I am amazed at how arctic cat ranks in magazines and internet articles. Are the other quads really better? How many different quads have you owned and how does the Ac compare?
Just wondering!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

Just my opinion:

1. Manual shift models have that heel/toe shifter. While it may be something that you can grow into and learn to like, it is different from the standard and thus, unfamiliar and unpopular. I've never used one but it doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
2. AC's are always heavier than the competition. While you can say a lot for sturdier construction, if you put an AC up against the same class 'zuki where both quads use the exact same 'zuki engine, the 'zuki will always outperform it. The same holds true in comparisons against other brands - except for Polaris, an AC will run about 10% heavier than comparable ATV's.
3. There may be some kind of lingering bias against AC since they use Suzuki engines. If there is it should soon go away due to the Kawasaki/Suzuki/AC alliance thing.
4. The bottom line with the magazine tests is that someone has to be a winner. So if you have a drag race with two utilities and one is 1/2 a quad length faster than the other or one can stop a few feet shorter - then that quad is the winner. A heavier quad will usually come in second best here. I understand why they do this but think it's silly to make rulings like this for non-race quads. In the real world, who really cares if one utility is 1/4 mph faster than another.

I've never had or considered an AC, although I'm going to take a look at the new 650. I hope it looks better than the pics - that boxy green look is butt ugly.

Jaybee

 

I think we forgot one, Polaris?? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: jaybeecon55
Just my opinion:


2. AC's are always heavier than the competition. While you can say a lot for sturdier construction, if you put an AC up against the same class 'zuki where both quads use the exact same 'zuki engine, the 'zuki will always outperform it. The same holds true in comparisons against other brands - except for Polaris, an AC will run about 10% heavier than comparable ATV's.


Nope, didn't forget [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Jaybee

 

The magazines seem to be written with a distinctly sport riding angle in mind, so the more 'sporty' utility quads like the Grizzly and Prairie tend to get high marks. So it all depends on what you call 'better'. Because there is such a wide variety of uses for a quad, there is also a wide variety of opinion on what constitutes a 'good' machine.

I use a quad around my hilly farm to drag timber and get me around, and for trail riding as well. So the Cat 500 with manual trans was perfect for me - the ground clearance to get over rough terrain, manual trans for good pulling power without excessive wear on a belt, torquey engine for managing a load, and the extra weight is actually desirable. Under the circumstances that I use a quad, the reviews just aren't applicable - they aren't testing for the features I'm looking for. Sure I could go with the lighter, faster utility quads, but they don't pull as well, aren't as stable or smooth riding, and if the reports of trouble are to be heeded, won't hold up as well either.

If you're sport riding, the 500i would disappoint - it's at best a clumsy jumper, and it isn't scary fast on the high end. But if you're sport riding, you really should be looking at sport quads, a Z400/DVX will eat up any utility quad made, on a sport trail that is.

 

exactly. The tests seem to look at sport-like performance. The AC is built as solid as a tank and is a real workhorse. I love the heel-toe shifter.

 

Because the mags base their findings on the machine who's manufacturer buy the most advertisements. Do not believe what you read in the mags. They are very biased and led by their walets. I no longer waste $$ on the 4 wheeler magazines. In addition, the magazines tend to not like utility models. They seem to favor the sport models.

 

I skimmed through a report in the latest ATV Action magazine and the AC 650 got a pretty good rating. I have had my eye on this one for a while as I like the engineering that went behind it. With an excellent engine (the Kawasaki 650 twin), a large gas tank (6.5 gals), 26” tires, 10” of fully independent suspension, 13” of ground clearance, a strong frame and a truck style 2” hitch receiver (the LE model even comes standard with a winch), this thing comes off the showroom floor with advanced features that favor the adventurer, explorer, hunter or farmer. All this and it’s only about 42 lbs heavier than a 650 / 700 Prairie and about 80 lbs lighter than the 700 Sportsman.

The only drawback (which doesn’t affect everyone) that I see is that you can’t push it as fast as you could a Prairie because of the suspension type and it's associated high speed handling quirks, but in return you get a greater degree of comfort and added technical terrain tractability.

Arctic Cat should be proud of this model – sounds like a very useful utility machine to me!…

 

What I think...
I agree with the other replys and have to add that ACs seem to be very tough and reliable at the same time. I put 1700 miles on my 400 in the last 5 month, lots of those miles in low range (which means it took many hours to do these miles) pulling stuff all over the place... and so far nothing broke down...
I don't read those magazines any more... those guys are into joyriding (me too at times, lol) and seem to forget what a good utility bike was build for in the first place.

 

most of the reasons they cut down the cat is because its all analog the gauges the push pull 4 wheel drive selactor.
and the shocks are always set on the softest setting so the mags all say it feels top heavy or tippy.
and cat hasent told the mags that there ajustsble eather.
and so the guys in the mags dot try to ajust nothing so they ride it the way that cat gives it to them.
one of the reasons i got my cat was because there was no electronics to screw up.
i thought it was a good selling feature.
all the other quads i looked at have so many electronic things to screw up it turned me away fron them.
plus the price of another atv the same size was at least 500 to a 1000 dollers more.
with less ground clearance.
i think ac makes a goos quad and it will just get better.