Well I got my new Arctic Cats Pride magazine in the other day and was noticeing the 2002 Snowmobiles. I notice that there are alot of closely related sleds, yet noticably different. Like the MOuntian Cat and Thunder Cat. Both have a 999cc motor, yet they don't even look alike.

The Thunder cat is all black and alot shorter(6.5" shorter) than the Mountain Cat. The T/C also has a 4" wider stance and has alot more travel in the front end than the M/C (9.2 vs 7.4" of travel. The T/C also comes with Reverse and a sway bar, while it lacks the rear Rack that the M/C has. I also noticed that the M/C has a WOPING 30" LONGER TRACK with Lugs TWICE the size of the T/C's.

So if they can make Snowmobiles so different, why can't they make ATVs different???

I mean wouldn't you mud riders(like me) like to buy an Arctic Cat 500 with 26/27" 589s on aluminum wheels, a winch, more ground clearance, and bigger mud flaps? Or how about trial riders getting more suspension travel,stronger steel wheels, and less body roll.

Or what about the 3004x4 model? How about a mud riders version with a the front differential set at 4wd/locker instead of 2wd. And have all those other mods above like the 500.

You could also run the intakes on the mudding version. Have Handle bars with more inward bend for the trail riders. Give the Mud riders a separte front brake to tap when the limited slip on don't work, or even swap in the 300's diff into the 500. Make the Mudding version more water proof, like the lights.

These are just a few examples. I mean if they can do it for snowmobiles, whats stoping them from doing it on ATVs. ATVs can be used ALOT more than snowmobiles. So why not speacialize them more?

 

It'll take some time but I believe its already happening.In the 50's and 60's no one made dirt bikes. Guys like my Dad took off all the lites,fenders,put on different tires and went racing. It wasn't till late 60's early 70's before true dirt bikes came out. Even then we had to change gearing,tires,fenders,bars etc. just to be "right". Now you have dirt bikes for every style and type of riding. We've come along ways from when I rode my Yamaha 80cc to school, on TRIALS courses and deserts in S. Calif.
It was fun then ...and its' still fun now!

 

Boner I agree with you 100%, i posted a comment just like this a while back. They ashould make one and call it the MUDCAT. It would be awesome. No, it is depressing to see all of this technology go into there sleds but not into there quads. What I would really like to see is there new electronic controlled shocks, come on our quads. What the shock does is changes the dampiningin milliseconds to offer the best ride for the terrain. So if you going slow it will be nice and soft, but if you speed up or hit a big bump it firms up. Its a truelly amazing shock. What about there EFI setup that would be awesome no more re jetting. But What I would really like to see is there new 4stroke sled engine in a quad. It has the EFI already on it. Theres a million hop up parts for it already, atleast in Japan there is. But I guess Im still dreaming.
matty

 

if they built if from the factory it would put the aftermarket people out of buisnes

 

Not realy. Cause you know someone is always gonna want more. I don't see any lack of aftermarket companies in the Dirtbike or Snowmobile industry, do you?


Notice that I still didn't mention lift kits or power adders. Then you could also have ALL kinds of other stuff. I'm just asking for a more speacialized ATV so we can get what we want instead of spending alot more time and money building it. Atleast they could get it just started for us.

 

what would be SOOOOOO hard about making adjustable shocks as standard equipment? not much i would imagine.

i guess they don't feel they need to at this point, look at the sales of the atvshttp://biz.yahoo.com/e/010212/acat.html. when people see them as getting outdated and stop buying with such fervor they will probable offer more options. look at dodge trucks. 20 years without a real update, then a total redesign. personally i think they are getting the recognition they deserve, albeit at a moderate pace. i think we'll see some extras in the '02 models. the dealers should get some info around june i think. the only way they know what people want is to listen to what the dealers inquire about and to read these forums. it has to be cost effective to produce more than what is necessary to make a profit. change(improvements) is the only way the company will grow to get to the top. and i think they will do just that......just my opinion.

 

I have to agree with you, Boner. I think the factories are missing a big market there. Instead they are telling us that our mods will void the warranty. I wish they would just design the machines for what they know we want them to do anyways.

I think Bill is right though. The changes are coming. Part of the reason I bought the Polaris was because the 350 was the biggest motor you could get at the time in a 4x4, and the 2-stroke Polaris had the most power. At that time I kept saying: "If they can put 500cc and bigger motors in snowmachines, why not in ATVs?" Well, now they are. We just have to keep telling them what we want.