Once again, I'm confused.I'm trying to understand the numbers that appear for ground clearance. And once again I have to go back to the jeep world. Ground Clearance ( GC )is the lowest point, usually the pumkin, or rear end. You can put on body lifts, spring lifts, etc. but these only allow you to run larger tires, which is the only way to get more GC. In the ATV world, how is GC measured? I have in front of me ATV Action May 2001 magazine, the Arctic Cat 2001 and Honda 2001 Fourtrax brochures. ATV action does an AC 400 and Honda Foreman 400 shootout. From the brochures, AC 400 9.2 inches GC, Honda 400 7.3 inches GC. From ATV Action, AC 400 8.5 footrests, 8.0 skidplate. Honda 8.6 footrests, 7.8 skidplate. What gives? I was looking to the AC because of the 9.2 inches, but how is it measured? If you are going down the trail and a rock is in your way, I want to know how big (high) a rock I can go over. Thanks for your help.

 

The AC 400 is gonna have about 7.75" of ground clearance at the lowest point, the rear pumpking. But ATV's like the AC 300 and SP500 have IRS and have no pumpkins, so there clearance numbers are normally higher.

 

Boner, thanks for the reply, but I'm still confused. The AC brochure says 9.2 inches GC. I looked at a Sportsman yesterday, she is high in the back, but the front end looks like around 8 inches. How is it measured?

 

Its printed different depending on the bike or the manufacturer. Some put the lowest measured point (pumpkin) like the numbers you will see from say a 450ES or a 300 Honda. Others put the frame to ground measurement (which really isn't normally the lowest point) such as the AC, all Yamaha's, Sportsman, etc. All you really have to do is look at the figure to tell where they are measuring it. Those claiming 9-12" of clearance are measuring it at the frame, and those claiming 6.5- 8" are normally going to be giving you actual lowest point figures. Like Boner said, the IRS quads are probably going to have a higher clearance at their lowest point, but remember that their suspension is able to squat under weight and be lower than it is unloaded.

 

I noticed while riding today that the machine that went before me left several "drag marks" where my 400 AC had room to spare. No i don't know what had passed thru before me. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

I noticed while riding today that the machine that went before me left several "drag marks" where my 400 AC had room to spare. No i don't know what had passed thru before me. Just my 2 cents worth.