EFI or not to EFI

[Gregg]

Hi all, I have criused the site and greatly enjoyed the potos and imformation. I am switching from a Sport Quad to a Sportsman. I got rid of my Jeep last year and want to continue to go four wheeling.

I'm looking for some opinions. Trying to decide between the Sportsman 500 (reliability and simplicity), the 700 carb (more power...insert Tim Allen noises here!!) or the 700 EFI smoother operation, still more power and more altitude friendly.

How have the two cylinder rigs compared to the 500 single for reliability and power?

Is the EFI really worth $700 more? I have the following OTD quotes, 500 Sportsman $6400, 700 carb $7100 and 700 EFI $7800. Don't know if I really want to spend 8k on a quad.

Any opions appreciated.


Thanks

Gregg

[Ken]

Hey Gregg,

Welcome!!


In my opinion??? EFI is worth every cent...IF....You'll be riding with altitude changes OR you know you will be riding where you will get angles to cause flooding.

The wheelie photos on the front page...ALL 3 ATV's died....and I could have EASILY backed down my ATV...but it wouldn't start...GRrrrrrr.

The Bosche EFI system is VERY reliable....tried and tested. If you see the other post, my friend Fred owns 2 dealerships in Michigan, and his Polaris manager said they've had zero return with issues.

As for the 500 Vs. 700. If you decided on EFI....it's moot. But if you don't think you'll have altitude or angle issues...the 500 HO is a good bike. I like the back up pull start (Twins don't have it.) and the HO has a bigger carb, so it has good throttle response.

Jack had a 500 non-HO and he prefers his 600.

Hope that helps.

[Thrasher]

700 MV has pull start...but not the others..go figure..

[Mr. Miyagi]

Can you say EFI..... spend the money.... You'll never go back.

The 500 has better throttle at lower RPM's and gear.... However at top end the 700 kicks it's ass.....

[Gregg]

Like the title says, I did it. I just did a buy it now on this for 5k.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... escription

It sure sounds too good to be true and may well be but if he faxes me the title or MSO as I've requested and the VIN checks out as not stolen, I will drive to Salt Lake to save a gouple of grand. Of course, no money in advance, COD only.

Gregg

[Ken]

The item is gone.


Have you bought on eBay before? Do you know about scammers?

[Gregg]

Apparently it was a scam. Ebay notified me that they removed the auction. I knew it sounded too good to be true. I've done over 1000 sales and purchases on Ebay and know most of the scams. Location was listed as Salt Lake, close enough to drive to and pay cash on delivery.

I thimk I am leaning towards the 500 HO after all of my research, as a good 4x4 quad. I cant justify the $1400 more for the 700 EFI or $2800 more for the 800 EFI.

Gregg

[QMaze]

Do you think Polaris might move the EFI system to the 500 model?

[Mr. Miyagi]

That would be awesome.... A 500 EFI...

I'd get one....

[Ken]

Apparently it was a scam. Ebay notified me that they removed the auction. I knew it sounded too good to be true. I've done over 1000 sales and purchases on Ebay and know most of the scams. Location was listed as Salt Lake, close enough to drive to and pay cash on delivery.

I thimk I am leaning towards the 500 HO after all of my research, as a good 4x4 quad. I cant justify the $1400 more for the 700 EFI or $2800 more for the 800 EFI.

Gregg

When buying a Quad on Ebay....A) look for people who've sold one before OR at least something EXPENSIVE...not Pez Dispensers. B) Find out where the Quad is. The account will say Salt Lake, but then he'll tell you some sob story how he's not in Germany.....all the scams are overseas. C) AVoid ANY...ANY Ebay'er who wants to sell the item OFF ebay to avoid "fees". You have no recourse. D) Avoid any "Private Bid" auctions... E) Any reasonable seller, will give you a phone number to call or be willing to exchange cash in person (suggest possibly flying there, even if you won't). Any scammer...will BALK big on that idea.

[Gregg]

I went and bought a brand new 2005 Sportsman 500 H.O. with a Warn 2.5 today. Cant wait to try it out, should be quite a difference from my tuned 400EX.

You folks ever come down south to ride? Not much snow in the desert.

Gregg

[Mr. Miyagi]

Hey Gregg,

Where do you ride in SoCal.... I'm curious. I used to go to Texas Canyon shooting and of course to the river.... Did most on my early dirt bike riding in the LA riverbed... lol.

[Ken]

I went and bought a brand new 2005 Sportsman 500 H.O. with a Warn 2.5 today. Cant wait to try it out, should be quite a difference from my tuned 400EX.

You folks ever come down south to ride? Not much snow in the desert.

Gregg

I'm in Los Angeles tonight....does that count?? No ATV though...


Awesome purchase...congrats.

[Gregg]

4x4 ATV'ing is new to me. I have had a sport quad for a while and ran it on a lot of sand and flatter trails. My wife and daughter ride 2x4 utility quads. The sport quad was a lot of fun (I may keep it) but it was a real bitch on rocks. Turning it around at a canyon's end was a royal pain in the a$$ too. I have had Jeeps and 4x4 trucks and will retrace many routes I have taken in them. I look forward to doing trails like Doran and Odessa at Calico on the new quad. Retracing routes at Truckhaven, Stoddard Wells, Panamint Valley, Jawbone & Redrock, Last Chance, and many more. As a family we enjoying exploring Ghost Towns, mines and out of the way areas be it on quads, in a Jeep or in our current Bronco (Pismo's a lot of fun too).

Once I gain some proficiency on this new quad I would like to join you, if I may, on some of your trips. They look like a lot of fun (the warmer trips anyway)

Later

Gregg

[Gregg]

Got out yesterday on the new Sportsman. Went riding at Dove Springs north of Mojave. I put 70 miles on it on hard pack dirt, loose & steep dirt, sandy washes, shale hills, a little snow and some very steep short hills. Also climbed some 2 - 3 foot high, almost vertical banks on the sides of washes.

In most respects this thing is pretty amazing. It's very comfortable for my wide ass. 70 miles in 5 hours and only sore muscles from horsing it around, no aches from the ergonomics. It climbs better then my Jeep (locked at both ends) ever could. Where the Jeep would be spinning all four, this Polaris kept on pulling with out fuss or wheelspin. The new design tires really hooked up well on loose shale and hard pack dirt (at 3.5 PSI). No real rock gardens yesterday, maybe next week. I managed a brief 54 mph on hard pack dirt with the tires at 3.5 PSI but at speeds over 35 too much time is spent reading the trail ahead with not enough left to enjoy the scenery, so plenty of top end speed.

Was at altitudes ranging from 2500 to 6000 feet and noticed no rough running or stumbling, only a minor loss of power at the higher elevations.

The only areas where I am not completely satisfied are acceleration (but I'm coming from a fast sport quad and probably expected too much) and the EBS system. It accelerated smoothly and seamlessly to about 35 mph but doesnt give the "Hang on for dear life" feeling that my 400ex does in 2nd & 3rd gear. Above 35 the acceleration was slow.

On steep, loose dirt and shale downhills, the EBS system would have the rears almost locked (they were turning a lot slower then the actual downhill rotational speed). This caused the rear end to get very squirely. It required constant and significant steering correction and an occasional blip of the throttle to loosen the grip of the EBS. All of this was at speeds of under 5mph. I didn't like blipping the thropttle and accellerating on the downhill. I wouldn't want to go much faster then a crawl on theese loose steep hills but I do want control. Can the amount of braking force exerted by the EBS system be adjusted or lessened?

All in all, very happy with the Sportsman, especially the 4 wheel drive system. Maybe after the warranty is up I'll tweak it up a little.

Later

Gregg