Hello fellow riders! I just picked up a 02 sportsman 500ho and was wondering what should be done
first? Now remember I never had an atv so go easy on me! I like the fact it goes over and through
everything, but the front end is a little to soft not to good on the whoops but for an automatic(that was the deal
from the wife to get one) its pretty cool, wish it were a little quicker off the line. So my ? is what could be done to these beasts
and what are good sites to get parts I haven't found much out there for sportsmans at all. thx

 

www.hpdinc.com
www.aenperformance.com
www.htseatperformance.com
www.erlandonperformance.com
www.yotperformance.com
www.ritercycle.com

 

there are many options for that engne. performance=money, what's in your wallet?

 

RIDE THE THING for awhile before you make any changes.You may like it like it is.As for the whoops you might have been better off with a Scrambler.For a little more snap off the line a spring change is all you need butt get used to it stock that way you can tell the improvement better when you change.

 

My reccomendation is to get a clutch kit, your belts and sheaves will thank you for it and the snappyness off the line is well worth it. Also a good set of tires would be a good investment.

 

what are good tires? The ones that came with it seem pretty good I believe they are goodyear rawhides. also do they make a twist throttle for the sp500ho I cant seem to find one. Does any one use the throttle extender pros/cons? I'm almost done with my second
tank of gas so I have to change oil and filter, is it fairly easy or should i take it back to polaris to do? What else should I check and change? Sorry about all the ?'s but theres no better info than the owners themselves. thanks again.

 

Protection, protection, protection. I would have to recommend investing in getting some type of protection for the front of your 500HO. A friend of mine has a 500HO and he would have broken several headlights, cracked the plastic, or whatever if he didn't have that grill guard from Polaris. I have a Sportsman 700 Twin and I'm getting ready to put on of the new grill guards on it as well as a rear tube bumper. A winch wouldn't be a bad idea either. A winch is alot easier to operate than straining your back, or worse. I put the 2500lb Warn winch from Polaris on my 700 Twin. Oh and one more thing. If you're a night rider, a backup light is a must.

 

The Rawhides are good tires. I'd use them until they need to be replaced. But it is according to what riding conditions you ride in. They have heavy duty springs for the front if the stock ones are to soft. You can also adjust the softness/stiffness of the rear shocks. I adjusted mine up one notch which is perfect for me. Mine is still basically stock. The only things I've changed is I have a K&N filter and the SP700 belt on mine. As I've only been riding since Nov.02 I'm still learning things. I'm doing my first service this weekend by myself. My friend is a Polaris Mech and has shown me how to do the service. But like ftwflh said, ride it till you get comfortable/experienced with it. Then start looking at changing things. One thing my friend suggested to me was stay away from the lift kits. He has seen to many come in with CV damage and Shaft damage because of them. But that is only his opinion, and it is up to the owner to decide. Besides, I've taken mine out almost every weekend muddin and only have been stuck once (knock on wood). good luck with your's.

 

Dont think about a twist throttle on a trail quad they are VERY dangerous for instance when going up a steep hill it is easy to get thrown back and with a twist grip you will loose control.The next thing I would invest in would be a good helmet,rideing boots,and gloves.As for the tires wear out the Rawhides then get what you like.A good adition to any 4x4 is a good winch and ****** block.The oil cange is simple but you might want to take it to the dealer to get the first on done so he cant screw you out of what little warranty you have.If you have a few extra bucks change the air filter to a UNI or K&N mainly because they are easy to clean and flow better be sure to oil them before you instal.

 

Great info guys, is there a benefit to changing to a 700 belt or just the durability? Does anyone use a thumb extender on their atv?
Has anyone used the plow for the 500 I was thinking of picking one up but polaris wants way to much for one! any ideas on the best price or someone who has a spare not being used? The grill guard is up on my list cause I already hit the lights on the grill a couple of times. FTWFLH good point about the warrenty has anyone actually have any problems with the sportsman and getting it covered under the warrenty I should be aware about?