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Posted by: BONER
I'm gonna ask you to make your post alittle more understandable first before I post.
Are you trying to compare the AC 400 to the Honda 350(rancher)?? OR the AC 300??? Or what?
Posted by: BONER
OK, now that it's clear what ATVs you are comparing I can tell you what the goods and bads of each one are.
Lets start with the facts. The Rancher has 5.9" of suspension travel at each end with the Arctic Cat haveing 6.5" of travel at each end. But the REAL difference is that he Arctic Cat has a much better riding IRS.If you are not fimilar witht he advantages of IRS then read this quote from Dirt Wheels.
<< This, hands down, gave a better ride fo both over the Polaris's standard solid-axle, swing arm rear end. >>
That came straight from the June 2001 issue. The Rancher has this same swing arm, but clearly alot less suspension travel than the Polaris.
Transmission wise, the Arctic Cat comes with a TRIPLE RANGE subtransmission with 5 speed and reverse. So you have 15 forward gears and 3 reverse gears. ON the Rancher you only have 5 forward gears and 1 reverse. The Arctic Cat also gives you the 2wd option, and if you play with the stock 2wd linkage enough you can get the LOCKED 4wd postion too. This makes a HUGE differnce. It locks all 4 wheels MAKEING all 4 tires pull, while in normal 4wd it will let 1 front tire sit there and do nothing-- just like the Rancher's front end. But the Rancher doesn't give you any options at all, it's limited slip 4wd and nothing else.
The Arctic Cat has a MUCH softer seat for more comfort. The Arctic Cat has full floor borads, but the Foot shifter model Rancher doesn't. The Ac has MUCH higher rack ratings than the Honda and seem to be more user freindly with because of the lack of bars on the Rancher's racks.
If you are looking to swap out your tires for differnt ones the Arctic Cat gives you VERY POPULAR 12" sizes front and rear, while the Rancher sticks you with 11" rears which are not very popular. This 11" rear wheel realy limits your tires choices, and if you want to swap wheels you are looking at a pretty good price tag.
Speaking of prices, since the Arctic Cats are much less popular than the Ranchers they are also cheaper in the real world. Arctic Cat also regularly has little bonuses for buying Arctic Cats and will normally give you a free winch with the purchace of an Arctic Cat most of the time, Honda almost never does this.
Now one advantage that the Rancher CLEARLY has over the Arctic Cat is in the light department. Arctic Cat lights flat out sucks stock, btu the Rancher's lights are very good lights. Luckly, High Lifter sales a "light kit" for the Arctic Cat that gives you an AWESOME steerable light that realy ligths up the night. Another advantage the Rancher has over the AC300 is that is is a fair bit more sporty. It's much ligher and the rougher riding swing arm rear suspension lets it handle a good bit better when getting real agressive.
So if you think that I have left something out and want to know more please let me know. If I don't know the answer I will SURELY find out for you.
Posted by: BONER
Cowboy is kinda wrong about the $50 kit. The kit he mentions is for the 250 4wd. The 250 4wd comes as a fulltime 4wd model because it lacks the linkage that the 300 has. Since the 300 has the linkage already it's a waist to buy another linkage setup. So, just see if you can get the linkage to give you all 3 postions by moveing around the lever that is located all the way at the end of the linkage on the end of a stub that comes out of the front differntial. Move this around and see if you can get all 3 postions like this. IF not then I would go ahead and hack into the linkage it self so you could extend it. This would give you all 3 ranges.
Posted by: xepathfinder
I would go for the AC, I owned a new Honda once and have several family members and freinds that also in the past owned Honda, they were not junk but we all needed repairs, mine was quite prone to needing shop visits. I hear guys say they drove there Honda's 10 years with no troubles, I find that beyond hard to believe, either we beat are machines to death or they are very lucky but anyway I now drive Polaris and would never own a Honda again, I have talked to several people who have switched to AC from Honda and have never been happier. My Polaris machines have held up better than the Honda's we have owned before. Don't trust the hype, buy what you want take care of it and it will get you there and back. Honestly no atv's are bullet proof. AC builds a tough good machine. I also was told buy Honda, and was never happy with it from day one. The first weekend I had it had to be pulled out by a 250x 3 wheeler! and that is no S**T! It was a 300 4x4. It rode hard, had zero power, the 3x4 system was horrifying at best. My Warrior with Spider Tracks would go places that the Honda would not even begin to make. Yes I made the mistake of gettind rid of a perfectly good Yamaha Warrior for a Honda 300 4x4.
Posted by: jett
I had a 2000 cat 300 4x4 for 8 months, not a bad machine. I sold it because it was way under powered. Would I buy a Honda? No sir, not me.
Posted by: cowboy
Like the others have said with "more bang for your buck", check the AC 300-IRS for a very smooth ride, super low gear for very heavy pulls, or very steep climbs, deep mudholes, steep decents, you name it-any off-roader knows the value of super low gearing. Why do you think the serious jeepsters switched to the rock-lobster superlow tranny/transfercase combo for the rock climbs??? How about disc breaks which do not get plugged with mud, requiring more service after a ride for better stopping power. Then again, with the super low gears, how often will you use those breaks? What about the front diff-2wd, 4wd, and with an easy modification to the linkage, true 4wd lock for those extreme conditions.
As for power? Here's where I have a problem. Most people seem to equate power with speed. It has been said the AC 500 is underpowered many times before. Yet, in the field, it has been my AC 500 Auto who has come to the rescue of many other atv's, not to mention full sized-rigs, whether needing a tow, or even more serious requiring me to tie off to a tree and rig up the winch and snatch block. You say underpowered, I say Just Bring It! I'll show you just what my "underpowered" 'Cat can do.
Now, if speed is your cup of tea, or perhaps you prefer a bisquit with that, then no, the 'Cat is definately not for you. The entire AC lineup is so low geared that none of them are known for speed. Chances are, when up against another machine of the same relative sized engine (all 300's are not true 300's, 500's not all 500's, etc.) the 'Cat probably will not win the race at the end. Will it finish? Ah hell yeah, and very comfortably at that. When the going gets tough is when the 'Cat really shines. They are utility quads, and do an excellent job at that. If speed is your thing, you'd be better off with a sport quad, in which case, yes, a Honda would be an excellent choice.
For the money, it's hard to beat a 'Cat. With the options available on the 'Cat, it's like comparing a full sized Chevy Silverado to the basic Camper Special. Sure they'll both get you there, but which one would your wife rather ride??? My guess is that most people tell you to buy the Honda because of the reliablity issues. It is true that Honda has been about the most reliable machine out there. However, I believe the times have changed. Lately it seems this reputation is slipping a bit-either that or other manufacturers are just getting that much better. As Copper said, "AC is right up there with them, if not better". I'd have to agree myself-Cat performance in reliability terms has been great to date, getting better all the time. Another reason is basically the name itself-seems everybody wants a Honda. Of course, there are a lot of people who have never even heard of Arctic Cats before for making atv's. Sure they know about the 'Cat sleds, but most have never heard of the 'Cat atv's. Hell, I didn't even know AC made quads till I started seriously shopping myself a little over a year ago now. I thought I had my mind made up back then, deciding between the 450ES and the SP500. Thanks to the forum, I stumbled upon the AC lineup, now look what I drive. After comparing the features of each machine, then test riding each, the 'Cat sold itself. In fact, the first thing my dealer did was throw me the key to the 500, said take it for a ride, then come back we'll talk about the machine itself later.
A good dealer could very well be another selling point of a machine. If you can't get along with your dealer, if your machine breaks down and you guys can't get along, you'll be spending more time arguing rather than riding-what you ought to be doing in the first place. Fortunately, my 'Cat dealer is awesome. Always very nice, gives first rate service, gets things quickly and at cost when parts or oil are needed, definately makes you feel like he actually cares, definately does what it takes to get you up and running again. Just a few things you may consider before purchasing a machine. -another thing, somebody mentioned earlier that the dealer wouldn't let them test ride. If this were the case, I'd find a new dealer for sure, a test ride should be mandatory on all machines, regardless of make/model, whatever.
Anyhow, just a few things to think about. Best of luck in the decision, whichever you choose it will be the best machine for you.
Mike
Posted by: cowboy
KpWhite-
The 300 model 'Cat (and I believe the 250 4x4 as well) share the same front end as the Suzuki counterpart. As a result, while AC only gives you the stock 2wd/4wd option, the true secret lies within the differential itself. If you disconnect the shift linkage, then move the lever on the diff. by hand-or with pliars-you'll find that the differential actually has one more notch forward. So, pulled all the way out (or the lever back towards you all the way) is your standard 2wd. The middle notch (four wheel drive on the machine) is your four wheel drive mode. Now, with the third position available (all the way forward) you have True Four Wheel Drive LOCK. In order to access this "lock" feature, you'll have to lengthen your selector lever. A few guys have actually cut theirs in half, then added a new short piece to the middle, clamped all together. Others have extended a tab off the main lever on the diff to get the same results. Probably the easiest method is now available through Arctic Cat I believe, which costs around $50 I think-might be cheaper. They have the kit which will do this for you.
Anyway, if you go with the 300 'Cat, I'd definately have the dealer just install that for you before you leave. Like Boner said, AC gives away a bunch of stuff with a purchase (like the free winch-though in my area it's the $69 deal). I bought a pair of '00 Auto 'Cats, my dealer through in a two pairs of Cycle Country stick stoppers (cv boot protectors) for free with the machine, along with the winch on my 'Cat and the extended warranty on my Dad's machine.
Oh hey, if I haven't said so already, if it comes down to it and you do actually buy the AC-take the winch deal instead of the warranty! You'll get far more use out of the winch than you will out of the warranty. They come with a standard 6 month from the factory, which is plenty long enough. The extended is an additional 18 month, but if you read the fine print, it gets pretty technical with what is covered, what isn't. Our first ride out, we wished we put a winch on both 'Cats, not just mine, but it was too late to switch, AC headquarters had already filed our forms.
Anyway, best of luck again to you, hope you enjoy your new machine!
Mike
Posted by: cowboy
Oops! Sorry about that! Embarrassed now... heh heh heh. Hey, thanks Boner for the clarification as to the kit itself-I knew there was one, just thought it was for the 300 as well-my mistake.
Mike
Posted by: ttaylor
I don't have a 300 but I bought the 400. There was only $200 difference in price. I let my wife ride the 300 and 400 and she couldn't tell a difference in steering between the two. I prefer to have a lquid cooled motor. I haven't even noticed the all time 4 wheel drive wearing me out at all. I just did a 70 mile ride on saturday. The 400 has a lot more power and grunt. The hi-low range is in a better place than the 300. You also get bigger racks. I definetely would go with the AC. You get more bang for you buck than on a Honda. But I would take a AC 400 over the AC 300.
The AC Offers:
Disc brakes= more stopping power, easier to maintain.
Independent suspension=smoother ride.
Larger Rack capacity= ability to carry more.
Larger fuel tank=longer range between fill ups.
High\low Gears= more gears more ability to go places.
Posted by: sxr6
Buy a Honda!!!! Sure I'd pay more for poor ride, drum brakes, single range trans, NOT. Check Honda forum for reliabilety, they used to be best but look at problems their having.
Posted by: sxr6
I don't understand your reply " reverse is in high range " my 2000 300 has reverse in all ranges are the 99 models diff?
Posted by: sxr6
That's really wierd, my reverse speed & power matches the trans range your in, in effect I have 3 reverse speeds.
Posted by: MaxandBlade
We have had three 300's in the family since early 1999. Two 4x4's and one 2x4. To this date, we have encouneterd no serious problems. We do a LOT of very hard playing. They are ALWAYS in the water (usually very deep), sand, or mud. The 4x4's are an AWESOME mudder and great for the technical stuff!! Add a snorkel, lock the front end, add a lift kit, get some over size mud grip tires, and have a good time. (If that's your thing).
Can't think of anything else to add after Cowboy's well-put post.
Good luck,
Mike
Posted by: Farmr123
Cowboy pretty much said it. I guess I will add what I know.
I have a neighbor who USED to drive 2 Honda ATVs. Then he traded one for an A/C. To make a long story short, he now has 2 Cats. One has about 6000 miles on it, with only one repair out of warranty that I am aware of; a ball joint that wore out in the front end. He also had a part replaced under warranty, but I can't remember what it was for sure. The other one has about 4000 miles on it, and has been completely trouble-free. They are ideal for his uses- trailing cows and puttering around spraying weeds. They are NOT the best choice for high-speed running around (although they will do 45 or so if they have to). What really sold my neighbors on the Cats was the 4-wheel independant suspension. His dad just turned 70, but still LOVES to go out and check the cows. The ride of the Honda was just too hard on his back, but he can bounce over cow trails with the Cat, and says he feels noticeably better after the ride. As far as I know, the Cat (and King Quad) are the only machines in the 300 class with this feature.
Also, I won't buy another Honda 4x4 again until they put in selectable 2wd-4wd. It sounds like a little thing until you have it. Look around, how many full-time 4x4 pickups & Jeeps do you see? It has the same advantages on an ATV as it does anything else.
Posted by: Copper
You must be talking about the Arctic Cat 300 4x4? I have been very happy with mine and have had no problems. I just replaced the brake pads with 1500 miles on them. I did not think that was to bad considering those are some pretty hard miles. I have flipped it twice and rolled it once down a steep hill, off a 8 ft. drop off and into a creek. I had to replace the rear rack and plastic after that one but it did land upside down on a good size bolder! Much to my amazement it started up and I drove it home. I also have drowned it 2 times in the creek! The Cat must realy have 9 lives. ha ha. I also pull a 300 gal. water wagon to water my pine trees. This is well well over the rated towing capacity! So as you can see I play and work my cat hard. The cat still starts and runs like it did when new. Honda's have a reputation of being reliable but I believe Arctic Cat is right up with them if not better. From my experience anyway. Hope this helps in your desision. Honda or Arctic Cat you probably would not go wrong. Arctic Cat does have more features which you are already aware of. Later....
Posted by: mrmom103ny
Good question and ill answer it because i own both brands and have been a honda owner for many years.having been a honda fan since the late 60s i feel they have gotten to be a behemith of a company and lost a bit of their risk taking mentality.I also feel their products are so many in number the quality has suffered do to a stretched R&D dollar.I have purchased a 450es and a honda outboard recently and they both suffer from some serious engineering glitches.Although i still feel the products to be good at this point in time ,i feel the other manufactures have caught up and in many cases surpased them in ingenuity.A small company like arctic cat can move more quickly to the demands of the customer and they seem to care about their customer base.Ialso own own an arctic cat 300 4by4 (1999) and am very happy with it.It has some short commings but arctic cat covered the little trouble i had even after the warranty period.The plusses are a great smooth ride,locking front differential(5 minute adjustment)quiet engine,light steering,excellent traction,full size machine,stable on hills,heavy construction ,triple range transmission.Negatives are reverse is in high range??,plastic rattles abit but is easlily remedied.lots of CV joints to keep an eye on.I am personally staying away from honda these days.I am personally embroiled in a matter with the problems with the 450es model that has the NEW YORK STATE attorney generals office involved.American Honda is giving owners of this machine the run around about the electrical problems.I am not attempting to jade your decision but do your home work and keep an open mind .The current crop of honda products are not what they are cracked up to be,and the customer service dept assumes we are all morons.BR>
Posted by: mrmom103ny
I have reverse in all ranges.....but it is always in high gear ratio...the reverse ratio does not change with the forward gear ratio.
Posted by: UtahRancherRider
No doubt about it Honda's are great machines, but I also don't think you can go wrong with an Arctic Cat. About the only complaint I've heard about the 300 AC is it's underpowered. With super low gearing it will grunt along and go wherever you point it, just not in a hurry or with a whole lot of authority. I believe you get the most bang for your buck with Arctic Cat.
Posted by: kpwhite
Has anybody had any problems with the AC 2000 or 2001 350 4x4?.
I realize i asked this question a few days ago(but i worded it differently)but i only got 2 opinion's.
Come on guy's!help me out!
I guess i'll go to the honda page on this site and see what they think also.
Thank's.
Posted by: kpwhite
i am refering to the 2001 AC 300 4x4(utility ATV) vs the 2001 Honda TRX350 4X4 M/ES.I am using this honda because it's the one closest to the above mentioned AC.
I am using the Honda 2001 brochure as a reference.
To be less specific, i was wondering about the overall reliability of the AC 300 4x4 over the last couple of years vs the reliability record of a similar Honda (350 4x4 utility ATV).
Posted by: kpwhite
Thank you for your informative reply,however,i do have one question.
You said if i "played with the linkage,i could get true 4 wheel drive".
Could you please expand on this statement,how is this done?
Posted by: kpwhite
Cowboy, Thank's,That's a great thing to know!, i am refering to the differntial adjustment to get true 4x4.
I will ask the dealer about it.
Thank's a lot!
Posted by: YankeeAutoCat
<< Buy a Honda!!!! Sure I'd pay more for poor ride, drum brakes, single range trans, NOT. Check Honda forum for reliabilety, they used to be best but look at problems their having. >>
Yup that's about right except your Honda deal also includes paying more for worse tires and no selectable 2x/4x. My lawn tractor has more options (and rides nicer!)
