I always get in trouble when I say this: Modern ATVs have more power than they can use. I know the ATC90, and then 200 was a blast to ride. It seems the high horsepower in modern ATVs is used for acceleration and top speed just like motorcycles. Many utility ATVs are used for work. My point is the utility of the 35 hp Honda Rancher, FourTrax, and Foreman models. They can plow snow, spread seed, haul feed, and pull loads just as good as my Can Am.

But horsepower sells machines and I get that, especially in the sport utility and mud bog machines.

David

 

Besides their horsepower they have massive amounts of torque. That's good for working and for some riding, but most of the time you won't need it.

 

Not so many circumstances where you need the extra HP. It's nice to have it though. I had a Polaris Sportsman X2 500. Was a great all-around machine and fantastic as a work quad with the dump box/passenger seat and the 400 lb. rated rear. But, I can't imagine riding it on the Paiute Trail. It would be gasping for power and have nothing left on the top end at higher elevations. That, and I couldn't keep up with the guys on the 700+ cc machines, especially in winter riding where they allow quads to ride the snowmobile trails.

 

My Colorado friends advised strongly for a "big bore" ATV as the altitude here does rob power. I think the extra torque just results in wheel slip, although I didn't have much trouble with wheel slip plowing snow.

I can certainly feel the altitude effect in our two cars pulling up hill. Gutless, and a bit dangerous when trying to merge going uphill. That's why God invented turbocharging. High altitude aircraft is a good example.

So I have more horsepower than I need, but maybe someday I'll need it. Kinda like Yogi Berra's insurance. "You don't need it till your need it."

David

 

Power sliding comes in handy. It's nice if the front wheels insist on going straight in a corner even though you've got the handlebars over to steer. A lean forward and into the curve with a blip of the throttle will bring the tail around where you want to be pointed. Not as easy to do on a 500 or smaller. The only 4x4 500 I ever felt was easy to flick around was the Renegade 500. The combination of tires and the potent V-twin 500 really made a difference.

The bad side of the big bores is having to be careful that you don't jab the throttle too hard in the corners. They have the power to pick up the front end even at 20-30 mph or more. (Haven't been brave enough to try it any faster than that)

Another nice thing about the big bores is clearing obstacles. It's nice to pop the front end over rocks, and logs and skid over them. Just have to get off your seat to control things a little better. I don't find the 650 in the Outlander Max to be able to lift off. It's pretty good in the regular Outlander.

 

This week we're shedding some light on the interesting relationship between American manufacturers Polaris and Arctic Cat:

https://atvconnection.com/articles/a...-facts-know-5/

 

I knew the same guy started Polaris and Arctic Cat in Minnesota but didn't know Polaris used to be the farthest north business in the US.

 

I knew the story well being from Minnesota. Both Roseau and Theif River Falls are great high school hockey towns. Mr. Heeten went on to start All Season Vehicle company in Grand Rapids, MN. ASV was a premier maker of rubber track systems, and that grew to be a specialized tracked skid steer machine, similar to a wheeled skid steer but with tracks of course. That company was bought be Terex some years ago. It is a nice factory in a nice town in a nice part of the country. The last factory I worked in supplied parts for both Polaris and ASV. I wonder how Ski Doo got started in snowmobiles how that business grew.

Anyways, both Arctic Cat and Polaris are famous Minnesota companies with pretty good products.

David

 

This week we're looking at the top spot- actually the second place spot as in who makes the most ATVs each year.

https://atvconnection.com/articles/a...-facts-know-6/

 

I didn't see any mention of who has what percentage of the ATV market. No mention of UTVs either. I've been looking online and not finding any answers there either. The latest rumor I heard about it is Honda sells more ATVs than Polaris but Polaris sells so many more UTVs that they're the market leader in combined ATV/UTV sales. Polaris sells more UTVs than ATVs from what I've been able to piece together. That may not be right though.