The 2023 Sportsman 1000 Highlifter is one of the most expensive ATVs on the market, but is it worth it? Here’s five things we love and five more we hate about this 100-hp beast, plus some insight on who needs this machine.
Check out the story at https://www.utvdriver.com/atvs/polaris-sportsman-1000-high-lifter-pros-and-cons-review/
For more stories, reviews, and first-looks check out https://www.utvdriver.com/
Want to see even more shenanigans from the UTV Driver team? Give us a like and follow:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UTVdriver/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utvdriverma...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/utvdriver/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@utvdriver
Check out the story at https://www.utvdriver.com/atvs/polaris-sportsman-1000-high-lifter-pros-and-cons-review/
For more stories, reviews, and first-looks check out https://www.utvdriver.com/
Want to see even more shenanigans from the UTV Driver team? Give us a like and follow:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UTVdriver/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utvdriverma...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/utvdriver/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@utvdriver
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 (engine revving)
00:02 (upbeat music)
00:08 Today we got something special for you,
00:09 a top of the line Sportsman 1000 High Lifter Edition.
00:13 And we are going to give you five things we love,
00:16 five things we hate,
00:16 and then we're gonna tell you who this machine is for.
00:19 The first thing we love, look at this thing.
00:21 It's like the Predator.
00:22 It's not pretty, but you know it means business.
00:24 You got a super high mounted snorkel system
00:27 protected by the shroud with the radiator
00:28 and all the rest of that to keep it up out of the mud.
00:30 Got these massive gnarly tires.
00:32 This thing clearly states, I'm here to play in the mud.
00:35 Second thing we love, this engine.
00:38 It's a 1000cc monster that's knocking out
00:40 nearly 100 horsepower.
00:42 There are UTVs that don't make that much grunt.
00:45 And this thing hauls.
00:47 Zero to 40 miles an hour, you are moving.
00:49 But the important thing is you've got all of that muscle
00:52 to rip you out of a mud hole.
00:54 You can get this thing stuck, you're doing the Lord's work.
00:56 The third thing we love, this thing is purpose built.
00:59 We already talked about this a little bit,
01:01 but let's run over some of the details
01:02 that make this a dedicated high lifter,
01:04 dedicated mud machine.
01:05 Number one, look at this gnarly bull bar.
01:07 You've got a recovery point way up high.
01:10 You got a 3,500 pound winch,
01:12 also way up high with synthetic line.
01:14 Massive 30 inch paddle tires that just,
01:17 they will claw and claw and claw until you get traction
01:20 or you bury yourself, that's also an option.
01:22 You've got this massive pull rope up top
01:25 that's bolted into the handlebars
01:26 so you can yank this thing around.
01:28 It is a mud machine ready to have a lot of fun
01:32 in the summertime.
01:33 Before we go any farther,
01:34 be sure to like, comment, and subscribe.
01:37 We've got fresh videos every week.
01:39 We've got YouTube shorts, we've got TikToks,
01:41 making sure that you hit that bell,
01:42 all that will make sure that you see our freshest content
01:45 as soon as it comes out.
01:47 The fourth thing, and this really surprised me,
01:49 the ergonomics on this machine
01:50 are actually really, really nice.
01:52 You got a wide seat, it's easy to get way back
01:54 for popping a wheelie while you're down in the water.
01:57 You can get way forward
01:58 if you need to shove the front end down for grip.
02:00 It's just made to move around on.
02:02 The fifth thing that we love
02:03 about the Sports 1000 Highlifter, look at these AR.
02:06 You have a massive, massive amount
02:08 of ground clearance down here.
02:10 That's to keep you up out of the muck,
02:11 keep you actually moving instead of bottoming out.
02:14 It's pretty great.
02:15 Now for five things we hate
02:16 and we're going to start at the most obvious.
02:19 This is a very expensive machine.
02:21 You're talking nearly $17,000 for an ATV.
02:25 Goes without saying, you can buy a lot of toys for 17 grand.
02:29 Is it worth it?
02:29 Yeah, if you're using it for what it's for, absolutely.
02:32 Can you build a machine that'll do what this will
02:34 for less than 17 grand?
02:35 Maybe, with a warranty?
02:37 No.
02:38 The second thing we hate,
02:39 there is no storage on this machine.
02:42 There might be a cubby or something under the seat,
02:44 but in terms of a place to stash your car keys,
02:46 your cell phone, any of that stuff, forget about it.
02:48 Leave it at the truck.
02:49 You've got no space on this thing.
02:51 I get that this thing is made to be submerged.
02:53 You don't want to put your valuables
02:55 in a place where it might get wet.
02:56 We've always relied on Ziploc baggies
02:59 to do the Lord's work as far as that's concerned.
03:01 And this thing, it's just got no space for anything.
03:03 You can strap a cooler to the back, but that's about it.
03:06 The third thing we hate,
03:07 this thing is stiffer than a block of locust.
03:10 The spring rate is insane.
03:12 The damping does okay.
03:13 And I get it, I understand why they made that call.
03:15 The extra stiff springs help get it up off the ground.
03:17 It also means that it's easier to pop a wheelie
03:20 when you're climbing up out of a mud hole.
03:21 You got to get to the mud hole first
03:22 and riding down any trail is an exercise
03:24 in rattling your fillings up.
03:26 The fourth thing we hate,
03:27 build quality is not exceptional on this machine.
03:30 I actually had this cowl pop off
03:32 and hit me in the face while we were riding down the trail.
03:35 Not great.
03:35 Again, you know, you want all this stuff
03:37 to be super accessible.
03:38 I understand why it's not bolted down with fasteners
03:41 and all the rest of that.
03:42 But if you're spending $17,000,
03:44 yeah, you don't really want pieces coming up
03:45 and hitting you in the face.
03:46 The fifth thing we hate, this thing is huge.
03:50 It is nearly a thousand pounds
03:53 of just absolute brute muscle.
03:56 Yeah, you're going to look like the big dog
03:57 when it comes time to splash in the mud.
03:59 But at the same time,
04:00 it takes up a lot of square footage on the trailer.
04:02 Takes up a lot of square footage in the shop.
04:03 Yeah, we may have reached peak ATV size at this point.
04:07 So who is this rig for?
04:09 It is for one person and one person alone.
04:12 And that is the person that likes to go out
04:14 and hit butt puddles, period.
04:16 If you've got a bounty hole in your backyard,
04:18 if you've got a mud park in your backyard
04:20 and you want to make sure that you get through
04:21 and put on a show for everybody, this is your rig.
04:25 It is specifically made for that party.
04:27 It's not going to be good at a trail.
04:29 It's not going to be good at doing any amount of work
04:32 on a farm.
04:32 You can forget all that stuff.
04:34 This is made for the sole purpose of excelling in the mud.
04:38 And it does it.
04:39 We had a lot of fun splashing around yesterday,
04:41 trying to see if we can get this thing stuck.
04:43 I tried my best, within limits.
04:45 Hey, it's somebody else's rig, I get it.
04:47 It's excellent.
04:48 It's properly good.
04:50 So if you like playing in the mud, this is your rig.
04:52 All right, that has been five things we love
04:54 and five things we hate
04:55 about the Polaris Sportsman 1000 Highlifter.
04:58 If you like what you saw,
04:59 be sure to check us out on utvdriver.com.
05:01 We've got reviews, we've got buyer's guides,
05:03 galleries, more videos like this.
05:04 Everything that you want when it comes to ATVs and UTVs.
05:08 You can also check us out on all of our social media channels.
05:11 We want to hear from you.
05:12 We want to see what you're riding.
05:13 Hit us up.
05:14 (upbeat music)
05:16 (imitating car engine)