First off, I am a die hard Arctic Cat man. I have always had arctic cat snowmobiles, I even have a Huge back lit arctic cat dealer sign in my garage/shop (which I aquired legally I might add).

So given the choice I would just soon have an arctic cat ATV. Having said that I also would like an ATV on the sporty side of utility. I am considering the new 375 automatic 2X4. I am thinking 2X4 for reduced weight and hopefully a more sporty feel. I want to carry supplies, trail ride and go through moderate mud but nothing to deep, SO I do not want a full sport quad. I am also considering a yamaha wolverine - 485 lb. 4X4 sounds nice, but having trouble buying anything but arctic cat and would prefer automatic. Have any suggestions???? Will I be happy with a 2X4??????? Would a 4X4 375 be sporty enough?? I know nobody probably has a 375 yet but any other experience with 2X4 cats would be helpful.

Thanks,

CATCLAWS

 

I have a 2001 400 and 500 manual. My folks are looking at a 375 or 300 to go with them for my mom to do a bit more riding. Our 400 steers really well compared to the bulk on the front end of the 500 even when it is in 2wd. My 51 year old mom has no trouble steering in any situation. I imagine the light weight 375 in 2x4 form would be just as good if not better. The 371 motor in the 400 is pretty strong and very smooth. The 375 should be just as strong if not more. We were concerned about the 375 not being water cooled and the dealer made mention to the fact that the oil oiler on the 375 is HUGE. This should also help in the weight department which leads me to believe it will be a bit sportier than one would think. You will defenetly want to stiffen the shocks up a bit to make it sporty feeling. My only complaint has been the soft suspension allows a ton of chassis lean. Most guys have had great luck with spring spacers. The 375 should do around 50 mph like or 400 and 500 do. Plenty fast for me but you may need more. Check out my picture below to find out how the 400 and 500 ride.

Dakota R/T

 

Hey Dakota-
Doesn't the new 375 use the same frame as the larger 400 and 500's? Anyway, I'm not sure if it's as "light" as you'd expect-the '02 brochure says it weighs 605 lbs. dry weight! That's only 42 lbs. less than my stock '00 'Cat dry weight (of 647 lbs.). As for the oil cooler, yeah, it is as big as the radiater on the 500's, if not a little larger. Kind of surprising though, the 400i only weighs 619 lbs. (both the 2x4 versions like you mentioned) Hell, the 375 4x4 weighs in at 645 lbs.! Who knows, that 42 lbs. doesn't sound like much, but maybe with the gearing, that new 376cc engine will make it a lot more "sporty" than the weight would imply. Guess we'll just have to wait and see when they get here.

CatClaws-
I don't know much about the 375, as I doubt anybody really does other than what the salesman would tell ya, or what you can find in the brochures at this point-probably won't know a lot about them till they're actually out on the floor, but hey, it does look like a great new machine. As far as the auto goes-I absolutely love both of ours. It is amazing the stuff you can do with an auto, without worrying about which gear to be in. They'll climb anything you have the guts to try, smooth as can be, you won't loose momentum going through mud like you would when shifting a manual, and surprisingly enough, they tow like hell!

Do not worry at all about "belt slippage" while towing anything, or carrying loads, in any condition. I tow logs around all the time, through every terrain you can think of and have never slipped a belt. Even when the log or load of logs gets hung up on a stump, stopping me dead in my tracks, I dig 4 holes strait down to the ground, the belt never slips, I just bury the 'Cat, have to back up and take a different line. As for slipping in water, you really have to know how to ride the 'Cat in mud and water to prevent slipping. You have to put the machine in low range and keep on the throttle. This "pressurizes" the tranny, blowing enough exhaust out to prevent belt slippage. For some reason a lot of guys don't understand this concept with any machine-not just AC. They'll tell ya auto's can't go through any kind of water at all without slipping a belt. Well, fact is THEY can't go through any kind of water. I frequently go through stuff rack deep and as long as I keep it in low range, there has never been a problem. If you have to stop to back up, then water will enter the tranny and the belt will slip. Or, if you just stop out in the middle for some reason or another, it will happen as well, if you don't keep on the throttle. I think Scotto has about the best pictures I've seen of an auto 'Cat in deep mud/water. They might surprise you as to just what is possible when you really know how to work the machine. Snorkeling is another option to help, if you spend a ton of time in the water, this might be the better option for you. The vents on the trannies have been relocated to higher locations from what I've heard, so hopefully they won't be as much of a problem as they have been in the past for some guys, I don't know.

The thing that concerns me though, is you said you want a 2x4, yet will also be in the mud. It is amazing with larger more aggressive tires, the places you can go in 2wd, yet you can't go EVERYWHERE that you can in 4wd. I am a little worried that if you attack a mudhole in 2wd and don't have the option to switch to 4wd if you get in trouble, you will end up getting stuck, at which point water will enter the tranny when you're being rescued. If you do this often enough, it will become a headache, and you'll either wish you went with the 4wd, or got the manual instead. The good thing is, AC has a little 12mm bolt at the bottom of the tranny to drain all water out if you do get in trouble like that.

As for the 2wd option, like I said, it really is amazing how far you can go in 2wd. I run 2wd most of the time when I'm not towing logs. Then, when I find a mudhole, or start climbing steep hills, I'll drop it in 4wd. Of course, the hills I climb are NOT possible with any type of 2wd machine, unless they had a winch. Most of them damn near require winching myself even-really steep, loose rock and boulders with tree roots thrown in everywhere, giving a great suspension test, yet demanding 4 wheels with traction and pulling power to get you to the top. Anything less could result in rollover or simply not going where you want to go. I don't know, you might not have trails like that, or might not even drive trails like that-I know my Dad hates the really technically challenging stuff-mostly because he flipped once before, rolled the machine several times, and had a concussion. If not for the helmet, he wouldn't have made it when he hit the tree head on.

At any rate, if you don't run stuff like that, 2wd will be fine. As for mudholes, I'll frequently enter them in 2wd LOW range, go as far as I can, then kick it into 4wd if need be to get out. Shifting on the fly is really nice for that purpose. You can shift on the fly for 2-4wd, but not going from high to low range, or back again. However, for the "sporty" feel, I'm sure you know the 'Cats aren't known for speed. This new year's 'Cats have been re-geared so they should be a bit faster, but still, I doubt they'll keep up with something like the SPHO per say. Who knows, that new 375 might just be the ticket for the more "sporty" 'Cat, but we won't know for sure till it hits the showroom.

Anyway, Best of Luck in your decision, whatever you end up with will be the right machine for you-have fun with it!

Mike

 

Cowboy,

You are very right about the weight and frame. But 40 pounds on a quad is like 500-800 lbs on your truck. Still 600 lbs for a 375 quad is a bunch. It will be sportier than my 400 or 500. I wish I had the HP number on it. My 400 lists at 21 Hp and the 500 lists at 29 HP. Squeeze 2-3 extra HP from the 375 and drop 40 pounds(4x2 option) and it may just feel even more sporty! I feel funny using the words sporty in the AC forum! It's the riders that make them Sporty! The 4x4 option does make them heavy. Thanks for the numbers.

Catclaws,

Get the 4x4 over the 4x2. I've tried tons of stuff in 2wd on my 500 and then gone back and done it in 4wd. It is first of all much safer in 4wd, you don't have to carry as much momentum at times and on steep angles and crests it is way more sure footed and stable. I can do almost everything in 2wd but it is more effort and at times down right scary. I don't worry about being high centered when I have 4wd, I can eventually find some traction and get unstuck. Mud can be decieving too. I've been in some stuff that looked like nothing but ate me up in no time untill I shifted to 4wd. When you start adding supplies and gear the need for 4wd will become more apparent. I have a manual and love it but Cowboy is right on there too, the automatic is just so easy and convenient yet sturdy. I always had to ride behind Texascat with his auto so he wouldn't run into me while I slowed down to shift and hit the mud on our place. These are just my opinions but I think you won't be disapointed with the 4wd drive option and you may oneday thank yourself or have someone else thank you for having 4wd. The weight would be the only downside I could think of. Best of luck on your decision!

 

Dakota-
I guess when you compare to trucks, kind of puts it in perspective a little more doesn't it! heh heh heh, Thanks man! I know what you mean about "sporty" in the AC forum-too weird. Hell, IT JUST AIN'T RIGHT! heh heh heh [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] You're right on about the RIDERS making a machine sporty too. Sure having a "sport" machine definately helps in the true "SPORT" term, but at the same time, I can make my huge 500 'Cat kind of "sporty" when I want to by kicking it in 2wd, putting a little good old "cowboy body english" on her, and YeeHaw, we're off! heh heh heh. Kind of like spurring an old horse-sometimes you really gotta get up on her and put your boots to her!

Been reading a bunch of the other forums lately, keep seeing everybody really slamming Polaris for being so heavy. Comparing the 'Cats to a "sport" bike, they're heavy as hell too-basically the same thing. 'Cats aren't light to start with. Though, as 'Cat doesn't make a true sport quad, I guess it's no big deal really.

Anyway, Best of Luck to ya with your upcoming camping/fourwheeling trip!

Mike

 

hey does anyone know what kind of front differential the 375 will have...maybe it will be like the 300 and youll be able to have 4 wheel lock

 

Cowboy,
Camping should be great this weekend. No rain for like the last 30 days so the bugs will be a non factor but the high is supoosed to be around 100 and we're only 50 miles from the coast so it will be sticky. We need more quads(hint hint all you south Texas cat riders) but 3 will work for the 5 of us going. Truck battery went dead last night which was a blessing since there is no one for 30 miles where we are heading. I ordered a new digital camera so I should have some more great pics for my home page. Check those out. I'm about to put a new video on my home page where I take the 500 cat with rear rack extension and winch thru a very fast(ie full throttle) S curve. Watch as I have to use some "Cowboy Body English" and "throw" myself(280 lbs minus boots and firearms!) from side to side. Who ever said you can't powerslide a cat just didn't lean hard enough or fast enough. The only reason I made it was because the last corner exit is banked slightly and very sandy so it will slide instead of rolling over!

I am 1 day away from finishing teaching summer school and I'll have about 12 days to myself before we head back for the fall but I plan on doing tons of riding since it may be awhile before I can ride again. Football season lasts till Novemeber and then it is hunting season and I don't ride during hunting season. Too many crazies with guns around one of our places. Just not safe. I do believe I will setup two feeders and two blinds on our land in Bastrop. So I may get to use the cats afterall. I never go anywhere without my camera anymore so I'll keep everyone posted.

Yeah 40 lbs on a quad may not sound like much but throw your 650 lb four wheeler in the back of your truck and go take a fast corner with it and you can feel the difference. 65 lbs is 10% of a 650 lb quad and 500 lbs is 10% of a 5000 lb truck. My math was a little off 40 lbs is more like 7% of a 650 lb quad and 350 lbs of a 5000 lb truck. Ride em!