Hello all,

I have been looking at new quads and trying to decide what to get. The 2-up Cats look interesting, but I have some questions I was hoping you fine folks could answer!

First off, if riding a TRV single, how does the handling compare to the shorter wheel base ATVs?

Second, I have read something about the Artic Cats being setup to allow for a rear anti-roll bar but that one is not supplied. Has anyone added one to their machine? Can you un-hook it but leave it in place when you want a little more 'independent' rear suspension?

I'm a pretty big guy, 6'4" and am concerned about the size of the foot boards, are they smaller than a standard single rider machine?

Last question - is the 550 powerfull enough to perform with two full size adults on-board, say 400-450 pounds combined? I'm not looking for a race winner, just relatively entertaining performance even when carrying two.

Thanks in advance for your input! BTW, I am currently riding a 250 class chinese model built on a full size Polaris Sportsman frame, so that is my current frame of reference.

 

I have a '08 TRV 650H1 and absolutely luv it. Your bring up some good question(s), I'll try and answer from experience.

1. It does NOT handle like an single. The longer whlbase make the TRV alot smoother to ride. - think big SUV. Your not tossed around as much, and it is alot more stable for climbing/decending hills. THe only drawback is that due to length, it can get difficult to navigate tight trails.
- also when riding 2-UP the extra weight make steering more difficult, and body roll is more pronounced.

2. Yes AC does offer a sway-bar, but I never put one on. It does limit suspention travel but is to improve steering/handling. It's NOT a quick release set-up. It's a "perminant" install. I've never really heard of any pros/cons so I can't really help you on this one.

3. NO I'm 6'05" and have NP getting "comfy" with my feet placement. I actually am a little spoiled now cause I alway "wack" my feet on the rear fenders when I climb on the wife's 550EFI single we just bought.

4. AC says that the 550 is as powerfull as my 650, but the combined weight you describe may be at the upper end of it's limit. Now that said......our new 550 is a really snappy and seemingly powerfull motor. Our single scoots pretty good....and it isn't even broke-in yet. But I know that $$$ wize the 700 is only offered in a touring edition which is spendy.

that's pretty much about it. AC's H1 platform is a strong motor. They've got a ton of low end torque and are steady in the pwr band. I've got both the carb'd and EFI ver, and both are excellent motors.

Now..........some things you may NOT have thought of:
1. the TRV is 8ft long! It doesn't fit in the back of 6'5" shortbox pickups...so you will have to consider the $$$$$ of a trailer to haul it if you don't have a longbox.
2. the TRV has a serious LACK OF STORAGE capacity due to the rear seat & no rack. I bought rear touring bags that wrap around the seat that works.


Hope this helps. Good luck! You'll luv the TRV.

 

Cupsz71, Awesome reply! Thank you!!

So with the longer wheelbase and IRS, do you have trouble sliding the rear end around on the fast flat turns?

I'm not to worried about the size for travel, I was planning on a flatbed trailer anyway. The 250 I have been riding is Dad's, so when I get one, I'll need to haul both of them anyway!

Oh, another question. How many miles do you get on a tank of gas? I know a lot of it depends on how and where you are riding, but in general, how far do you expect to go on a full tank?

Thanks!!

 

NP!

TO answer more:
- I can kick the rear end out under throttle when it's just me w/NP. 2-UP it's a little unpredicable..but I've done it. (the wifey wasn't too happy though....)

- The TRV actually has a SMALLER tank that AC singles. It's only 5.5 gal. On avg. I tend to get about 75-90 miles per tank riding 2-UP and about 120 when it's just me. I think I figured it out to be somewheres around 24mpg under "normal"riding conditions.
But I'm primarily a trail/ditch/field/prairie trail rider. (oh the occational muddy muck too...) But I've NEVER actually ran the tank empty. The most on the OD I ran was 95 and it took just under 5gal to fill when I was out with friends one sunday afternoon....... (which I'm pretty sure is why the wifey has HER OWN MACHINE now....)

Bottom line......the TRV is a GREAT MACHINE and you can't go wrong by getting one. Oh and when you do.........it's important to remember "man-law" - WE NEED PICS!!

 

Try a look at a 500 Sportsman X2 or Touring. My X2 has a 6.0 gallon tank and I get about 20 mpg when cruising, maybe 16-18 in the slow going technical. The seat on the X2 is not as comfortable as the Arctic Cat, CanAm, or Sportsman Touring (which has a comfy one). I agree with everyone here about the strengths and weaknesses of the longer 2-ups. Great on steep hills, a little tougher on tight trails, longer when carting it. I looked at the 3 makers when I bought mine and the Sportsman has a nice storage area under the front box that holds quite a bit of gear. Just food for thought. They all have great machines. See if you can try them all out for a short run and see how they feel.

 

Thanks again Cupsz71!

Thanks also to MooseHenden! I knew of Polaris and Arctic Cat having a 2-up model. Who is this 3rd you speak of?! When the time comes, I will try to ride as many as I can!

I am currently in data gathering mode. Once I know for sure what I want in an ATV, I will ride all that I can that meet my criteria.

Here are the things I am trying to decide on: 2-up or single; Engine displacement (of course some of this depends on whether I go 2-up or not); SRA or IRS.

Storage and travel are not big concerns for me. I am not a camper, so, at most, I just need some gas, food and beverage for a days ride. I have already decided I will get a trailer, so length isn't a big issue.

You guys have been very helpful. Keep it coming!! Thanks!

 

THe 3rd that I know of is the CAN-AM OUTLANDER. It comes is a variety of CC's - 400 - 500 - 650 - 800 (twin).

Out of the 3 2-Ups they have a variety of features. YOur best best is to look at all three and decide what best fits you.

just my 2¢

 

I do have a sway bar on my TCAT...it helps SOOO much with handling....from looking at the setup..it should be pretty easy to disable them..two bolts..We just sold our TRV today...it handled great.

 

The CanAm Outlander is the third I mentioned as stated above. CanAms tend to have the most horsepower in their class. I ride my 350 lbs. with a 200 lb. passenger every so often and the 500 has gotten me up, through, or over whatever I've asked it to. The Polaris now has a good engine braking system. It is rear wheels only on the machine I have. 4 wheel engine braking on newer ones. The one other advantage to the Polaris Sportsman X2 is the rear suspension is rated for 400 lbs. So, it doesn't squat as bad as the others do when riding 2-up. The Sportsman Touring and others are as stiffly sprung. Not sure of the numbers.

 

I was in the same boat a few weeks back. I was really set on an 08 650 TRV, mainly since I already have an AC400 so I could interchange some items. The dealer wouldn't budge at all in price - quoted me for the same machine 6 months prior at the exact same price.

So I got on ebay, and found an overstock for far less then I could ever negotiate at a dealer. Sad to say it wasn't another AC, this time it was a Polaris 800 touring. I think the rear seat is more comfortable on the touring vs the TRV, and one thing I didn't pay attention to before, does the TRV have adjustable footpegs for the passenger? One slight downfall I did notice with the 800 is you are definetly stradling it much more then the TRV (feels much wider in the seat area).