I've read a bunch of threads on the EBS on the 570 Sportsman and am confused by all the "discussion / debate" on EBS. I'm looking at either buying a new or maybe slightly pre-owned 570 soon - before Thanksgiving. I've owned two Polaris ATVs and two Polaris snowmobiles but haven't bought one new in a long time. My brother still owns the 2000 Sportsman 500 that I bought new and it has been a GREAT machine. We don't get to ride much - handful of weekends a year over at the cabin in central Pennsylvania and a little bit of riding in Northern Ohio. Combination of trail riding, dirt / gravel roads / gas pipelines, and some "cross country" slow stuff up and down the mountains / hills for hunting season.
Prior to the 2000 Sportsman 500 I had a mid 90s (not sure on year) 2 stroke Scrambler.
The only thing I didn't like about the 2 stroke Scrambler was that it would "freewheel" downhill and when I went to the model year 2000 Sportsman 500 the "engine breaking" was GREAT. Obviously different kind of riding and older now so another Sportsman is what I'm focused on.
Reading all of the threads on the EBS on the 570 and visiting a local Polaris dealer this week for the first time in many years I was really surprised that EBS wasn't on all of the Sportsman models considering it was on the one I bought new 17 years ago in 2000 - pretty sure it was just standard back then. I was also surprised that you can buy a base model 450 HO or even base model 570 for LESS than I paid for the Sportsman 500 17 years ago so I get that must be possible with the base models that something has to be missing technology wise as well as the plastic fenders / storage racks and upholstery just feels and looks "cheap" compared to the older machine I'm used to.
The thing I'm having trouble understanding is if the new OPTIONAL / UPGRADE EBS is something much different / more aggressive than the Engine Breaking that was on my model year 2000 Sportsman 500??
The reason I'm confused on this is reading all the comments from people that DON'T like the current version of EBS and relating it to the great experience riding the Sportsman 500 for the past 15+ years. I can't imagine anyone NOT LIKING the EBS on the current machines if it is the same thing that is on the model year 2000 Sportsman 500??
If I need to buy the upgraded optional model to get the same functionality on the 2000 Sportsman 500 I'll definitely do that but again reading the comments from people that DON'T like the EBS on the newer machines makes me think maybe it is something quite different than what I'm used to?? Do the base models have similar functionality to what I'm used to without paying for the upgraded model?? All I really want is for the machine to NOT FREEWHEEL like the old 2 stroke Scrambler did.
From what I've gathered so far the only way to get EBS on a 570 machine is to get one with Electronic Power Steering EPS. Initially I didn't want the Power Steering as that just seems like something that could easily go wrong but if there is no way to get EBS without Electronic Power Steering so be it - I'll pay for EBS once I'm clear that is what I need to replicate the functionality on the model year 2000 Sportsman 500.
Has the EPS been pretty reliable overall?
Other observation is that on the 450 HO and the 570 models I looked at locally the plastic seems / feels "cheap" like it won't likely be as durable as the machine that we've had for 17 years. There was an upgraded model 570 at the local dealer with the camo - I think it was a hunter edition and that plastic felt more durable like what I'm used to. That also makes sense I guess on why you can buy the base model 570 for less than I bought the 2000 Sportsman 500 that some things got "cheapened" up in manufacturing.
ANY COMMENTS APPRECIATED ESPECIALLY FROM ANYONE THAT HAS EXPERIENCE WITH THE EARLY 2000 MODEL YEARS OF THE SPORTSMAN 500.
My first thought on this was to look for another older early 2000s Sportsman 500 so we have essentially two of the same machine since my brother still has that and it seems like I can buy one for $2000 - $2,500 but when I saw I could buy a leftover 2017 base model for $4,000 - $4,500 is seems crazy to not just buy new but now that it seems like I will be in the $5,500 - $6,500 range to get what I want in terms of EBS I'm debating the used route again... but that isn't real likely as I haven't bought a "used" vehicle or toy since the late 90s.
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY COMMENTS or sell me your early 2000's Sportsman 500 :grin
Steve
