Well right now i have an 04 rancher AT. i do like it it has never let me down or anything like that, but i want IRS. my grandpa has an AC 250 2wd and i have to say i love that little thing. so i'm looking to get a 400/500 manual or auto. but i have some questions....
are the brakes linked together only one lever for front and rear? do they squeek alot? i like a quiet ride.
what is the servise time of the belt driven ones? like how many miles will it last? i do alot of back trail riding in ROCKY *** terrain. hardly ever get over 30 mph so speed isn't an issue. when on trails we average 3-5 mph.
are they as hard to start in the cold as i have heard. i know how roomers are. i have owned hondas for years but i'm not a brand basher.

do you feel the overall size of the quad is sometimes hard to handle? i like the size of mine but can handle a bigger one i think.
can i take my warn 3.0ci and put it on the AC? and my snow plow also.?
do they all have front diff lock? and 2x4 4x4 selection?

thank you for the info....
i'm also looking at a yamaha bigbear 400 with IRS or kodiak 450 with IRS.
any others you think i should look at please feel free to advize....

HR

 

if you want to see all the choices you can go to the Arctic Cat web site or we can all let you know that for what your describiing ie: rocks,trails and slower speed you want an 650 h1 best ground clearance(12) wheel travel(10) ajustable shocks, goobs of low end power, best rack system for adding farm tools. the 500 works great also, that is a suzuki motor and also has alot of power, the newer cats have the air filter set in front of the engine like a car not behind the motor this increases the air flow thus giving better performence, the fit an finish has also been described as automotive quialty they both have on the fly 4x4 4x2 and a locker if needed. you dont need to worrie with the auto just know that if you want to put on bigger tires you NEED to get a clutch kit. I am sure you will get alot of help. good riding!!!

 

Hello HR. I will try to answer your questions. I have a 05 V2 650(20?? miles) and my wife has a 06 500TRV(3?? miles). I don’t get to ride the trv much as my wife gets real cranky (example,, yesterday my wife was VERY sick and I started her machine and was pulling out of the shed the next thing I knew she was standing on our back porch asking what I was doing. Pretty good for being sick enough to lay in bed all day). Yes the handle bar brake lever does function both brakes. The belt, well I have over 2000 miles on my v2 and have yet to replace the belt. I do need to service it though and make an adjustment this week. I think the belts run about $50 or so. I live in Montana in the mountains so I know what you are talking about with the rocks. We went out last weekend (a friend and I) and it got so bad we have to winch up a hillside. As far as ATV overall size, I am 6'2 and 260 pounds and feel the ride is perfect (for me). I am not all bunched up on the seat. When I was looking at the different brands some of them made me feel like I was trying to ride a pedal car for kids. Up to close to the handlebars and my knees around my ears and oh yea my butt dragging the ground. Yes you can put the winch on any rig you wind up buying. Plowing is a breeze. I know there is not a lot of difference between the 400-450-500 base models but I got the 500 for my wife and have not regretted it once. When on dirt roads or riding the pavement to get to the trail it can keep up. A friend of mine who’s wife rides a 400 is always behind. But there is NO difference once we hit the trail. They all play the same.

Hope this helps a little.

OldManCrash

 

---are the brakes linked together only one lever for front and rear?
Yes, the left hand brake handle opperates all four wheels. However there is a foot brake that only does the rears.

--do they squeek alot? i like a quiet ride.
No, just make sure you "brake them in". Go fast when you first get it and slam on the brakes. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

--what is the servise time of the belt driven ones? like how many miles will it last? i do alot of back trail riding in ROCKY *** terrain. hardly ever get over 30 mph so speed isn't an issue. when on trails we average 3-5 mph.
Now that the V2 isn't sold, all the Cat ATV's have belts that should last 10,000 miles or more. They are the best on the market.

--are they as hard to start in the cold as i have heard. i know how roomers are. i have owned hondas for years but i'm not a brand basher.
They start super good in the cold weather. SOme even have an auto-choke, starts almost as good as EFI IMO.

--do you feel the overall size of the quad is sometimes hard to handle? i like the size of mine but can handle a bigger one i think.
My 118 pound wife has no problems driving the H1. However our TRX 200 is a lot easier, but still the Cat isn't bad at all.

--can i take my warn 3.0ci and put it on the AC? and my snow plow also.?
Yes

--do they all have front diff lock? and 2x4 4x4 selection?
Yes, anyting 400 and up does.

 

ok here is a few more questions...

V2, H1 yada yada? what does all that mean.?

i'dd rather a single cyliner for a gass milage. but i guess it doesnt have to be. i'dd also like the 500 and smaller. but i have read the 400 is only a 375??? how does it compair to the honda AT 400 in power? and i thought all teh AC engines are suzuki/kawasaki engines as those companies are now the same.

do they all have adjustable shocks? i'd like to be able for the diferant conditions. witch i can't do now.

oldmancrash~~~ i have been to Missoula and kalispell the rocks there are Alot differant then they are here. but awesome country, lived in Coeur d'Alane ID for a while.

also i live at 7000 feet here in AZ would i need to rejet the carb? my honda dealer said i didn't have to but it was running RICH so i rejetted it. alot better throtle responce now...

what is the gas milage of these anyhow? easy riding no hotroddin around.
on my rancher i get about 130 per tank before i hit resurve. will this be close.?

lastly anyone wana rancher?
HR

 

well the v2 is a kaw. motor twin cyilender FAST atv, the h1 is a single Arctic cat hemi motor with a ton of grunt low end power,the 500 is a suzuki motor with great reliability and enough power to make you happy, and yes the 400 is a 375cc motor good for alot of things and a great ride here is how the break down is 650h1 25% more power than the 500 the 500 25% more than the 400, the shocks are all adjustable from 400 on up
and the tire size go's up on the 650's from the 25 inch to 26 inch

auto vs man. you will get better millage from the manual trans then you will from an auto but you have a bigger gas tank on the Arctic cat then your honda you wont get 130 miles per tank on anything bigger than a 400 your looking around 100mpg

and it will depend on where you buy the atv some dealers will rejet the bike for high altitude ask them when you buy it if they did? if not you will want to for sure! my dealer did this but it wasent enough for my riding 7000-12000ft i went with a 138 and have had no problems running 4000ft all the way up i live 35 miles west of SLC UT. alot of dessert but hunt the pines so some trial and error before i found what i like, hope this helps good luck.