1997 family values

First Place: Polaris Indy 500
7.93 Points

Uppers
Sporty ride. Reliable as tomorrow.

Downers
Decent, not great performance.

Once the all-time favored sled of American snowmobilers, the carburetted Indy 500 has enjoyed a metamorphosis since being recalled to the lineupa few seasons ago. There is definitely a choice to be made in Indy 500 models.The more expensive fuel-injected version comes with the plusher XTRA-12suspension. Our tested Indy 500 with carburetors was paired with a more basic XTRA-10 front and rear system.

If you are looking for value and have a hankering to be a sporty rider more often than a cruising kind of guy, go for the racier carbed version.There is a distinct personality difference between the EFI and carburetted 500s. The graphic styling serves as an immediate clue. The carbed 500's racy checkered graphics on a basic black finish and low, blacked-out windscreen aim at the rider with an attitude. The 500 EFI's bright blue finish is sporty,yet more sedate.

Back up styling with the latest version of Polaris' IFS trailing arm design with a fixed torsion bar and you have attitude with handling prowess.The XTRA-10 front end provides up to 9.5 inches of travel controlled via nitrogen cell shocks. Working the spring loads via the shock's threaded adjuster lets you set and adjust the front action.

The 500 is balanced with an XTRA-10 rear suspension setup with 10.2 inches of rear axle travel as well as an Indy Select shock on the rear and a hydraulic shock on the front arm of the suspension. Our test crew liked the way this Indy 500 performed in the mountains and trails around Stanley, rating the front suspension ride and handling as well as the rear ride and handling,all solid 8.0s.

Said one test rider, "The Indy 500 is a classic sled that is funto ride." While fun to ride, the Indy 500 is apt to be a little behind Cat's Cougar, Ski-Doo's hot little Rotax 500 and Yamaha's new breed 500twin. The Fuji-built 488cc liquid-cooled twin is a very reliable powerplant that gets a strong majority of its power to the 121-inch track via well-tuned Polaris clutches. Still, we found the 488 twin to be a titch off the best Cougar and Ski-Doo runs. Mark that down to power. While Polaris won't say what the power is, we figure that there must be a 5 to 10 horsepower difference between the weakest and strongest of the 500cc/550 sleds in this category.

The Indy 500 with XTRA-10 is designed to appeal to your sporty instincts.It has the so-called sports type suspension, a liquid-cooled twin with 38mm Mikuni fuel suckers, hydraulic disc brake and carbide runners. These are pieces designed for sports riders.

The fuel injected version is designed for the serious trail cruiser.That XTRA-12 front and rear suspension setup is plush. The E-Z Steer carbide runners reduce steering effort. The windshield is taller and the electronicfuel injection system means any rejetting is done automatically. These pieces all spell comfort on the trail.

Your assignment will be to choose which version best suits you as a rider.Your bank account will come into consideration as well since the plusher 500 EFI costs $850 more than the carbed 500.

Our test riders rated the base model the highest of the 500s with an overall score of 7.93 points out of 10. As a package of ride, handling andperformance for the money, the Indy 500 with carbs delivers strong value.

Polaris 500 EFI

Overall Height: 49.5 inches
Overall Length: 108 inches
Weight: 496 lbs.
Ski Stance: 42.5 inches
Engine: Fuji 488cc liquid-cooled, fuel injected twin
Exhaust: Tuned pipe
Clutch:
Drive: P-85
 Driven: P-85
Suspension Travel:
 Front: IFS XTRA-12, threaded adjustable nitrogen cell shocks, 9.5 in.
 Rear: XTRA-12, nitrogen cell front and indy select hydraulic rear shocks, 10.0in.
Fuel Capacity: 10.7 gallons
Key Features: Hydraulic disc brake, 5-in. speedo , trip meter, tach, dual range and thumbwarmers,EZ steer carbide runners, adjustable handlebars, high beam indicator.
Retail Price: $5,799
Riding Impressions:
"The Indy 500 is still a classic sled. It's fun to ride."
- Dave Hakensen, Test Rider