Army almost forgot. definitley a winch. you get one of these stuck it's stuck see yaaaaaaaaaaa[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

Bowhunter,
I really liked the 400,but went to the 500 for a little more power. The first time I saw the 400 was the wife of a club member just go one and really decieded that was the one till I rode both 400 and 500 at the dealer and really liked that little extra kick. But you are right you wont go wrong with a polaris my 2 nephews took their dads 500 sportsman out without his permission and buried it in mud in a farmers field up to the handel bars. It took a combine to get it out and it is still running srtong and these 2 kids are tough on equipment. See Yaaaaaa[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

One thing I meant to mention was that the fuel economy is excellent with the 500/ I get 22-24 mpg when it's in high gear and even when it's in low the fuel useage is still very good/ the 400 is an excellent machine but as noted you have to add the ESB/ no matter how you figure it then there's only about $400 difference more for the 500/ on extras/ never ever buy one without a winch/this thing is to have fun with and eventually your gonna get stuck/ there are all types of storage boxes etc: available but first you need the racks to hook them to/ nice thing is if you can't afford it all up front it's okay/ this model is so popular you'll find options to fit it 10 years from now so you can buy extras as you can afford them/ I dont know about the 600 but the 700 is ( in my opinion) very hard on fuel / about 10-12 mpg in high/ I'm sure of this as my buddy has one and he has to carry gas when we go out for an all day ride/but in any case buy a Polaris/ this is coming to you from a guy that rides Yamaha snowsleds/later

 

ARMY,
i added a winch and some soft rack storage bags. keeps the weight down and the ATV nimble and fun.

i had a DucksEdition with front/rear bumper and it was too heavy! sluggish and handling felt completely different than my friends 500 w/o the bumpers. although if you are just puttering around the farm or trails under 10MPH, the extra weight might not bother you.

a stock 500 is a nice machine. a winch is a nice safety net. all the other stuff is money out the window.

 

As usual, I have to agree with MTpockets (probably because my pockets are also empty). I like the soft cargo bag, just need one for the towstraps and clevis and snatchblock, snacks and water bottles and first aid kit and extra clothing. That leaves the other rack for the occasional long trip where I'll pack a gas can. I fail to see where bumpers and brushguards are for anything but looks. just extra weight. And who really cares that much about looks? you're out in the woods, not at a fashion show. Not that theres anything wrong with a goodlooking ride, I just wouldn't waste the money there. I find other ways to waste it, like great big tires!
oh yeah, and if you're looking for fuel economy, the twin does have two mouths to feed. It is quite noticeable compared to the 500s I've owned. I had a 325 Trail Boss that had 2wd and no low range, that thing barely used any gas at all! I miss that thing. It wasn't as capable as a Sportsman, but it was way more capable than it should have been, it was super reliable and the best bargain. Not that this post is about that, but it was the perfect starter for the wife, I would recommend it to anyone.

 

Army $6200 is too much for a 2003 500HO the dealers cost is $5850 my local dealer here in wisconsin sells them for $6075 every day I got one for $5900 so i would try and get your dealer
down to $6100 any least . as far as add ons get the pipe front and rear bumpers to start with
you can always add the winch later.


2003 sportsman 500 yellow

 

Hey Army,
I got the soft rear bags on my atv and the wifes and they are really worth the money. If you have to bail you can roll of the atv, my opinion for what it's worth the hard plastic boxes are cumbersome. As for the big tires .I would stay with the front and rear bumpers, they protect the front and rear in case of a collison. The BIG tires are also added weight and they take away from the power of the atv. It's all what you want to spend your money on. For me I went with the bumpers front and back to protect my investment and stayed with the stock tires. I try to spend what littel money I have as practical as possible that's my 2 cent worth hope it helps.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Seee Yaaaaaaaaaaaaa[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

you know, you're right, bumpers on a 500 wouldn't be bad. I was thinking of my 700 which has a different design and is better protected. My wifes 500 has a lot more breakable stuff on the front end of it.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

Thansk Northstar,
Like I said it's just my 2 cents worth, for what its worth[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

$6200 sounds high ... I paid $5200 for my SP400 .... Now, I'd love to have bumpers, but, as it sits I can barely get the tailgate closed on my short bed F150 ...with the rear tires touching the tailgate I have about 1 inch between the front rack and the rear window...No bumper on mine [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] … just something to keep in mind ..