2000 Polaris Sportsman 500 (non-ho). Long story, but maybe humorous.

So tonight I was finishing up my installation of my new handlebar mounted winch control kit. Big improvement over the previous setup of a rigged up switch mounted on the rack. After I finished, I tested it out and everything looked good. Voltages were all normal, around 13v.
While I was at it, I figured I would go ahead and rebuild the carb. It had been sitting up for a few months and I already had the side fairings removed. Tore it all down, cleaned it up good, lubed it, etc like I have done once or twice a year for the last 5 years. No big deal there. Put it all back together and changed the spark plug (even checked the gap).

Went to fire it up and all I got was a single click. Strange, but maybe the battery went bad and didn't have the juice to crank it anymore, so I gave the rope a quick tug. It would not budge. Frustrated, I removed the spark plug thinking maybe I got the wrong one and it was hitting the piston somehow. I hit the starter and about 8 ounces of water came shooting out of the hole.

Thought to myself, hmm, now I know why it has been overheating. I turned it over a few more times to get all the green sweet smelling water out. Put the plug back in and it fired up on the first couple pulls after getting a little go juice in the chamber.

I let it idle for a few minutes to adjust the idle speed and choke on the carb. Started checking out all my other accessories and found that several of my lights no longer worked.

Whipped out the volt meter and checked to make sure there was power to the bulbs and sure enough there was. A whopping 19 volts. Ok, so I have a dead battery on my multi meter and it is giving me bad readings, so I whip out my trusty analog, 30 year old multi meter to get the correct reading. My fancy digital multi meter was indeed wrong. I have 25 volts pulsing through all the wires.
I disconnected the battery and checked the voltage on the battery itself and sure enough it is 25 volts there.

In the last year, I have logged less than 10 hours of ride time and less than 20 miles. This is not because I have not had the time or desire to ride. It has been lack of availability. I have put over 100 hours of maintenance into the bike trying to fix problem after problem. I have spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on parts trying to get it going. I have tires that are almost 4 years old and still have the little injection strings on them. I have replaced a head gasket, water pump impeller and gasket, thermostat, a fan, light bulbs, a clutch and belt, the stator, voltage regulator, front hubs, struts, brakes, rthe starter, fuses, circuit breakers and probably many more things that I cannot think of immediately.

In the 7 years I have had it, I have only been able to put on around 250 miles on it because it has been broken down so much. No matter what I fix, something else always breaks.
I really wanted to keep it going because it has always had such a strong and healthy engine. It would always start up on the first or second turn. It has never left me on the side of the road, but it has had to limp home too many times.
It only has 3700 miles on it, but I think it is done and ready to retire to the 4 wheeler junk yard.

I am going to go out this weekend I guess and start looking at something new. I know the wife will be pissed, but I am tired of spending all my time and money into something that is never going to work.

Anyone want to buy a slightly used 2000 Polaris sportsman 500. It has all new parts, lol.

 

Yeah man...it sure does sound like cut and run time! I give you credit...as I would have left it long ago.

Good luck on your next machine. Are you going to switch brand? Or stay Polaris?


biz

 

If it's any consolation, you can tell the wife you're buying now because if you wait till spring, the price will only be higher.

You're not spending money, you're saving money.

 

I hadn't really even given any thought about switching brands. I don't think there are any other quads out there that come with, what I consider the most important feature,(in my best Hank Hill voice) the "Made in the USA" sticker. I may look at an Arctic Cat, but honestly, I have never seen anyone where I ride that has one.

I will most likely stick with Polaris. I really don't think it is Polaris' fault that I have had so many problems. I bought it used and it's origins have always been suspect. I think it may have been insurance fraud or something like that. Either way, the guy I got it from passed away several years back and took any knowledge of it to the grave with him.

It has parts from both 2000 and 2001 on it. The frame and engine vin's do not match up on it and there is lots and lots of southern ingenuity built into it.

I was looking at a Sportsman 850. Hoping I can find a good deal on a 2010 model.

 

that is alot of issues for sure and would have been down the road for me as well.

 

yo will like the 850, nicest riding , most powerfull machine I've ever ridden

 

I give you a lot of credit too! I would've bailed first electrical issue- I hate electrical problems!

I'd say it's time to grab another atv- get you back in the spirit of riding- grab an 05 or newer 4x4 ATV. Great time to get that 2-up! Tell the wife you wanna get her involved (you know she'll never go on it )

 

How much you want for it?

 

I am really strongly leaning towards parting it out. I think I would be able to get more for it that way. Also, I would not feel right pawning off my problems like that. The only way I would want to sell it is as a parts bike. If I could get around $1500 to $2000 for it, I would probably reconsider, but I don't think it is worth that much as a whole.

On the flip side of that, me and the wife went to the Polaris dealer yesterday. She is actually supportive of me getting a new one. She said she is tired of me spending money on the one I have now. We found a 2010 850 XP still in the crate for $7900 out the door. I was approved for a loan to get it. I am just trying to get my paperwork together for the Agg exemption and get some money together for a down payment.

 

Your not "pawning" it off on someone if you're up front about the issues-

Congrats on the new 850xp! If I could get financing for a new atv I'd be at the can-am dealer today but my credit is junk-