1000 xt hard starting when warm

Have you checked valve clearance?

No...only has 500 miles on it.

Im with what MacGyver says, valves could be your problem. The valves are supposed to be checked/adjusted every 25 hours after the initial 10 hour break in. I'm assuming at 500 miles you've exceeded both of those marks. Have you checked them before? Any clatter that you can hear? How's the throttle response?