While I agree with your sentimentality on HP, I'm not sure the P500 needs more. I have been very impressed with mine. I've overloaded it, put it on steep, twisting, loose trails, and have never been short on power. When looking at specs, and comparing HP ratings with other 50" machines, you would think that the P500 would be lacking. This is not the case, and I believe that I know why. It doesn't matter how much HP you have, if you can't get it to the ground, it's useless. The low gearing, and power-to-weight ratio of the P500 is very efficient. Every bit of HP is transferred to the ground. CVT machines rely on "rim speed" to operate to potential. However, due to wheel spin and belt slippage, it is not a very efficient transfer of power. They have to have higher HP numbers, as a percentage of power is "wasted". It is kind of like a diesel motor versus a gasoline motor in a truck. Gas motors have more HP and higher optimum RPM ranges, while diesels have more torque and lower optimum RPM ranges. If you want to run fast, you go with gasoline, if you want to pull a load, you buy a diesel. I'm sure that a judicious upgrade in HP would appeal to many P500 owners, but if it resulted in "wheel spin" or loss of "contact torque" it would become a wasted effort. Honda did a really good job on finding a balance between the two on this machine. I'm an uncontrollable tinkerer, and an old drag racer, but I don't see any reason to mess with the drivetrain on mine.