Alright guys ,Im new here so bear with me . I am going to be purchasing a new atv in the next couple weeks and have decided on an arcti cat. Ive ridden one cat before that was an automatic. My ? is can anyone tell me the pros and or cons of the manual shift vs the automatic. I belive it is a toe shifter,which I am not familiar with. If this info helps,I will most likely be getting a 2009 400 0r 500. Thanks in advance for any info

 

MANUAL-the most significant of the pros is that you have more control over your vehicle with a manual shift...YOU can determine the shift points. Up on some steep mountain climbs, it is nice to be able to wind out the engine and keep it in a rpm range of your choosing. You also get better acceleration out of a manual when compared to an equal auto. My 500 Vinson 5-speed will beat a 500 Vinson Auto every time in a drag race. You also have no drive belt to burn out or get wet (and if someone says "my auto never did either of those", then they haven't ridden them long enough...they WILL flood with water before a manual will in a deep water crossing, and they WILL eventually burn/wear out a belt) The con is that you have to remember to shift gears...now for folks like me who learned to ride powersports machines way back when there were no automatics, it is second nature to shift, and I actually enjoy running the machine through the gears...they sound better than a constant drone of an auto. The other "con" would be that you might miss a shift every now and then, but it has never been a problem for me
AUTOMATICS- they accelerate more smoothly since there is no letting off the throttle to shift gears. There is no thought process required to go forward, you just give it gas. (if you ride a two-seater auto then you surely won't bang helmets with your passenger as much as you would with a manual) I think the autos get slightly less gas mileage, but not enough to be a determining factor

Neither one is a bad choice though...I like my 650 TRV (auto) very much, but still love to ride my 500 Vinson (manual) Make a choice and join in on the fun!

 

One more manual shifter ? I have ridden dirt bikes and whatnot for years, is the shift pattern similar to those 1 down 4 up configurations? or are they all in one direction? Doesnt really matter , just curious. Thanks again!

 

I have had both types of shift patterns on atvs...they are easy to learn. If you have ridden dirt bikes, it will be a snap

 

The "farms" 250 cat is all upshifts for going up thru the gears. The old ancient Honda I use to have didn't like downshifting if it was in a bind. The newer ones might have an indicator letting you know what gear you are in, my old Honda just had a neutral/reverse light.