What mods would be easy and benificial for me to do to my quad? things like new air filter, rear back up light, stuff like that. I dont want any major mods like clutch or lift kit. What has everyone done and what suggestions to you have.

 

I sold my late 2000 red SP to my buddy and bought a 2001 H.O. It has a little more midrange pull and a stiffer ride due to gas shocks. I can't outrun him. I put an AAEN long duration cam in. Still can't outrun him. Now I'm going for a 42mm
Mikuni Flatslide pumper carb and a pipe. Maybe I'll beat him someday. The SP is a fine machine.
Put a K&N airfilter in it, a white clutch spring,
make sure your clutch weights are right for your elevation, your dealer should do this for you for free, have him stick the white spring in while he's at it, you'll have to pay for the spring. (try wider front tires if you ride in sand at all, huge handling improvement! watch out for clearance between tire and tierod end, washers under the lugbolts will help.) All this hype about the H.O... sure there are some nice improvements but it's just not that big a deal.
I will eventually get this thing to be a TRUE
H.O. But if I'd kept my SP I'd be going just as fast, had a little softer ride, and saved a bunch of dough. Now I'm trying to prove that I can make this pig fly...

 

The best mods to make are pipe, filter, and jetting the carb.

 

So Fourlix, what was your gas mileage before and after the mods on your HO.

Does the AAEN cam do anything for the performance? and in what rpm range?

 

I havn't measured the gas mileage since I changed cams but I have noticed the tank seems to be emptying out faster, so I think I've had a drop in gas mileage. The H.O. was as good as the SP. Performance gains in the mid-range are not enough, so I'm getting a 42mm TM pumper carb and expect to buy or build a pipe to complete the package and see some real results, so far it's just not much faster than a stock SP. Getting more power out of this motor is tough. It is going to take the right combination, or just leave it alone. How about a turbocharger? That's a great way to get more power out of a stubborn engine.

 

Interesting posts, Fourlix, interesting comparison.

 

Over in the Arctic Cat Forum there was a gentlemen with some metal working skills who opened and removed some baffles from the standard Arctic Cat muffler. He reported picking up 5 MPH with the modification. If a person had the tools I imagine the same thing could be done with a Sportsman muffler. It would be a lot cheaper than the aftermarket.

 

If I go with a K&N, do I have to worry about re-jetting?

What will a clutch spring do and is it something I can do my self?

 

Forlix:
I have had 3 SP500's. A 1996, 1999 and now a 2001HO. I also have a 2001 Rubicon. Two of my friends have SP500's both are 2000's.and yet another has another Rubicon. My 2001HO easily beats all of these bikes. The closest out of this lot is my own Rubicon. I can pull around and pass any of these other bikes with my Stock 500HO very easily. Either I have a very fast new 500HO or your friend has a very fast 2000SP. Or your 500HO is a little on the slow side. Have you run against other 500HO's? Something here doesn't sound right. The Stock 500HO is definitely faster than any of the previous stock SP500’s that I have owned. I have a field with a 100 yd. straight "Track" marked off that I use to time all of my 4-Wheelers. This aids me in determining what modification that I add work against those that do not. I keep the times and compare them to my other bikes. The SP500HO is almost a full second faster in the 100-yard run compared to the 2000 SP. In fact the 1996 500SP was faster than the 2000 by .30 seconds. That doesn't sound like a lot on paper but it is a substantial lead. All factors were also consistent in the test for the most part. This includes temp, humidity and even grass length! I give you this information in an effort to help you with your quest in beating your friend, not to rag on your bike. We do the same stuff out our way as well. But I would check into why your SP500HO especially with the modifications you have done doesn't bet your friends 2000 model. Hope this helps.

 

Changing the clutch primary spring will raise the RPMs in which the clutch initially 'grabs' the drive belt. This will give you more low-speed power to drive all 4 wheels churning through deep mud, which you might not really need unless you go to bigger or more aggressive tires. However, it also gives you better initial acceleration (zero to 30 or maybe 0 to 40) without hurting top speed. When I changed to the white spring on my Xplorer, I went from half a bike length behind my brother on his 400 Xpress when we hit 40 to a length ahead. Not bad for under $20. I stayed ahead until the very end where his higher top speed let him eke past me. I put in a Uni filter and now he never catches me.
You shouldn't have to re-jet your Sportsman if you go to a K&N. I highly recommend adding an outerwear to it, though. It catches some of the dirt before the filter gets it, and also keeps water out of your engine if you ever should drown it. It won't keep your engine dry if you leave it at the bottom of a lake overnight or anything, but if it 'drowns out' and you pull it out quick, it is claimed to keep the water out.