Cat's website list the weight of the 650 at 644 lbs, same as the 500.
What is up with that?

dan

 

2004 Cat brochure lists dry weight of the 650 at 680 lbs.

 

When the Info was 1st released, the standard Cat 650 weight was posted as 644#'s dry & the LE Cat 650 as 680#'s dry. The test in the October '03 issue of ATV action has the LE 650 at 690#'s dry. Of course the LE 650 should weigh more than the Standard 650, being that the LE already has the Warn winch & mount & heavy looking front & rear bumpers installed. Most but not All, 650's to the 700's 4x4's weigh lighter or right at your avg 500cc 4wheeler. The Japan manufactures have decided to try & keep the big 4x4's down on the weight scale & stick to the 600 # limit. Being that AC has the weight of the Standard 650 pretty close to those figures is amazing for Arctic Cat, just my opinion.
I have owned Cats in the past & I for one do not have a problem with the Cat 650 coming in at 644#'s dry. None of my 2 Cats ever left me out-in-the-woods, as their strong frames, thick body plastic & steel rims never gave me any problems. Also, the Cat 650 does come with stock 26 inch tires & steel rims, which do weigh more than the 25 inchers with aluminum rims & the IRS has got to be heavier than the Kawasaki Prairie 650 set-up. The way I have my present Prairie 650 set-up, I wouldn't be a bit surprized if it weighs in about 750#'s dry, those Goodyear Mudrunner 27 inch tires with the ITP C-series wheels are no-light weights & the Warn 2500# winch adds allot of weight as well.
From the test in that October '03 Issue on the Cat 650 LE, it does look like AC has a winner here. Better get one if you want one, as my AC source has said that Kawasaki is only allowing AC to have a certain amount of the Vtwin 650 motors/trans for the Cat 650's in the model year of '04. Does that mean a 700 Cat is in the works for '05? Who knows at this point of time!