OK guys, lets debate. I am going to buy one of these bikes soon and I really need both opinions. Considering the 1200.00 difference in cost, is it worth it to go up to the 700. I pull a 5X10 utility trailer with 5-6 duck hunters on it up a fairly steep hill now with my old 500, which is not an HO and it does fine. My question is this. Can you really tell a diffence in the power because it seems that it would be hard to put that power on the ground, especially in my case. I probably would spin up the hill even worse than I do now. So really, is the extra power necessary or even noticeable. Also, the 700 seems to be more rigid and not nearly as smooth as the 500. Top speed is absolutely irrelevant in my case. Help me guys!!!

 

The 700 EFI has so much more pulling power than 500 it isn't even fair to compare....But the pull sleds are the best way of judging the difference so let's go there first. In the pull sled competitions set up by Polaris at the shows, nothing could beat a 700. The torque increase is huge over a 500, especially a non-H.O. 500.

In the real world you will see that none of the new Sportsmans rides as soft as the old non-H.O. 500s. In that same world, the 500 has more low end torque than the 700, and is actually better at putting around than the 700s. The EFI 700 has more low end than the carburator 700, but the 500 still has the most low end grunt. As soon as the 700 gets up on its power curve it is all over, and the 500, even the H.O. runs out of steam. The 700 EFI has more usable torque for towing than two 500s.

If you are pulling 6 duck hunters up a hill, the 700 EFI is going to make that job a lot easier.

 

Darn it!! I was convinced the 500 was the way to go. Now I am really confused. One question I have is at what speed or RMP does the 700 EFI hit that curve? I don't need to go 30-40 MPH up a hill, I just need to have the power to get moving and pull the weight 10-15 mph up the hill. Maybe more low end torque is what I need. Come on everyone, if you have any experience with this situation, please weigh in.

 

Fourlix, in your opinion, if you had a 500 HO and a 700 EFI both hooked to exact trailers with 1200 lbs on them, and both bikes took off a the exact same time, would the 500 yank it easier to a certain point, then the 700 eventually overtake it at a faster speed, or would it be a dead heat until the 700 hit the power curve and then walk off?

 

duckmaster, with the more torque in the 700, it should out pull the 500 from the start. Maybe not by much but it should.

Where do you live? I have a '04.5 Sp600 for sale if interested.

 

The 700 will run away with it from the very start. The only place a 500 is going to have an edge over the 700 is a no load, just above idle, creepy crawl up a steep slope. The 500s better low end torque engages the clutch sooner, so for slow going it has less wheelspin, and can creep along more confidently, where the 700 just wants to launch, and its clutch is set up to do just that, much like a scrambler clutch.

 

Come on guys, give me some input. I really need to buy something!

 

I have never found my 500ho lacking in power. Is the extra power necessary ? I don't think so. Is it noticeable ? I would think so. Duckmaster you need to decide what you NEED or what you WANT. Is a 700 worth the extra $$$, only you know the answer to that question. After all it is your $$$.

 

after owning a H.O. and now having a 700EFI, the extra money is well worth it for me, power galore and quick enough to be fun.

 

Rawzon, could you tell a huge difference? Did you pull anything with the 500? Did you ever feel the 500 was underpowered?