2000 Zr 500 efi - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

POLARIS FO LIFE · 11-08-2009, 08:25 PM

Are the zr 500 efi any good, thinking about buying one?

UtahSledding · 11-08-2009, 10:15 PM

I cannot comment on the ZR500 EFI. But I do have a ZR600 EFI and I love it. I am sold on Arctic Cats. I like it almost as much as I did my XLT if not more. The one issue with the cats of these years is the kill switch has a tendency to make the sled bog. It was made with cheap plastic parts that wear out really fast. The easiest way to fix this is to run the machine with the kill switch unplugged.

Disclosure: I am in no way recommending you unplug a safety feature such as the kill switch as an easy fix.

**RJ Gleason** · 11-09-2009, 01:01 AM

EFI = better than anything else!

**kccats** · 11-09-2009, 06:28 PM

They are a good little sled! EFI is bullet proof!

dpach · 11-15-2009, 02:07 PM

Don't have a 500, but I have been trying to update my wife's ZR 600 EFI and can't get her off the seat. She absolutely loves it. Excellent ditchbanger, good on trails (especially since I put jagged edge dual carbides on to help with darting), and has plenty of zip.

The one thing is to make sure to grease the drive shaft bearing on the clutch side where the speedo cable attaches. Melting snow gets behind the bearing holder into the housing which rusts the bearing. Greasing with a couple pumps pushes out the water and keeps bearing like new.

EFI is only way to go. Sleddin' with a group last yr and they'd all have to choke machines, pull three or four times, watch the choke and babysit the sleds until warm enough to shut off the chokes. I walked up to each of mine, the first pull charges the system, second fires the sled, and I go back inside until they are warmed up. I'm having my coffee before they even walk in the door.

Good luck. Ride fast, ride safe!

POLARIS FO LIFE · 11-15-2009, 07:39 PM

I bought it yesterday, cant wait to try it out

How fast do you think it will go?

**RJ Gleason** · 11-16-2009, 08:19 AM

80/85 mph.

POLARIS FO LIFE · 11-16-2009, 04:34 PM

that sounds alright with me

polaris rider · 11-16-2009, 05:16 PM

i have a 99 zl 500.. the guy i bought it off of could have been fibben, but he said on a long lake run he had it up in the 90s

**RJ Gleason** · 11-17-2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polaris rider

i have a 99 zl 500.. the guy i bought it off of could have been fibben, but he said on a long lake run he had it up in the 90s

On the "dream-o-meter" maybe, but actual will be less than shown.

godfrey90sf · 11-17-2009, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJ Gleason

80/85 mph.

Agreed, even my ZR 600 EFI with a brand new engine would only go up to around 80-85, though ZRs are nice sleds.

JDS · 11-17-2009, 10:01 AM

My ZR500 will do about 80, but it gets there quickly. It's a great ditch banger.

godfrey90sf · 11-17-2009, 10:13 AM

You do realize that you're gonna have to change your POLARIS FO LIFE handle right? Lol, I always used to say "Once you go Cat, you never go Back", until I bought a Doo.

polaris rider · 11-17-2009, 02:33 PM

same here lol.. popular trend tends to be, polaris, then go cat, then doo lol