I'm in the process of purchasing my first ATV, and have been test riding a number of makes, and models. The A/C 500 is one of my final choices,I have rode both the automatic and standard shift. The A/C seems very stiff and hard to turn. The dealer tells me they loosen up after a while. Is this a characteristic of this Artic Cat? Could having the same tire size on the front as on the rear create this problem? Need Advice.

 

I've noticed a friend of mine with an AC 400 is a lot stiffer than mine. I don't think mine is too stiff but does seem stiffer than some of the others I've riden. Maybe its cause Cats aren't light in the front like so many other machines.

 

Putting a narrower front tire will greatly help the steering.

 

You really should ride some more machines and find one that suits you. If you think a machine's
steering is too heavy...it probably is. ATVs are on the brink of being really good...but they are 20 years behind dirt bikes. I had a 2000-500 AutoCat and sold it after 106 miles...because of the steering. I think it had a great motor,maybe the best 4wd system out there, good quality, but it "pushed" in the turns (understeer)
and the semi-independent rear suspension without an anti-sway bar had too much body roll.I test drove lots of brands and models at dealers parking lots, including a Sportsman, which I thought felt too tall and tippy, I almost flipped a Kodiak just turning around at the end of an alley. It was after buying the Cat that I rode a
Sportsman on a small track, then rode my Cat on the same track immediately afterward. I took the Cat back to my very nice dealer who sold it for me on consignment. I bought a Sportsman the same day. Now there is the Sportsman HO with the motor out of the Scrambler. Polaris has a dubious 4wd system that works well in sloppy stuff
but not downhill or on smooth hard climbs. The Cats are much better creepers and downhillers,
but the Polaris handle great--if you like a little oversteer that is. They like to slide around the turns with just a tweak of the throttle and the handlebars--whoosh. The Sportsman also has the best rear suspension of any ATV..Period. Get out there and ride as many
as you can. Cats have a lot of good qualities,
and one may be right for you, but if you don't like something right off, it's not going to go away. Silly Later,,,,,Fourlix

SP500,EXP425,325Mag

By the way, some of the nicest guys out there, and on these forums, ride Cats.

 

Fourlix has a good point. I wouldn't put any stock in what the dealer says there either. The steering isn't going to loosen up. Mine steers the same as it did 2 years ago. Narrower tires made a huge difference, but the stockers on a 2001 model are narrow enough already. If you think it steers hard, then that is what you should take from it. I suggest you ride a few others as well and see what you like. Yamaha's I believe steer as good as anything.

 

Hey, Fourlix, good to see ya! Hey, Thump's got a question about lightening the steering, and also about the reverse rev-limiter. I remembered somebody had done something to the steering to improve it, but couldn't remember for the life of me who it was, or exactly what it was for that matter. Either my memory is failing me considerably since I went back to school, or you've been gone a while! Good to see ya back. If you haven't already, would you mind taking a look at his question? If there is one thing I remember for sure, you had a lot of good information, and very useful at that. Granted, I think your solution to the steering was for over-understeer rather than actually lightening it, but I'd be interested to hear if you ever found a way to lighten it as well, other than larger, narrower tires, with less actual rubber on the ground.

Well, take care, hope that SP is working out well for ya!

Mike

 

First off what surface are you riding on. If you are on a paved surface on a 4x4 quad all are VERY difficult to turn. But once you hit the dirt they lighten up. You could also make shure that the dealer has the proper psi in the tires. I would advise you take a 2000 or newer yamaha kodiak for a ride and compare the stering on it. Use it as a baseline to judge outhers against because it is the lightest stering i have found and i tested them all before i purchased.

 

Well Said Fourlix. Well said.

 

I have to agree again. The yamaha 4x4's are about as good steering bikes as I have ever ridden. This being all 99 models. I rode a Grizzly, a big bear, an old kodiak, and a wolverine at different dealerships and all steered as good or better than all of the other quads I rode. I rode about everything available back then too.

 

I tried out a Sportsman 500 HO, they steer very easy but check the tires on the front, they look like bicycle tires they are so skinny, they can't be good in deeper mud. Also to fourlik, they do have excellent rear suspension, but you should try Cat 300 independent rear, just might be as good, at least mine is.