I can give you a real life experience. We have a couple of 2007 450s at work, excellent machines, one has 10,000km, the other is just behind that. Neither has had any major work, only the annual, grease and oil and a couple batteries. All winter they are both used to plow our parking lot. Summer time used for tearing around the woods. I have my own 2009 550 Grizzly with electric power steering. That alone is work every penny, no effort when riding through the tough stuff, no kickbacks at all.