ATV Review: Polaris Predator 500
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May 14, 2007 
First thing first…the Polaris Predator 500 is made to fly! With that said, intermediate riders not encouraged to use the Polaris Predator 500 unless in the presence and under the guidance of a professional or experience ATV rider. Don't get us wrong, the Polaris Predator 500 is fabulous quad…it's fast and it's reliable. The great torque makes the ride really smooth and strong which makes this ATV one of the best quads to use when one is considering entering competitions and making it in the ATV racing scene. Many other brand names and ATVs also have the same power. If we had to make a comparison, we'd say the Polaris Predator 500 comes quite close to the Raptors 700s.
The thing we noticed when we rode this Polaris Predator 500 is that is so powerful that it is in the same league as many other modified ATVs. A couple of our friends had modified Kawasakis and Hondas and when we ran the Polaris Predator 500 alongside, we were not too far behind. Imagine, these guys spent tons of money on modifying their quads and when we took the Polaris Predator 500 for a challenge, they were practically screaming their heads off! We loved the Fox Reservoir Shocks too – fabulous! When you ride the Polaris Predator 500, you'll notice that it handles amazingly – extremely steady.
The Polaris Predator 500 that we had was a 2004 model…doesn't make it any less powerful, we tell you. We had big complaints about the 2003 model, frankly speaking and were quite reluctant to swing a leg over another one despite knowing that this is a newer and improved version. But thankfully, we are happy to note that the newer Polaris Predator 500 is awesome. The 2003 model had problematic transmission which means that it would miss gear shifts VERY REGULARLY. Not good. But with the new model of Polaris Predator 500, they updated the tranny which makes gear shifting smoother and easier. Apparently, some of the other folks who had Polaris Predator 500 2004 models says that it lasted longer too! Good on Polaris!
Many other complaints about the Polaris Predator was dealt with in the newer version but the Predator 500 is still extremely heavy – much heavier than many other quads of the same power…more than the Yamaha's Raptor. And there's no reverse, mind you. Although it still takes quite a lot of effort to lift the front of the ATV over obstacles (performing wheelies…erm….try hard!), we have to say that it is much easier than before.
In conclusion…this is a race quad, boys. Not for beginners. If you're into tricks and performing stunts, you're in for some grunting and groaning, we're telling you. But overall, the Polaris Predator 500 is an extremely reliable and powerful quad. We're impressed but not exactly in love with it.
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