Hello there:

Could someone from the Forum please explain in a concise, intelligently-written way about these claims that if you use the pull start rope this causes the light bulbs to burn out on the bike?

I've read so many messages about this, but nobody seems to provide a clear explanation. Maybe it's me--who knows.

In other words--I'm out in the woods, say, and my ATV doesn't start. What do I do? Obviously I don't want to blow out my bulbs. Should I pull the start rope?

Any help via a CLEARLY WRITTEN message would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Bob

1999 SP500 almost 1400 miles

 

If you try to start it with the pull starter and the battery is disconnected you "may" blow the bulbs. I'm not certain if the re-wiring of the '99s changed that or not.

On earlier models the pull starter can be used, but you must leave the battery connected.

I hope that's clear enough.

<A HREF="http://www.godigital-design.com/96Polaris.html">Schultz Motorsports</A>



[This message has been edited by Jack (edited 09-29-1999).]

 

well i really don't know for sure since i don't own a polaris but i remember from a post on this web site, that polaris atvs dont have a voltage regulator, they relie on the battery to limit the voltage, if the battery is dead when cranked by the pull stater, the higher voltage will burn out the bulbs etc. maybe someone with more polaris experience will comment!!!

 

Jack is right. If you keep the battery connected then you are ok. Just don't do something like take off the battery and then try to start it, even if the battery is dead leave it on until you get a new on or charge the old one.

Mudman '96 Xplorer 300 4x4 Vamped and a Warn
(for sale)
Soon to have Magnum 500

 

The Sportsman 500 does have a voltage regulator. I just went through this 2 days ago. My battery went bad and I pull started it. It was at night and it did burn out the bulbs that were on. I talked to my local Polaris dealer and he explained it to me that the voltage regulator is electronic and it requires 12 volts to run it to do its job of regulating the voltage put out by battery charge coils which is capable of a much higher voltage. The 12 volts to run the regulator is provided by the battery. If the battery voltage is low in the case of a bad battery the regulator will not function. My dealer admitted this was not a good design and thinks that later models might have fixed this problem. He was not specific about which year they supposedly fixed this problem. Mine is a 1997 SP500. Anyway my battery was still connected and it still blew the lights. The only thing I can say is hopefully if this happens it's not at night. The tail/brake light is cheap it an 1157 bulb. $1.95 for two. Any light that is not on will not blow.

 

Our two oldest machines are both '95's and the Sport needs a little help getting started once in a while since it's not run much in the winter. It has the original battery and we do pull start it occasionally, but with the battery connected. We've never blown bulbs.

<A HREF="http://www.godigital-design.com/96Polaris.html">Schultz Motorsports</A>

 

Ok, here is my input and for what it is worth, I had a Utah Polaris Dealer get this info for me.

Up to '97 ATV, if the battery was open or bad, the style of regulator used it will burn out the lamps that are left on. Sometime in '98 Polaris changed to a new style of regulator. I am under the impression that this is true for the Sportsman, Scrambler and the Xplorer, which I did the checking on. With the new style, supposedly, lamps will not burn out if the battery is bad or open in the circuit! I seem to remember that the dealer warning me about the Sportsman in the early year models, that the regulator could not be changed unless the stator is changed also and that is big $$$. The 400l did not have this problem, just pop in the new style regulator and drive away. The difference in the 400l regulator was around $20~30 more or about $60 total for the new style when I check into this last Spring. Bottom line go to a good Polaris service manager and ask about your year of ATV and if he doesn't know ask him/her to contact Polaris, They do have a line to contact to ask question like this, I have used my dealer service manager more than once to ask questions like this!!


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Larry Skrabut

2 '96 Xplorer's, 1 '98 Xplorer, for a long time 2 '88 Trail Bosses