Frank-the Rubicon can be run in an automatic mode or switched over to its elctronic shift program and you can change gears yourself with buttons on the handlebars. It won't be availale until May and will be somewhere around $7000.

 

Explore- I was not comparing the AC 300 to any 500. Or even a 400 class bike. I rode one of the AC 300's before I ever had been on any other AC. This thing had trouble going up a dirt rode hill. Mind you this is a hill that vehicles travel everyday. Drag racing is a whole different story. The AC 300 is a slug just like the Honda 300. I was stating the 300 has no climbing power whatsoever. I wouldn't ever own one or let alone ride one again. The Honda 300 on the other hand is a great bike. It is probably the best 300 class bike ever made. It is also the Highest selling bike ever. There is no way you could ever compare either of these two bikes to a 500cc bike. There is no comp. So my comparison was between the AC and Honda 300's not between the 500 and 300.

 

Bigbadcat, sorry if that made you mad, but if you read your post you can't tell if you're talking about an Arctic Cat 300 or Honda 300. I thought you were comparing the Honda 300 and your Bearcat because in the beginning you were talking about that and then you moved on to the Honda 300, then you just said "300" from then on. One more thing, I don't want to sound like a know-it-all of quads, but the Arctic Cat Bearcat did indeed come out in 1996.

 

You obviosly must of had the tranny in high gear,this I agree is useless on anything other than flat surface,However the low selection is that of the exact same ratio as the honda 300 I know because like I said all my family owns 300's honda and so does ESSEN he owns both the AC 300 and the Honda 300 as he posted earlier,as for the Honda 300 being better than the AC 300 how do you figure?The Arctic Cat has the same power,it has a larger frame giving it more of the fullsize fill and has disc brakes which the honda has drums it has more ground clearance and the ultimate in suspension being independant rear.Also the AC has more towing campacity more suspension travel and more rack campacity and bigger softer seat, also has a rocker shifter better lights better tires bigger tires 12 inch rims speedo gas gauge.Shall I keep going????I don't know how long you've been riding and I don't care but you obviosly don't have a clue when you ripp on the AC which is a caddilac compared to a VW rabbit honda,And then the next sentance you say "The Honda 300 however is a is a great bike, probly the best 300 class ever made.Well you must be lost if you think it's the best 300 ever made ,there no doubt that its sold more than any other quad out there and the reliability is obviosly the better of most but its ancient in design the minute the wolverine was introduced years ago it made the honda history ,also the kingquad with its locking diff and sub tranny is actually the quad that set all of todays standards being true fourwheel drive independant rear suspension, hi low selection ,2wd or 4wd choice I mean come on the honda 300 is just not compatable with these others!

 

Explorer- I have some crazy feeling that if you owned the honda instead of the AC, then your views would probably be different. Nobody compared the 300 to a 500 on here either. I think the overall fit and finish of the aged out honda is still better than that of the AC, and I would also prefer its stability over the backweighted AC 300 or King Quad design as well. The Wolverine is not a 300 class either, its in between. You can't compare 348cc's to 282cc's and actually feel like its a good comparison. Also, put some weight on that overhanging rear rack of a Wolverine and see how well it climbs anything. Or you could start comparing the Rancher to the AC 300 and take an even worse ripping. I have also never been a fan of that mile long shaft that runs to the front differential.

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

 

Alright dumb*** I don't have a clue huh. I have been riding since I was 5 years old. I admit I haven't owned my 98 454 for very long. Probably about 7 months. Now seeing as I own an Arctic Cat I don't believe that I would be ragging the company now would I? Now back to this "I don't have a clue" thing. What made you an AC expert all of a sudden? I think I have a right to my opinion of any quad. I guess what you state is fact and never opinion huh. Well dip**** I never said that the Honda 300 was the greatest bike ever made. It did sell the most. Rocker shifter. Boy that is a must on any bike. Now how did you ever come up with that in your comparison. I know that was something that made me want my AC.

Oh boy now this one is even greater than the rocker shifter comment. It has a gas guage. That should be a must on every quad in this world. I love going out in the mornings starting up my AC and checking how much gas is in the tank. It says I'm 1 quarter of the way full. Boy am I surprised when I get out in the woods and the damn thing dies on me, because of the optimistic "Speedo gas guage".

Now don't get me wrong I'm not knocking my own bike but AC has its probs. They are not the best company out there and probably never will be, but they make a dang good bike. Now the AC 300 was what I thought of the piece of ****. Now others might like it. Now you can take this post anyway you want to. It was intended to let you know I have a clue as you put it. I am one of the more knowledgable of the AC on this forum.(not the most though). I just state it how it is even if it something about my own brand.

Rooster- I was sure it came out in 97 but you may be right. I don't own a Bearcat though. I own the 98 454. Same bike as the 500. Few differences.



[This message has been edited by BIGBADCAT (edited 01-09-2000).]

 

Ok, yeah, the Bearcat 454 came out late in '96, that's probably why you don't see many '96's. In '97, they added the 454 2x4 to their lineup.

 

Woodsguy's initiating post asked only about one aspect of comparison between Arctic Cat and Honda: QUALITY!

True, he didn't specify particular models for contrasting this characteristic; assuming maybe quality remains independent of model (and displacement).

Without a dog in this fight myself, I think lots of argument and animosity comes from absolute statements, as in, "The BelchFire 300 has absolutely no power at all and cannot climb even the smallest hill; even has difficulty negotiating level roads."

Statements like the example are patently false; yet, similar ones appear often, provoking BelchFire partisans to anger and retaliation.

In my opinion, ANY properly-running 300 ATV utility in current production can keep up with the big-boy utilities pretty well in most realistic and typical technical trail situations; the smaller machines realistically won't win the drag races or the speed contests at Bonneville Salt Flats, but power alone is not always the determining factor on the trail. I'd expect similar-displacement, similar-design, similar-weight machines to perform similarly;
this expectation is confirmed by above posts from others actually OWNING similar machines.

However, the above paragraph discusses PERFORMANCE, not QUALITY; thus appearing non-responsive to this topic's initiating post; I hope enough information on Arctic Cat quality appears elsewhere in this topic, helping woodsguy make his choice.

Tree Farmer

 

Do you know anyone who's bought one of the AC 250's? It looks like a great value. Lot's of features like the big frame, disk brakes, hi/low range for a good price $3600. Seems like a great entry level or casual woods ride.

 

Your right Tree Farmer, my post came off a little standoffish.However the guy wanted to know The quality of AC ATV'S as you stated,therfore with the statement made by Bigbadcat theres no way in hell I would consider buying a AC 300 with the review he gave it.It is completly misleading.The AC 300 has absolutly zero problems climbing hills at high speeds I do it all the time,let alone "barely making it up a hill that cars drive all day long" I'm not calling him a liar because I once rode a TrailBlazer that in my opinion was gutless,however it was high in the mountain and the air was thin and the owner had not made any jetting adjustments before leaving the desert to the mountains,Now any of the more "knowledgable"could figuer this out within 5 minutes on the bike which I did,Anyway the next time I rode the same bike back home in the desert the thing had all the get up and go you would expect.So perhaps Bigbadcats AC that he rode was not well tuned as should have been therfore leaving him the conclusion it's "weak".That's where I come in to clarify the situation so anyone else thinking about purchasing this machine has a actual owners opinion.