Went riding on the weekend. Had a great time. Before I went home I tried a very steep rocky hill with some snow thrown in. The SP500 just went right up there. The 2nd half of the climb has worse. I got about 3/4 of the way up and chickened out. There were 3 rock 'steps' to contend with and my nerves and desire to keep my new quad in one piece kept me from going further. I braked and dismounted. I could barely stand up cause the hill was so steep. I kept sliding down the hill. So I started backing down the hill, but kept going off the trail, which is not much wider than the SP500, and having to climb up again to straighten up. If you go off the side your GONE! I need the separate brakes! My arms were sore from squeezing the brakes and I am not a small boy. I got it to where I could turn it around and started heading back down the hill. I was counting on EBS to help me. Ya right! The back wheels were stopped but, I was desending the hill like in neutral. I love EBS, but it has to be able to engage all 4 wheels, at least for this extreme stuff. I love this quad! Bring on the snow!

Glenn.

 

Glenn, I took our Sportsman down some scary hills with logs & rocks thrown in for a fun challenge. The EBS only helps so much like you said, but this hill was steep enough that you had to use the brakes anyway. I have ridden a variety of 3-wheelers & 4-wheelers down this hill over the last couple years, with the Sportsman being the second auto I tried it with, and the only machine I could go down without brakes was our Suzuki 250 4x4 in super low diff lock. That's really low gearing... Even the Honda 300 4x4 I took down once with it in 1st needed brakes. I really like that Suzuki!

Anyway, on the Sportsman it got a little scary at times. I had to turn at one point at a steep angle and get around a rock. I was hanging WAY OFF on the uphill side, and made it. My friend on his dirt bike just kind of stared like "your crazy." It was fun though. The way back up was much easier. Put that thing in low range 4x4 it will climb about anything! I am glad the big winch & bumper is up front or I might have wheelied a few times. It did climb this hill better than the others I have climbed up it with, with exception to the little Suzuki. Once again, the low gearing helps it to snake it's way up, and that with good tires makes hills easy. I haven't had the honor of going down in reverse yet on the Sportsman.

The single lever actualy wasn't as bad as I thought it would be when going down (forward), but later that day I took my Scrambler with the split brakes and it was much easier. I could control my speed, and what end did what much better. The Scrambler also was more comfortable, sits lower, so didn't scare me as much. Going up I missed the low range from the Sportsman. The Scrambler climbs it just fine, but it does it faster, and sometimes I don't like that!

 

Love that Moutain rideing they always look better from the bottom, never as steep as they are when your up there.Been there done that.Only time I had trouble with EBS and it wouldn't have made any difference with or without was in real loose shale down realll steep hill.I just kept looking at a tree that i could ease up against in case.

 

I'd pay a nickel to see that!

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FloodRunner, on the Wisconsin River

 

What machine do you think could get up a steep hill better the Sp500 or the Magnum 500 Solid Axle

 

Does EBS work in reverse? If so why not put it in reverse, engae the 4wd switch and hold the override button down. Then you would have 4 wheel EBS.

 

I have the winch and bumper on the SP500, but it was still wheelying on the climb. Not to mention my 225 pound frame practically sitting on the speedometer. Going down was definitely more scary. The rear end desparately tring to pass the front even while braking. Then pointing the quad over the side. At which point I would have to release brake and accelerate to straighten it out. Hard to convince the brain that it is a good thing to accelerate while pointing towards the edge of a mountain.

 

On a few steep muddy climbs I have seen Sportsman 500's couldn't make it, 2 tried, and a Scrambler 500 & Xplorer 400 could. I am guessing because they have more power to spin the tires & get momentum. On hills with more traction, the Sportsman never had a problem, it just didn't go as fast as the others.

 

to many varibles to take in,tires rider what have you.To say one machine is better than the other.

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speed kills ride a "HONDA"

 

When in 4X4, aren't all wheels affected by the ABS? They are on my Yamaha Kodiak. I love my Polaris Sport, but hate the freewheeling I get going down hills. I've seen Sportsman have trouble going up hills others could do, I figured it was the extra weight of the bike. I like them nonetheless.

SportKod
99 Polaris Sport
00 Yamaha Kodiak