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Posted by: Andy Bassham
A $1000 is a pretty big jump. Not enough difference in the two to sway that far. Totally depends on what you are wanting to spend. For a grand, I wouldn't go up to the 500. If I was spending a grand more, I'd get something different (meaning different brand and different bike). Or, I would stick with the 400. If I was getting the 400, I would hold back til an 05 hit the shelf and get the differential lock with it. Its worth it, even it if was like $400 more for the 05 over the 04. And to justify the $400 vs. $1000 for a 500, then just take into account the 05 500 will be more than the 04 500
Posted by: Andy Bassham
Air cooled bikes in the 400cc range are fine. The big ones really do need it (I.E. 600 Grizzly). But Honda has never had a problem with their air cooled 432cc motor.
Posted by: JohnO
What I noticed going from my 'slow' 02 500i manual to a 03 400...
At high engine speed, there wasn't much difference. Low to mid engine speed, the 500 definitely has more punch. They'll both go the same places, and at about the same speed, but the 500 feels a lot more relaxed doing it. Whatever the engine speed, whatever gear you're in, it has enough punch to pull you out.
I also set out to get a 400i, but that day the dealer didn't have any in dark green in stock. So they knocked another $400 off of the price of a 500i... don't know if it's worth another $1k, but to me it was worth another $600.
Posted by: Bluethumb
I have an '03 400,and it's a really good bike. The motor is air/oil cooled, and it's very efficient. I never even hear the fan unless I'm going slow, over rough ground for extended periods of time. In contrast, my buddy has a 650 and the fan almost never shuts off. It has gotten a little better with some miles on it, but I don't think liquid cooling has any advantage over the air/oil.
Posted by: mudblaster
if its hot where you ride you will appreatiat the liquid cooled 500 motor over the fan cooled 400.
the 500 wont overheat on long hot rides.
mind you the 400 has excalent cooling also.
also the 500 has way more torque then the 400.
plus you dont have to beet it to keep up with the bigger quads.
once you've tryed the 500 you wont want anything else.
Posted by: Husky
I have an 03 400 i with 3300 miles on it... the bike can do just about anything a 500 or 650 can but you really have to rev the heck out of the engine to get the power I need to pull a heavy trailer or climb long hills etc. even in low range. Recently I got a 650 as well, that bike (or motor) can pull anything, go anywhere with ease (after I took a shim out of the sec. clutch). If you need this bike for hard work I would get a 500 man. over the 400 because I just don't like to rev up an aircooled engine in low range for too long. Last weekend some friends and I went down an old overgrown trail that turned into a 10 hour mudbog. This 650 worked with ease though the muskeg (yes even I got stuck a few times) while a guy on a 500i, another on a 600 griss, another on a 700 Sportsman (this bike also has lots of power but just does not have the clearance the cat has, ripped a floorboard out, bend the radiator guard and used more gas than all the other bikes) had to drive the living daylight out of their bikes just to make it back without getting hung up all the time. The 650 also used by far the least amount of gas of all the big bikes on that trip.
Posted by: Husky
Bluethumb,
you're right, the fan on the 650 runs a lot... but this is because they set the temp. tolerance a lot smaller to keep the motor at a fairly even temp. The 400 fan does not run as much but the motor gets very hot at times as I know from my own experience.
Posted by: Polaris500HO4x4
if your gonna be riding with sportsman 500s then you want to get teh 500 because as of now u say u dont need the top speed but when they pull away off the line and u never catch up to them then ur gonna wish you had the 500. IMO i would spend the extra $$ and get the 500 so you can stay with the 500HO. oh and by the way talkin about mudding ur gonna want to get the 500 because staying with a sportsman in mud is a hard thing to do so if u get the 500 with some more agressive tires and the diff locker u could prolly pull by a sportsman in the mud. good luck with your decision
Posted by: NovaSS
I have a couple ATVs and one is a AC 2004 400 ( irs) manual.
Im not a big fan of autos but thats more rider choice than anything else.
So how much power do you REALY need? I have had my 400 up to 50+ MPH on a straight flat trail, in the woods I never get abouve 20-25 MPH. As for lack of low end power no big deal, drop it in low range, this is something I have only had to do twice. I looked at the 500s too, but I could not see the reason to go to up in price just for my ego ! I have never second though my choice for the 400.
If I realy want just to go fast I would have bought a raptor.
Posted by: Bear4570
If the 500 is so great, then how come Arctic Cat sells more 400's than anything else? I will be getting a '05 400 as soon as the right arm gets far enough in PT to be able to ride. The only place the 500's and up leave my 250 behind is on the flat, straight logging roads. Otherwise I go where they go. Momma want a machine to ride when she goes riding with us and during hunting season, but wants an auto, and a 400 is the smallest Cat with one.
Posted by: Bear4570
Gentlemen, The 500 weights 50lbs more than a 400. If you think that is not much, you are wrong. Back in my racing days with 427CID engines in 3000 pound cars a 100lbs weight loss was worth a tenth of a second. In round numbers that makes that 50lbs about 400lbs in a 3000lbs car. And the power to weight ratios are a bunch different. The car had about 7lbs to 1hp and the cat has about 28lbs to 1 hp and thats giving the Cat 25hp.
Posted by: Catterman
Yes the 05 400's will have the diff lock. $1000 is a lot of money, I am happy with my 400, but I would rather have the 500. The liquid cooled would be better, and while in high range the 400 has no low end power. But the call is yours, good luck!
Posted by: MrTommy
The 400's weigh as much as the 500's, so that's an argument FOR the 500. But, I don't know how you sit financially. We bought two 400's last year because we could afford two of them. We could NOT afford two 500's. And since getting them, we've not found ourselves wanting. We haven't ever found ourselves in a place where we wished we had spend more $$$ because the 500 would have gotten us TO or OUT OF anyplace. It's "cooler" to say you have a 500, but money's money. Let your pocket book do your choosing. You will never be disappointed with a 400.
Posted by: tta583
Friends and web boards are great for ideas but don't let them make decisions for you. If you like the 400, it fits your budget, and you want it then get it.
As for keeping up, as I look at it I don't think I want to be riding off road as fast as anything I ride can go. After all you never know what it around that next corner.
Brent
Posted by: Kylersk
Me and a few guys from work have gone out on 2 rides together this summer. 1 of the guys has an 98ish or so 300 Kawasaki, another has a 335 polaris and they've both gone every where the others have gone (AC 500, Polaris 700, Polaris 500, Polaris 400). The only place the smaller bikes had problem was keeping up on the flat straight aways. But that kind of riding gets boring really quick so, it's not much of a problem.
Posted by: ng
The biggest thing you would be getting with the 05 500 is the defferential lock,Good luck with your decision.
Posted by: heyyou
The 400s come with a diff. lock for 2005 too,don't they?
Posted by: heyyou
I agree with you NovaSS,I had a 400 kodiak and it was all I needed,and more.It was light,nimble,and a pleasure to ride but I bent the frame on it and couldn't get it back to the way it was.The guys I ride with all had bigger bikes so wanting to fit in,I got bigger as well.A 2005 450 kodiak would be soooo sweet I don't think my teeth could handle it anyway.
Posted by: weez440
what you gonna use it for? you gonna keep the stock tires on it? if you are going bigger you need more power if not then you don't. gonna do lower speed trail riding and family stuff then the 400 is all you need. both will tow a ton in low range though and when it comes to speed if a person needs to go over 50 mph i could just as well jump in a vehicle speed doesn't mean anything y ou can clutch a 400 to probably do 70 mph but it would take about 2 miles to get there.
Posted by: MikeMM
YOu guys are great, but I still need more info.
I am really scared to spend so much money on a new quad and buythe wrong one. I am 90% sure that I want a new 400cc auto and was going to bye but then this morning a friend mentioned I was crazy not to look at the 500 for an extra 1K. I like the new look and storge but do I really need the extra? I will be running with all sportsman 500s but from what I can tell I do not have a hope in speed anyway but will kill them when we hit the mud.
Any comments, is the 500 and liquid cooling that much better ?
- Mike
Posted by: CATSKINNER
The reason Cat sells more 400's is because 400's is the largest selling market because of the price range. The 400 is a great machine but if you want a liquid cooled motor with more power and speed, I would spend the extra grand. If you ride doubles a lot, that is another reason to get the 500. If you can afford it, I suggest the 500.
