My uncle is in the market for a new quad, and though he likes my 500, he doesn't want to spend that much. The local AC dealer still has a couple 98 model 454s that I think he could get a good deal on. My question here is does anyone know if there are any differences in handling between the 98 (not 97) 454 and the 98/99 500? Besides the tires on the 99, It looks to me like they have pretty much the same setup. I know the seat is a bit better on the 99, but I just want to make sure they didn't improve anything between the last 454 and the first 500.
I'm thinking that he could get this bike at a great price with it being 2 years old. Does anyone know about the power of the 454 engine compared to others in that class? Any info would be helpful on this. I'm doing most of his research because he works during the times that the dealerships are open.

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

 

I have a 98 454, and my roomate has a 99 500, so i guess i'm the man you need to talk too!!!.
Far as Handling, the 26"ers on the 500, (in my opinion) feel like they handle better..i think its just stiffer sidewalls. they are little easier to turn...(hmm go figure).
As far as the power, cant really tell i difference between the 454, and the 500, unless you're starting off in a high gear of something..then the 500 has got a little more torque. Got to remember...the 500 is actually 493 cc, and thats bored from 400. the 400,454, and 500 has the same motor. But anyway...i own a '98 454 and he cant go wrong getting one!!!!! The only other difference between the 500 and 454, is man i like the 500's seat..its more cushier or something..and it starts in gear.

 

Sorry AC454, but the 500 is actually a 454 bored out. The 400 is a "destroked" 454. It revs alot easier. The 300 will actualy make more "low end power" than the 400 but the 300 can't rev like the 400, which makes most of it's power in the higher rpm's.

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Arctic Cat 500, Not your average Kitty, The New King Of the Jungle

 

I kinda thought that too seeing that the 400 came out 2 years after the 454. The 500 more or less replaced the 454 most likely because they didn't need too many machines that close together in displacement. What do you guys think a good price on that 98 454 would be? I looked at it today. It has 2 miles on it, and its just out of the crate. The guy didn't act like he was sure of a price and then he said "around... $5350". He seemed to me like he was thinking of a quote that wouldn't hurt him later if he was wrong. This led me to believe that he might come down on it too. I'll see what he says to my uncle when he goes to look at it. As for the low end power of the 300, I've heard that it has good low speed pulling power, but is a complete slug on top speed. What kind of top speed can you expect out of a 454? With the same gearing, I would expect it to be close to the 500. I think the 500 could use a 6th gear myself.

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

 

I'VE HAD MINE AROUND 58 MPH, THAT WAS ON LEVEL PAVEMENT FLAT OUT. MINE GOT FASTER THE MORE IT GOT BROKE IN

 

CORRECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ON THE 400CC THING.

 

If I were you I tell him $5000 is as hi as you will go. Make sure he includes a pair of Ox-Lite Boot guards. Make sure they are Ox-Lite, since they are made in my home town.

I agree about a 6th gear on the 500. it needs an over drive. when I hit my topspeed I fill that I could go faster with a higher ratio 6th gear.

I was riding with a Banshee today. When we got to this mud hole he decided to wisely go around. Not me, I, of course, got stuck. when trying to get it out he was amazed at how many rpms I could rev to. So that leads me to this question.

Do Arctic Cats have rev-limiters?

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Arctic Cat 500, Not your average Kitty, The New King Of the Jungle

 

MY OWNERS MANUAL SAYS IT HAS ONE...BUT I'VE NEVER HIT IT...EVEN IN MUD LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT...

 

My uncle brought that 454 home today. We rode it around for a while, let it cool down, and then rode it some more under easy conditions, and put about 13 miles on it. I more or less told him about breaking it in, and then chewed my knuckleheaded cousin out so he wouldn't go out and screw it up the first week. He's 16 and knows two speeds.. Fast and Real Fast!!! I'll probably have to mount the winch for him when it comes in in a month, so I guess I have something quad related to look forward to. The one thing that impressed me about that 454 was the steering. Far and away better than my 500 probably due to the different tires. The 454 had a ton of power as well. Not as much as the 500 but you have to try things really to notice a difference. It pulled very well in the high gears. We cruised mainly 20-25 mph, and after slowing in curves, it didn't suffer from not downshifting from 5th. I came out of a curve that I had slowed down a lot in and stayed in 4rth. The 500 pulled right back to speed easily and the 454 was right there with it. The 454 had just pulled it out in 5th though. They got it for about $5450 winch included. To say the least, they were overly impressed with their new ride. The only thing that they had ridden much before was my grandpa's 88 yamaha 225. Major improvement! I told him to change the oil and filter around 150-200 miles. I changed mine at 250, but I meant to do it sooner. It should be a good bike for them for years to come. The last thing I told them is that they just got a bike with a better suspension, better brakes, and 21 more cc's than the best bike Honda makes, and they got it for about $800-1000 cheaper!

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

 

Yesterday, when I was at my uncle's house, My aunt started their new 454, pulled it around the house, and sat there for about a minute before it died. We tried for a half hour to start it with no luck. I checked everything that could be wrong, without actually having to take something apart. Figured it was either spark or carburation. They took it in today and got it back by lunch. The dealer replaced the spark plug and adjusted the carb. He said that it was supposed to have a hotter spark plug than it originally came with and that they forgot to change it when they sold it. Beats me! It runs like a top now. When it wasn't starting, it had this gas smell out the tailpipe that you normally get when the bike is flooded. It just wasn't getting enough fire I guess.

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