What's the word around the camp fire on when the new 2003 500 Cats are going to hit the show room floor?

Word also has it that the 500cc engine is going to out run and out pull all the rest in it's class.Any truth to this rumor?

 

My dealer said his are ordered and should arrive in about a month. And as for the rumour, i don't know if it is true but i sure am hoping it is!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

newf

 

Your dealer must be lieing to you because the order forum for dealers to order there bikes doesn't alow you to get the 500cc Models untill around October and November(I'll try to look tomorrow to see which it is.

 

Got the ATV 4-wheel action magazine this morning and it said the 2003 cats will have the same engine as the Vinson. Is this true? Aren't the transmissions in AC's different than Suzuki's? I rode a Vinson and boy it was impressive. Made my brother's 500 H.O. not look so good. I think it would be a great move and really make the 500i catch a bunch of eyes. That magazine also said that Suzuki was fixing to unveil a 650 quad. Is AC getting left behind since Suzuki has this new alliance with Kawasaki? Seems like since AC is so dependent on Suzuki engines that they are playing second fiddle to what the big boys at Suzuki want to happen. I sold my 01 500, waiting for something new from AC. The new engine might make me buy again, but if I knew that a 650 was coming, I would wait.

Waco4whlr
"no quad"

 

BOner,
You are probably right. He said he was getting his first o3s. But he didn't say they would be 500s. I figured they wouldn't be anyway, yet...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Waco,
I don't know if this is true, but i think i remember hearing somewhere that when zuki unveils brand new engines, AC can't take it until the next year. I guess it is a deal zuki made to ensure AC didn't steal their thunder.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

But, hey, i could be wrong.


newf

 

One of the local AC dealers was purchased by a large equipment (farm) supply company - I dropped in Yesterday to check things out.

Sure enough, there beside all the John Deere farm equipment was a bunch of brand new, just out of the crate, 2003 AC400i Auto's. The salesman encouraged me to take one out into the HUGE field beside their property (they're located at the edge of the city limits). Bombed around for about 15 minutes (the only riding I've done since May!)

All I can say is WOW! what a great quad. This 400i was quicker and stronger "feeling" than the 02 500i that I rode in May - It was, truely an awesome ride. AC has done some really nice refinement for 2003 and the 400i (which is basically the 02 375 but with the "i" suspension) really did "feel" stronger and sportier than the 02 500i Auto I drove in May - I was amazed.

There were some changes that I noticed for the 03 model year, including new graphics, new storage compartment, and an over-all "tighter" feel to the frame. I'm sure there were other changes, but I was too excited to notice.

The dealer is expecting the 03 500i Auto's to arrive mid to late August. He referred to the 03 500i as having an HO (high output) engine, but he could not confirm that it is the Vinson engine...he did indicate that he has been told by AC that the 03 500i will easily hit over 60 mph (not that that matters much). He didn't have any of the AC green ATV's yet, which is too bad because I was looking forward to seeing on in person.

I went back again today and took the wife along for her to try one of the 03 400i's, but if you can believe it - they sold their entire shipment...IN ONE DAY. The only thing they had that she could try was an 02 500i auto demo unit. She took it for a spin and was not impressed, so I tried it myself and it did ride substantially different than the 03 400i. Mostly, I think, because the preload shocks on the demo unit where set to the softest setting. As a result, the demo unit suffered from some very noticable body lean when cornering (and in off-camber). I'll have to get my wife back to try an 03 500i when they arrive.

I'm REALLY excited about the 03 500i Auto - If it truely does have either a HO engine or the Vinson engine then I could easily see me buying one as a second quad.

Cheers,

 

Hey waco4whlr,

Didn't know you sold the 500. I have had very little time to ride mine. usually short trips to make sure the fences are up still after all the rain we've gotten lately. How is your wife doing with the second kid on the way? My wife is doing fine and we hope to find out if it's a boy or a girl on Tuesday next week. She misses being able to ride. She went with us last week to plant some grass seed but all she got was mosqeto bites while we worked. Give me an e-mail and let me know how things are going.

Dakota R/T

 

Hey Dakota,
Good to hear from you. Yeah I sold it about 3 months ago. I reall didn't want to, but I wasn't riding it very often and when I did I was having alot of problems with my brakes. I never could seem to get them to work right. I like the new models better anyway. I just hope that someone that has a new will tell me if the headlights work good or are they still crappy. I think I am waiting to see if the 03 500 has the same engine mods as the "Vinson". I rode one the other day and it was awesome. Had some serious power. If they put that on the 500i, I'll probably buy one. I don't know, I am still hoping for maybe a AC650 or a 500 with a locker and some decent gauges. I never had a problem with mine, I just like those other ones better. I hope the pregnancy goes well, in 4 weeks I'll have another boy. Just take good care of her while she's pregnant and it will pay big dividends. Take care!

Waco4whlr

 

I think the headlights work awesome ! I don't know about the older models but the new models have very nice lights. I think the vinson motor is being used in the 500i, Suzuki gives everything to Arctic Cat after the first year of production. So watch what Suzuki comes out with and then Arctic Cat will have that the following year.