I am new to the forum and enjoy reading all the posts but gotta wonder why more people aren't talking about their Suzuki LT-500's?? I have a 99 mostly stock with a K&N filter, Highlifter lift kit, and TRI-CLAWS/BI-CLAWS, and a rear bumper from Cabelas, Warn 2500 and locally made front bumper. Also, everything in the way of vent tubes are ran high out of the water all the way up to the handlebars. I guess it ain't mostly stock afterall huh? Anyway, I wish more folks would post about these bruising machines. They are just about the best value going in the ATV market. Where else can ya get that kind of raw power for $5,800.00? We ride up here in Alaska with several kind of machines and all of our riders are brand loyal to a fault, but they ALL have to admit that the Suzuki has THE POWER. My best friend has a 2000 Foreman 450ES and now wants to buy another wheeler so his wife can ride and will most likely buy her a ZUKI 500! You just gotta see what the thing will do when real torque is needed. We regularly pull JEEPS and others out of the mud with our ATV's!!
So how 'bout it guys, send in those stories about the Suzukis!
Mark

 

Hey Mark...

I own a 2000 LT-F500 Quadrunner with Maxxis Rubicons all the way around, (25x12x12, 25x12x9.5) Superwinch 2000 on factory mount.
Pictures here
What do you think of the Highlifter Lift Kit ?

 

r34, what does that mean? I like the lift kit but it does affect the ride a bit and the whole thing feels a bit top heavy. it makes a difference crawling over stuff like rocks and logs and helps out when you gotta have those huge tires! with your tires you wouldn't even need a lift kit right. I like the looks of those titans better than the maxxis tires. and that winch mount looks better than the one that came with the machine when i bought mine. I bought a locally made super bumper with two huge tubes that bolts to the existing front bumper. I also got a really neat rear bumper from cabelas that is made by kimpex up in canada. you would love good year mudrunners in 26 inch on your machine. they really throw some chunk. I am going with the tri claws and bi claws. i don't have em on yet but i've seen what they can do andi know i can spin them better than my friend's foreman 450. Mark

 

Mark.....

Are the front and rear bumpers heavy ?

I have been looking to put a rear one on my Quad, 'cause we ride fast, and guys are running into me every now and then. I would also like to mount a back-up light to it.

Actually, you would be surprised how well the Rubicons chew through the mud, and they reverse just as well, when I have to back up out of a mud hole.

They are a 6 ply tire, so they will stand up to a lot of abuse, and its also good to know that if I loose air pressure for some reason, that I will have no problem driving on a flat.

The Titans are on a friends Quad from Wisconson,
and he really likes them. I did consider these when I bought mine, but they are very expensive here in Ca.

You'll have to post some pictures of your Quad, 'cause I'd like to see what it looks like with the lift kit.

 

Is the motor in your 500 noisy. The reason I ask is I took both a Arctic Cat 500 auto and a manual out for a test drive and I couldn't believe the excessive noise these motors made. I'm wondering if this is a result of the Arctic cat design/spec or a trait of the 500 suzuki motors.

 

Jett...

Arctic Cat does not manufacture their own engines, and consequently, Suzuki is the sole supplier of all of the powerplants in their Quads.

Is it loud ?

Well, I never really thought about it. It is a big bore engine, so therefore it's bound to have a deeper growl.

When you crack the throttle, it's definately louder, but certainly not as loud as some of the aftermarket exhaust systems.

Hope this answered your question.

 

r34, no the bumpers aren't heavy enough to cause any undue steering harshness and i just got the rear one on there for the same reason as you. we were on a ride and a buddy came off a hill and found he had NO brakes left and smacked me pretty hard and busted my rear tool box! aaarrrggghh!!
I hadn't thought my engine was noisy but I am used to a lot of engine noise anyway. I used to ride a lot of two stroke bikes. I like the power and if it is a little noisy then it's a fair trade. I'll get some pictures on here somehow but I gotta take some as i don't think I have any just yet. those bumpers look pretty good and are powdercoated and hold up extremely well. we bump into each other's front ends and have little pushing contests now and then and i am not missing any paint off of mine, not to mention the trees, rocks and other stuff i am always hitting with it. I have found the best way to winch a badly stuck machine is to but my front end up against a tree and feed out the cable and let the winch do it's job. the bumper is strong enough for this even when a big Foreman with monster tires is mired up in thick black mud. I have seen the mud thick enough that the 450 Foreman won't spin the tires anymore!

 

Mark...

Thanks, I'll go tho the Kimpex site, and see what they are worth.

When you get some pix of your Quad, let me know, and I'll help you to post them, you will need a scanner.

 

they cost about 70.00 at cabelas

 

I just sold my 2000 300 Arctic cat 4x4 and am looking for something bigger. I have read and been told by both cat dealers and suzuki dealers that cat specs out certain parts for their machines that are entirely different than what suzuki runs on their units. I know for a fact the rear drive shafts on the cat 300 is unique to cat. The tranny 's on the 500's are suspose to be spec by cat (ie different ratio's.) That is why I was inquiring if the suzuki motor makes loud noises like the cat's.