That is my question for you ATV guys. I assume they will start much better in severely cold temps. They will possibly be lower in maintenance???
Now, assuming this is the right move, do they not make many 500's with an EFI?? After doing some minor searching on the net, it seems most manufacturers in 700CC range before you see consistent EFI talk.
What are you thoughts on EFI and wheelers.
-------------------- I was born in the 70's, grew up in 80's, made my mistakes in 90's now I'm just trying to make up for lost time.
Polaris makes a 500EFI for the Sportsman. I'm no expert, but I've been told that you get more instant power from an EFI. Also start better in the cold.
I do know if you are riding in higher altitudes such as 5000-10000 feet that the non EFI's need to be re-jeted and the clutch will need to be adjusted. In my case once I'm back to MN it needs to be adjusted back again. I only know that because we are considering a trip to Utah and my mechanic advised me to this.
Suzuki makes a 450 F.I. Can Am makes a 400,500,650, and an 800 F.I. They start up, and idle with out having to screw around with the choke.Less issues with todays gas as well, if you let your wheeler sit for awhile.A little better throttle response, as well as mileage with the F.I.
I have had both, both always started. EFI pops off, pretty consistent, no matter the temp. My 500 Sportsman did too, but when really cold, it took a little.
big g
-------------------- You can tell how big a person is, by what it takes to discourage them! "Hooks"
I have an Arctic Cat 650 carburated. I have a buddy thats got a 700EFI. We were on Superior last winter. -20F Given that is a very extremely low temp, his popped right off. Thank god too, becasue he had to give me a jump start after I killed my battery. I am kicking myself all the time for not going EFI.
Plus if you plan on going to different altitudes, they are the way to go for sure.
GO EFI if you can.
-------------------- "I feel that if a gun is good enough to protect something as important as a bar, then its good enough to protect my family." Homer Simpson
There are more ATV models every year with EFI. That trend will continue as emissions standards become more strict.
I bought my Sportsman 700 EFI June 19th 2004 and haven't a single regret about doing so. I went from a modified (for mud) 500 HO that was as reliable as ever and I hated to let go. Until I started my EFI the next morning. I forgot very fast about the 500 and the carb. Never again will I buy a utility ATV with a carb, not brand new. In stock form my 700 EFI gets better mileage than my 500 did, by far, and better than my moms bone stock 500 HO and dads 600, both the same year as my 700. Power is not really comparable between an EFI and a carb machine. It isn't an earth shattering difference but it is enough that it makes you wonder what else might be different.
I simply cannot think of a single reason to have a carb over an EFI. The EFI has more than proven itself in the wettest, muddiest, coldest, and driest conditions. The benefits are many and the drawbacks none that I've encountered. I'll include a link to my early reviews, as well as some mixed reviews of other owners, for your convenience. The ATVs you will read about in this link are Polaris but please understand the EFI specific benefits can be expected and realized regardless of the brand. Anything written by "Wildman" is mine unless noted in the beginning of the review.
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Most of my life has been spent fishing.The rest of it I just wasted. If I'm not fishing, hunting, or ATVing, you can bet I'm wishing I was! Control your kids, not my guns!
I have a Polaris 800 EFI and am in love with it! uge power band...and starts with the turn of the key...purrs like a kitten until you give 'er...and she growls like a tiger!
To me EFI is a nice option but you pay for it too. I do not use my wheeler in the off season very much, so to me a carb that I can take apart, clean, and work on is the better option. They brought back the Sportsman 500 carb for 2008, and I am picking one up tomorrow Not that there is anything wrong with EFI, but it is that much more to go wrong, and the average guy can't do as much maintenance to. Good luck with your purchase either way
Your comments are very similar to those I used to see on my website and a few others back in 04 when the EFI Polaris first hit the market. As mentioned I have one of the first EFI's that was available and to date, zero troubles. Same for the vast majority of other owners. Please take the following only as a different point of view and not a right or wrong debate.
Carbs are far more repair prone, or maintenance hungry, than a simple fuel injector is. Even still they are indeed reliable. My 01 500 HO was modded heavily and I mudded it heavily. Not once did the carb have to come off even after the engine was dusted enough that I had to replace a piston and rings. The problem was, with the mods, the thing was tricky to start when either real cold or real hot. Unless I constantly played with the jetting or took the mods off, which I later did, the bugger was a PITA to run in varying temps. With my EFI I simply crank it up and ride.
Some have said they can take the carb apart and clean it trailside if need be. Again I've been trail riding since 1988 and have logged thousands of miles on ATVs. Not once have I had the need to pull a carb trailside, and not a time has come up that I came across someone that needed to pull a carb that actually had the tools to do it. A carb has "circuits" that must stay clean for optimal performance. Any circuit that becomes clogged severely affects the engines ability to run, obviously. Conversely a fuel injector has an inlet and an outlet, plus the two wire plug in. They are nearly impossible to plug (EFI machines use automotive grade fuel filters) and they also will not carbon or varnish up thanks to a rotating pintle. In short, they are light years ahead of a carb. Similar to cars. People were hesitant to swap over with cars but, look what we have now, lol.
Polaris brought back the carbed machines because a large number of people felt they still wanted them. It was a business decision and nothing more. EFI is cheaper and easier to build yet they still turn a profit on the carbs. But I think carbed ATVs and other off road vehicles will soon grind to a halt as stricter emissions standards are in place.
Good luck with your 08 Sportsman. See if you can get some pics of it and post in this forum. Would also like to hear what you think of the machine. Are you getting any ad ons with it like a plow or winch? Tire upgrades?
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Most of my life has been spent fishing.The rest of it I just wasted. If I'm not fishing, hunting, or ATVing, you can bet I'm wishing I was! Control your kids, not my guns!
there are 3 guys in my group that have the new honda rincons with efi and they love it as far as starting goes. they also have a lot more torque then the carburated rincons. the only compaints i have heard from them so far is that if you fowl out a plug, the plug cost near $20. as far as what i think, is that they are awsome machines. but there is to much to go wrong that i cant fix. thanks to computers. with that said i think that the efi quads will be a good buy in 3 years or so but not now. its just like when car manufacturers went to efi. it took them quite some time to figure it out. so i think we need the technology to become reliable.
with saying that the only problem that any of the new rincons have had is one of the computers got a glich and all they had to do is bring it in and they took care of it in five min. between 5 quads that are always ridden, in the last 4 months they have all put on over 600 miles, not one of our hondas have ever left us on the trail. so if you are looking at a quad i would suggest going with a honda. you would probly be intersted in the rubicon 500 they come with power steering this year. i nice touch i think
-------------------- "give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day"
we have a 04 carb 700 sportsman was a little iffy on the new EFI but we have a couple friends with EFI and love them no problems our carb is cold blooded in the winter rough for ice fishing if i was to do it again i would go EFI no questions asked
to EFI or not???
Not that there is anything wrong with EFI, but it is that much more to go wrong, and the average guy can't do as much maintenance to. Good luck with your purchase either way 
