luk0927, I have a '99 XC SP 500 and it has the Liberty non-VES engine - I'm assuming yours has the same. Plenty fast enough, but the XC 500's were always considered a 'fast' 500cc machine.
I think it's all in the gen2 chassis. That was a all around fast chassis, I loved my 2000 600, handled like it was on rails and it rolled so nice I could just about push it on the ice