I'm looking to purchase either a 2007 Artic Cat 700 Diesel or a 2008 Polaris Sportsman 800. I did the research and found the Cat diesel is rated to pull only 1050lbs where the Polaris is rated for 1500 lbs. The Cat has a 2" hitch and the Polaris a 1" or 1 1/2" hitch. I thought the diesel would be rated to pull a heck of a lot more than the gas powered Polaris. I test drove both and the Diesel Cat didn't seem to want to get out of its own way.

I am looking to pull logs and trailered firewood out of the woods. I thought the diesel Cat would be the way to go for a work horse but now I'm not too sure. Any suggestions?

Thanks

ZZ

 

Welcome to the forum. IMO the Sportsman 800 will do the work and be fun to trail ride when you're done too. The Cat may work okay but diesels are no good for play.

 

Yeah, I think I am leaning towards the Sportsman. It seems to be the all round better ATV for both work and play. I just want to make sure the Sportsman will be strong enough to pull logs and trailer full of firewood.

 

Put it in low and it'll pull more than you have any right asking it to.

 

Sounds like you have some experience with this. Any good stories? And thanks for the welcome!

ZZ

 

I've never had anything bigger than a 500 but I dragged a tree the size of a telephone pole up a small hill with one. The 800 has so much power it makes my 500 look weak. If I was buying an ATV mostly for work I would go bigger. I'd get the 800 X2 with the rear box so I could throw stuff in it. The guys with 800s can tell what they're capable of.

 

I've pulled a trailer with a ton of sand in with know troubles with my 700, so an 800 would have no trouble at all

p.s. it was literaly a ton 2000 lbs.

 

I once pulled a industrial strength wood chipper up a wet grassy hill where our trucks kept losing traction. It probably weighed around 2500 lbs. Put it in low AWD and it pulled it right up the slope to where we could hook it back up to the truck. I wouldn't do this alot, but it shows what they can do. I regularly fill a large ATV wagon filled with wet hardwood up and down a pretty steep slope in the hills of VT. The 500cc does it without a complaint.

 

The 800 will pull until all 4 tires are spinning as will the 500 but the 800 will pull easier and be right there. I pull trees, stumps, trucks, etc. When it comes to ratings it is not so much what it can pull but what it can stop. I have pulled a double loaded snowmobile trailer easily but stopping it from 35 mph was a bit tricky, ya I know I probably should not have been pulling it that fast but.... I could. Having the 1 1/4 receiver makes you have to buy an odd sized hitch which was more than a 2".

 

Edi-unport beat me too it,I go interuppted while typing,lol. Basically what he said.
In low range the 800 will pull more than you can ever get enough traction to actually move. If that makes sense,lol. Basically you'll be hard pressed to get enough traction to bog down the 800..
I've pulled some large logs..1500# or so with my 08 800..it's pulling power is quite impressive. For pulling a heavy trailer just make sure you turn up the rear springs a couple notches so you can keep the front end on the ground and steer,lol.