New Arctic Cat Thundercat 950

[MudMan]

Anybody got any news....good or bad....on this new beast ??

Personally, I have never been a big Arctic Cat fan but all that power does catch my attention.  Maybe it will be a good bike to put the new 32" Gorilla Silverback tires on.  Or maybe it will just be a big, heavy, powerful, POS. 

950 CC, 716 pounds (dry weight), 6.5 gallon gas tank, $10,500 price tag.....HMMMMMM

Any thoughts ??

[94Hardbody4x4]

All Quad Magazine said is that "Does an ATV really need this much power?" They critisized it alot because of the power it had. Said it was too much to be usfull for anything but mudbogging.

I dissagree.

[shogun323]

I can see the use for all the power when being used on a farm but not as a recreation vehicle. By the time you add fluids and a rider, you have almost 1000 pounds of weight. That's a lot of weight to be moving around on a recreational ride. Then again I ride a sport quad.

[Bleedsblue]

I can see the use for all the power when being used on a farm but not as a recreation vehicle. By the time you add fluids and a rider, you have almost 1000 pounds of weight. That's a lot of weight to be moving around on a recreational ride. Then again I ride a sport quad.

That's within a few lbs of most 500cc and bigger utility ATVs out there and lighter than some of the Polaris's.

Personally I think the biggest potential risks are going to be the transmission and belt drive. The bevel gear (I believe that's it) has been an issue on the 500's and 650's for some time and has supposedly been fixed in most recent years. Now you are throwing a bunch more power through the transmission so who knows if it will hold up and if belts can handle the power. If it all holds together it will make a pretty mean mud machine but it could end up being a one of those machines you are constantly working on to keep it together.

Bill

[shogun323]

That's within a few lbs of most 500cc and bigger utility ATVs out there and lighter than some of the Polaris's.

Wow that is insane!!!

[94Hardbody4x4]

My 500cc Honda weighs 554 dry and around 700 with my on it. My Fathers Rincon 680cc weighs only 600 dry. The AC 950 must be a tank.

Oh, by the way, even with all it's power, it still has a lower tow capacity than the Can-Am 800.

[Bleedsblue]

My 500cc Honda weighs 554 dry and around 700 with my on it. My Fathers Rincon 680cc weighs only 600 dry. The AC 950 must be a tank.

Oh, by the way, even with all it's power, it still has a lower tow capacity than the Can-Am 800.

Honda's are generally smaller than most big bore machines and less powerful as well. I would hardly consider an extra 100lbs making it a tank.

Who buys big bores for towing???

Bill

[AmericanRobster]

I own an Arctic Cat 500 4X4 ATV 2up. It weighs in at 850 pounds. The 950 is crazy. Expect alot of people ( Inexperienced riders) to get hurt on this beast. $10,500 is outrageous for a quad.

[sbripple]

yeah  they are trying to compete somehow.950 is too much,especially an arctic cat. something will break.

[sykolincoln]

I honestly this machine will cause problems, this is the heaviest "4 wheeler" out and the most powerfull. Yea there are drag banshess and such but you wont see to many unexerpeinced or to young riderz on those, you will however get some idiot let his 11 year old on this with no helmet and let them go blasting around on it and then blaming the manufaturer if the kid gets hurt on it. Its to big, and something that big should have larger racks and not able to go 70+ mph in my Op leave that to sport quads with experienced riders for that.

[MudMan]

It doesn't weight any more than the big bore Polaris UTES.  They weight in upwards of 700 pounds too.  For some reason, all the foreign makes have this magical 600 pound mark that they try to keep the bikes around.  Look at all the big bore UTES from Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki.....all of them weight close to 600 pounds.  For some reason Polaris and AC don't adhere to these same principles.   Does anyone know why ?

I've ridden all brands of bikes.....the extra 100 pounds doesn't make a huge difference in my opinion.   Except its a little harder to move in the mud....HAHA

[Da_Mtg_Man]

It doesn't weight any more than the big bore Polaris UTES.  They weight in upwards of 700 pounds too.  For some reason, all the foreign makes have this magical 600 pound mark that they try to keep the bikes around.  Look at all the big bore UTES from Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki.....all of them weight close to 600 pounds.  For some reason Polaris and AC don't adhere to these same principles.   Does anyone know why ?

I've ridden all brands of bikes.....the extra 100 pounds doesn't make a huge difference in my opinion.   Except its a little harder to move in the mud....HAHA

I remember hearing a while back that it has something to do with overseas shipping or free trade or something like that.

[predatorracer8]

It doesn't weight any more than the big bore Polaris UTES.  They weight in upwards of 700 pounds too.  For some reason, all the foreign makes have this magical 600 pound mark that they try to keep the bikes around.  Look at all the big bore UTES from Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki.....all of them weight close to 600 pounds.  For some reason Polaris and AC don't adhere to these same principles.   Does anyone know why ?

I've ridden all brands of bikes.....the extra 100 pounds doesn't make a huge difference in my opinion.   Except its a little harder to move in the mud....HAHA

becaus polaris attracks a more "badass" type of person.......... like me thats why i got a predator 

[Kawa3]

the first guys I have seen get one on boards had it snorkeled from the dealer and 29.5 laws waiting when he got home. Has been riding it like that since he has had it for almost 2 weeks and loves it.

I had one ordered but did not get it as I am going to school in June and won't have the time to ride it much and need the cash for school instead of riding. But you can bet that when I get out of school I will have it.

I can see the use for all the power when being used on a farm but not as a recreation vehicle. By the time you add fluids and a rider, you have almost 1000 pounds of weight. That's a lot of weight to be moving around on a recreational ride. Then again I ride a sport quad.

That's within a few lbs of most 500cc and bigger utility ATVs out there and lighter than some of the Polaris's.

Personally I think the biggest potential risks are going to be the transmission and belt drive. The bevel gear (I believe that's it) has been an issue on the 500's and 650's for some time and has supposedly been fixed in most recent years. Now you are throwing a bunch more power through the transmission so who knows if it will hold up and if belts can handle the power. If it all holds together it will make a pretty mean mud machine but it could end up being a one of those machines you are constantly working on to keep it together.

Bill

Belt drive won't have a problem IMO as it is based off the same as the H1 which has pretty much the best belt setup out there. Bevel gear problem was mainly from the 500 zuki engines being placed in the AC frame which AC has now fixed them from breaking supposedly. But the 650 H1 was kind of based off the 500 and the 05s and 06s had problems but 07s had hardly any problems and 08 has a support. Main reason the bevel gears broke was from people bouncing the tires with like 29.5 laws on them.

As for the weight..it isn't a problem. I think Can-ams are like 50 lbs lighter. And the weight does not make them a tank.

My 500cc Honda weighs 554 dry and around 700 with my on it. My Fathers Rincon 680cc weighs only 600 dry. The AC 950 must be a tank.

Oh, by the way, even with all it's power, it still has a lower tow capacity than the Can-Am 800.

The towing capacity isn't based off from power. I think it is braking and top speed(or at least top speed comes in with SxSs)

I honestly this machine will cause problems, this is the heaviest "4 wheeler" out and the most powerfull. Yea there are drag banshess and such but you wont see to many unexerpeinced or to young riderz on those, you will however get some idiot let his 11 year old on this with no helmet and let them go blasting around on it and then blaming the manufaturer if the kid gets hurt on it. Its to big, and something that big should have larger racks and not able to go 70+ mph in my Op leave that to sport quads with experienced riders for that.

Some of these brute forces that a couple people on highlifter are building(flynt and Turner) are making them run 95+mph.So speed is no longer just for sports(Ute honda riders don't realize this yet ) Look around here http://www.highlifter.com/forum/Kawasaki/forumid_22/tt.htm

yeah  they are trying to compete somehow.950 is too much,especially an arctic cat. something will break.

lol wtf? Don't doubt Arctic Cats. And stuff breaks on all especially if you ride hard or in mud 24/7 like most AC owners do. Except those Honda's that don't have enough to turn a tire.

950 is not to much. I don't know why people say that. We have seen it coming and it is only going to get bigger just like waverunners that will be into the 1800ccs here in about a month.

[MudMan]

Someone has a hardon for AC I see   HAHAHAHAHA


I don't think I could ever complain about too much power....that's like complaining about too much sex or too much beer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[94Hardbody4x4]

Except those Honda's that don't have enough to turn a tire.

LOL, I love it when people say that. Go buy a little Rancher and say it then.

[Kawa3]

Except those Honda's that don't have enough to turn a tire.

LOL, I love it when people say that. Go buy a little Rancher and say it then.

lol ranchers have a hard time turning 27s in the thick stuff with a bunch of mods. When honda puts a bike out that can turn 30"+ tires let me know.

Someone has a hardon for AC I see   HAHAHAHAHA


I don't think I could ever complain about too much power....that's like complaining about too much sex or too much beer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a hardon, just works great for what I do and doesn't fall apart.

[Bleedsblue]

Belt drive won't have a problem IMO as it is based off the same as the H1 which has pretty much the best belt setup out there. Bevel gear problem was mainly from the 500 zuki engines being placed in the AC frame which AC has now fixed them from breaking supposedly. But the 650 H1 was kind of based off the 500 and the 05s and 06s had problems but 07s had hardly any problems and 08 has a support. Main reason the bevel gears broke was from people bouncing the tires with like 29.5 laws on them.

True but most belt drives in the current big bores are pushing the limits and now are you talking going from holding the power of a 650/700 to the power of a 950, which is also making more torque. That's a 42-46% increase in engine size and a fair amount of more power. I just hope they made changes to it to accomodate that. If so that great news. I agree on the bevel gears but having seen a couple break myself I felt they gave out too early...at least on the earlier year machines. If it's better on the newer machines thats great news. It's one thing to push your machine really hard and break axles, something that can be fixed by most people but broken internal transmission parts is what turned me off to the ACs.

If there are any weak points they will show themselves over the next few months. Personally I hope they hold together because then it gives hope to being able to have an ATV with a big outlaw and have a pretty low risk of breakage.

Bill

[Bleedsblue]

All Quad Magazine said is that "Does an ATV really need this much power?" They critisized it alot because of the power it had. Said it was too much to be usfull for anything but mudbogging.

I dissagree.

Something alot of people don't realize is there is Ute racing and they have an unlimited class. They show it on ESPN2 every so often. Usually it's King Quads, Brute Forces and Bomb 800 with the occasional AC 650. The AC 950 if they allow it should do really nice in that class. The racing is more of an all around type of racing so speed doesn't automatically determine the winner. They race through the woods, around and over logs, over a rock field, some mud and water.

Bill

[94Hardbody4x4]

lol ranchers have a hard time turning 27s in the thick stuff with a bunch of mods. When honda puts a bike out that can turn 30"+ tires let me know.

I have nothing against Kawi or AC (if I had the money, I'd be on a Brute right now though) but you can't deny what Honda has. Reliability. Every manufacturer in the world has lemons or defects but Honda has stood up pretty good to that.

[MudMan]

I second that.......there's a lot to be said for durability and reliability.  I love knowing my bike's gonna start every time. 

[Kawa3]

lol ranchers have a hard time turning 27s in the thick stuff with a bunch of mods. When honda puts a bike out that can turn 30"+ tires let me know.

I have nothing against Kawi or AC (if I had the money, I'd be on a Brute right now though) but you can't deny what Honda has. Reliability. Every manufacturer in the world has lemons or defects but Honda has stood up pretty good to that.

They had reliability back when they made the Honda 300s since then not really. They are so under powered compared to the same size bikes. Look at the rincon...that is a joke. Compare their 500 to others especially a Can-am 500. The new Big red will be a joke also. Everytime I go out my bike is under water(not sunk) in the worst holes I can find all day long, only trail riding is from hole to hole. I have had no problems with any of the 3 cats other than boots on the axles(can't stop that). Relability now depends on maintenance IMO

[94Hardbody4x4]

Realiability depends on matenance? Yes, it does, and I've seen just as many Brutes spin rod bearings as Rubicon have tranny issues.

And if Honda was targeting the same crowd as AC and Can-Am and Kawi, then of course they would have an 800cc 5 speed bike that could turn30" tires. But what is the typical honda owner? A trail rider. Not a mud bogger. I've ridden a 750 Brute, I've ridden 800 Popo's, an 800 can-am and the Rincon is by far the slowest but by far the most confortable on the trail. And that is exactly what Honda wanted to make when they made it. There wouldn't be a 3-speed tranny in it with no low gear if it was made to compete with the other big bores. Honda targeted THEIR OWN buyers, not others manufacturer's buyers. Can-Am, Kawi, AC, and Polaris are all in competition with each other. Honda is sitting back and doing what they do best, evolving with the times but maintaining the same basic structure.

I'm not out knocking othere brands and makes. I know there is one of every bike out there that has 5,000 flawless miles on them. But not all of them are known for that. Hond ahas been in the game for a long time and they are still getting the same recognition by those that see what they are out to do.

[MudMan]

WELL SAID

[neysnumber]

amen.   i ve had my honda foreman 500 for over a year and havent had a problem yet.(knock on wood)    i do alot of trail riding with my wife.   with the occasional mud holes in between.   but maintenance and taken care of my ride is top.   i like haven fun but smart fun.   and as for the price of the big boys $10,000.   i m considering a side by side instead of another 4 wheeler.