I am trying to decide between a Polaris Sportsman 500 and Cat 500 auto. I know Polaris should do about 55 mph, what about the Cat auto? Not that top end speed is very important but it sometimes matters on long wide trails.

 

I finally got mine broke in (was avoiding full throttle) It will do what the speedometer says 60 mph and that is what the radar gun says if anyone wants to argue...

no ticket for the Cat...Am a Cop

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Is this an automatic or 5speed your talking about?

 

Is this an automatic you're talking about?

 

Yes automatic 60 on the radar gun stock 00 model 500cc AUTOMATIC...had to squeeze it but got 60 does 45 and 50 easily in the dirt...

Follow the Cat...if you can

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Very believable Atving. I've hit 58 on pavement on my 99 pretty consistently. I think it would register 60 possibly with 25" tires though. My uncles 454 is about 2mph faster on the speedo when we are neck and neck about 45mph on mine. He has 25" titan 498s to my 26" titan 495s. Same forward speed, but the wheels are taking a hair more time to make a full rotation with the taller tires. I figure all AC speedometers are calibrated for 25" tires seeing that they only used 26" for a year and on one model only. I wonder if the belt drive lets the automatic have a little higher gearing for the top end. It would be nice, because the manual 500's always seem like they could use a sixth gear.

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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*

 

The speedometer is off a little on top end Andy I think about 3 mph...does your manual gear down real good coming down steep grades doe it have EBS the auto does real good.

AC 500 take a bite out of life...

 

My 500 crawls down steep stuff as good as anything I have ever ridden. Very low gearing and excellent brakes that can stop you cold in the middle of some of the steepest downgrades. As for EBS, manual shift quads don't really have that type of system. They are geared of course, and thats what slows the quad down. Belt driven automatics have to have the EBS system to be able to really crawl down steep hills. If you have ever ridden a non EBS polaris, you'll know what I mean. They are like riding down in neutral. Very dangerous actually to a person not familiar with the bike. Its hell on brakes too. While no EBS equipped automatic can crawl down a hill like a manual shift quad in low range first gear, the suzuki and AC autos are the best when it comes to automatics. At least from what I have read that is. Thats why the Rubicon is so different. Its an automatic with an actual geared transmission. I rode mine tonight for the first time in a month or so, and I think its time to change the plug and maybe have the valves adjusted. It still got to around 56 but took a bit longer to get there. I've had it a year, so maybe a tuneup is in order.

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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*

 

MY 454 DOES AROUND 55 OR 56...HAS DONE 60 DOWNHILL.....WHERE ARE YOU A COP ATVING?????????????

 

I am a cop in WV don't doubt your 454 will do close to 60 with the gearing in the 500 in 2 wheel drive may do a little more than 60 in a good straight stretch...How do you like the 454 is the motor mounted in the middle instead of to the rear don't particulary care for that design looks like it would be light in the front on steep hill climbs

Follow the Big Cat...00 AC 500auto