I am looking to get a new AC to use mainly for hunting and some snow plowing. The area that I hunt has steep hills and I currently own a Bayou 220 that works OK but is basically useless in the snow. I am undecided between the AC300 and the AC400 Auto. I thought the 400 would work the best until I read some posts about how loud it is. I need a quiet machine to get close to my hunting location without spooking any game. Will the AC300 meet my needs or will I be disappointed with its power and wish I had the 400.

 

I have a 2000 400 4x4 and cant think of one time that I wished I had a smaller one. We hunt with it and everything . I would good with the 400 myself. BIGGER IS BETTER..

 

Completly Agree, Bigger is better, and they make a super quiet muffler for all utilty quads for hunting if needed.

 

The "noise" they talk about with the 400 isn't from the engine, it's from the transmission. I don't personally think it's that loud (my brother's 375 is the same machine as the current 400 autos). It's more noticable at speed which isn't likely to affect you when hunting.

 

Thanks for all your responses. Here is a post from another board that has me concerned about the engine noise of the 400 4 x 4. I know that the engine takes about 200 miles to break in but I will only be able to test drive a new one. Will it become quieter after the break in period?


I just recently purchased a 2003 400 4X4 A/C with an auto trans. My father-in-law has a 2000 500 4X4 A/C with an auto trans. Their is such a HUGE difference in the way the engines run. My 400 sounds like it is getting ready to take off and start flying going 10-15 mph. The engine is revved up so high!! The 500 just idles along. I drove my brothers 400 Yamaha last weekend which also has an auto trans. and it is like my father-in-laws 500....really quiet just "putting" along. The mechanic at the dealership said it was supposed to be louder to produce enough torque. I'm not buying that too much anymore. Has anyone ever had this problem before?

 

I have a 2000 AC 300. It has plenty of power due to the 3 transmission ranges and 5 gears in each range. I usually use the middle(Low) range. It will crawl through trails at low speeds. Also will pull any animal you will get hunting, I pulled a bull moose out of a swamp with it. When you are trying to be quiet, you can lug the engine slightly and you barely hear the motor.
I have never ridden a 400, so can't speak for it, but usually the auto bikes are louder than the manual ones.

 

While my brother's 375 does make a little more noise than mine at speed, I'd not consider it "sounding like it's going to take off." I suspect the person in that post either had a lemon or had it in low gear.

 

I've got a 400 4x4, act, and it's no louder than a 450 Honda. Got lots of snap for me, I don't wanna go 150 on a bike. Lots of low end and good traction with the act rear end. I went with the ACT because it's less maintenance, only have 2 CV joints instead of 4, and less moving parts. I have more ground clearance than 90% of 400's, and twice the susension travel. Gas tank is huge, 4.75 gallons, this bike will go a long way on that. I don't have any problems staying with a 450 Foreman, but I can't pass them either. I like the brakes, powerful brakes on this machine. Could believe Honda wanted a grand more for a 350!, and it had Drum brakes all around. Ac is the best bike out there at the moment. I get a lot of questions about it and a lot of people are leaving Honda for these around here.