ATV Review of the 2011 Arctic Cat Mud Pro 1000
A Nastier Machine We Know Of Not
by Jason Giacchino
Generally speaking stock ATVs are designed to handle a broad range of conditions adequately and sold with the unspoken understanding that if a rider intends to devote the machine in question to a single discipline, there are specialized parts on the market for the purpose of increasing its abilities for the task. In other words many a trail machine proves adequate in the desert with a few proper mods, just as countless utility ATVs are turned into competitive woods racers with a little massaging.
However things really get interesting when a manufacturer decides to jump into a specialized arena right at the OEM level. What would it be like to have an ATV that could tackle some of the world’s nastiest mud pits right off the showroom floor? How cool would it be to have access to a bone stock quad with a fire-breathing engine, massive mud tires, a snorkeled air box, and a factory-installed winch for the unlikely event of a sinkhole besting its prowess? The answer to these questions can be summed up in three words: Mud Pro 1000.
Make no mistake, this beast of an ATV has a singular purpose and offers no apologies for making good on its promises. It isn’t a trail quad that you can use to cross a stream nor is it a comfy tourer that can be ridden in the rain. Instead this is the machine you would build if money were no object and your reason for being just so happened to be conquering mud pits that could swallow Jeeps. Does this mean the big 1000H1 couldn’t be forced into such endeavors? We’re not saying that so much as there are machines less potent, more comfortable, deliver better fuel economy and cost less initially if that’s what’s on your agenda. Besides, not using the Mud Pro in the absolute soupiest of conditions is kinda missing the whole point.
What Stands Out
The Mud Pro takes a few pieces and bits from other models on Arctic Cat’s line and caters them toward the mud bogger in all of us. The big 1000 shares chassis dimensions (58-inch wheel base) with the TRV two-up tourer however the Mud Pro actually tilts forward what would be the passenger floorboards for the pilot to use when traversing a pit of goop. A 2,500-pound winch is standard as are extra beefy front and rear bumpers. 28-inch Maxxis Zilla mud tires grace 14-inch aluminum rims and factory installed snorkels grace the engine and CVT intakes (electronic fuel mapping is actually calibrated specifically for the Integrated Snorkel System).
The Mud Pro is geared lower than the TRV package although the ground clearance is maximized at the shocks (14-inches in total). Perhaps coolest of all is that the 1000 features a spike load-limiter so that you can stay on the engine in the middle of a bog without causing excessive wear to the drive-system (which often burn out in deep mud long before the engine melts down).
All told, our test mule weighed in a whopping 851 pounds dry and an identical unit could be had for ,299.
The Ride
Like you, the first thing we wondered was what is it like to ride this monster? In our case the idea wasn’t just to test it in its element, but also to take the trails to get there. After all, unless you plan to have your ATV dropped off via cargo helicopter, you’re probably going to spend some time in the saddle before submerging the machine. That said, the Mud Pro 1000 doesn’t go out of its way attempting to hide its mass on dry ground. It feels long, wide and heavy with fairly slow turning and a demeanor for carrying momentum. However don’t mistake these handling traits for lack of engine performance. The 951cc fuel injected twin-cylinder lurking within the bodywork is surprisingly peppy, especially down low. It responds to throttle input with an unmistakable snap of forward motion (due in no small part to the low gearing).
We were surprised to discover that wheelies were even possible on dry terrain with a bit of throttle! However, the trade-off for such low end of course is the tendency for the engine to rev out on top and that’s precisely the case here. This isn’t to say the 1000 crawls up top though either, far from it, in fact. We came pretty close to 60mph before backing off on account of the combination of a revved out motor, the choppy ride of the mud tires, the wacky ground clearance and the fact that once in motion, the Mud Pro likes to stay in motion!
The shocks themselves, aside from being tall, are quite stiff on dry land. We were never positive if the sensation of harshness transmitted to the rider was due to the stiffness of the suspension, the aggressive tread of the mud tires, or a combination of the two factors (the safest bet) but we weren’t interested in achieving speeds any higher anyway.
However at moderate speeds with time to set up for corners, the Mud Pro 1000 can certainly be made to transport any serious mudder to the pit of choice.
The Real Ride
There’s no denying it: we were pretty darn eager to put this machine through the paces in the environment for which it was intended, and despite keeping our cool all day prior, we were like school-kids dashing for the playground when we finally arrived to the very back section of a former farm field that had long ago flooded and since began transitioning into swampland.
Whatever shortcomings the Mud Pro displayed in our trail-duty, it immediately made up for once we began taking passes through the slop. The machine absolutely decimates goop, ooze, and dirt pudding. Engine braking (EBS) keeps the big machine in check as you lower it into the muck then, just as the momentum of your entry begins to wear off, application of the throttle lightens up the front end and literally launches the quad clear across the pit as if it were on dry ground. Our initial test area actually failed to affect the Mud Pro even when just using 4WD (high range) that we quickly sought out a more difficult challenge.
We found it in the form of a small pond that had been filled in some years ago. While it was no longer eligible for pond status, it certainly couldn’t be classified as land either. What remained was perhaps what science would classify as plasma: A big stinking pit of bubbling soup laced with little streams carving their way through the middle.
We locked the differentials and eased into what, for all we knew could have been a bottomless pit of quicksand, and rolled on the throttle ever so gently. Low and behold, we got the back end to dance a bit, heard the unmistakable sucking sound of angry mud as it tried to claim its victim, then marveled as the far side of the former-pond came into view then disappeared beneath the fenders.
The only item of interest we wouldn’t get to experiment with, it turned out, was that 2,500-pound winch.
Odds and Ends
While the Mud Pro isn’t going to win awards for creature comforts or overall refinement, there is something awe-inspiring about how seriously it conquers mud that suddenly makes all other factors seem strangely unimportant. High marks go to the impeccably sealed CVT, the factory snorkels, and the responsiveness of the intuitive transmission controls.
Like the dry-ground handling, the braking comes up a bit short. Of course we’re confident that coming to a stop with all of the rolling resistance one encounters in a mud pit is a non-issue and could probably be accomplished without brakes of any kind, but you will certainly be wishing for some more aggressive stoppers with better modulation, should you test the upper reaches of the engine on the trails.
Suspension adjustability could also stand to use a bit of an overhaul, as realizing you’re out of tune and getting off to make preload adjustments in the middle of a former-pond isn’t an option. And perhaps even more troublesome is the fact that even finding the preload adjusters, once you’ve emerged from said former-pond, is almost nearly as impossible.
Conclusions
What Arctic Cat has accomplished in the Mud Pro 1000 is downright tremendous. For mud competitors this is truly a no-brainer investment, as purchasing a new ATV then performing the modifications to reach this level of perfection would cost well over this quad’s MSRP (and eat up oodles of time).
What about for everyone else? Cutting right to the chase, the Mud Pro isn’t for everyone. Riders who balance their mudding with hard pack trail riding, sand, high speeds, and woods work would be better suited selecting something a bit more well rounded.
However if your definition of trail riding often involves going with or against the currents of a moderate river, miles of slippery slop or slime covered roots, and of course traversing soupy pits, this could very well be the ultimate exploration machine. We even had the rare opportunity to test its performance in some deep late-season Buffalo snow and were astonished how well the mud tires coupled to the ground clearance and powerhouse engine package devoured even the deepest drifts. We know Artic Cat, what with their extensive line of snowmobile products to chose from, probably doesn’t want us saying this, but there’s a good chance this ATV could serve snow duty with the sleds all winter long then really get down to business once all that snow turns the ground to mush.
Specs
COLOR: Sublime Green/Black Metallic Paint
ENGINE: Displacement 951 cc Engine Type V-Twin, SOHC, 4-stroke, 4-valve w/EFI Bore & Stroke 92 x 71.6 mm Cooling System Liquid with fan Fuel Capacity 5.3 gal / 20.1 l Alternator Capacity 25.0 amps Speedometer Analog Odometer Digital
POWERTRAIN: Transmission Automatic CVT with EBS, Hi/Lo Range and Reverse Drive System 2/4 WD + Diff Lock Front Brakes Hydraulic disc Rear Service Brakes Hydraulic disc
SUSPENSION: Front Suspension Double A-Arm Front Travel 10 in / 25.4 cm Rear Suspension Double A-Arm Rear Travel 10 in / 25.4 cm Front Tires 28 x 9-14 Rear Tires 28 x 11-14
DIMENSIONS: Overall Length 94.5 in / 240 cm Overall Width 47.5 in / 120.6 cm Overall Height 51.8 in / 131.6 cm Wheelbase 58 in /147.3 cm Ground Clearance 14 in / 35.6 cm Dry Weight 851 lbs / 386 kg
TOWING/HAULING: Front Rack Capacity 100 lbs / 45.4 kg Rear Rack Capacity 200 lbs / 90.8 kg Towing Capacity 1,050 lbs / 476.3 kg SPECIAL FEATURES: 28″ Maxxis Zilla Tires, Aluminum Wheels, Front & Rear Bumpers, Winch Contact
MORE INFO: http://www.arcticcat.com/
Do you live in places where you could use a special mudding quad such as the Mud Pro 1000? Discuss it here!