I'm looking at buyng a Sportsman 500. What year did Polaris start using EBS on these bikes? Also, what is the real difference in the 500 and 500 HO? Are these bikes reliable? The quad I'm looking at only has 500 miles on the odo. It runs great now, but I want to make sure I'm buying a quad that's worthy of a major smackdown! I ride mountian trails, logging trails, farm trails and plan on putting it through a pounding each ride. If the Polaris is a dog, what's a good alternative in the 500CC & UP category. I gotta have IRS and preferably EBS so it don't freewheel into the back of my CR450-riding buddy! Thanks for any info you got, fellow four-wheelin' FRREEAAKS!

 

the H.O.s got a different cam, larger carb, and some other stuff i forget, but theres a 6 or 7 horsepower difference between the 2. I would stay away from Pre-2000 polaris quads as they might be good, but more then not they were trouble ridden. 2000 and forward however polaris really started hammering down on quality standards and they've come a long way.

Polaris has the best IRS available, and i think i can speak for most non-brand loyal people here. the EBS on the polaris' arnt really that great as its only 2 wheel EBS instead of 4 and when your going down hills, sometimes it locks up and you'll have to nudge the throttle to disengage it.


i belive EBS was added to the quads in '99? not sure on that one, but id check it out, try re-posting this in the Polaris section of the forums to get some peoples opinion that own them.

 

EBS was added in late 98. I bought an early 98 and had it added later. Works great and you can get used to bumping gas to keep from locking up. The earlier thread was correct, it will lock up back end sometimes but not a big problem.
I now have an 04 500 sportsman and there is big difference. Steering greatly improved, much easier to turn than earlier models. Think this change was made in 2002. New radial tires on 04 greatly improve ride but if in heavy or sharp rocks look for side wall puncture. The factory 2 ply radials are very soft but sure ride good. Have to make your on decision. I changed to 6 Ply radial. Got tired of flats in the mountains of East TENN.
Hope this helps

 

I had a 1997 Sportsman 500 that I put about 2,400 miles on. I did not realize any problems what-so-ever for the four years I owned it. And, it got much better mileage than the two HO's I owned.

 

my 1997 Sportsman 500 has EBS , and the EBS was factory original. so EBS had to have been availible atleast since early 97 which is when we baught it. dont believe that the pre 2000's have alot of problems, mine is still 100% mechanically stock and still runs like a champ, the people who never took care of theirs where the only ones to really have major problems. but the pre-2000's did have some electrical problems. i had to replace the 4x4 switch after it stopped working, and ironic as it may seem it stopped working when i was in a big mud hole. anyway if you look at a pre 2000 than check the 4x4 switch, as well as the indicator's. at one point in time, if i had my sportsman in nuetral, than the rev-limiter was on and i would have to hold in over-ride to rev up, than id put in in reverse and there was no rev-limiter at all and the nuetral light was on, than i put it in forward than it was normal but all we did was re-connect everything, and install the new 4x4 switch than ot worked perfectly and still does right now. the HO sportsman's are the way to go, you get more power, and much better electrical system as well as a better 4x4 switch that wont crap out when you are mud-bogging lol.