ATV Florida Forum

Hello al, Im planning on buying a Suzuki Vinson 500 4x4 auto. I have a freind that has one and he likes it. I live in central fla on 5 acres so I'm looking for a work/play ATV first off. Hoping later to add a fun ATV also. I can think of a lot of jobs this atv can help me with on my property.

Its a great bike but if your going to be doing hard work with it get the manual shift

Yeah like Mudd said, go manual if your going to be doing hard work.  I take it you live on a Ranch which means really hard work ???

Look at the Arctic Cat 500 its the same engine as the 500 suzuki but the AC has Better racks a 2in reciever 12 inches of GC and will be better for a work and play. And you can order a ton of stuff to fit right on the racks for the AC. www.arcticcat.com  ;D

Thanks for the input so far guys.So why do I want a manual for work? so I can control the speed and gears? Do you shift with foot or hand? I am looking into the Artic cat, it looks like a great machine but I'm thinking I can get the Suzuki vinson 500 for around 5800. but looks like the Artic cat would run more like 6400 or so. A bit more money.I'll have to do some more research on the two, but I do like the speed attachment stuff and dual ind suspension on the artic cat. But then reviews say the artic cat with the wider track, high lift is easier to tip and is award on rough  trails. But here in central fla we dont have roots/rocks/ tight trails like up north that much do we? The trails here are more open sand and such I'm seeing on the web anyway.

By the way wher do you all ride?. I see Ocala and big scrub look pretty cool, only about an hour from me. What do you waer when riding besides a helmet? any other requirements?

Central Florida does have alot of roots and tight trails, especially if u go to croom in Brooksville. Ocala in some places are wider and not as many roots, i havnt been on the new trail system much out there so im not totally sure about that

Thank you atvtrailer. So for a 5 acre work first play second atv, any comments on Artic Cat 500 4x4 manual vs Suzuki Vinson 500 4x4 manual? Any considerations for trail riding between the two in central fla? I see the Artic Cat has lots of storage/attachments and such but I have seen lots of storage/attachmenst I can get for other brands also.The main difference  see is the Artic Cat have independent rear suspension where the Suzuki rear is basic swing arm.

I guess you all say I should get manual trans for work, that fine, guess my wife and kids can figure how to use that easy enough.

I have a Suzuki Vinson 500 Automatic and couldnt be any happier. I have heard a lot better reviews on the vinson that arctic cat.

Thank you bgscrb15 , my friend that has one told me he got a good deal on his with 4 year warrenty, and he only trail rides his and he is happy with it. I have 5 acres and want to pull a trailer, throw some logs in it, haul some stuff, work aound the land with it, I guess the consensus for work is go manual. 

I just looked up info on Ocala forrest OHV trails an all and I'm stoked. Trail riding looks like a blast, I cant wait to get mine and go riding. My daught aske me , where are you going to ride it. I have loats of vacant land/ woods around me, I just have to get on my tractor and start clearing some atv trails  out behind my house. But Ocala and such , that's a deffinite, hopefully I'll get to meet some of you all out there.

If you have a wife and other people that may ride it, I would go with an automatic. Even working on the ranch. I have a polaris 500 sportsman and do not see anything that a manual tranny will do that my auto won't. Some people worry about belts but that only because they either don't know them or don't know how to use them. With a belt system, when you are working it, if you stay in low range you will never have a problem.

Man let me tell you,auto is the way to go, I pulled nursery carts ,stumps,equipment etc and beat the heck out of my prairie 700 4x4 and havent replaced a bely yet @ 750 miles. Shifting sucks dont bother. Spend $40 and keep an extra belt handy!

The auto is good in the 500suzuki/arcticcat but I like to shift ;D as far as the arctic cats tipping...its pretty hard i rolled my H1 about 3 weeks ago  and i was doing about 35 and turned a little and the tires grabed a root then it flipped. but thats with 30 inch tires and almost 17inches of ground clearence. I havent had a problem with width yet but I havent been to croom, but never had a problem up in kentucky and the rest of the places in fla. also if you can find an 06 AC it would be cheaper and its the same other than the plastic engine covers.

Thanks for all the info guys. So an Auto ATV uses a belt drive variable transmission and a manual is what gear drives?  So I'm guesing people basicly are fearfull of the belts and prefer the gears. I can understand that. But yeah I want my wife and family to be able to use it and not get all bummed out over a manual trans and shifting gears. Yeah auto tranny is simple, any one can ride that.

I would have to imagine that thses ATV makers have develped a long life belt drive by now that should be pretty dependable. Probably like a timing belt on a car that you change after x amount of miles/hours right?

So where do you all like to ride? I looked at the where to ride pics from Croom and Ocala and man that all looks like just too much fun!!! I will have to some traveling to all thses places, I'm sure glad florida has plenty of cool places to ride.

Hey Kawa3 tell me more about your Artic Cats. Have you bought any add ons for yours like front brush guard, rack attachemenst or such? WHat do you use yours for play only or some work or what? I like the the idea of the speed rack and speed points. I was looking on line and I see there are a zillion things you can buy for most of the main stream atvs anyway. but AC does have a few uniue things for the speed poiunts I could use like the chain saw, shovel/ rake rakes stuff and all. I think I would buy the front brush guard and baskets and stuff to help hold lots of stuff. But I can buy a lot of those things for a Suzuki too.

We have front and rear bumpers on all except a rear one on the 500, they are great bumpers. Mainly use them for play and hunting and very little work but i have hauled quite a few trailers around the hunting camp and they have dont great. The H1 will turn any tire stock, 500 and V2 will with very little mods(no mods needed for less agressive tires). I love them and would buy another one next but I need a sport quad ;D

Runfox, what part of central Fl. do you live at.

Thanks Kawa3, Yunt2ride, Im in Deltona, about an hour north of Orlando, right off I-4, about 30 min from Daytona, north of lake Monroe and StJohns river.

Your welcome, at least with people knowing where you live, maybe someone near you will let you know when they are riding

Cool, I went and looked at the Suzuki Vinson 500 4x4  and the Artic Cat 500 today. Got the broshures on each one. The Suzuki is nice and they have an 06 left Im sure I could get for a bargain, but I really like the Artic Cat. THe girl there at the AC dealer was nice, helpfull and I think they will give me a decent price for one. I think MSRP is like 6400. if I can get it for 5800. or under 6 I'll probably get the AC .

I love the 2" reciever for the trailer hitch, same size as on my pickup truck so I can use the hitch on both, and independant suspension front and REAR , speed rack attachments, The AC would be a great work/ play machine.

Funny coming home just now I pass my nieghbors house out on the corner before I turn down my diert road, about 10 ATV's all lined up. Looks like my neighbhor and other locals all riding somewhere close. I told my wife I cant wait to get my bike and join them, they must be riding in my area , they were on the bikes no trailers. I might have a bunch of riding buddies right down my dirt roard, pretty cool!!!

Cool, you would be happy with the AC, Maybe talk to the guys that you seen riding and ask them if any of them are members of the site.

Yep I'll have to tell my frinds about this site if they dont know about it, seams to be a good place for info and to make friends.  I really appreciate the info on where to ride with the pics and all, I had no idea there were all these other cool places to ride besides Ocala. That Croom looks like way too much fun , I have to go try that  out!!!

If you want anymore info check out www.arcticchat.com should have said that eailer