I own both a 2006 Sportsman 500 HO and a 2008 Polaris Touring. On rides this past month I have experienced both of them stall out a number of times. Trying to find a common denominator, I decided that they were all at low speed and making very tight turns. On some other posts I read how you can up the idle speed by adjusting the tightner just down the cable from the throttle. So...

I tried this last night. What I found was a whole nother problem. I can adjust the revs with that tightner all right, but to my surprise I can also radically effect the revs just by moving the cable itself. So, I had the "T" at idle and turned the handle bars right and left, guess what - with out doing anything else, the revs changed by up to 1000 rpm.

Do all machines do this?? What should I look for if this isn't the norm?? Just doesn't seem right.

 

Is the cable pinched on anything? There should be no drag on the cable when you turn your bike, it should move freely and remain slack. If it becomes tight or streched when you turn the bars the cable is to short or the cable is caught on something. Also if you adjusted the cable to much you may be making it to tight, you just want to take the slack or freeplay out not really raise your idle

 

The adjuster on the cable is not for changing the idle speed, rather it is just for adjusting cable free play.

Your ATVs are dying most likely for one or two reasons:

1. If you have a key ring on the ignition key, it might be hitting the gas cap at full handlebar turn, and inadvertently shutting off the ignition.

2. Your throttle cable has too much free play in it and is activating the Electronic Throttle Control, which will kill the ignition.

Check THIS thread for some tips.

ADDED:

The idle adjustment on your HO is right under the carburetor float bowl, you should be able to access it from the left side.

 

Your machines were probably stalling due to too much free play in the throttle lever. Pull back throttle boot and adjust so their is 1/8" free play at end of throttle lever.

 

i would guess the cable is misrouted if its raising the idle just by turning.