I'm new here-input on 4x4 ATV

[skye]

Like it said. Nice website BTW. It was hard to find a ATV website that is aimed more to trail/rockcrawling.
Anyway, in the pass I had a Suzuki Samurai rockcrawler(33's, gears, lockers) but sold it do to needing a daily driver and was going to Pismo alot with two sport quads. Now I am tired of the beach crowd and wanting it see the Rubicon again. I will be buying two 4x4 ATV, his and hers. So, this is what I've narrowed it down to.

HIS-Arctic Cat H1 650 TBX- because of GC, wheel travel,cable locker, pickup bed.

HERS-Yamaha 700 Grizzly- EPS, EFI.

WE will be trail riding mostly, I plan to do the Rubicon again.

PRO and CON for both bikes. I'm not 100% on ether.
TIA

[Ken]

Don't know much about the Yamaha...never seen anyone with one that I knew.

Arctic Cat...Derrick has a Cat here...my only downside that I know on the Cat is, the shifter is on the left side....same side as the brake! so if you're at a bad angle....shifting in reverse while holding the brake, is tough.

Thanks for hanging out.

[d2photo]

the foot brake is well at the foot...

dual brakes in the front and one in the rear..

I do like the high GC. Can go over things clear that others hit..

BUT.. with high GC comes high center of gravity.. So when you first get it can "feel" a bit tippy..

I have gotten used to my cat now and feel much more comfortable.

The cats do not come with a sway bar that everyone else does but with the TBX/TRV frame - the wheel base is a major compensator for this and if you REALLY feel this is an issue - the sway bar kit is around $125

[traildad]

So when you first get it can "feel" a bit tippy..

06 650 V2 Cat (roll count - 3) (rides w/o roll - 30 Cool

"I always wanted to be a roll model"

"Feel" a bit tipy

[WillRide]

was going to Pismo alot with two sport quads. Now I am tired of the beach crowd and wanting it see the Rubicon again.

Hey skye, welcome. I'm one of the few sport quad riders here. We're heading down to Pismo this weekend. What did you get tired of down there? Just curious.

[skye]

Thanks Ken, d2photo, Traildad and Wllride.

The tipsiness of the cat is no big thing, after driving a Samurai on 33's with 24" wheel travel on the street.

Pismo- we would go out mid-week, really the best. Then watch as the people start to pull in, some know what their doing, most don't. By Saturday, the whole place is a zoo, most have no respect for anyone else. I would talk to the rangers to find out what happen and places that had trouble the night before. I love Pismo, but at the rate it's going, it will be shut down, not enough people care. In the pass couple years the group I rode with went to 10 families to 0. Mostly, do to other groups non-stop parties all night, fights, crashes with other dum rides, the trash and the thievery. I'm sorry to see our land taken away from us, do to us.

[ToddW]

Thanks Ken, d2photo, Traildad and Wllride.

The tipsiness of the cat is no big thing, after driving a Samurai on 33's with 24" wheel travel on the street.

Pismo- we would go out mid-week, really the best. Then watch as the people start to pull in, some know what their doing, most don't. By Saturday, the whole place is a zoo, most have no respect for anyone else. I would talk to the rangers to find out what happen and places that had trouble the night before. I love Pismo, but at the rate it's going, it will be shut down, not enough people care. In the pass couple years the group I rode with went to 10 families to 0. Mostly, do to other groups non-stop parties all night, fights, crashes with other dum rides, the trash and the thievery. I'm sorry to see our land taken away from us, do to us.

Tippy inside a rig is different than tippy ONTOP where the rollcage is YOU. You can't compare tipping inside a rig to tippy ontop an ATV total different feeling.

Is there a place you can rent these and test? I'd do that and compare with other ones too find what you like from the tests?

[d2photo]

There is a place in tahoe that rents the Cats.

Wayne has no issues on my wifes 400, and I noticed a BIG difference when I got rid of the stockers and went to the mudlites..

New quad IMO

[skye]

On the tippyness thing, I own a Yamaha Warrior. And for a sport quad, very tippy and very bad brake dive and cut. But, working your body weight can manage most of the problems.
I'm more interested in the mechanics for this bikes. How low of gearing, how well they crawl, engine braking, steering control, and ride comfort. Almost all the reviews I read are about how fast in a drag race and top speed. Nothing about low speed control.

[d2photo]

As far as engine braking -VERY good.. at times almost too good.

Ride comfort. Can go on an all day ride and you arse is in fine shape.. one of the most comfortable seats I have been on.

Gearing is also good and the V-twin I am running is fine on the low end.

Have no problems with the steering..

All of my problems with the quad I ride are "rider" induced..

[MrBill]

So the cat people have three wheel EBS or no ?

[ACLakey]

Three wheel EBS in 4 wheel drive. If the locker is engaged it works on all four.

[d2photo]

The braking is associated with the clutches - so 2wd if in 2wd and 4 if in 4 Im guessing you are talking about the 3 wheel spin if locker not engaged?

So yea I guess 3 wheel..

I know it works well enough I actually have to give it gas to keep me rolling forward at times.

[oldtrucks]

The Cats just seem fragile, flop it on it's side and all the racks and plastic get all whacked out of shape. Takes two quads with winches to get everything re-aligned, or just a couple hundred bucks and Cat will fix it for you

[d2photo]

Hey I learned how to fix that one with the winch on my quad now..

One man operation