Trying to decide on new bike for my wife and just looking for opinions on the 400 ho and 500 Cat core. Which would be the best buy?
They both seem to listed everywhere at about the same price.
Anybody owned one of these models or could recommend one over the other?
Thanks.

 

If they are selling for the same price in your neck of the woods ,get the AC 500 core. It has ebs and efi and a higher M.S.R.P. value.

Link 2013 Arctic Cat 500 Core w/ EFI ATVs

I have a friend with a 2002 500 AC that he bought new and he had no problems with it so far. I,m sure AC did not make any improvements for the worst in 2014.

Nothing wrong with the sportsman but ebs and efi are nice options if they cost the same.
Does the AC 500 have true 4wd? If not that would be its only disadvantage vs the Sportsman.

 

Im not sure if the AC has true 4wd. What does ebs stand for? Electronic braking system?

 

That's correct. When you let off the gas the rear wheels will help hold you back with the help of the motors compression, without it you just free wheel down the hill and only rely on your brakes to slow you up.
For true AWD you need diff locking front end or the ATV is limited slip front end make makes it really a 3wd.
You only use diff lock if 3wd fails in a nasty spot.

 

Great! Thanks

 

The AC does have an engine braking system. I'm not sure how the 4wd works.

 

The AC 500 is really only a 443 cc and the Polaris is a 455 High Output. Everything else is about the same except the Cat has a bigger gas tank.

 

the arctic cat engine is supposedly a kymco built engine using arctic cats specs. Good engines though. cat only build the 650 and up,maybe the 550 too. Yes it has a true locking diff. 2wd/3wd/4wheel lock. The core is EFI. Im uncertain if the polaris 400 had EFI, i didnt think it did but it might. They dont make the 400 anymore according to the website. Smallest is the 570 that i seen. cats engine breaking works pretty well. put it in 4wd and low down a hill and it crawls down at about 2-3 mph. if its real steep it may start to pick up a little speed but tab the break to get at 2mph again and it will crawl again without brakes.

 

Polaris still list the SP400H.0 for 2014. http://www.atvreviewnetwork.com/enth...cleCode=373726

The 2014 AC 500 does not mention a diff lock on this site ,just http://www.atvreviewnetwork.com/enth...cleCode=374034.

WOW,AC calls their 443 a 500 and Polaris calls their 455 a 400. Talk about diffent marketing.
The older AC 500 used the same Suzuki motors found in the 500 King Quad at one time, hope the new 443 is as reliable.
The Polaris 455 is a Japanese Fuji made motor that's been around since 1996. Same motor as the 500H.O but a different bore or stroke , can't remember now.

 

Arctic Cat 2013 500 look at the specs. Says it has 4wheel lock. I couldnt imagine them not having it, they had diff lock on the 400 and up since 2005 or 2006