Bolens began production of the Model 500 in 1966 for the 1967 production year. Some of the unique noticeable features of the 500 include:
- An “all red” hood with no air louvers
- A chrome nose cone
- A thin plastic dash
- Early model 500’s had 2 bumper brackets and later model 500’s had 4 bumper brackets.
- The ski seater did not have the hand rail around the back of the sled like the 502/3 ski seater did.
In addition, many less noticeable designs of the 500 compared to upgraded 502 & 503 models include:
- Thinner guage metal throughout the hood, chassis and handlebars.
- A different gearbox with different gear ratios.
- The Hirth 54R motor utilized a muffler directly attached to the engine.
- A bogie wheel and bogie rail design significantly different than the later models.
With that said, many designs of the 500 carried over to the later 502 & 503 models including:
- The tracks.
- The headlights (502 only).
- The sturdy Hirth 16 HP 54R motor.
- The clutching system along with the drive belt.
- The general overall design of the unit with an articulating steering design.
In my opinion, the Model 500 is the rarest of the three models. Be it because Bolens only made this model one year or maybe that the design was inferior and led many a unit to self-destruct. When you see an original or restored 500, you can surely appreciate it.
