The dealer should give you a discount for installing the winch yourself (I saved $100 this way). It's a relatively easy install and shouldn't take more than an hour.

 

400x,

why do you think the cat looks funny, to me it looks tough with the jeep look to it and the fender space, you can fit big tires and there will be no rubbing. Keep in mind that a polaris can perform a cat in every aspect only with an inexperianced rider, come on look at the ground clearance and the cat is a great climber also. Not trying to bash but I think polaris looks funny because the front end looks like it ends right in front of the handlebars and they all look the same too, even the straight axle ones.

 

crashman - I have 150 acres of hilly, rocky KY land, and my 500i just eats it for breakfast. Charges up the hills, crawls back down, sprints across rocky creekbeds that would have my Bear jumping all over the place, hops over downed trees... if you live on this kind of land, the Cat is the only machine to own.

Personally, I like the way it looks. Had it parked next to a neighbor's Suzuki 500 QR, and the way it towered over that quad, the Cat looked like it was going to pounce on the Suzuki and eat it. Let the others get soaked, the Cat keeps me high and dry.

--john

My Cat

 

John,
Great article.
It makes me want to go out and buy one.
Hey, I already bought one!!! I have a 2002 500i auto. What year is yours?
The engine braking on the auto is awesome too. I put it in 4 wheel low and she just creeps on down.
I put the front brushguard and rear bumper on so that I can plow through anything and not worry about busting out the headlights and brake light. Sumacs Beware!!!!!
I ordered the AC deluxe trailer to go get down firewood anywhere on the property. I can use it to keep the road in good shape too. I liked the large knobby tires and the plastic bed. If I got a metal one I would be banging out the dents and buying a new one every year. $450.00 is a pretty steep price for the trailer, but I hope to buy once and use forever.
This is my first ATV. I read the forums and bought what I thought was best for me.
Berkeley Springs, West Virginia has a Cat, Honda and Polaris dealer. Prices are pretty low due to competition. The Cat dealer has trails to ride on and let me take a test drive. The Polaris dealer had 4 poeple behind the counter and noone would get off their bottom to come talk to me (I figured the service would be lousy and walked out). They are the #1 dealer in the USA. They sell more than anyone. The Honda Dealer does great work on my Goldwing and I figure the service would have been fine too. I liked the CAT the best.

 

crashman -

Mine is an '02 as well. 5sp manual - put it in 1st low, and it just creeps down a hill. Love that low end torque, the cat is a pulling fool.

Funny you mention trailers, I've been looking at them myself. I saw the Cat trailer, but I really want a flat/stake bed, so I can haul more than just firewood. Also really would prefer tandem axle, as I cross some pretty rocky terrain, 4 tires spread the load out better than two. So far, a really solid tandem axle, fat tire, flatbed trailer looks like around $1000 - yeowch! Maybe the cat trailer isn't such a bad idea, after all...

 

I'd say go with the Cat. Around here EVERYONE has 500 sportsman's and i've ridden probably a dozen different ones in my lifetime, and they seem to have plenty of problems. three of them have idling problems. just go with the Cat to be a little different would be my take on it. probably more power in the manual also. peace

 

Everyone does have a 500 Sportsman, hence "be different own a Cat." [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Bigjames I still thing you'll be happy with either, just choice the one that best suits your needs.

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

We just spent the weekend riding our 500 Sportsmans in the mountains of Tennessee. I can't imagine another machine performing any better than these. They handle the rocks, the mud, the steep hills and everything else we threw at them. Luv em.

I wasn't trying to rip on the Cat. I'm glad to see everyone spending their money on good ole American made machines. I still think it looks funny. It's kind of like it's nimbly. I don't know, hard to explain. I've never seen one without the stock tires on it. I'm sure a set of 28" Tritans like my Dad has would help the look out alot.

If you really want to see how well your machine will perform, head down to Tennessee and ride at Windrock.

Scott

 

These are not just American made machines, they are MINNESOTAN made machines!!

Ok, just had to brag that they both are based in my home state. Either machine is a good machine (though I still think it's the Polaris ones that look funny).

 

<u>yea..</u> if you want an all around machine... i don't think it makes a difference, but... if you're pulling logs/hauling big trailers, the cat manual is the way to go. just cuz it had more low-end torque.