Took the beast out for a ride. If you are expecting to turn your knuckles white and get a nose bleed when you hit the throttle it ain't going to happen. It definitely has more power but I took it easy on the new engine.
Remember this is a utility machine not a racer.
One thing I noticed is on the hand tag on the handle bars it notes that it has a 34mm carb,not a 40mm like the Scramblers, have to check that out. It uses the same air intake as the old models. I was expecting to see one bigger like the 500 Mags. But indoing so I guess you would compromise the air clutch intake tube height.
Didnt get to use the brakes much because we are on flat ground but when I did the were excellent.
With proper break in I bet you can go do some real Grizzly hunting

 

I wonder what polaris did then to get the 20% increase,exhaust,cam, compression ratio?

 

Ok, heres the question.

If you had a 500 SP would you trade it for the new 500 HO?

 

Sounds good. All I gotta say now guys is
" get some HO's in dis house, get some HO's in dis house!" lol

 

I would love to test ride one, but am waiting for the 700! I never have trouble staying ahead of the grizzly. Ussually in front winching

 

Cam,carb and maybe clutch weights and there you have it, a 500 Scambler motor with a low range.

 

The assemebled pod is nice, but some people might miss sticking in the front 2 bolts. I like the new row of idiot lights, the old ones would pop off. I didn't expect Scrambler power anyway...

For those who haven't seen it, it looks the same as the green '00 model, except the background where it says "Sportsman 500" on the gas-tank has a different camo pattern, and says HO right under the 500 part.

The yellow has basically the same graphics as '00, and still has those ugly black wheels...

The Magnum stole the Sportsmans silver fenders.

Other than the so-called HO motor, it has the new choke ****, idiot lights, brake lines, disc, and pads. They dropped the rear rack extender, stupid move! The same price is good though. I haven't raced them or anything, but I was hoping for something that would smoke the Xplorer 400.

 

I took a good look at one today. The handle bar tag does say 34mm carb, but if you take the seat off and look it is really the 40mm! Tag must be a typo. As for the rack extender I don't miss mine a bit, boxes and fuel packs fit better without it. Besides they left the price tag alone! Sounds like a deal to me.