Arctic Cat Sux?
#71
I realy don't know what else to tell you guys! I keep getting told that i'm full of crap and don't know what i'm talking about! I've got NO reason to lie about what quads do what. I'm not bashing Cats, as a matter as a matter of fact i think there right up there quality wise. The only thing i don't like about them is they are tippier than some other quads are, so i guess if i don't know what the heck i'm talking about because of this so be it!!!! At least i have ridden the quads that we're dicussing! Hell, Fango says that there's no way the bombs are more stable than Cats and he's never even sat on one for pete's sake!
Wanaberider, I am not "downing other quads" What i have said in other posts is nowhere near bashing.
Wanaberider, I am not "downing other quads" What i have said in other posts is nowhere near bashing.
#72
I have a 300 it tips a lot but rides great, it is a work quad and I woulld not try to do much more than that. It is like buying a vett and then getting pissed b/c it woun't go in mud. I can say that we have 6 diferent quads that we use on a farm and work the heck out of them and the only quad to never need repair is the little AC 300 and it has more than twice the hours on it than every other unit. Now I hate the heal toe sifter with a passion but that is not hard to fix.
As for oppinions, well the company I used to work for was having $250 thousand a month in computer failures due to miss handleing so they bought Pelican cases to put then in while shipping and in the next 5 years had a total of 3 failures. Well we hired a young engineer and the first thing he said was how big a piese of junk the Pelican cases were. Now when something saves me $250 large a month I would never call it a POS. The same mentality can be seen in a bunch of people if it is not what you ride it is junk.
As for oppinions, well the company I used to work for was having $250 thousand a month in computer failures due to miss handleing so they bought Pelican cases to put then in while shipping and in the next 5 years had a total of 3 failures. Well we hired a young engineer and the first thing he said was how big a piese of junk the Pelican cases were. Now when something saves me $250 large a month I would never call it a POS. The same mentality can be seen in a bunch of people if it is not what you ride it is junk.
#73
Wait a minute. I didn't say "there is no way" Bombs are more stable. I just stated that "I'm not buyin' it".
No,I never rode one. But I looked them over, checked the specs, and I wasn't impressed enough to go any further with it. As with alot of machines. You have to research.
I just wanted to ask you a few questions because it seems that you are the only one who thinks that Cat's
I'm just lookin' for more information.
But it does sound like you're "DISSING" the Cat.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Which you have a right to. Don't get me wrong.
I did say that I know the Prairie is not as stable as the Cat. I have riden the P. Not impressed with the suspension in the least. Compare it to the Griz or an i and you can forget about it. Sorry, my opinion.
No,I never rode one. But I looked them over, checked the specs, and I wasn't impressed enough to go any further with it. As with alot of machines. You have to research.
I just wanted to ask you a few questions because it seems that you are the only one who thinks that Cat's
suspension isn't even in the same catagory as the Quest in the stability department!!!
But it does sound like you're "DISSING" the Cat.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Which you have a right to. Don't get me wrong.
I did say that I know the Prairie is not as stable as the Cat. I have riden the P. Not impressed with the suspension in the least. Compare it to the Griz or an i and you can forget about it. Sorry, my opinion.
#75
First off, if i was dissing the cat i would say that they are all POS and that i wouldn't reccomend them to anyone. I would not say that they are POS and i would reccomend them to SOME people depending on the riding they do.
One reason i feel the Prairie is more stable on side hills is because the suspension won't allow the quad to lean to the down hill side. This is probably the biggest factor.
The Quest's suspension is similar to the Prairie but is heavier and has a SUPER low center of gravity.
Just to make sure that we're on the same page, I totaly agree that the cat will keep all 4 wheels on the ground when any solid axle quad will be teetering so to speak, such as when crossing rough, FLAT terrain. This may make it more stable in this situation. All the problems i had with the cat came when crossing a sidehill, or when climbing and having to turn to go around something,as soon as soon as you turn the wheels you had better be standing on the uphill floor board!
One reason i feel the Prairie is more stable on side hills is because the suspension won't allow the quad to lean to the down hill side. This is probably the biggest factor.
The Quest's suspension is similar to the Prairie but is heavier and has a SUPER low center of gravity.
Just to make sure that we're on the same page, I totaly agree that the cat will keep all 4 wheels on the ground when any solid axle quad will be teetering so to speak, such as when crossing rough, FLAT terrain. This may make it more stable in this situation. All the problems i had with the cat came when crossing a sidehill, or when climbing and having to turn to go around something,as soon as soon as you turn the wheels you had better be standing on the uphill floor board!
#76
Just thought you boys might want to here a review i found from another forum. Note the remarks about the stability of the P-650 and Quest.
" I had a fantastic opportunity this past weekend. I went to my favorite riding area and hooked up with a friend of mine who is an ATV/fishing/dog sledding/snow shoe guide in the area.
We usually ride together a couple times a year and over the last four years he has basically taught me how to ride. This past weekend however was unique in many ways, the weather conditions were just amazing and allowed for some really hardcore riding, he was just finishing up an evaluating the AC500i and Kawi 650 and had both onhand (thought he only had the 500i for a few hours while I was there) for testing. It was great because he got to ride (and evaluate) the Quest and I got to ride the 500i (briefly) and the Kawi 650.
We did 4 days of hard riding (10+ hours/day), covering everything from fast riding on fire roads (80 kph sustained), stream and river crossings, deep muskeg, high mountain riding (rocks), and 2' deep snow (very wet). We had the 500i for only one ride (he had had it for a week prior to me getting there) and the Quest, Kawi 650, Kawi 300 & 400's for the remainder.
For the most part, I'm really pleased with the way the Quest performed.
The Quest was very good on the fast trail rides - taking corners really well and sustaining the speed with no problems. It was not however as quick or as fast as the Kawi 650. There was a VERY noticeable advantage to the Kawi in both speed and quickness.
It also did very well on the river and stream crossings with no belt slippage. GC was a factor on some of the larger rocks and the disk brakes did suffer some fade (for a short time) after getting wet. The Kawi 650 performed similarly in the water, but did not suffer from any brake fade.
The Quest was amazing in off-camber situations - better than the Kawi and much, much better than the 500i. The Quest platform did a great job of keeping all 4 tires in contact with the ground, with very little body english. The 500i would also keep contact, but at times needed EXTREME body english. The Kawi had good contact, but required more body english than the Quest (but nothing close to the 500i).
When it came to the snow, the Quest was a little better than the Kawi when the Kawi didn't have the fronts locked, but there where even when it was. Both the Quest and Kawi where allot better in the snow than the 500i. The 500i had much better GC, but the front differential just isn't as good as either the Quest or Kawi.
In the mud and muskeg, the Quest performed only OK - the lack of GC really came into play. The Quest could handle everything until we came across some large obstacles (fallen tress mostly). The hitch got caught up on stiff a couple times, which also lead to problems. The Kawi faired similarly in the mud, but didn't have the same problem with the hitch getting caught on stuff. The Kawi also has a little better low-end grunt that helped in getting over some obstacles. The 500i was just simply amazing in this environment - going through it like it wasn't even there - going over obstacles with little rider effort. The 500i is an amazing machine in this application.
In the high mountain trails, the Quest did awesome, but I did have some problems with the brakes being able to hold the weight of the Quest (to keep it from rolling back down the hill). This may just be an adjustment issue, but it a concern to be sure. In order to keep the Quest from rolling back down the hill, I had to put it in "park" (I would normally prefer to leave it in low and start in gear). Putting it in park lead to other problems, as it was almost impossible to get it out of park once the weight had rolled back and put pressure on the tranny. I had to dismount, rock the Quest forward (very difficult to do on a steep slope with a 800+ lb. quad, shift it into low, apply enough trottle to keep it from rolling back (remember, the brakes wouldn't hold it) and then jump on. It was a very dangerous maneuver. The Kawi did not have any problems with its brakes. We did not have the 500i along for any of the high mountain rides. Notwithstanding the brake issue, the Quest and Kawi performed similarly in the high mountain trails.
Overall, I was very pleased with the performance of the Quest and there certainly were allot of people who wanted to ride it. My wife absolutely loved it - to her ride stability is the most important thing and without a doubt, the Quest was the most stable platform. I think the reason for this is two-fold; 1. The weight and low center of gravity help keep all 4 down. 2. The width of the Quest makes for very stable off-camber riding. We didn't really load down the ATV's with gear (in fact, we rode with very little gear as non of the trips where overnight), but in looking at all three ATV (Quest, Kawi, AC), the Quest is much better suited for carrying allot of gear than either the Kawi or the AC.
I did discover some items of concern however. The aforementioned brakes really need to be addressed. The Quest would really benefit from a little more GC and the rear hitch mount has to go. The tranny selector was a problem at times and it could be that my Quest is developing the tranny shifting problem that has affected a number of early Quests. Mud protection is also not very good on the Quest (though that is not an uncommon problem), the floor boards offer no protection and really should be a "solid" design (similar to the Kawi or Honda) instead of the current "open" design.
As I indicated, I am extremely pleased with the Quest and the way it performed. I am however also very impressed with the Kawi 650. It was an awesome ride, matching or beating the Quest in most areas. The engine on the Kawi is truly amazing and it is a VERY comfortable ride. Though I prefer the full-time 4wd of the visco-lok system, the variable locking front differential of the Kawi was extremely impressive and the ability to select 2wd increased the "fun factor" on the faster rides. I did find the suspension to be to soft on some of the slower, more technical rides. On the faster rides the soft front suspension was awesome (just soaking up bumps) and I believe that was what the Kawi engineers where thinking about when they designed the front suspension. With some better shocks, the Kawi 650 would make an awesome utility machine.
I was also very impressed with the 500i, though I did not get much seat time on it. I don't however think I would buy one now that I have rode it a little. It is VERY, VERY good in certain applications and if is that direction that your riding style goes, then the 500i is an easy choice. For my riding style however, I don't think it is the best choice. I also really like the simplicity of the design and easy access to the engine, filters, etc.
As for my buddy the trail guide - he was just finishing evaluating Yamaha (Kodiak and Grizzly), AC (500i & 375) and Kawi (650 & 400 - waiting to test the 360). That plus the impromptu review of my Quest. As of now, he has narrowed it down to the Kawi and the AC. He arrived at these two for different reasons - he prefers the engineering and refinement of the Kawi's, but as a tour operator also really appreciates the simplicity of the AC's. He has the edge going to the Kawi's, but is waiting to evaluate the 360 before making a final decision."
" I had a fantastic opportunity this past weekend. I went to my favorite riding area and hooked up with a friend of mine who is an ATV/fishing/dog sledding/snow shoe guide in the area.
We usually ride together a couple times a year and over the last four years he has basically taught me how to ride. This past weekend however was unique in many ways, the weather conditions were just amazing and allowed for some really hardcore riding, he was just finishing up an evaluating the AC500i and Kawi 650 and had both onhand (thought he only had the 500i for a few hours while I was there) for testing. It was great because he got to ride (and evaluate) the Quest and I got to ride the 500i (briefly) and the Kawi 650.
We did 4 days of hard riding (10+ hours/day), covering everything from fast riding on fire roads (80 kph sustained), stream and river crossings, deep muskeg, high mountain riding (rocks), and 2' deep snow (very wet). We had the 500i for only one ride (he had had it for a week prior to me getting there) and the Quest, Kawi 650, Kawi 300 & 400's for the remainder.
For the most part, I'm really pleased with the way the Quest performed.
The Quest was very good on the fast trail rides - taking corners really well and sustaining the speed with no problems. It was not however as quick or as fast as the Kawi 650. There was a VERY noticeable advantage to the Kawi in both speed and quickness.
It also did very well on the river and stream crossings with no belt slippage. GC was a factor on some of the larger rocks and the disk brakes did suffer some fade (for a short time) after getting wet. The Kawi 650 performed similarly in the water, but did not suffer from any brake fade.
The Quest was amazing in off-camber situations - better than the Kawi and much, much better than the 500i. The Quest platform did a great job of keeping all 4 tires in contact with the ground, with very little body english. The 500i would also keep contact, but at times needed EXTREME body english. The Kawi had good contact, but required more body english than the Quest (but nothing close to the 500i).
When it came to the snow, the Quest was a little better than the Kawi when the Kawi didn't have the fronts locked, but there where even when it was. Both the Quest and Kawi where allot better in the snow than the 500i. The 500i had much better GC, but the front differential just isn't as good as either the Quest or Kawi.
In the mud and muskeg, the Quest performed only OK - the lack of GC really came into play. The Quest could handle everything until we came across some large obstacles (fallen tress mostly). The hitch got caught up on stiff a couple times, which also lead to problems. The Kawi faired similarly in the mud, but didn't have the same problem with the hitch getting caught on stuff. The Kawi also has a little better low-end grunt that helped in getting over some obstacles. The 500i was just simply amazing in this environment - going through it like it wasn't even there - going over obstacles with little rider effort. The 500i is an amazing machine in this application.
In the high mountain trails, the Quest did awesome, but I did have some problems with the brakes being able to hold the weight of the Quest (to keep it from rolling back down the hill). This may just be an adjustment issue, but it a concern to be sure. In order to keep the Quest from rolling back down the hill, I had to put it in "park" (I would normally prefer to leave it in low and start in gear). Putting it in park lead to other problems, as it was almost impossible to get it out of park once the weight had rolled back and put pressure on the tranny. I had to dismount, rock the Quest forward (very difficult to do on a steep slope with a 800+ lb. quad, shift it into low, apply enough trottle to keep it from rolling back (remember, the brakes wouldn't hold it) and then jump on. It was a very dangerous maneuver. The Kawi did not have any problems with its brakes. We did not have the 500i along for any of the high mountain rides. Notwithstanding the brake issue, the Quest and Kawi performed similarly in the high mountain trails.
Overall, I was very pleased with the performance of the Quest and there certainly were allot of people who wanted to ride it. My wife absolutely loved it - to her ride stability is the most important thing and without a doubt, the Quest was the most stable platform. I think the reason for this is two-fold; 1. The weight and low center of gravity help keep all 4 down. 2. The width of the Quest makes for very stable off-camber riding. We didn't really load down the ATV's with gear (in fact, we rode with very little gear as non of the trips where overnight), but in looking at all three ATV (Quest, Kawi, AC), the Quest is much better suited for carrying allot of gear than either the Kawi or the AC.
I did discover some items of concern however. The aforementioned brakes really need to be addressed. The Quest would really benefit from a little more GC and the rear hitch mount has to go. The tranny selector was a problem at times and it could be that my Quest is developing the tranny shifting problem that has affected a number of early Quests. Mud protection is also not very good on the Quest (though that is not an uncommon problem), the floor boards offer no protection and really should be a "solid" design (similar to the Kawi or Honda) instead of the current "open" design.
As I indicated, I am extremely pleased with the Quest and the way it performed. I am however also very impressed with the Kawi 650. It was an awesome ride, matching or beating the Quest in most areas. The engine on the Kawi is truly amazing and it is a VERY comfortable ride. Though I prefer the full-time 4wd of the visco-lok system, the variable locking front differential of the Kawi was extremely impressive and the ability to select 2wd increased the "fun factor" on the faster rides. I did find the suspension to be to soft on some of the slower, more technical rides. On the faster rides the soft front suspension was awesome (just soaking up bumps) and I believe that was what the Kawi engineers where thinking about when they designed the front suspension. With some better shocks, the Kawi 650 would make an awesome utility machine.
I was also very impressed with the 500i, though I did not get much seat time on it. I don't however think I would buy one now that I have rode it a little. It is VERY, VERY good in certain applications and if is that direction that your riding style goes, then the 500i is an easy choice. For my riding style however, I don't think it is the best choice. I also really like the simplicity of the design and easy access to the engine, filters, etc.
As for my buddy the trail guide - he was just finishing evaluating Yamaha (Kodiak and Grizzly), AC (500i & 375) and Kawi (650 & 400 - waiting to test the 360). That plus the impromptu review of my Quest. As of now, he has narrowed it down to the Kawi and the AC. He arrived at these two for different reasons - he prefers the engineering and refinement of the Kawi's, but as a tour operator also really appreciates the simplicity of the AC's. He has the edge going to the Kawi's, but is waiting to evaluate the 360 before making a final decision."
#77
Great review, thank you!! I guess what it all boils down to is the fact that my riding style and environment differs greatly from that of the reviewer and yourself. I am not in a very hilly area. We do have some places with steep inclines, but nothing like Pennsylvania. I have been out there, it is very beautiful country. Unfortunately, I was not able to do any wheeling.
For the riding I do, I need clearance. I ride in wooded areas with a lot of deadfall and swamps. So sure footedness is really not a HUGE issue. The AC is the machine for me. My 2000 500 works just fine in all situations that I encounter. When I am ready to purchase a new machine, AC will be # 1 on the list. I will check out all the options though. There were too many changes to the Cats in 2002 that were untested and we will see if the bugs are worked out on the 2003s. To me Cat is where I am at!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
I understand, buy your name, that you have the Quest on the top of your list and that is perfectly fine. But what did you expect coming on the AC forum trying to push the Bombardier and Kawi?????[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
# 1 the Quest is the UGLIEST machine, hands down, on the face of the planet!!!!!
The bottom line here is does AC suck?? yes...no...maybe...
Each to his/her own!!!!! I come from a snowmobiling background and I have owned Ski-Doo sleds
and I think they have a great motor and then I stop. My AC sleds have always impressed me!! But, hey, that's just me. I could give you a review of just about any product on the market and that doesn't mean it is the be-all-and-all review and you better believe it!!!! If it is I better start selling some junk!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
The title to this thread is "Arctic Cat Sux?" not " How good is the Quest and the P650?"
So at this point agree to disagree!! It is the only way. I'm not giving up my Cat, but you can!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
ciao
For the riding I do, I need clearance. I ride in wooded areas with a lot of deadfall and swamps. So sure footedness is really not a HUGE issue. The AC is the machine for me. My 2000 500 works just fine in all situations that I encounter. When I am ready to purchase a new machine, AC will be # 1 on the list. I will check out all the options though. There were too many changes to the Cats in 2002 that were untested and we will see if the bugs are worked out on the 2003s. To me Cat is where I am at!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
I understand, buy your name, that you have the Quest on the top of your list and that is perfectly fine. But what did you expect coming on the AC forum trying to push the Bombardier and Kawi?????[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
# 1 the Quest is the UGLIEST machine, hands down, on the face of the planet!!!!!
The bottom line here is does AC suck?? yes...no...maybe...
Each to his/her own!!!!! I come from a snowmobiling background and I have owned Ski-Doo sleds
and I think they have a great motor and then I stop. My AC sleds have always impressed me!! But, hey, that's just me. I could give you a review of just about any product on the market and that doesn't mean it is the be-all-and-all review and you better believe it!!!! If it is I better start selling some junk!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
The title to this thread is "Arctic Cat Sux?" not " How good is the Quest and the P650?"
So at this point agree to disagree!! It is the only way. I'm not giving up my Cat, but you can!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
ciao
#78
I didn't intend for my first post to start an argument. I was surprised and half ticked off how Andy jumped on me, but oh well. From the description of the places you ride your AC it sounds like it would work perfectly there. I'm glad you guys like your Cats, i guess they're just not for me![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
#79
fangoELgato,(mudcat), I don't think my Quest is ugly at all. Just because the general public can't accept a different design (semi-step thru), and step-thru- on the Traxter, that is different than all the others that have the regular seat doesn't mean that makes them ugly. I have a center console bag that mounts in front of the seat on my Quest and it totally changes the looks of the machine. (CanadianViking) will attest to this also. I really like this quad. Besides it is nice to have the semi-stepthru design so you don't have a tendency to smack your nuts if you happen to slip when you swing a leg over the seat!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] J/K! I have never bashed anyones ride. When I first went shopping for a new quad, I considered Arctic Cat, Yamaha Grizzly 660, Polaris Sportsman 500 HO, Honda Rubicon, and I ended up with my '03 Quest 650 XT. I bought it because I liked the big storage bin up front, the locking differential, and the way it looked! I bought Bombardier because I have a Ski-Doo sled, and my brothers have had alot of Ski-Doo sleds, and I think they build a great product. We have never had any problems at all with any of them. All I can say is enjoy what you ride, whatever you ride. We are fortunate to have so many good choices out their right? Peace![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
#80
Hammer4,
Don't take offense to my opinion![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I just never liked the looks of the Bomb quads. I'm not bashing, just throwing out my couple-a pennies on the visuals. Looks really do not matter in the performance of the machine anyway.
I never meant to be invovled in an "argument" with needaQuest or anybody for that matter. Sometimes it is just fun to engage people in a debate.
I am a Cat man tried and true. I do own a couple Polaris machines, but the Cat is my pride and joy. The Polaris' are just the machines I wrench on![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img] They always seem to need work. But I will defend my Cat to the end. That goes for my zr 600 also.
I went back and read through some of the post here and it is pretty funny to see how the topic has turned.
I agree enjoy what you ride.
I ride sled with ski-doo and polaris guys...they love their machines...I on the other hand have the Cat and I love my machine. Do we all have fun??? YES!!!!!!!
THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
Hey Hammer4...I am glad that they make a quad for guys with the nut problem!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
Don't take offense to my opinion![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I just never liked the looks of the Bomb quads. I'm not bashing, just throwing out my couple-a pennies on the visuals. Looks really do not matter in the performance of the machine anyway.
I never meant to be invovled in an "argument" with needaQuest or anybody for that matter. Sometimes it is just fun to engage people in a debate.
I am a Cat man tried and true. I do own a couple Polaris machines, but the Cat is my pride and joy. The Polaris' are just the machines I wrench on![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img] They always seem to need work. But I will defend my Cat to the end. That goes for my zr 600 also.
I went back and read through some of the post here and it is pretty funny to see how the topic has turned.
I agree enjoy what you ride.
I ride sled with ski-doo and polaris guys...they love their machines...I on the other hand have the Cat and I love my machine. Do we all have fun??? YES!!!!!!!
THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
Hey Hammer4...I am glad that they make a quad for guys with the nut problem!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]


