Another one here. Obviously traction is great with the AWD. Is this quad topheavy? I don't hear about it that much, but Dirtwheels had to go on with the claim that the Mag and SP500's would pop up a bit on the steeper graded. Maybe this was because they hit the throttle too hard, and maybe not. I don't know cause I can't ride these quads in this terrain. Nobody around here has anything but Hondas other than me and my cousin.

How is the throttle control when negotiating steep uneven rocky stuff? Can you get the quad to crawl up inch by inch in spots without suffering from belt catch lag time? This is also a key thing. With a manual shift, I have excellent throttle control and don't get into that sudden forward lurch thing. I'm really concerned about this one as well.

Does belt lag hurt you in any tight spots (the ones that you have to look hard to find, not the ones that are on actual trails). Any help on this would be appreciated as well.

 

Andy NO, NO, NO you can cure this three ways if you do feel it is light in the front end add a winch, add a front bumper, fill the hollow front bumper with sand. I have added the winch and front bumper and no sand and it wasn't for the reason I thought the front end was light. between it and the cat the sp feels a fraction lighter but at the same time doesn't put you in the situation to feel it because of the 4 wheel true pull...there is always going to be places I ride on either one of the animals where I have had to put my left hand on the rack with my body over the pod because it was just d#m steep or I hit it wrong...gee I am only human and really these places I shouldn't really should have been in the first place or was just being cautious when I really didn't have to. I must say though Andy the sportsman has pulled me through more dangerous situations because of the true 4 wheel pull than the cat as good as machine as it is. Think about it you could have a 100 pound lead weight on a 3 wheel drive vehicle but if you are going up something straight up with gravels on one side and running water on the other side when it stops pulling what is going to happen, so do you kinda see what I am getting across. AS far as the belt I can really tell no difference between the feathering of the trottle the sportsman seems to have more power to me and of course if you give it full throttle as most bikes you will raise the front end up...but to me having the extra power is nice you just have to know how to use it...

 

andy

just buy the sportsman, youll love it. except if they come out with a sp700 next week. LOL

later
jon

 

atving,

Thought you had an Arctic Cat 500 auto?

 

3ATV; Good post you pretty much say what I feel about my 500SP impressive machine.I really think what little experience I've had with the Kodiak it seems to be good machine,I woulkd say good starter for younger rider or for the ladies.You'll get used to the weight of 500SP and won't even think about it,I really like the feel of the IRS as you say them wheels are on the ground more.Did you get good chance to use the EBS I know that in low side going down hill it will cause you to stop unless you give it gas.If you stop on grade,it will not move in direction of gear that it's in.Forward won't roll forward,reverse won't roll backwards.CM

 

Hello 3ATV--

I was wondering if you noticed a difference in the engagement time of your AWD on the SP500 and the full-time operation of your yamaha?

With the Yamaha having the full time power to the front tires, and the SP having to "engage" the front end first--ever notice any interesting differences in the two styles? How did the Honda Foreman 450S and ES riders do with that particular hill you were speaking of?

Thanks for the great information in your post!

 

It is not the weight, but the power. I am sure they were using low range. Low is actually too powerful in some cases.

 

Atving- Excellent point there. That is practically the same thing that I had in my head. My thought was just a perception though with no experience to back it up in reality. Thanks for making that a bit clearer. I've always been in belief that a spinout really aids in tossing the front end into the air. Its when you are spinning and the front is kicking and bucking and looking for traction that the AC gets a bit nervy in the steep stuff. Same for other limites slips.

 

3TV- That was a pretty convincing post. It always sounds good when somebody gets to do the same thing on multiple machines. I loved this line- "noticed a few locals on their Hondas were
milling around the bottom of the hill." I get this picture in my head of a bunch of guys at the bottom riding over short hills and stuff trying to get the nerve up to attempt a tough hillclimb. Basically wondering if it is worth taking a tumble and damaging a machine, but at the same time fighting their ego's that tell them "Go for it!"

 

I helped name ChickenMan. I think you have just officially named the headlight assembly. From now on, I will refer to it as "Frog's head space pod". That seems fitting, because after thinking about it, thats exactly what it looks like.