Hello Polaris group! After stalking this site as a "guest", I have registered to pose the following question. After much consideration (hence the sceen name...I have looked from A thru Z looking for the right machine) I have decided on a Sportsman 500 HO. I can get a leftover '06 Deluxe (w/ EBS and no winch or extras) for $5,999 + tax or a new '07 (no EBS; however w/ Polaris 2500 winch & rear storage box installed) for $6669 + tax. The '06 is at a dealership 30+ miles away and the '07 is less than 10 miles from me. So here it is: Is the EBS worth it? I have read various opinions/comments on how the EBS works; but, I have not located a thread where "EBS is the best thing since sliced bread and I could never drive an ATV without it again."
Thanks in advance TextA thru ZText

 

Hey AthruZ, to answer a couple questions: EBS is great for going downhills in a controlled manner. I have it on my X2 and find it great to be able to take the downhills at a crawl without using the brakes. Also, I got the Polaris/Warn 2500lb. winch which I have already used a number of times for pulling others out of the muck and mire. I recommend both if you can swing it. If I had a choice between one or the other it would probably be the winch. It's great to have if you are alone and get mired. (Haven't yet even in headlight deep water/mud crossings. Hope this helps.

 

If I had my druthers I would rather no EBS. It is noisey, about useless, just more to go wrong, takes a lil off the top end.

 

Although I have no idea what EBS feels or works like heres my thought. My dealer tried to sell me a unit with it but I asked myself.....How much of riding do I do that would actually require something more than normal downhill braking. All the places I have been riding I can say "I wonder if EBS would have helped" but I made it down just fine anyways. So is it worth it? depends on your riding -............me...no. My riding, I would be able to use a winch more. Which I didnt get yet! I would go for the newer machine with the other more useful accesories - (not that I havent bought useless accesories!!!) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

To ME its one of those things thats nice to have but dont need it

 

Don't all Polaris utilitie's have EBS? Mine is 07 500 LE and Engine Braking System is standard. I think you may be thinking of ADC, which is active desent control, that works when you are in 4 wheel drive on Polaris Models X2 and Deluxe models. I have a 500 le like I said before and it doe's not have ADC. It is optioned, I believe on those 2 model's only.

 

The "standard" 2007 sportsmans do not have EBS or rear worklights. One neeeds to buy the "delux" to get the rims, worklights, winch, EBS, and rack extender.

 

first, they didnt make a delux in 06. the diff. is the 06 500 carb.($6699.00) had no ebs.06 500 efi (6999.00) does have ebs. now the 07 efi 500(dont make a carb in 07) comes in standard(6999.00)has none and the delux 500 efi ($7699.00) has both ebs and adc breaking. basicly the standard is a stripped down efi 500. hes giving 1,000 off list price for the 06 efi 500. if its the carb (which doesnt HAVE EBS) its only 700.00 which isnt a good deal.

 

The 2006 sportsman 450's did NOT come with E.B.S. I asked the dealer about this due to the fact I bought two ...So I was more concerned about the wife's (first quad). He told me stright up that if you never had it before... than you will not miss it.....So I didn't get E.B.S. on mine two 450's..That's my story....Caper......
By the way I think they slow down enough when you let off the gas......Except downhill which is why I wanted a quad with Hyd. disc brakes anyway!!!!!!!

 

I don't see a great benefit in having ebs...having ridden both. its just ok...certainly not bad but not as necessary aso ne might think. Unless your brakes fail going down a hill!!!

 

I have the 06 800 w/ EBS and my 03 700 had it as well and I hate! hate! hate! the EBS it is the only complaint I have with the Sportsman 800. I am soon going to buy a 500 non EBS clutch and swap it out.
The EBS locks up the wheels on a down hill with loose dirt or wet grass and will slide side ways. When trail riding, every time you let off the gas you will jerk. I once almost slid off the ramps comming of my trailer, I let off the gas wheels locked up and hopped sideways lucky I was near the bottom of the ramp. It would be nice if it were a rider controled option. a switch to turn it on or off.