I would like to collect some steering experience from SP 500 owners.

I am the only ATV owner over here and I cannot ask anybody about a comparison.

I was at my dealers again to complain about the hard steering of my SP 500 (to disengage the 4WD mode seems to work now somehow by riding back & forth) and he told me that steering is quite normal now.

In comparison of the Polaris 325 which is a pleasure to steer, my SP 500 is still the stuborn donkey and it gives me a muscle-job to steer. On a paved surface it is real hard bodybuilding.

 

I don't think I understand your steering problem, but if there is nothing wrong, and it still feels hard to steer, you can make extensions to make it easier. You can find them in "my folder" the file “Polaris tricks and tips”. I hope this helps you.
my briefcase

 

I had the same complaint with my 2001 sporsman 500 HO and actually thought that there was something wrong with the steering until I rode some others and they were the same. Mine was extremely hard to turn (in my opinion compared to other quads) on pavement. I put a set of Titan 589 M/T tires on it and it was almost like adding power steering. In talking to others who have experienced similar improvements, I have come to the conclusion that the stiffer sidewall of the 6-ply tires makes the quad steer easier than with the original goodyear tires which I think are 2-ply. I guess the stiffer sidewall does not flex as much. Anyway, I suppose you would get the same results with any 6-ply tire. Hope this helps.