This has been out there a bunch of times, but I forgot so here it is again. I know a lot of you have GPS's and have clocked sportsmans with them for top speed numbers. Here is my question.. again.

What are the top speed numbers on your Sportsmans on level ground according to a GPS? Any model from 96 to present.

I can remember somebody clocked one at around 57 about a year and a half ago, but thats all I remember. I'm trying to see the overall difference between different cases and with EBS and non EBS models to see if there ever really was a difference. I never thought the EBS made a difference myself, though I've heard it both ways.

 

Ok i did a gps test comparing speedo on a 99 500 mag and a 99 500 sp all stock the sp went 59 the spedd o rgistered 59.plus a needel width more. The mag slow poke 56mph speddo said the same.

 

2000 Magnum 57 MPH

But, more importantly Andy what should be taken into consideration is the amount ot time that it took these machines to reach that speed.

Most Sportsman/Magnum models will climb very quickly to 48 MPH but take a whole lot more road to squeeze out that extra 8 MPH. Sort of like an AC 500

Trail (road) surface texture also plays a part.
(Gravel vs railroad bed vs Asphalt)

 

With the gps, I get the AC 500 up to 45 or 46 pretty quick and then it takes a bit to finally make it up to 51. Every now and then it might hit 52, but not often. Speedo is off 2 mph with 27" tires. We tested the 454 with stock 25" tires and its speedometer was off by 9mph. Thats a huge gap. Pisses you off too when you find out you aren't going that fast after all. I had wondered about this. The fastest GPS figure I ever got was on a downhill dirt stretch where I eeked out 57 before I had to lay the brakes to it to make a curve.

This is a good thing. 57 seemed so much faster than 51, even though its only 6mph difference. If I wind up getting a HO sportsman later on, I think I'll be happy with the extra windout when I take the paved roads to a friends house.