I'm looking for a quad, mainly for hunting and dog training but may do some trail riding(because its so much fun! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] ) I have now looked at them all. Here's what I have so far. I love the polaris ride but have big concerns with the belt drive slipping and the upkeep maintenance required(greasing, etc) I know there are several polaris owners that will say "I've never had a problem" but i've heard from several X-polaris owners just the opposite...more than any other brand. On the other end of the spectrum is the honda, I keep hearing how reliable they are but wasn't crazy about the ride.
Anyway I looked at the AC's yesterday for the first time and really liked what I saw. It would be the '05 400 le I'm pretty sure. I have read several posts here and have seen a couple mention a belt? Its not belt driven is it?
Anyway I know I'm on an AC forum but wanted some input, good or bad.
Thanks

Russ

 

You can get both manual, and auto (belt driven) AC's. You can also get straight axle, or independant suspension. All AC's, 400 & up now have the diff. lock on them. IMO, there's no comparison between them, the features and price are vastly superior to Honda. Really, drum brakes on a 2004-5 quad? Honda has been the reliability leader through the 80's & 90's, but everyone has caught, and surpassed them in all areas. Almost all makes now ride better, have more clearance, disc brakes, diff lock, and are built just as well. You must understand that you are looking at UTILITY quads, not sports models, so I wouldn't expect it to handle like a 400EX. I've had mine 2 years now, and have had 0 problems. It's been an awesome quad, and my next addition will be another AC.

 

After having 2 Hondas, I bought a Polaris Expedition for the ride comfort. What I lost was low maintenance. The Expedition (no longer made) has a manual transmission, so no belt to worry about. I hate the grease-covered driveshaft an universal joints (leaking seals, I guess), and
the oil over the engine due to a leak somewhere. My Hondas never leaked any fluid, which I really liked. All the quad manufacturers use belts except Honda, so there must be something good about them. I don't care about Honda's automatics, although I've never owned one. I've been looking at the Arctic Cat's because they've got indenpendent rear suspension (which all trail riders seem to lust after), disc brakes (I wish Honda would wake up), high ground clearance, and longer travel suspension. I'm going to the Richfield, Utah, Rocky Mountain ATV Jamboree again this year and will spend some quality time with the Arctic Cat's display. I'm hoping I'll find a model with a plush ride. Good luck on your pursuit, but you must realize that no one makes a perfect quad; there's always something it won't have that you want.

 

hey achiro, i have an AC 650 and a rincon 650. I feel that the honda gives a smoother ride and just feels a little more comfortable. Though I have had quite a few problems with the transmission and torque converter. All in all, the rincon is basically a quad meant for sport use. It has no low range and no diff lock. It has nothing to really brag about as far as ground clearance, suspension travel, or utility use. The AC on the other hand, was built for everything. 300 lb. rack capacity, 1050 lb. towing limit and 2 in. reciever. The low range in the quad feels as though it has the power to pull down a house. So for any big game you hunt, it should help you get it back to camp with no problem.I know I am telling you about the 650 but am pretty sure most of the features are the same. One more plus about the AC is the MRP rack system. So many accesories it is unbelievable. They even have a whole entire setup for big game and waterfowl and remington even has its own setup. Includes a hunting blind that folds over the whole quad and will fit 2 people, gun holder, and a few other things but can't remember exactly what.

Just remember, no matter what you buy, anything that has moving parts will in time break. All quads require maintenence and you have got to care for them. Good luck with whatever you buy. Welcome to the wonderful world of ATV's!