Thanks Mark, I appreciate the time you put into your reply and I must say it's music to my ears. I want my family to be able to all go riding together and I think the AC250 is it. My wife and I can ride my Suzuki Eiger and my 7 year old can hop on the Yamaha 80 Grizzley - if I can scrape up the money, my 11 year old will have a new ride. I went to a AC dealer on Saturday, really like the 250 and the Tony Stewart LE 700 - actually I'm a Jeff Gordon fan but that orange paint was real purdy! Polaris had a Earnhardt model that was sharp but I don't think they're doing that again - too bad. Another thing I learned at the dealer was I could have saved 600 bucks on my Eiger (sells Suzuki & Kawasaki too). That's what I get for going to the big city dealer instead of the rural one out in the boonies! Anyway, I'll try to get the family to take the long ride this week sometime and see the Cats in person. Thanks again and ya'll ride safe!

 

I considered getting the Kymco 300 when I heard that they make the AC 250, but then I did a little homework and I found out that it doesn't have the Low Range, which the AC has, and it doesn't have the outstanding 3 year warranty. Just some points to consider.

OneWolf

 

Yeah, forgot to mention that Lone Wolf - thanks. A/C warranty is better and the quad is different than Kymco. A/C insisted on single brake lever, shaft final and low range - they got it.

 

OneWolf. Just a letter short, hehe. I hate typos. Who's Idea was it to put the "L" next to the "O" anyway?
>_<

And as far as AC vs. Kymco goes, guess you were right partially right about the chain drive, the 250 (Kymco) is chain but the 300 is shaft. But shaft vs. chain is mostly opinion is you ask me, although I prefer less maintenence over more power. If you ask me, unless you have a performance race quad, there isn't really a need for chain.

OneWolf

 

BEST ATV Around, Good Buy! Might Want To Haggle The Price A Little

 

For the most part, I agree, although in my opinion it isn't a step backwards, just changed to attract different riders. Now if Artcic Cat had made a 250 2x4 and a 250 4x4 this year aswell, that gap might have been filled a little better.

OneWolf

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: tta583

The only thing I might add is that you may want to consider looking at the Kymco branded model as they (Kymco) actually make the AC 250. I can understand what AC did, guessing that they dropped their original 250/300 to perhaps free up capacity to build the bigger quads (and the prowler) that have been added as of late. Any way I want to say that, from memory of talking to a Kymco rep, the AC has different plastic and a simple conversion to a AC "style" single brake lever as opposed to the original 2 lever design. The things to consider is that Kymco make an almost, if not, identical 300cc model to complement their 250. You may be able to get the 300 Kymco for the same money as a 250 AC. I don't have a clue but if I were looking at the 250 I would definitely research it. Oh yeah, factor in the warranty. If one is longer than the other it may be the deal maker if that is important to you. I almost started to do this homework myself as I was considering the Kymco/AC due to its physical size as a good quad for my girlfriend. She is relatively short and in the 100lb range. We saw a display Kymco 300 at a show. She had a chance to sit on the machine but not ride one. She has been doing rather well with my 01 400 so I decided to stick with what I have, at least till the spring.

Good luck,</end quote></div>



Do you know what year this change took place. I found a nice used 2004 model.

 

I bought a 250 AC a few months ago, it was prived at 3500.00 I got them down to 3300.00, so far its night and day better than our Rally, its got a lot more power for only having an extra 50cc's. The thing I liked about the AC version over the kymco was the 250 has all the same features as the kymco 300, like shaft drive. To the best of my knowledge the AC 250 is the only automatic shaft drive machine in the 200-250 class. Its planed for use is for yunger riders, I didn;t want any more power than a 200, but I really wanted as maintiance free a machine I could get with an automatic trans. I want the kids paying atention to where they are going and not worring about what gear they are in, at this stage. So far the AC 250 has proven the best machine I could find for the job.

I also put some stock in the fact the AC dealer was a real powersport dealer that has been in buisness selling ATVs for almost 20 years. That gave me some peice of mind, in terms of service after the sale.

 

well for a guy that has put way more than 1k miles in the past yr riding the ozark. let me give u some things.



if u don't mind shifting ozark is a great machine. well its only a 250 shifting gives u more real grunt no belt to worry about for its size

its great in the mud . steep hill climbs trails etc.


it will leave u sore after 50 miles if its hard Atv trails

i even took it up one of those slow rock hills in first gear.


it has great ground clearance of 8.3

I have had recon owners ask me why no skid plate.
well nothing has ever hit the bottum of the machine yet. and they go our bottom hits all the time.

so if u get the ac stop worrying it will cost u 3700

it gives u a fully auto
most likely they will stay relatively flat riding it.

i think those ac have digital instruments as well.

 

I agree with BEAR, A/C should have kept 250/300 4X4 model. Dealers had been after them for a 250/300 auto trans for awhile and I believe this was their answer but I don't think it was the smartist move. TORK