i am buying my first atv and i really like the 2011 polaris sportsman 500 H.O. but when i look at the arctic cat i like the travel distance and other stuff about it but i also hear that it stalls on steep hills. is that true.

 

Don't believe the BS. AC makes a very good machine; I've had mine for years and will absolutely buy another.

 

All modern big name ATVs are pretty good machines, so go with your likes and your gut. I'd ride either machine without hesitation.

 

I prefer my Cat to my PoPo and it out performs. The new XP's have a more comfortable ride.

 

Any EFI quad will handle steep hills better then a Carbed one due to the nature of the design.. that being said I've stood mine up and it ran a while till I turned it off, and I've done some scary hill climbs and descends and my heart stalled, but the quad didn't. Get the Cat ground clearance is unbeatable and due to that you put the ATV through less abuse cause every task is easier for it. Also the Polaris ATV's are great not saying they arent, but they are heavy, got lots of plastic, and are very electronically oriented i.e. safety switch needs to be held to go in 4x4 in reverse, fully auto AWD and front diff lock. All of these things are nice, but if/when water gets into em water and electronics don't mix.

 

I got a carbed ATV it will run all day long standing on its end, no hill steep enough out there to make the motor hesitate.

The only AC in our group is a 2001 500 and I never seen that ATV give the guy problems and it climbs any hill the rest of them can without stalling but it is a carb model as well.
Like mentioned AC have great ground clearance.

They look a little pricey though a 450 AC MSRP is more than a 500 H.O. 2011 Arctic Cat 450 ATVs

Love the AC's large 5.7 Gas tank.

The 3 main things I look for is IRS,Low Range and a True AWD system of some type.

 

Ride them both if you can. Polaris has a very comfortable ride, and great on board storage with the under front rack storage bin. ACs have great ground clearance. See which you like. As others have said, all the major makers are putting out good machines now.

 

Go Polaris it's got more ground clearance .

 

On paper they do but in reality they don't.

 

eh he he
yeah old timers like them utilitys

just joshin , utilities are great for chore work but i'd never buy one for joy riding, they are awful heavy them new ones what i hear, ive seen boys jumping utilitys, looks right dangerous to me, i take my 300 up a bank and teach thema few things but i guess it booils down to where your riding... I've always liked artic cat better, guess because my buddies had some problems with the new polaris'.