While trying to make a new path on my land for the kids track I had to climb a 20 foot hill out of a creek. At the top is a lip that needed to be concurred, thats where everthing went wrong. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img] She stood straight up, I bailed. The first point of contact was the digital display and bars. With 700 lbs plus comming down they were crushed along with many other parts. I've ordered $500.00 worth of parts, of course some back ordered from Arctic Cat themselves (go figure).[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]
The question is I'm looking at relocating the digital display ($270.00) to the glove box (move it lower maybee it will survive next time). Has anyone tried this ?
Since I am striping the bike down I notice it looked good without the racks. I am now wondering how much weight could be removed from the 650. Less weight means better speed, handling, acceleration and overall performance. Has anyone tried this also ?

 

I rolled my 04 prairie 700 over backwards on to myself. I wasnt lucky enough to roll completely out of the way. But nothing was bent or broken and I as just sore for a few days.

You can get a stronger set of bars and an aftermarket mount for the display and that should keep it safe the next time around.

If you are looking for performance, you bought the wrong quad. You even bought the wrong ute. The ac has an excellent suspension for off road and deep mud. It weighs more than any other big bore atv save for the polaris sportsmans. If you remove your racks your plastic could be the next casualty of a wreck, and those arent cheap either.

 

Check out my profile page and the pic of my old 500 pod. Did the same thing. The guy that rolled it, bought the bike from me for the salvage value (insurance totaled it). He picked up the display and plastic for $100 from an ATV salvage yard. I think he's got about $300 total into the bike and it looks as good as new. I was suprised.

 

The Polaris 500 went over backwards with the wife and I on it. (back in the stupid days of riding 2 up a single ATV) Besides her broken arm, my broken colar bone and 3 ribs - the quad was badly damaged. It rolled 6 times.

Many of the parts damaged were repairable - the Polaris dealer was able to put the bent steering post on a press and its perfect. I had to use a come-along hooked to a telephone pole to pull the steering post support back into place and re-weld it. Racks and front box broken and their weldments were bent but a little tweaking with a 8 foot 2x4 put those back in place. The windshield, speedo pod and speedo were crushed. A pipe over the handlebars brought those back to normal.

If you didn't get injured - parts are just parts. Consider yourself lucky.

 

WhoDatInDaMud, sorry to hear about the damage to you and your wife, I am now older (43) and much wiser. I road race quads for years and had every type of wipe out possible. It taught me a lot on how to bail out. Now with the 700 lb plus machines it's in the back of my mind always that (YOU CAN NOT GET TANGLED UP WITH THE MACHINE) if you want to survive.

You are absolutly right about parts are just parts. I am now looking for a way to minimize the damage if it happens again. These heavy machines destroy everything on the steering post. Any one have any thoughts ?

 

Ive been thinking about a bar clamp somewhat like is used on Barkbusters that would incorporate a "roll bar " above the pod. A good impact would trash the handlebars but might save the pod. Could also be used as a mounting point for a third headlight. Just a thought so far.

 

Why not weld on a bar that arches over the pod to the handle bars, to protect it. Seem pretty simple to me. Think of it like it's your head, either put a helmet on it (could make it kind of hard to read though) or a roll bar over it.

 

Thats a great idea - I can see a couple of tubes going from left to right handlebar, and a wire mesh between the tubes over the display...

 

I wonder if the 05 pod will work? I did not compare them to the 04 but my dealer was saying they were lower profile than the 04's to help them survive should the thing, God forbid, go over. My best buddy just bought an 05 400. Looking at it I say the top of the pod is flush with the bars. Not sure how well it would do.

Brent

 

My buddy put an 05 pod on his 04. He had to modify the bracket a little bit, put a plug in the hole for the accessory (cigarette)jack and modify how the key was held. I think he just put it through the plastic and cut the old metal bracket. It works and looks good.