Newbie asking for help here. I have a Suzuki Eiger 4X4 and the kids have Yamaha 80. Problem is wife and oldest daughter need something to ride if I'm on the Eiger. We just trail ride, no monster mud holes or trying to set speed records. I can get a 2006 250 for $3,990.00 - out the door price. Opinions welcomed!

 

Awesome machine - especially if that's all you're using it for. I purchased one a few months ago for the same price and am more impressed with this machine every time we take it out. Auto transmission, low range, really reliable, good trail manners, superior brakes, nice speed, looks great, is great. I can't really say enough about it. Onle real weakness is the tires, but again, that's for rough and tumble trail riding. On the regular trails, camps and fields, this quad is worth every penny. Just for kicks, I took it on a really head-banging ride and it did very, very well, (especially with my big rear-end on the seat)...The only other lack is engine braking, but again, teaching good brake technique, overcomes this lack. I say buy, buy, buy.... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

MassMark hit the nail on the head with that one. I totally agree, this quad rocks.
Although I learned the hard way that it doesn't have engine braking... >_<

OneWolf

 

I'm gonna be the naysayer here. I think the new 250 are a step backward, technology wise and at the loss of a great trail machine. Way to much importance applied to having something for the average guy instead of making the best ute there is. They are a nice little sport quad, but they are not near the trail machine the IRS machines were. If you want a little go fast, sportie then it's what you want.

 

The only thing I might add is that you may want to consider looking at the Kymco branded model as they (Kymco) actually make the AC 250. I can understand what AC did, guessing that they dropped their original 250/300 to perhaps free up capacity to build the bigger quads (and the prowler) that have been added as of late. Any way I want to say that, from memory of talking to a Kymco rep, the AC has different plastic and a simple conversion to a AC "style" single brake lever as opposed to the original 2 lever design. The things to consider is that Kymco make an almost, if not, identical 300cc model to complement their 250. You may be able to get the 300 Kymco for the same money as a 250 AC. I don't have a clue but if I were looking at the 250 I would definitely research it. Oh yeah, factor in the warranty. If one is longer than the other it may be the deal maker if that is important to you. I almost started to do this homework myself as I was considering the Kymco/AC due to its physical size as a good quad for my girlfriend. She is relatively short and in the 100lb range. We saw a display Kymco 300 at a show. She had a chance to sit on the machine but not ride one. She has been doing rather well with my 01 400 so I decided to stick with what I have, at least till the spring.

Good luck,

 

Never under-rate what those women can do. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] I thought my wife would be 8 months to a year getting up to speed. Wrong, less than 2 months and she now goes where I do, including hunting.

 

3990 for a Kymco/AC? Sounds a bit steep for a Taiwanese quad. One of the quad mags did a review of the 06 Honda Recon recently. Biggest problem (besides the drum brakes) they had with it was the price. At 3499.00, it was more than the Poo Phoenix (2999.00), Bomb Rally (3199.00), Yamaha Blaster (3299.00), and the Kawi Bayou (2999.00). Same price as the Suzuki Ozark (3499.00) I'm not suggesting you get a Recon, just that the rest of the 200-250 class sport-utility quads are significantly less expensive than the 3990.00 Kymco/AC.

 

The new Polaris Hawkeye is the same price as the AC/Kymco. 2 wd, Auto trans with EBS, shaft drive, 300 cc vs 250 cc, 8" front and rear suspension travel vs 5" for the AC/Kymco, Disc brakes, and IRS.

 

$3990 - is "out the door"... Other prices quoted likely do not include "t-t-t". And as for A/C being a "Taiwaneese quad" - what difference does that make? Because it's made in Taiwan it's somehow inferior?

In fact, if you do a search, you'll find that Kymco has a rock-solid manufacturing and quality control ethic and that finding downsides to their machinery will take some work, (unlike Honda Yamaha Suzuki and Polaris). So much so, that Honda does millions in business per year with "lowly Kymco" to have Kymco build engines and trannies for Honda 250cc and under. Honda helped Kymco start their business in the 1960's, so Kymco didn't just arrive from nowhere.

It also might interest you to know that Kymco's USA CEO worked for Arctic Cat for 12-years and there's more qualified people than I who firmly believe that Kymco will be a US ATV leader very soon. A/C is likely making a very wise and timely move with present and future ventures. We did a lot of shopping, (a lot). We didn't buy this A/C blindly because I like the Arctic Cat badge. We shopped Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki - even looked at the lesser imports, (Eaton Yamoto). Both my daughter and my wife had plenty of riding experience on an '04' A/C 250 2x4 manual shift. Neither of them liked their experiences. Both felt that it was too unstable, neither liked the brakes, or the handling, or the manual shift. Funny, neither feel that way any more...Different strokes for different folks...Saying that A/C has taken a "step backwards" by eliminating their old mode 250 line shows incredible and understandable loyalty to a fine piece of machinery, (I have a lot of miles on a 250 and loved it), but it lacks a clear idea of a forward looking and consumer responsive business model.

A/C was certainly looking to cut costs and reinvest in other product developments - all while improving profit margin. If the 250 in it's old form was a viable financial asset and a popular consumer demand, then Arctic cat would have been foolish to discontinue it. Sure, it would have been nice to keep the old 250, 300 and introduce the new 250, (which was a response to consumer tastes/demand) - everyone would have been warm and fuzzy. However, from a realistic standpoint, Arctic Cat would have drowned in their own product line. I have to admit, it would have been nice to see the 250/300 series get the new cosmetics and bumped up the grid with the 400/500, but it just does not make sense in this competitive world. I have a long-ridden fondness for especially the 300. It was the first 4x4 I ever planted my rear on. In my opinion, 50cc's made it twice the quad of any, (including A/C), 250 machine. These things are tanks and I'm sad to see them go. However, the 400 is alive and well, so their passing seems a bit less sad, but no less nostalgic. It was time for Arctic Cat to move one - and they did.

The reference that the '06' A/C 250 is no more than a DVX in utility clothing is becoming an old and tired reference. Do some research. The '06' Utility/DVX do in fact share much of the same technology. They share frame, braking system, suspension and tires. That's where it ends. The '06' A/C 250 Utility has belt over shaft, (the DVX has chain final). The Utility has low-range, full coverage plastic and front and rear racks. Also the Arctic Cat 250 Utility is not the same quad as the Kymco MXU 250. The MXU has a chain final drive and does not have low range. Those are reserved for the 300MXU and for Arctic Cat's '06' 250 Utility only.

Since purchasing this quad, we have had the opportunity to stack it up against another 250 2x4 - a Yamaha Bear Tracker. The A/C dusts it in handling, speed, braking, trail manners, comfort, stability, accessories and transmission. As for price point between the two, the Bear Tracker has no automatic shift, no low range, no digital guages, no liquid cooling and it will beat your sack into next year. All this for a steeper price than the A/C. Hardly a technological step backwards. In fact, the new 250 powerplant eclipses the old 250 in technonogical advances. Where it takes A/C is in the tires and I do hope A/C Kymco remedy the situation. They are in fact DVX tires and should not be. I'd like to see 22 or 23's as a stock tire option and engine braking in the future. Yeah, FIS and 4x4 would be great as well, but would add to the cost. Single rear ends are not new for sure, but are a tested and proven system that is still utilized today. That being said, I have absolutely put this machine through it's paces - riding it on trails that most would not. It came through with flying colors and did everything I asked of it. The owner of the Bear Tracker takes every opportunity to ride the A/C when my wife and daughter are idle - that's saying something. What's more, the Bear tracker is set up much the same way in frame/suspension, (single arm rear). Funny - I don't see anyone saying it's "just a sports quad"? That's because it isn't and neither is the A/C. To say the '06' 250 is just another sports quad is to be truly misinformed. Hybrid? Perhaps, but it's as much a sports quad as an F-150 2x4 is a sports car...

I'm no mechanical genius, but I'm no dolt either. I did a tremendous amount of research, shopping, asking quaetions and most importantly riding before I decided to make this purchase. Truth is, $3600.00 cash does not come easy for us, so we made certain that we were investing our hard earned money on the right machine. We could have bought anything in the class we wanted - no financing involved. We bought this quad on lots overtime and sweat. We feel, rather we know, we put our cash in the right machine.

The Arctic Cat 250 Utility is a perfect machine for what you want it for. Good luck with your purchase.

Mark

 

MassMark, I couldn't agree with you more. There seeems to be alot of "I own the best and everything else is crap" on these forums. We have a 06' 250 for our 9 year old son. He is not real big or real strong. But after testing the Bomb 200 for a weekend, and having put him on a friends Rancher 350 4x4 (which he had a really hard time steering). We finally decided on the 250. Our local dealer had 3 of the '05 250's, and we had our son try one, but the '06 ran circles around it. The dealers we talked to are really excited about the changes. Now I am still talking about a 9 year old, not a novice adult. Are far as performance goes, we changed the rear tires (22" Swamp Lites) and it seems to help. On a recent ride my 250 lb. brother-in law's bike broke down. He spent the rest of the day riding behind my son, and they went everywhere the group went without incident. Now we are not climbing huge mountains or deep swamps, but we would not be doing this with a 9 year old anyway. I know evryone has their opinions and that is great, but for my child I found the perfect quad.