arctic cat

[skinnylee]

looking for opion on a arctic cat 500 are they acold starter or not and would it make a good ice rig

[WyoMin Fisher]

As previosly stated in our conversation, go Yamaha! LOL. Did you find a used one for a good deal then? Call my brother in law Jeff Engelkes, he's a big Artic Cat fan and won't buy an ATV made from them. Reason? Who knows. Did ya move your house yet? Thanks for the day of fishin, great to see ya again. If you hear anything on the reunion let me know!

Scott

[Dave]

skinnylee, there are cold starters in every brand of ATV.

[JohnD]

Skinny-

I have an Arctic Cat 400 and love it, my dad has the same machine and loves his. I use mine probably alot more than most people use theirs, haven't had one single problem with it. I plow a 900 foot gravel driveway, hunt, ice fish, haul firewood, and do everything else you could imagine, and it has yet to disappoint me. As far as starting when it's cold, mine is cold blooded at about 20 degrees and below, but not a big deal, just run it with the choke for a couple minutes and it's fine. I think most 4 strokes are cold blooded in cold weather.

[PerchJerker]

I have a 2000 Artic Cat 500 automatic. It's an awesome starter, regardless of weather. Definately starts better than the Polaris and the Honda that my buddies have, but they're all good machines. My Artic Cat goes throught the mud better and pulls better than the other two machines, but the other two are definately faster if you're into racing around on them. Good luck.

[jdm911]

Hello, I have an 03 400i. It is a cold starter when below zero but I doubt that any machine fires right up at that temp. Despite this I really love it. I truly enjoy owning it. Wonderful for riding the trails but really shines when using it to get to the shack. Have a good day all, J

[kooba]

Hello fellas, Just a question about Artic Cats. Do you guys think the shifting type is better for pulling a fish house around with or is the automatic one better? The dealer said if I pull a lot, then I should go with the shifter one. What do you guys think? KOOBA

[ChuckN]

Your dealer is right, Kooba. I will only own manual ATV's for that reason. My machine pulls and plows a ton of weight.

[PerchJerker]

My 2000 500cc is an automatic. I work it hard -- the hardest is pulling a 500 lb disc for several days each spring working up food plots. One of my buddies has a new Honda, and after he saw how hard I was working my Artic Cat pulling the disc he wouldn't even try it with his machine. After 4 years of discing, hauling firewood, ripping around in the mud, etc. I haven't had any transmission problems at all. Just use the low gear when you're towing/hauling and you'll be fine. Good luck.

[Dave]

My thoughts, if YOU like the idea of riding without shifting, get the automatic. With low range, the amount an automatic can pull is quite high. Ok, IF you happen to blow a belt in a couple years, it's $35. How much is it if a gear blows out (wich has happened to me).

I would look at the whole picture as to what you'll use the ATV for. For me, I don't mind shifting but rather not.

[pj4]

got to love those 500 auto cats. do most atv have the primer and a choke like the 5oo?

[Big Dave2]

In my opinion the shifter set up on the AC is terrible. I think they are an overall good machine but if it were me I would definately get the automatic.

I have used my neighbors AC to plow my driveway and even he says that if he had it to do over again he would get the auto next time.

Maybe it is just my big feet but I have a hard time shifting the gears and even finding the shifter sometimes because it is so close to the machine.

Also if you plow, shifting gives you one more thing to have to do and you always have to shift to neutral before you can shift the hand shifter into reverse and then there is running the plow up and down Then push down the shifter again so you can put it in to high or low range then shift into gear and then probabaly shift again into 2nd. Way too much for my limited motor skills!

Dave