Off Roading Diesel Arctic Cat

[AMink]

I had added a thumb assist on the throttle

Cabela's was sued and ended up settling for selling a thumb assist (I. P. I. , now Mad Dog) that was used on a quad that was involved in a fatal here in Reno. From what I gather, the hubby let the wife ride/operate a big quad, maybe a Grizzly. No experience, no training. Same thing happened as CF's wife. Got going a little fast, froze, squeezed, and launched. Unfortunately, the quad landed on her at the bottom of the ditch. Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all blaming the thumb assist. I do question the logic of putting someone on a quad they're not used to with little or no training and sending them on their way.



I just got a Polaris Sportsman 500 and love it! Small enough to go places I shouldn't be going, big enough for hours of comfort. I have been using it for scouting antelope and have put over 250 miles on it in the last two weekends. I suppose the bigger one would be good for heavy work like plowing snow or hauling stuff around the ranch, or if you're a BIG boy. For now though, I'll stick with 500 cc's at about 45-50 mph, thought the thought of a diesel is tempting, just because!:-laf

 

[Champane Flight]

That sucks...

Cabela's was sued and ended up settling for selling a thumb assist (I. P. I. , now Mad Dog) that was used on a quad that was involved in a fatal here in Reno. From what I gather, the hubby let the wife ride/operate a big quad, maybe a Grizzly. No experience, no training. Same thing happened as CF's wife. Got going a little fast, froze, squeezed, and launched. Unfortunately, the quad landed on her at the bottom of the ditch. Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all blaming the thumb assist. I do question the logic of putting someone on a quad they're not used to with little or no training and sending them on their way.



I just got a Polaris Sportsman 500 and love it! Small enough to go places I shouldn't be going, big enough for hours of comfort. I have been using it for scouting antelope and have put over 250 miles on it in the last two weekends. I suppose the bigger one would be good for heavy work like plowing snow or hauling stuff around the ranch, or if you're a BIG boy. For now though, I'll stick with 500 cc's at about 45-50 mph, thought the thought of a diesel is tempting, just because!:-laf

My wife has been on many trails and done quite well, she is getting a little old now at 68, but still quite capable. I put the assists on both machines, and gave her quite a few miles of easy trail to get used to it. I have to take responsibility for not breifing her on rough trails before we hit it. The rainbow trail is pretty narrow at maybe 50" in spots, and I should have told her to use her thumb for rougher areas, like the Rainbow. Never take anything for granted.....



Your 500 will do any job just fine, my little 330s plow, haul, pull anything I hook em up to, that is what they make gears for... . I wish I could have gotten some pics of it plowing last winter, I can tell you that even the big boys were getting stuck... What is fun is getting going around 20, and plowing into four foot of snow!:-laf But, just the idea of making my own diesel and being completly self sufficent makes me drool, why is that? They are some heavy pigs though... .

 

[AMink]

My wife has been on many trails and done quite well, she is getting a little old now at 68, but still quite capable

.

CF--I didn't mean to imply that you let her loose without any instruction. I reread my post and see where it might be taken that way. I should have clarified that I was refering to the fatal crash here. Apologies.

 

[tgordon]

When I was younger we got a 250 2x4 for around the farm. Never used it for what I would consider towing, but we abused it plenty, running that last bag of seed to the planter, building fence, hauling feed to do chores, etc.



My only compliant is that it is a 2-stoke engine (I don't get along with them very well) and our garage now that we moved is to small for that and my tool box, so the tool box won and the quad is at a friends.



Troy

 

[Champane Flight]

Thats OK...

.

CF--I didn't mean to imply that you let her loose without any instruction. I reread my post and see where it might be taken that way. I should have clarified that I was refering to the fatal crash here. Apologies.

No really, I am guilty of it, I really should have given her more instruction. In some cases she is a better rider than I, in this one situation, she was not. You just reminded me that I should take nothing for granted, it is a good thing considering the areas we ride. Thanks.