I think that's when Suzuki was making their engines. A good friend has the 500. Its been a reliable bike but it handles like sh!t. I've rode It a bunch and I can't stand the way it handles. Top heavy, light front end, terrible steering. I wouldn't ride or buy any older arctic cat if it was the only choice out there.
I have a 2005 TBX 500 and love it. Suspension is great, steering great, ground clearance great, and it uses electronic readouts instead of analog. But the thing weighs 800 pounds as compared to 500 to 700 pounds for most 500's. fatrooster.
You'd be surprised at how easily the M8 handles. If I were to buy a sled for my wife, it would be an M8. No questions. I've rode the Polaris Dragon, Skidoo, and the Arctic Cat M7 and M8 is the easiest handling sled out there.
My uncle has an M8 and it is very easy to handle. I only go out once every couple of years to ride with them, so I am very inexperienced, but I was able to get the hang of leaning and I could go just about anywhere that I wanted. The newer machines are much easier to ride than the older machines.