Well my time has come when you do that “no thought for the few seconds I am ridding and I flip the “99” sportsman 500. happen so quick! Only got some bad bruises.
But the sp500….well…busted the light pod (pastic is the only thing broke here), speedo ok, light still burns, bent handle bars real bad, busted the front rack,…twisted everything on the handle bars but was able to twist everything back.
Cranked right up and ran fine……..the only thing is it will not idle after the wreck, it will go dead but crank right back up if I crack the throttle.
Anyone got a clue to this problem?????
Would it be much of a job to repair and replace the broken parts????
Oh I think the bushings on the steering shaft needs replacing.
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Check the ETC. Adjust it you probably stretched / tweaked the cable

 

Check the air box and filter for oil too.

 

Sorry to hear about your flip, at least you came out ok. As far as replacing your light pod, you will have to take the handle bars all the way off and hence unhook your brake line, which will then cause you to bleed your front and rear brakes. Then taking all the components off the lower pod and swapping them over..not a hard job As far as needing bushings, nah...they are only rubber. Sounds like you have bent the brackets that holds your rubber bushings in place. YOu will have to rebend the mount bracket and the bracket that goes around your bushing. YOu will want to take the small covering off the front to gain access to the bushings. As far as your rack. Hope you have some torqes tips. No big deal there. As far as it not wanting to start. The two previous posts have good places to start....

 

Thanks for the replays!
Got another question. I have been hearing for some time now that the later (200?) SP500 models have better steering than the earler models do. Like maybe the geometry was changed in the later models. If this is true!!! Can i incorporate the same steering in my 1999 Sportsman 500. Maybe buy all the components to make this change.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

You don't have to remove the bars to take the pod off. You don't have to do anything to the brakes. I changed my pod in about 15 minutes with a phillips and a flat head screwdriver. Sounds like you'll be replacing the bars anyway, but you still will not have to unhook the brakes. You prob. do need to adjust the throttle & choke cables. I'll bet thats the idle problem. Also, check your oil, you probably have fuel in it.

 

Take your handlebars off and check the mounting plate at the top of the steering stem. Often on Polarises when you think you've bent the handlebars it is really just this plate, which is easy to straighten with the handlebars off using a crescent wrench. Be carefull not to tweak the steering stem itself. This is a built in weak point, designed to bend instead of the bars or stem, and easily fixed. It will be bent in any case, but you might not have to repair or replace your bars.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

If your lower pod is broken, and is built the same way as the 2002 madle then the bars will have to come off. No way around it. Like I said unless your lower pod half can be split.

 

You do not have to pull your handle bars to change out the lower pod. The lower pod has a slot under the headlight so that you can slide the lower pod around the stem. Nothing has changed with this mounting in at least 3 model years maybe more.

Go to Polaris's web site and download the parts manual. It clearly shows the assembly.

 

I went and looked at my pod again and I stand corrected, soory for the missinformation. Mine does have a slot, just didn't see it for the braket in the way. Sorry for the missinformation, my bad.....