i am interested in buying a newer used atvthis spring and i'm looking at 05 and up ac 650's and 700's. i heard bevel gear problems but is it something to worry about and would they be a good mud/water quad?

 

lol doesn't anyone own one, i just wanna know if they hold up or not.

 

Id hate to say they are bullet proof and yes some had bevel gear issues on the 650 but when buying a used atv,ANYTHING can be wrong as we all know. I have a friend that has had his 650 H1 ( arctic cats first EVER home made engine,prior models used suzuki engines)since the 1st year and the only thing he had issues with is the headlights fell out. If you look at 2008 models they are put on better and have not had issues with them falling out. His 650 has been just fine other than that. I own a 2008 700 and ive seen a few with a wire that comes out of a plug under the seat which will keep the bike from starting periodically. I got mine fixed and its been fine since. Also,on the 2008 models seems to be mostly on the 700s but can be any model,the front differentials have a pin that comes out and will blow the front diff up. Im NOT kidding. As long as one has had that problem fixed the rest of the atv is good to go. ive not had any other issues with my 700. I still have to get the pin fixed in the front differential and if you are mechanically inclined you can fix it yourself before the pin slips out. Take it apart and weld the pin. this is the fix as the welds from cat are not holding. there are pics at arcticchat.com showing the problem and the fixes. Also,if it does break out of warranty,cat will still fix it. The should recall it but they havent,at least they still take care of it though. 2009 and up have not had many issues,pretty solid machines,normally. even the 2006 and 2007 700s are good atvs.

Also, if you look at any 2008 700s and the plastic is silver, it has the new 1st year out arctic cat 700 H1 engine in it and any 700 that is 2008 and is red,green,camo or any other color other than silver, they have suzuki motors. ALL 2009 700s are arctic cat H1 engines. both produce the same power (41.4HP) In all they are all good bike some had issues but if they are taken care of properly they should last a long time. good luck let us know if you have more questions.

If your wanting a mud machine you may consider a mudpro 650 or 700 from cat. they even have the 100 mudpro if you want more power.http://www.arcticcat.com/atv/model/v...FQY5nAodpnwAwQ
Or you can snorkel it yourslef and put 28" tires on and you will have a mud pro. Thes cats do not need a lift kit. Im running 28" tires and i have plenty of room maybe even get 29"s

 

i'm mostly looking at 07's because there are alot of them for sale. do the 07 and earlier ones have the pin problem? and is there an aftermarket fix for the bevel gear?

 

can the 650's and 700's keep up with a sportsman 800?

 

im not sure on the bevel gear. id assume a replacement part. The sportsman will be faster. A sportsman is an inline twin cylinder and revs quicker than the cats single cylinder 700 or 650. They are geared differently as well. The cat is meant more for work and is geared lower,the sportsman is meant for both but will out run the cat. I wouldnt say by too much though but im unsure. its gonna have a little more HP too. To be honestHP doesnt mean a whole lot. Tires,ground clearance,4wd sytem are the things i look for 1st in an atv,but im a hunter.

 

does the AC still ride like a big bore quad should? how do they compare in torque?

 

ride? it rides a little stiffer than most and the reason for it is again it made mostly for work. wont squat as easy as others and the shocks can be adjusted as well. If you get a cat with stock tires and you ride a bit more aggressive then a 6 ply tire is recommended as it will steer much better as the wheels wont "roll" over on the turns. i say ride each one if you can. you may like the way one feels better than the other. Its a personal choice obviously and both will do what you want but its your butt and back that will thank you for choosing the correct one for your riding style. Personally i think it will outpull the sportsman 800. it seems to put more power to the ground and with less effort,thats my opinion. ive seen a 700 and a sportsman head to head on a mountain with 14" of fresh snow and the cat went farther easier and without backing up. The polaris with the same tires had to keep backing up to get a run at it. I have pics to show the situation but wont prove it went farther as ones word is the only thing i have.

 

i want it soley for playing in the mud on trails etc. not really working. its mostly for work, but does it still have potential to be a good trail riding/mud quad?

 

yes. did you look at the mudpro is soley for mud and is factory built by arctic cat