The water-cooled 499cc four-stroke engine features a four-valve, double-overhead-cam design. While it has proven to be very reliable, it is heavy by modern four-stroke engine standards. The Predator 500’s power plant is built by Japanese manufacturer Fuji, a subsidiary of Suzuki. Who knows? We may even change a few more opinions before it’s all over. With so much to offer, we thought it was time to bring the Predator 500 back for a solo test so we can once again discover what made this machine such a hit in our 2006 12 Hours of ATV America Sport Quad Shootout. While it didn’t prove to be the ultimate high-performance machine, the Predator proved to be a strong sport machine with favorable performance and excellent reliability. Reliability is another of its strong attributes.Besides winning a favorable opinion from all of our test riders, the Predator proved to be bullet proof, never requiring maintenance. While it is a bit weak off the bottom, it makes up for it with a smooth midrange rush and plenty of top end power. The Predator’s engine is built by Fuji, a subsidiary of Suzuki. The Predator’s chromoly rear axle is covered by a limited lifetime warranty, saving you $400 on an aftermarket unit. Sitting at 47.5 inches wide the Predator is narrow enough for most trails, yet wide enough for plenty of stability on the track or dunes.
Before the shootout began, most of the riders seemed to have the same bleak expectations for the machine as Earlywine, but by the end of the day, when they were tired and fatigued, each rider looked forward to his chance to ride the very plush and smooth-running Predator 500. While the Predator didn’t win the shootout, it was definitely the surprise of the day. Judging the shootout was a group of riders and racers varying in age from 18 to forty something. “Have you ever ridden a Predator 500?” He replied: “Once, but I just rode it around for a second outside the shop.” I informed him that he was about to have the chance to become more familiar with the machine and while he didn’t complain, he really wasn’t excited.Ī few years back, we put the Predator 500 head to head against a 2006 Yamaha YFZ450 and a Honda TRX450R. “You don’t sound very excited,” I queried.
“Oh, OK,” he replied with a less-than-enthusiastic sound in his voice. Take a ride and you will see how well this carnivore adapts to any environment.Ī few weeks ago, I placed a call to test rider Chris Earlywine informing him of our upcoming test on the 2007 Polaris Predator 500. Lurking in the Ocala National Forest, the Predator 500 looks a bit monstrous from the front.
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