I picked up my A/C 500 manual Saturday. This is a long post and I’m sorry if I bore ya’ll to death, but just wanted to say! (especially after a six-pack or two)

I would like to say Hi and Thanks to all the information that I received here. Excuse my grammar and hope you understand all of this, but I just wanted to say. I originally started looking at Honda and Suzuki. Reasons being I’m a Honda fan from past and I also have some experience with Suzuki. I’ve watched my neighbor use his 160(? I think) pull some big trailers ( 12’ flat bed) with up to 25-30 bales of hay on it in a plowed field (average weight over two tons, abuse!?). This was a 2-wheel drive unit that is approximately 12-years old. I’ve worked on the carb. two times and he’s replaced the chain a couple of times that I know of. Any how after going and looking at all of the atv’s I ruled Honda out cause my local dealer was of no help and over priced (retail).
After searching the web I stumbled upon this site and several others, but after reading all of the different post for several months it seemed to me that you all were the most informative and mature crowd for reliable and honest information and that’s what changed my mind to at least go look at Artic Cat. Since the only experience I had was with a older Suzuki, Honda and a few newer Polaris’s atv’s. Came down to A/C and Polaris after ruling out the high price of the Honda mostly because of the air-cooling, the Suzuki with no full floor boards (foot rest). Since I wanted it for mostly utility work I wanted a manual, therefore I got the A/C manual. Due to the Polaris only having their manual for a limited time, I opted out of getting it.

The reason for all of that it seems someone always wants to know why so I thought I would go ahead and type it while I had the time.

Everything that you guys said seems to be true! This is my impression of all my research and practical experience.
1. The torque is great and I’m not sure what you might need low range for! Hehe I’m sure I will find something!
2. The fuel mileage I assume is par for the course. What mileage? Cowboy have you did your re-jetting yet? Please keep us informmed, which I'm sure you will.
3. The gearing is to low in high range. (leaves you looking for another gear real quick). But in all honesty I would say 3rd gear is what I will need the majority of the time anyway. (15-20 mph)
4. The Ultimate tractor or Utility ATV, I defiantly want miss all those zerk fittings on my real tractor or the Polaris!

If you have read this far you must be really bored.
Boner, after searching the archives for more information I stumbled across your age and would like to say keep up the good work, would have never known. (By the way I’m 34) Just thought since I know yours.
Cowboy, wish I had a little of that book learning you have right now! Congrats on Graduation! Please don't grade me!
Minehunter, thanks for the replies.
One of these days I’m going to learn how to use those little smiley faces.
Oh and by the way what does LOL stand for? Kind of new to this forum stuff.

Thanks Again to all!
Shane

 

Glade you are happy with your buy.

Yes, that is a 160 Suzuki you are talking about. I was VERY VERY impressed to hear that it could pull that kinda load. That is FAR from being even close to light weight.

About the mileage, the manual gets much better fuel mileage than the Auto so you should be very happy with it. I find that on smooth terain I use 5th gear for 20-25 mph and 4th gear from 13 mph- 20 mph for cruising. With your 2001 model I think you can use 5th gear for even slower speeds since you have 2wd and a better carberator. Not to mention smaller tires than my 1999 model.

There is one mistake you made. Understimating the 425 Polaris. This is ONE VERY SMOOTH shifting 5 speed. The only bike that shifts smoother IMO is the Rubicon, and it is a totally hydralic transmission from what I hear. I have heard of problems tho, I must admit. But I've also remeber a guy coming on these forums with a 3000 plus job on his transmission because it was just bad. It was covered by Arctic Cat tho. But then again, I read an Artical about a 425 owner that had his transmission go out after 3600 miles and Polaris replaced it with no questions asked(wasn't underwarranty either). But there have also been atleast 3 people I know of having to replace the little black reverse box on the right side. Not sure what happened to them, never realy asked.

About my age, I normally don't like to let anyone know about me being 17 years old and all. Most people look at it and automatically think I'm ignorant. Look at you own surprise about me being so young, it's just alittle example. I normally try to help people and infor them with knowledge then let them be surprised by my age. If I let them know my age first then try to infor them I normally get the "young sob thinks he knows everything" look and they just never listen.

LOL= Laughing Out Loud
LMAO= Laughing My *** Off

 

First off, CONGRATS ON THE NEW 'CAT! Hope you really come to enjoy it as much as I do mine. Second, Thank You! I can't tell you how glad I am to be done with school-I've never really been very good at going to class, and especially taking exams. Frankly, it's the hardest thing I've ever done-damn glad it's over. I guess I'm kind of funny that way-give me a job-any job, I'll work the hell out of it with no problems what so ever. Put me in school, I have a hard enough time even making it to class!

As for the jet swap, NO, I haven't got it done yet. My dealer had to order them (one for each 'Cat), and they were supposed to be here today. I'll hopefully get down there tomorrow if I can finish this project I'm working on in time. He's about a half hour drive for me, so it's usually about an hour and a half each time I go-like to chat with him and the owner, show pictures, waste time-you know how it is. Anyway, I am heading up to my property again this coming weekend if everything goes as planned, and with the jet arriving soon, I hope to have it in either thursday or friday. So, over the weekend, I'll test it out, see what happens, then get back to ya. One thing to keep in mind though, I am running 27" 'Claws, which take quite a bit more to turn than the stockers. My Dad's 'Cat gets quite a bit better mileage than mine does, as his is all stock. Because of that, I doubt I'll get as good of mileage as Minehunter did with his in MY 'Cat, though in my Dad's, I'm hoping it will be close. If everything works out as planned, I'll have numbers on both rigs for you on Monday.

And, about Boner-don't feel bad, I didn't know either at first! I'd like to say age doesn't matter, but with most guys his age these days, it really does. In my book, Boner is an exception to the rule, and is a HUGE asset to these forums. He has helped me out a great deal, and many others as well-Thank You!

As for the little smiley face things-when you post a topic, or reply to a thread, you'll notice in the upper right hand corner in the tool bar, there is a box titled "emotion", with a drop down arrow. It reads select as the default, but if you drop the arrow down, Wa La-there's your smiley faces! or frowns, grins, ...

Anyway, Best of Luck to ya, and with the new machine! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Mike