mudcat,

Don't mean to be argumentive, but it seems to me that Suzuki knows a heckuva lot more about engine design than AC. It just doesn't seem logical that AC is designing the engines for Suzuki. Maybe they spec out the location of mounting bolts and where and how the drive train connects and that kind of stuff, but as far as combustion chamber, valve train, cams, connecting rod, crankshaft, etc., I think that is more or less Suzuki's strong point and why would they need any help from AC? This is just my observation and I really don't know anything at all about the working relationship between Suzuki and AC.

Bob

 

I totally agree Mudcat, Chuck , others. Suzuki and Cat have been working together for almost 20 years now. It's a good working relationship that has given Cat some of the best engines in the snowmobile business. Why would it not work in the ATV world.


-jeff b.

 

<FONT color=#0000cc>"REVer,

I agree and I really think any company that makes an engine powered vehicle without making the engine is well, sort of a marketing company rather than a real manufacturer.

Bob"
Kind of like your FUJI motor in the 500 Polaris you are so proud of? What about Bombardier (Rotax),Some BMW Motorcycles (Rotax), Your Craftsman Snowblower (Tecumseh or B/S). It is an entirely different thing to design/manufacture motors vs. components and suspsneion and frames. It would put AC out of business. If Cannonbailout would have used a Rotax motor or a Suzuki motor (built to their specs od coures) they would still be there making quads. The money into the engine is what sunk them. Trust me , you don't want an American motor in your quad/ snowmobile (can you name one besides Cannonbail? I can't think of any that are in business, I might be wrong).</FONT>

 

What a mess.....sorry I just read the above post I made....
What I meant was
Rev...your Polaris has a FUJI
And Bob, thats too costly for AC to do, and there are many companies who do it, in fact more who do than don't.
Sorry for the coonfusion

 

Sandneck, I understood everything you said until "coonfusion." [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

OOPS!
Thaanks for keeeping mee oon my tooes (just kidding)

 

Flash 2, It is true tha AC designed the 454 for a 95 production and was continued to run as a 454 until 98 when it was stroked and bored to a 500. The 400 (old 400 water cooled) was the same designit was available in 98 or 99. I would guess that it was a joint effort between Suzuki and AC, but it was an exclusive Cat engine for a few years. As far as the cat specing the engines until the Vinson came out the Cats always had a little higher compression ratio than the Suzuki engines. The mounting holes are the same. They do use a different carb on most as well as exhaust systems. I've worked on both and there are a lot of the same parts. Cat had used Suzuki front and rear diffs until 02 for the rear and 03 for the front when they released their own. Cat is a very performance oriented company as far as their sleds go. It would be nice to get a little bit more in their ATVs. It will happen, but when???
Actually Kawasaki owned a stake in Cat back in the 70s until they sold their shares to Suzuki. So back in the 70s Cats had Kawasaki motors in their sleds.

 

well isnt cat making the EFI motor?? or is it a suzuki motor and cat put the EFI on it

 

I don't think buyers would pick an arctic over another ATV because it could boast an Artic Cat power plant. I would rather have a rock solid engine with tons of part availablity. You all should discuss what is AC's niche in the the ATV world. [Start a new topic.] I don't think a 'Cat engine furthers their 'space' in the market.

 

Yeah i see your point now, but do you think that suzuki is the best choice to get their engines from?? I know its a good relationship but i think that they should try other company's, i like the rotax engine but i like the arctic cat atv, just my opinion, it might just be better for cat to stick with suzuki, but i dont know.