I am brand new to ATV's (actually, I am about to be brand new) and think I have narrowed it down to two untility models. I am considering the Bombardier and the Arctic Cat 400 models.

I hope to put a plow on the front and eliminate shoveling my 50+ yard driveway next winter and use it for trail riding. We get a fair amount of snow and I am hoping that I can put chains on it and still use it for rec riding in the winter.

Any coments, opinions, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also, is it worth getting a dealer installed winch or is it better to buy after market and attach myself.

I am also posting this in the Bombardier forum to see what they say there.

Thanks in advance

 

They're both good machines. The Outlander is faster than the Cat, ride is about the same. The Cat is the machine you want for any kind of work, the Outlander is the better machine if you're going to be trail riding.....unless the trails get really rough, or muddy. Cloudy issue ain't it? Overall, for an overall work/play machine, I'd take the Cat. I get about 53-54 MPH out of my manual, the Outlander will be up around 60. I can only speak about my Cat, I've never touched it, other than to change the oil, filter, and plug, and it has run flawlessly since the day I brought it home.

 

Don't know about the Bomb but I can say, I have 355 flawless miles on my AC 400I ,I've never gotten stuck in the mud or skipped a beat in deep water .
Top speed I think I had mine at 45 to 50 not sure and never again ,to fast for me .
60 are you nuts ?????
How can you go wrong with the AC ?

 

The Bombardier 400 H.O. ranked really high with many magazines. It is hard to get an honest and objective opinion from many reviews about the Arctic Cat. We sell a ton of 400's at Gander Mountain, and overall we have had very good luck with them. With the Arctic Cat 400 you will run into trouble free riding, with plenty of options to get you through anything. The Bombardier has 9 inches of ground clearance, the Arctic Cat 11. The Bombardier has a higher towing capacity. There are benefits to both of them; but you cannot go wrong with the cat.

 

i thought the arctic cat 400 has 12 inches of ground clearance. and well i have been around the bombadiers a lil bit and realize if you take them off the trail well it is a bad idea. i have no idea how they hold up so can't comment on that. the arctic cat 400's and 500's i know are very very good at holding up. for you being new i wouldn't get anything bigger then a 400. and all and all i personally like the looks of the cat alot more then the bombadiers.

 

Weez is right, 12" per the sheet and mine measures 11 15/16", close enough.

 

AC isnt very good you should go for something with ***** like a kawie prarie or brute force. Hell get a KFX 700 like mine and put a shovel on it.

 

Yeah, a shovel to dig it out when it's stuck and a tow strap so your buddies can tow you home. Like they say:

If you have heart problems,
Back problems,
Think you might be pregnant,
Or if you are just a wimp,
You may want to go buy a Kawasaki !

 

that one was well placed.

 

Don't know alot about Bombi but I did look at some the other day. They seem like an alright rig and I've heard the Rotax engine is very good. Hard to beat the 12" of ground clearance and 10" of suspension travel that AC has to offer though. The AC might not top out as fast as the rest but when your in the woods, where it counts, you can't go wrong with one. The suspension is second to none and is always appreciated on tough ground. Long legs count in my book (in more ways than one.) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]