I went riding with a 450es, Honda 300, 300 4x4, and a Kodiak. The 450 had a warn 2000lb winch and 26x9 inch Vampires in the front a 12 inchers in the rear. The Kodiak had the same thing (including winch) except 25 inchers. The 300 2x4 had 25x12 inch Vampires in the rear, and the 4x4 had 25x9 inch Super Samper TSLs in the front and 12 inchers out back. I was riding my Arctic Cat 500 with stock tires.

Well we came to a spot that was realy bad. Me and the guy on the 450 were the only ones who even wanted to try it. I let the 450 go first because he had been here before. Well he is going pretty good so I decide to follow. Well he gets stuck about 7 feet from the end with me right behind him. So I try to back out the hole but only move a few feet. He tries to backup but doesn't move an inch. So the Kodiak goes around the hole and pulls him out. So with no one blocking the way I try to get out. In second gear spining my (stock) tires at about 20 mph (but moveing at about 1/2 mph) I get out without the help of a winch. The guy on the 300 4x4 was very amazed, he said "If you ever get some Vampires that thing, it will be the ultimate mud bike."

Arctic Cat 500, So what you think?

 

I had the same experience with my stock 450es and my friend and his Sportsman. Difference was he was first. It's been my experience that at least 90% of the time the first guy through has to do most of the work by creating ruts in which others can follow as well as being unsure of the depth, bottom condition, viscosity, etc. The followers generally have the opportunity to see these conditions before they themselves get into it. The sooner the follower gets in after the leader the better the chance he has of getting through as it usually takes a little time for the thick mud to ooze back into the ruts even though they may be filled with water immediately after passing. Each of us has to experience this for ourselves, and those who love the mud will know best.
PS We all love our own machines or we wouldn't have bought them.

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Ride the "WILD" country , South Gillies, Ontario, Canada

 

I think I was alitte too excited about what I did. He did not try as had as me to get out. He just sat there, gased it, and turned the bars. I gased it(realy hard) and jumped alover the the place turning the bars. When I got my front wheels onto hard ground I stoped for a moment and he was fiwing to get his winch hooked up to me but I leaned way forward and started moving again and got out. They all thought I was stuck but I could tell I wasn't because I was moving, Very little, but moving. I must admit that I thought that even a Honda 300 would out mud me because of what I have heard about them and because my 500 ways so much, but I can actualy out mud the 300 MOST of the time, even with all the weight.

P.S. He had been there before, he has been riding there for about 15 years. There was no water (if there would have been alittle water I think he would have made it) but the mud had plenty enough time to get back in the hole because I had to stop behind him and wait for him to winch him self out.

Arctic Cat 500, It amazes me sometimes.

 

Well I went riding with another guy(Mark) with a 450, this one was an "s" model with Maxxis MudBugs, 27-10 in front and 12s out back. It took him about 5 minites of riding to flip it. He said he was ok but in pain, but not enough to stop him from riding. So we went on.

We went to this ditch that is about 3-feet deep(with no water/or mud at all) but the bottom half is square. So he tells me to try it, I ask him to go first but he say that he knows he can pass but he doesn't know if I can so I go. With alittle spinning I get thru. Well he tries but right next to were I went and he can't make it because his bash plate/brush guard is hitting so he backs out. He tries were I went but the same thing happens so he tries to back out, no luck. So I had to pull him out with the 20 foot tow strap we had bought about 15 minites earlier.

Arctic Cat 500, I like my, you like yours?

 

I forgot to tell you that we switched quads.

Here is what i found:
1.) The ride was ALOT rougher(some of this was the tires but not all)
2.) the seat is agood bit harder
3.) the handle bars are placed better and I like the fealing
4.) turns easier than mine when gasing it( mine has alot of torque steer)
5.) has less vibration in the handle bars than my 500, but more vibrationthan my 500 from the seat down
6.) weird sounding exhast and motor, but alittle quiter
7.) A good bit less power in 4th and 5th gear
8.) No throttle response in 5th gear
9.) Can't tell what gear you are in
10.)Shifter travel is ALOT MORE, To down shift you have to push alot farther down
11.)I reather my heel/toe shifter
12.)Shifting is smoother
13.)Did I meantion it rides ALOT roughter
14.)More mud protection
15.)Left hand brake is weak right one is pretty good
16.)wider turning
17.)My 500 has a better approach angle
18.)Mine is more staple at slow speeds, Mine keeps 4 wheels on the ground longer/better(I felt no difference at high speeds even though mine leans I didn't feel a difference)

What he had to say about my bike:
1.) Rides alittle better
2.) He don't like the leaning affect in the turns
3.) has MORE POWER
4.) less mud protection
5.) Better brakes
I will ask him more tomorrow when we go ride, hopefully we both get stuck(Hopefully not at the same time) and don't flip, we have both flipped in the same canal(or very big ditch).

Arctic Cat 500, Wish us luck, we will need it

 

Well we went riding yesterday. We had a few competitions,
1.)We had a push off in a very sloppy mud hole, results: neither one of us moved(even though he runs 27 inch MudBugs)
2.) We had a push off in a feild that had just been plowed but got 2-3 inches of rain, results: he won hands down, We were both riding wheelies the whole way, I never had a chance with my stock tires vs his 12 inch wide Mudbugs
3.) We had a pull off on a headrow(were the tractors pass), results: The ground was too hard for us to grab and we both started to bounce, we tried in a softer spot and broke our 10,000 pound tow recovery strap.

We also went mud riding. There was only one hole that he got threw that I couldn't get threw. I would get to the last deep ruts and I couldn't get out. Most of the hole's ruts were too deep for anything, except MAYBE the Sportsman 500 with 27 inch tires and a lift kit. We would get a running start and just high center on the middle, we would high center enough to lift the tires (front and rear) about 2-5" off the bottom, thats how deep the ruts were.

I did surprise him a few times with how good I could go threw the holes with my factory tires. He was very surprised he couldn't pull me on the headrow. We will see who pulls who when I get my Mud Sharks or Titan 589s.

P.S. Neither one of us flipped this time even though he almost flipped trying to follow me up the spot where he flipped going down.

Arctic Cat 500, Gotta love it!!!!

[This message has been edited by BONER (edited 11-01-1999).]