Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. User manual

Pantone 426C
Owner's Manual
for Maintenance and Safety
Read this manual carefully. It contains important safety information.
This is an adult vehicle only.
Operation is prohibited for those under 16 years of age.
Sportsman 500 HO

A card containing important ATV safety information should be
attached to the owner's manual on the next page. If you cannot
locate this card, or if it has been removed, please call 1-800-
342-3764 for assistance.
WARNING
The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects
or other reproductive harm.

The text is printed on 100% recycled
with 40% post-consumer waste (PCW).

Pantone 426C
WARNING
Improper vehicle use can result in SEVERE INJURY or DEATH.
NEVER operate:
Swithout proper training or instruction.
Sat speeds too fast for your skills or the conditions.
Son public roads - a collision can occur with another
vehicle.
Swith a passenger - passengers affect balance and
steering and increase risk of losing control.
ALWAYS:
Suse proper riding techniques to avoid vehicle
overturns on hills and rough terrain and in turns.
Savoid paved surfaces - pavement may seriously affect
handling and control.
READ OWNER'S MANUAL.
FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.
ALWAYS USE
AN APPROVED
HELMET AND
PROTECTIVE
GEAR
NEVER USE
ON PUBLIC
ROADS
NEVER CARRY
PASSENGERS
NEVER USE
WITH DRUGS
OR ALCOHOL
For your nearest Polaris dealer,
call 1-800-POLARIS
or visit www.polarisindustries.com
Polaris Sales Inc., 2100 Hwy 55
Medina, MN 55340
Phone [phone]
Part No. 9922247 Rev 01
Printed in USA

1
WELCOME
Thank you for purchasing a Polaris vehicle, and welcome to our world-
wide family of Polaris owners. We proudly produce an exciting line of
utility and recreational products.
• Snowmobiles
• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
•RANGER®utility vehicles
• Victory Motorcycles®
We believe Polaris sets a standard of excellence for all utility and recre-
ational vehicles manufactured in the world today. Many years of experi-
ence have gone into the engineering, design, and development of your
Polaris vehicle, making it the finest machine we’ve ever produced.
For safe and enjoyable operation of your vehicle, be sure to follow the
instructions and recommendations in this owner’s manual. Your manual
contains instructions for minor maintenance, but information about
major repairs is outlined in the Polaris Service Manual and should be
performed only by a factory certified Master Service Dealer®(MSD)
technician.
Your Polaris dealer knows your vehicle best and is interested in your
total satisfaction. Be sure to return to your dealership for all of your ser-
vice needs during, and after, the warranty period.
We also take great pride in our complete line of apparel, parts and acces-
sories, available through our online store at www.purepolaris.com. Have
your accessories and clothing delivered right to your door!

2
POLARIS, THE WAY OUT and SPORTSMAN are registered trademarks of Polaris
Industries Inc.
Copyright 2009 Polaris Sales Inc. All information contained within this publication is
based on the latest product information at the time of publication. Due to constant
improvements in the design and quality of production components, some minor discrep-
ancies may result between the actual vehicle and the information presented in this publi-
cation. Depictions and/or procedures in this publication are intended for reference use
only. No liability can be accepted for omissions or inaccuracies. Any reprinting or reuse
of the depictions and/or procedures contained within, whether whole or in part, is
expressly prohibited.
Printed in U.S.A.
2010 Sportsman 500 HO Owner’s Manual
P/N 9922247

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Emission Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Polaris Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Maintenance Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

4
INTRODUCTION
The following signal words and symbols appear throughout this manual
and on your vehicle. Your safety is involved when these words and sym-
bols are used. Become familiar with their meanings before reading the
manual.
The safety alert symbol indicates a potential personal injury hazard.
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in
death or serious injury.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in
minor or moderate injury.
NOTICE
A NOTICE indicates a situation that may result in property damage.
The Prohibition Safety Sign indicates an action NOT to take in order
to avoid a hazard.
The Mandatory Action Sign indicates an action that NEEDS to be
taken to avoid a hazard.

5
INTRODUCTION
Failure to heed the warnings and safety precautions contained in this manual
can result in severe injury or death. A Polaris ATV is not a toy and can be
hazardous to operate. This vehicle handles differently than other vehicles, such
as motorcycles and cars. A collision or rollover can occur quickly, even during
routine maneuvers like turning, or driving on hills or over obstacles, if you fail to
take proper precautions.
• Read this owner’s manual. Understand all safety warnings, precautions and
operating procedures before operating a Polaris ATV. Keep this manual with
the ATV.
• Never operate an ATV without proper instruction. Take a training course.
• This vehicle is an ADULT VEHICLE ONLY. Operation is prohibited for anyone
under 16 years of age.
• Never permit a guest to operate the ATV unless the guest has read this
manual and all product labels and has completed a certified safety training
course.
WARNING

6
INTRODUCTION
Vehicle Identification Numbers
Record your vehicle's identification numbers and key number in the
spaces provided. Remove the spare key and store it in a safe place. An
ignition key can be duplicated only by ordering a Polaris key blank
(using your key number) and mating it with one of your existing keys.
The ignition switch must be replaced if all keys are lost.
Vehicle Model Number: ___________________________________________________
Frame VIN: ____________________________________________________________
Engine Serial Number: ___________________________________________________
Key Number: ___________________________________________________________
####
VIN
Engine Serial Number
Key Number