anyone have a polaris sportsman 500ho?

[dannysdaddy]

  and if so what is your opinion??? im looking at getting one this weekend.

[rasbo]

the are awesome.had the 700,buddy had the 500...

[dannysdaddy]

the only thing im not liking is the fact it is carburated not efi.  talked to the dealer and they say the 500 is the most reliable and they see them coming through the shop the least...

[bowhunterforever]

I have a 2009 500 HO and havent had a problem with it.

[d_wilson]

 DON'T go with the camo pattern.  It will turn purple over time. 

[carpsniperg2]

I have a 500 sitting in my garage, it has been a big pile of junk! For lack of other words It has like 180 miles on it, and it has been broke down 4 times. Right now it is locked in reverse Sometimes you get good one and sometimes you get Junk!!! I won't own another Polaris.

[Mike_D]

   huh...

I got a 05 500HO, and its pretty much rock solid.  plows food plot, blows snow, its my maintance machine of choice.  Wife has a Suzuki King Quad 450 (07), its a good machine as well (so far).

500HO is carburator while the 450 is EFI.  The problem I've found is if the battery is dead, I can still pull start the 500, but the 450 won't... (no electronics to the EFI?)  that might be something to think about if you run the batteries down alot.

[7mag.]

I have a 2001 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO. I love it. I wouldn't ever buy another make or model. It has plenty of power and is very reliable. I ride with about 15 other guys, and all but about 3, have Polaris Sportsman's. We have the fewest problems too. Very well built, but heavy.

A few years ago, my straps broke and my sportsman came off the trailer doing 40mph. It did somersaults down the highway. I thought it was going to be totaled. Didn't bend an axle or the frame at all. I replace some of the plastics, the racks and the handlebars, just like new. Very tough machine's.

[twinners]

My Father in Law has a 500 and we have loaded a ton of weight on it with no problems.  Between summer riding, hunting, and plowing snow it sees a lot of use and as far as I know nothing broken.

[dannysdaddy]

went ahead and bought a brand new polaris sportsman 550xp efi.  got it for the same price as the 500ho.  pretty stoked to take it out. 

[Jason]

I have a 500 sitting in my garage, it has been a big pile of junk! For lack of other words It has like 180 miles on it, and it has been broke down 4 times. Right now it is locked in reverse Sometimes you get good one and sometimes you get Junk!!! I won't own another Polaris.

what year is yours?

[turkey buster]

I bought a 1999 500 used and the only problems I had were the front hubs kept going out, other than that never had any other problems with it, the front drive system is the only thing that has kept me from buying another one

[carpsniperg2]

I have a 500 sitting in my garage, it has been a big pile of junk! For lack of other words It has like 180 miles on it, and it has been broke down 4 times. Right now it is locked in reverse Sometimes you get good one and sometimes you get Junk!!! I won't own another Polaris.

what year is yours?

I would have to look back, I know I was in high school when we got it. I think my first 2 years. So like 01-03, If any of you guys are masters of the 4wheelers and want to help me get mine back running. I could for sure offer you a beer or 2. I have been so pissed off about it. It has sat in my garage for a year,and I have not touched it. To many problems for a 8k machine. With such low miles and hours. It has not hardly even worked hard for us. Just riding fences and hauling a few items. Nothing very heavy. It almost left me stranded down in a crap hole, way down in a canyon around mt Spokane.

[dannysdaddy]

what all is wronge with it??  sounds to me like a lemon.  my family has owned polaris as far back as i can remember and aside from us kids getting stupid on them have never broke one.  always reliable and seems like you cant kill them.  im no "expert" but i turn wrenches for a living and might be able to help.

[carpsniperg2]

This time Its locked up in reverse. I was going down the road. I heard a pop and it kicked in neutral. Would not go into drive, but pulled it back into reverse and now its locked in reverse. I have tried for the life of me to get it out but am afraid. I will break it if I mess with it any harder then I have. Had to ride it about 1 mile in reverse back to the truck. THAT IS HARDER THEN YOU THINK I use to be a Polaris junkie, but after this one I don't think I will ever touch one again. I have over 2500.00 in repairs already into a machine with 180 miles on it. When we first got it, It would over heat and shut off on us. It was under warranty at the time, and we had it back and fourth to the shop 4 times to get that problem fixed. If that wasn't under warranty. I would have 15k into the darn thing. I have had 4wheelers all my life and snow machines to. Never Have I had such a lemon.