Hello,
What do ya'll think abot my decision to trade in my 335 for a 500. Should I stay with a 335 or go with the 500. I am 6-4 225lbs. I live on a farm and when it rains it gets very muddy and I am usually hauling heavy loads through the mud and the 335 does a great job but when I try to drive over a log or something it spins. I put it in 4 wheel drive and I get the back tires almost over and I usually get them over and then the trailer will not go over it. Is this a shortage of power or loss of traction. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Michael Johnson

 

Michael,
It sounds like you need the 500. My sister has the 335 and it's nice, don't get me wrong...but for working and hauling (I'm 6'6" 310lbs) I'd rather have my 500. The 335 will go anywhere a 500 will UNTIL you overload it! It does fine riding her and my niece, but it cost almost as much as her husband's 500. (He bought them both in '99). Hope some of this might help.
Todd Irvin
'96 Sportsman 500

 

I think that if the extra cash isn't a problem, then you would be in the right in upgrading to a 500. It just depends on what you want to do with it. Most people i know have honda 300 4x4s, but they dont ride much and aren't into the hoopla of big tires and performance features. Me on the other hand, I'm into quads like some people get into muscle cars, baseball cards, or woodworking so I want a bike with higher capabilities.
The Sportsman 500 is going to be the same exact thing that you have only with more power and a bit larger tires. If you wanted to go with larger aftermarket tires to raise ground clearance and add traction, it would pull them easier than a 335. It will also pull two riders with more ease, though the suspension will squat just the same as the 335. The only big difference between the two is the engine and radiator. The radiator is needed for the bigger engine, and the engine makes a big difference.

 

I agree with Andy, if you can swing it the 500 sounds like a perfect match for your size and what you are doing with it. It is always best to have power you may not need than need power you don't have.
Scott.

 

If you can afford the extra money go with the 500. I bought the 335 and though I like it and it gets the job done, i really would like to have more power to have some fun while getting the job done. The sportsmen is a very heavy machine and if you plan on hauling a load or extra person the power of the 500 would help. When ever I get my 335 in a situation that I need to spin all 4 tires I usually end up putting the transmission in low gear to do it. My next Polaris is going to have the bigger engine!!

 

Mike, I would go with the bigger 500.

 

Thanks all,
I have decided to go to the dealer tomorrow and trade it in. All of the suggestions and comments helped and are greatly appreciated. It rained here the other day and I needed to haul hay the next because I bought it and where my round bells are I have to drive over by them to get to my building and when I was about halfway through I just started siking and I was in high and 2wheel drive so I stopped and switched to 4x4 and got quite a bit further and its black mud and it wasn't ending so I switched to low gear and I was almost their and fixing to make a turn so I could back in to the building and it went over the tires and I wasn't going anywhere so I went and got my tralboss and pulled it in the building and went back the same trail in 2 wheel drive with the trailer empty with ease and high gear. Just thought I'd share that. Thanks for the replys.
Michael Johnson