I have a 2000 sportsman 500 as well. Is it possible to put a bigger carb on it, like the HO? I think the HO has a 40mm bore and mine is a 34mm. Just curious if increasing the carb size would make a difference.

Thanks,

 

Quinlan,
I bought mine used. It had 275 miles on it with a winch and a few extra's. I paid $4,500. I think I would have a hard time buying a new one.

 

If my memory serves me well, the difference between the HO and the none HO is a high performance cam, bigger carb 40 mm I think, an improved airbox and stronger crank.
It's nice to have the extra power BUT it comes with a cost. That cost is fuel. The none HO will get around 23 mpg and HO only 15 mpg. To me it's not the cost difference but the range. With my HO when riding all day hunting I usually get back to camp on fumes. The none HO I would still have at least 1 1/2 gals left in the tank. Of course with both machines I carry extra gas but with the HO I carry twice as much.

 

We are going to Mena Arkansas later this week, so the extra mileage will come in handy. They said last time they went, they rode about 90 miles per day. With a 5 gallon tank, that will work out just right. I will still cary a small tank of gas with me though, just to be safe.