Cancel the 261C request AlfA01 . Just picked up a new in box for $432 including S/H on ebay. Just found it this morning, but will confirm with you when i have it in hand. I was really surprised and timing is everything. Still may consider a 500i...keep me in the loop.
I thought he didnt have any yet? Lucky you. Not that im really into the newest and greatest, but this forum is a bad influence for sure. Have you cut with it yet? Your thoughts/opinions?
the 500 is smooth and good power likes to be loaded down also i got my 500 may first and is a sweet saw
How much have you cut with it? Im started to get addicted to saws and i thought hoarding wood was bad! When is Stihl planning on releasing them in USA? What would you compare it to based on performance with older model saws...ie 880, 661 etc? Power to weight ratio etc?
mine has over 5 tanks through it ive ran run a 20 inch to a 32 on it so far i ordered 2 and ended up sending one to Leadfarmer and he let his logger buddy run it and he said its better than the 661 out of the box first cuts i made with mine i ran a 28 inch 404 bar and chain in white oak at the ct gtg it wore 28 inch 3/8 bar with 8 pin and then a 20 inch and 8 pin in the cant racing i have alot of ported saws from 026 to the 661s never owned a 088 or 880 as i dont really need one first cuts with the 500
john still has it it may be a while before it gets done so far it only has a muffler mod looking at different carb and coil options
I’m gonna give it a little workout this week, but first impressions are flawless throttle response, very nimble/lightweight with a 20” (rivals a 562xp with a 18”, lightsaber), cuts strong (feels like a strong 046/7900/10mm 044). I also have a new 572xp (12 or so tanks through it), and I would pick the 500i every time if going head to head. Much lighter and a lot more well mannered. Still experiencing more than 1 pull hot starts with the 572xp and it hunts a little at idle. Nice saw overall, but husky hasn’t fine tuned the auto tune like I had been hoping.
Don’t doubt it, but I’m a tree guy part time (usually 3 days a week); not concerned with splitting hairs. Hopefully the saw builders can work around that, because I’m sure there is untapped potential in there and who doesn’t want a modifiable saw. In a stock setting, I want a well mannered saw that starts good and has a nice powerband. I have 372’s, 7900’s, 044 10mm, 440, 572xp, and a 575xp currently in the saw stash. This 500i stacks up right with my best runners. Without a stop watch, I think it’s just a little behind a hot running 460/7900. Stihl has copied a lot of husky design aspects and refined them.
Only a half tank. I’ll update my review in a few days, but it’s easy to see how good it is out of the box.
One of my ground guys is a stihl silver tech. I’ll be interested to see what he says when he runs it tomorrow as well.
The 500's manners are superb, AJ. It's a little soft on the rear AV, so it seems right at home with a 25 or below light bar. Same oiler as the 462, which known to oil bars up to at least 36". It starts easy...isn't cold natured. There is some untapped potential left in the cylinder, albeit not as much as previous gen saws. When I ported mine, I gained the most from the muffler mod--about 25% improvement over stock in cut times. Since there is no coil, timing advance doesn't help. The 500 makes use a magnetic ring generator behind the flywheel to power the electronics module and fuel injection. The 500 really shines in the torque. The throttle response is just killer. The torque is very useful and easy to use when working. I find it to be a tad slower stock than a good running 7900/044. I've ran mine for around 20+ tanks and it seems to have gained with every tank. It was a whole different saw after the 10th tank than it was on the 1st. Its a beast now after porting and having some run time on it.
The ms500i has been a true joy so far. Haven’t had one hiccup and it runs and cuts flawless. I have 15 or so tanks through it now. I really enjoy running my 2260 jred and it has been my go to saw for a while, but now I find it kinda weak for it’s weight. The 500i isn’t noticeably heavier, but it cuts substantially stronger than the 2260. My 572xp cuts strong, but it’s not as nimble as the 500i and it still has issues starting hot. Hardly ever starts one pull when hot. Since I do tree work, we are constantly starting and stopping saws.