Yes, there are a pair of them I run with very regularly and their biggest gripe is that off the line and off the corners I run away from them. Of course I've been racing for a long time and have by this time learned which gear to be in, to get the most out of the 400's engine by now. I do know that off the corners, I'm always lifting the inside front tire off the ground while accelerating. Mine might be better than average because I broke it in like I ride it. Then again mine will pull the front tires off the ground off the line and again on hitting second gear in high range.

 

I have the same problem with horsepower on my 400 4x4 auto. I ride with two others - one has a Arctic Cat 650 4x4 auto and the other has a Bombardier 400 4x4 auto. They can stick together but I am left in the dust. I have only 200 miles on mine so I hope this "breaking" in will help but I can't see it making the kind of difference that I need.

For example, that Bombardier 400 4x4 auto is equal to the Arctic Cat 650 4x4 auto - no kidding - how is that possible??? They easily pull away from me - the difference is frustrating.

 

I very much doubt that a 400 of any brand will stay up with a properly running 650 of any brand, unless the 650 rider is incompentent or the machine is sick and the 400 guy has **** together along with his machine.

 

I can tell you this - I am best friends with the two guys - they have never been able to and will never be able to ride as sick as I can. This isn't bragging - they would agree. I can say in all confidence - that Bombardier 400 is incredible technology. He can "easily" pull away from me and stay there - my 400 simply can not compete. I am not arguing a point - I am at a major disadvantage and very frustrated with my machine - it is very frustrating seeing them both blow ahead of me on the railroad tracks, the fields and on the roads. I can only catch them when we hit the wooded trails - I have more skill. I am full throttle on the straights the entire time and I can not catch them.

What can breking in a machine do - specifically - how much more power? Is it very noticible?

 

ccww You say you only have 200 miles on it .I thought my 400 was pretty slow and lacked in power ,I now have 320 miles on it and have noticed a significant power increase ,they say it wont be fully broken in till I hit 500 miles.
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Significant difference - sounds great. That helps. Also, I am at 200 miles right now and I haven't been so easy on the machine. When I go out I am full throttle - am I pushing the new machine too hard? I just changed the oil this weekend.

 

I didn't think it was that much of an increase, but then again mine is a manual and the AC 400 autos won't even come close in preformance or gas mileage. I ride with a pair of of AC 400 autos and they lack several mph on the big end and take twice as long to get there too.

 

With the manual your not going to notice that power increase as much as the autos ,you definitely have the advantage with the man ,you can stretch out your gears and yet every little bit out even at the higher speeds ,
I went with the auto because I didn't want to try to remember what gear I was in when in the deep mud ,at the verge of getting stuck ,plus when I take my kids out riding I need one hand free to hold on to the little one .

 

My 400I doesn't have the speed that my 500 has. We don't care though because we're not out for speed. If we were we'd have gotten different bikes. I do know that when speeds are slow and there is ground to crawl over, the 400 preforms just as well as the 500. I noticed a small increase in HP during break in but not huge. The 400 has about 500 miles on it and the 500 has about 700.

When I was looking to buy I test rode a 500I auto. It was the one sitting on the showroom floor. That thing was so doggy that I almost didn't look at AC again. The sales guy told me "it'll get better when it breaks in." I knew it was just too bad so I insisted on trying another one. He reluctantly agreed and pulled another one from the back. I tried it and found it too be night and day different than the showroom one. I bought it and told the sales guy that he'd better get that one looked at because he WILL lose sales when prospective buyers ride that sluggish one. I think he blew me off about it though.

 

I agree. I was gonna buy an auto, but by getting one of the last two of his pre-season order of machines and the new order of machines in the parking lot I saved almost a $1000 (a better than great deal). So the manual became mine and the AC 250 became the wife's. I get to choose the gear I'm in and since I was used to doing that anyway with the 2001 AC 250 it's no big deal for me. The only thing I don't like is there are no gear indicator lights on the 400 like the 250 (retro-fitted by me, AC said you couldn't do it) has, so when I dumb out and forget which gear I'm in, I have to guess.