and outdoor adventures. Its versatile bodywork could convert into a 2-up ride due to its Victory Vision-like seat. Polaris also made a clever move in mounting the electrical terminal box inside the front storage box – for ease of access if you need to tinker with the fuses.

The combined capacity for the thumper&#;s front and rear racks are higher up the scale compared to the competition. The Sportsman&#;s rating of pounds splits into two – 90 pounds in the front and pounds at the back. Its towing capacity is also pounds more than the standard hitch rating of ATVs during its launch.

Perhaps, the most infamous model years were between and For the Polaris Sportsman lineup, some were included in the 3, units voluntarily recalled in due to EPS malfunction. Trims affected were the EPS (utility and PPC), SP, Touring, and 6&#;6 vehicles. Other models that were recalled included , , and 1,cc Sportsman and Scrambler units. We will cover the and models in a different section of this article.

Polaris Sportsman Specs & Features (vs. – SP Trim)

Engine

A four-stroke, liquid-cooled single-cylinder DOHC engine powers the It has a bore-stroke ratio of 99 x millimeters. The engine displacement is cubic centimeters delivered by an EFI system, with a compression ratio of Fuel tank capacity is gallons/17 liters.

Drivetrain

Power comes from a two-speed automatic PVT transmission inclusive of a reverse gear and parking brake. Other trims for both model years are available with the Electronic Shift Program (ESP) that makes the Sportsman a joy to ride.

Tires & Brakes

Only the wheel composition and recommended tire pressure changed for the Polaris Sportsman The tire size and engine braking system remained as is. The tire brand used for the Sportsman trim is Maxxis.

Suspension

The front suspension is MacPherson Strut that allows inches of travel. The rear suspension utilizes a progressive rate swing arm and has a steel finish with two shock absorbers that enable inches of travel – this suspension system was used across all trims for model years to

Dimensions

Polaris Sportsman s have a shorter wheelbase for improved handling in tight corners. They&#;re also lighter due to frame modifications to fit the ProStar engine into the chassis.

Exterior

All Polaris Sportsman trims had a matte finish. Later models, however, offered trims in metallic paint and with more color options.

Capacities & Storage

In addition to the standard features below, the Sunset Red, Titanium Metallic, and Hunter Edition trims for and more recent model years offered a gun scabbard, front and rear rack extenders, and hand/thumb warmers as options. Pair these with the vehicle&#;s gallon storage box built into the front fenders, and you will indeed have ample space for all your off-roading necessities.

Lighting & Instrumentation

Triple watt Halogen headlights with two mounted on the front fenders and one handlebar light use multi-reflector lenses for light distribution. Instrumentation-wise, the instrument cluster changed from analog to digital beginning trims.

Highs & Lows of the Legendary Sportsman

The Sportsman&#;s bumped-up engine and EFI provides a 20% power increase compared to the Sportsman Plus, the quad&#;s high-capacity air filter and better dust filtration help improve gas mileage by at least 10%. Accessories are easy to come by and install, thanks to the wheeler&#;s Lock & Ride cargo system. This system allows Polaris owners to buy original add-ons that can easily be bolted onto their brutes – no drilling required. Performance-wise, the quad is snappier at takeoff, thanks to enhanced clutching. It also remained very capable when riding uphill, on rough terrain, and through tight situations.

On the downside, Polaris enthusiasts feel that the inch wheel (specifically on the SP trims) is more prone to punctures due to its stiffer sidewall, which kind of offsets the racy look the larger cast-aluminum wheels give. Likewise, older Polaris Sportsman s with MacPherson struts without the dual A-arms felt lacking in spring motion control and led to wheel scrubbing. For all models equipped with Electronic Power Steering, experienced riders would appreciate some tweaks in programming to make steering firmer and provide off-roaders a better feel of the terrain that they are traversing.

How Much Is a Sportsman ?

Polaris Sportsman prices for its models cost $6,, while the Pursuit Camo finish costs $ more. The EPS versions were at least $ more than the base model. There is little variance in list price for older or newer model years of the Sportsman.

It is a different story for secondhand Polaris ATVs. The average retail price for models is from 2, to $3,, while Polaris Sportsman s cost almost $2, more than its five-year-old sibling. Not a huge price jump considering the gap in the production year, but not as negligible as the unit&#;s MSRP.

Auction listings have their own price range too. The benefit of going this route when buying a pre-loved Sportsman is that quads often come with accessories like inch plows, rear sanders, and rear storage. Some even have upgraded tires and clear titles. These units have low mileage, are mostly in good working condition, and sell anywhere from $2, to $5, Interestingly, most of the ones sold are models.

Unfavorable Events

All-terrain vehicles have always been controversial for the public, especially those who are not into off-roading. A few Polaris Sportsman reviews and articles reveal why we cannot blame this kind of groupthink.

to may have been the most contentious two years for the Sportsman and Polaris. During this time, piled-up complaints about EPS-triggered fires, product recalls, and reduced list prices adversely affected its reputation and sales. An example is Matt Klebe, who almost got burned three months after buying his Sportsman ATV. The demise of Debbie Swan and Destiny Dixon was another severe case. Incidents like these were probably what prompted Polaris to do a voluntary recall of problematic units in

The company has long addressed the mechanical defects in its four-wheelers, but consumers remain cautious – and they have every right to. Polaris is not backing out anytime soon from proving skeptics wrong by producing reliable and safe recreational and sport off-road vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What oil does a Polaris Sportsman take?  The manufacturer recommends two quarts of PS-4 5W 4-Cycle Engine Oil. For brakes, use DOT 4 Brake Fluid.
• What size battery does a Polaris Sportsman have? It has a 12V, CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) battery with assembled dimensions of x x inches (not including wire harness and mounting accessories). This battery has a long service life, is rechargeable, and can mount in any position.
• Will a Polaris fit in pickup bed? If you have a standard-size pickup bed – meaning 79 inches plus the inch tailgate totaling inches of space – then yes, it will. It even fits in a Nissan Frontier, which is probably the smallest pickup bed there is. Anything bigger than a Frontier may not even require you to have your tailgate down.
• How fast does the Polaris go? The Polaris Sportsman top speed is 63 mph. However, some have gone faster, such as 67 mph.
• How much is a Polaris Sportsman ? The base trim for a model is $6, It is more expensive depending on accessories and whether you choose an EFI-equipped or Pursuit Camo model.
• Where is the Polaris Sportsman made? The vehicle components are manufactured in Osceola, Wisconsin, and assembled in Roseau, Minnesota.

About Polaris

Polaris Inc. is an American manufacturer of ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and other electric vehicles, and is the maker of Polaris Sportsman The firm began in the &#;50s when Edgar Hetteen thought of creating a vehicle that could travel through snow, which eventually materialized into the Polaris Sno Traveler in Since then, Polaris has produced reliable vehicles and has pioneered some of the key components being used by ATVs today.

Conclusion – The Polaris Sportsman

The Polaris Sportsman is an excellent four-wheeler that offers so much more than its worth. It helped shape the current all-terrain vehicles that Polaris has in its showroom today. It holds its value well in mint condition, is fun to customize, and can help you around the property and farm. Proper care and maintenance guarantees years of having a blast riding on wooded trails, slick tracks, and bumpy roads. If you&#;re looking for an ATV that can be both a workhorse and a weekend warrior, then look no further than the sporty and snug Sportsman!

The term is “economy of scale”. What it means to a manufacturer like Honda, Kawasaki, or Can-Am is getting the most out of their design, tooling, and testing dollars by using the same parts on as many different models as possible. In the ATV world no manufacturer takes that concept to heart more than Polaris. It’s a good bet that if you own any given Polaris ATV or Side x Side there will be a bunch of parts that are found on several other models as well. It’s a big win for the dealer too when it comes to stocking parts, but the downside is sometimes sharing parts between different models creates a less than stellar finished product. Anyone remember the rolling anti-Christ called the Sportsman ? You know, that unholy mating of a Sportsman motor and a diminutive Hawkeye chassis, making it impossible to reach the rear brake without a foot shaped like a monkey’s? Still, every so often economy of scale creates something spectacular and the Sportsman SP looks to be one of those extra special models.

PRO ENGINE – PERFECT CHASSIS

The ProStar engine is arguably one of the all-time best engines in the Polaris lineup. It’s powerful, fairly compact, and it puts out excellent power in both the RZR and Ranger family. It had never been used in an ATV before though.

The Sportsman is a legendary name in the Polaris ATV lineup, and it’s not a stretch to claim that it’s the ATV that built the Polaris Off-Road division. The Sportsman even influenced models in other manufacturers lineups, and while CVT transmissions were once the red-headed step child of the ATV world, utility riders loved them for their ease of operation. Today virtually every utility ATV is driven by a CVT. It was a natural to put the historic chassis and excellent engine together.

While it may have seemed like a great idea to install the awesome ProStar engine into a Sportsman chassis, it wasn’t exactly a natural fit. Installing a motor into a chassis originally designed for a different power source is never easy and to wedge the ProStar into a utility ATV chassis required considerable modification. To make things even more challenging, Polaris was actually using TWO different chassis platforms to create new Sportsman models. The new models would be the Sportsman and the Sportsman SP. The difference is, the Sportsman is based on the older, strut style front end Sportsman chassis while the SP uses the new dual-arm front end platform. Both models feature independent rear suspension, but considerable rear chassis changes were needed to install the CVT and differential. Polaris even calls the Sportsman SP one of their Premium models. What it means is you get the best of everything they’ve ever learned and built in an extremely comfortable, easy to ride package.

FULL COVERAGE

While power can be useful, comfort is king on the trail, and in this area both of the Sportsman models excel. The first thing everyone noticed about the new Sportsman and SP is how narrow and sporty it feels. It feels much more like a sport ATV than a rack-toting, 4-wheel-drive utility ATV. Combine that with a perfect handlebar bend, a comfortable throttle housing, and a narrower seat that somehow manages to keep the legendary Polaris comfort and you get a Sportsman that makes you feel as if you were born to be at its helm. Full fenders also provide excellent splash protection. The full floorboards drain water quickly, and Polaris claims the beautiful, automotive finish is more durable and scratch resistant than the standard plastic. What it all adds up to is an ATV that is born for the trails and easy to ride all day. 

One feature we’ve always loved about various Sportsman models is the huge storage box built into the front fenders. Through the years this has been included on some models and skipped on others, but thankfully both versions of the Sportsman come equipped with it. It’s a welcome place to store tools, tie downs, a snack, and anything else you want on the trail. We also like the large storage bin between the rear tail lights. Both versions also get sturdy, composite racks at the front and rear, and we like the many integrated tie down points. They’re also ready to accept all the Polaris accessories with the Lock & Ride mounting system. At the rear end a ” receiver hitch is ready to tow a load as well. For any night action Polaris gives both models dual headlights, and a center mounted light pod that turns with the handlebars.

One of the differences between the standard Sportsman and the Sportsman SP is the tires and wheels. Since it’s a premium model the SP gets 14” cast aluminum wheels and 26” tires while the standard unit gets 12” wheels and 25” tires. Some feel the 14” wheel is a little more prone to punctures thanks to a stiffer side wall but we love the look of the larger aluminum wheel.

POWER & LIGHT

Since both the standard Sportsman and Sportsman SP are meant for hard work as much as they are play time on the trail, Polaris bumped up the engine power. Polaris claims a 20% power increase and one way to squeeze more out of any engine is to get more air into it. A high-flow, high-capacity air filter with better dust filtration makes that happen. Thankfully, EFI helps the engine make the most of every drop of fuel, and you can expect about 10% better mileage as well. For powering accessories and the extra lights a larger, watt stator is used and on the SP it also powers the Electronic Power Steering.

TRAIL REPORT

Our trail riding adventures are a mix of machines and terrain. It would be a good test of the Sportsman A turn of the key on the bar-mounted headlight pod brought the fuel-injected, single-cylinder thumper to a quick start and it gives a healthy yet quiet rumble. The center mounted digital instrument cluster displays everything you’ll need to know in one easy to read LCD display and after a minute of idling to warm up, we slid the shifter into gear, and were off. The is noticeably snappier on takeoff than the previous models thanks to the clutching.

It’s not all high speed runs and hill climbs on the trails and we actually prefer tight, twisty sections where the suspension comes into play. Polaris had equipped every basic Sportsman before the with MacPherson struts on the front end and it was ultra-stable, but the trade-off was it lacked steering precision and seemed under-damped. It sucked up impacts well, but the struts inability to control the spring motion sometimes reminded us of a small boat in big waves. Then, with the introduction of the XP chassis came a watershed moment when Polaris introduced dual a-arms. Long front and rear A-arms push the spindles deep into the 14” wheels, allowing for precise handling and effectively reducing wheel scrub, a condition that causes your tires to push apart as the suspension is compressed. The new Sportsman SP features that same design. The oil-damped shocks are preload adjustable and can be dialed in for your riding preference and trail conditions, but to make the ride a little softer Polaris swapped out the springs for a slightly smoother rider.

Today you can get the basic Sportsman with an improved MacPherson strut front suspension or the dual A-Arm version on the SP. Either way you’ll love the ride! Suspension travel is identical with inches in the front and inches of wheel travel at the rear. What it all adds up to is the Sportsman models are an absolute joy to ride in tighter, rougher situations. They have the nimble handling and agility of a much lighter, smaller sport/utility ATV and can be ridden through rough terrain and even whoops with greater confidence. It’s still a full-sized machine, however, and that can be an issue when the trees are too close together, but they’ll dart through places most utility quads will never see. For the ultimate in ease of control, the brushless Polaris Electronic Power Steering system varies input with travel speed. It’s effortless and all but eliminates any jolt from hitting objects along the trail.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the Polaris’ ability to climb up pretty much any kind of hill. The Sportsman ATVs have always been very capable climbers due to their long wheelbase, wide stance, and some of the best tire choices by any OEM, and the models are no exception. You can claw your way to the top long after some of the competition will have likely given up or cart wheeled their way to the bottom!

WISH LIST

The only major change we would make to the Sportsman is nothing more than a programming change. We would dial back the Electronic Power Steering input to make steering a little more firm, and to get a little better feel of the terrain. We also noticed a little backlash in the CVT system but it’s not a deal breaker.

MODERN DAY SPORTSMAN

Since its introduction in Polaris has sold over , Sportsman ATVs. Today the Sportsman and Sportsman SP build on that heritage thanks to the Polaris economy of scale manufacturing process, and as a bonus the price is barely above the level! Just as always, you can’t go wrong with a Sportsman!

Polaris Sportsman Specifications

Engine Type: cc Liquid Cooled, Fuel Injected, DOHC 4-Stroke

Drive System: Automatic PVT, P/R/N/L/H; Shaft drive, 2WD / AWD

Suspension SP: Dual A-Arm / ” travel Front - Dual A-Arm / ” travel Rear

Suspension MacPherson Struts / ” travel Front, - Dual A-Arm / ” travel rear

Front Brakes: Single-lever hydraulic 4-wheel disc

Rear Brakes: Hydraulic Disc with Foot Brake

Tires SP: 26x – Front, 26x Rear - Cast Aluminum Wheel

Tires 25x – Front, 25x Rear - Stamped Steel

Dry Weight: lb. – Sportsman , lb. Sportsman SP

Length /width / height 83” / 48” / 48” 

Fuel Capacity: gal.

Hitch Towing Capacity: lb. Sportsman , lb. – Sportsman SP

Ground Clearance: ”

Instrumentation: Analog Speedometer, Digital Odometer, Tachometer, Two Tripmeters, Hour Meter, Clock, Service Indicator, Diagnostic Indicator, Gear Indicator, Fuel Gauge, AWD Indicator, Hi-Temp/Low-Batt Lights, DC Outlet

SPORTSMAN - msrp: $6,

Sage Green, Yellow, Indy Red, Polaris Pursuit Camo

SPORTSMAN EPS - msrp: $7,

Sage Green, Velocity Blue, Indy Red, Polaris Pursuit Camo

• Electronic Power Steering (EPS)

• MacPherson strut front suspension

SPORTSMAN SP - msrp: $8,

Sunset Red, Titanium Metallic, Hunter Edition

• Polaris Pursuit® Graphics Package with Cut & Sew Seat

• Front & Rear Bumpers

• Polaris 2, lb. ( kg) HD Winch

• Gun Scabbard

• Front & Rear Rack Extender

• Work Lights 

• Hand/Thumb Warmers

Model Year

Model Number

Model/Color

A15SXA85AJ

Sportsman White Lightning

A15SXA85AA

Sportsman Sage Green

A15SXA85AC

Sportsman Polaris Pursuit Camo

A15SXE85AS

Sportsman SP Sunset Red

A15SXE85AM

Sportsman SP Titanium Matte Metallic

A15SYE85AS

Sportsman Touring SP Sunset Red

A15SYE85AV

Sportsman Touring SP Blue Fire

A15SXE95AW

Sportsman XP Matte White Le

A15SXE95AK

Sportsman XP SP Black Pearl Metallic

A15SXE95AC

Sportsman XP Polaris Pursuit Camo

A15SYE95AX

Sportsman Touring XP Bronze Mist

A15SXL95AM

Sportsman XP Titanium Matte Metallic

A15SYL95AP

Sportsman XP Touring White Pearl Metal

A16SXA85A2

Sportsman White Lightning

A16SXA85A1

Sportsman Sage Green

A16SXA85A9

Sportsman Polaris Pursuit® Camo

A16SXE85AB

Sportsman SP Velocity Blue

A16SXE85AS

Sportsman SP Sunset Red

A16SXN85A3

Sportsman High Lifter Edition

A16SXE85AM

Sportsman SP Titanium Matte Metallic

A16SYE85AS

Sportsman Touring SP Sunset Red

A16SXE95AG

Sportsman XP Matte Sagebrush Green

A16SXE95AR

Sportsman XP Havasu Red Pearl

A16SXD95A9

Sportsman XP Hunter Edition

A16SYE95AK

Sportsman Touring XP Black Pearl

A16SXM95AL

Sportsman XP High Lifter Edition

A16SYE95AP

Sportsman Touring XP Pearl White Le