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Story By: Dan Reincheld & ATV
Source
Photos By: ATV Source & Dan Reincheld
Continued from page 1.....
The Mighty
Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000
The body and ergonomics have also been
modified on the Thundercat. A different
handlebar bend is used to increase rider comfort
in the lower seating position. Overall, we found
ergonomics to be comfortable and controls were
easy to reach and use. A wider fender design has
been added to increase rider protection and a
high-density polypropylene skid plate and stick
stoppers are used for quad protection. Arctic
Cats CVT with dual range gearbox and
start-in-gear feature are standard. Only one
color will be available for the initial
offering, AC Racing's metallic silver with
Thundercat graphics.
A unique feature of the Thundercat is a peak
load limiter, renamed “Spike Load Dampener” to
protect gearing, drive shafts, and axles. While
the unit does not limit torque output at all
under normal riding conditions, it slips under
extreme torque peaks (such as an airborne
landing where the rear wheels touch down first
and throttle is still applied) to keep torque
loads seen by the drive train within gearing and
shafting limits. Actual torque limit specs were
obtained by destructive testing of components
and the limiter design set under those limits to
prevent breakage. An admirable idea for
reliability and long life of the engine and
drive line, but maybe an absolute necessity
considering the massive power available. Did,
perhaps, the Arctic Cat engineers break a few
drive shafts while testing the beast?
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One area of concern was the tendency for bump
steer. In tight GNCC style trails, the quick
throttle response might get some more aggressive
riders into trouble in rough terrain, unless
they have lightning fast reflexes and a strong
upper body. We noticed more feedback through the
handlebars, which at some times almost jerked
the bars out of our hands. This condition
actually decreased when in 4wd, with steering
still light and responsive, but more stable.
Seeing as how the awesome acceleration is only
slightly lessened in 4wd, it might be best for
some riders of the mighty Thundercat to keep it
in 4wd at all times. With so much power
available, we would like to have seen as
standard equipment a steering damper.
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Another area of concern for us on what we see
is overly aggressive engine braking. On several
occasions when hitting a downhill corner with
loose surface and decelerating (no braking), the
rear tires skidded and caused the rear end to
come around a bit. While this might just be a
factor of our riding style, it was disturbing at
first. In addition, when attempting to pull a
wheelie (which the quad does quite readily with
a little help, in spite of the longer
wheelbase), engine braking kicks in hard when
letting off the throttle and causes the front
end to slam into the ground instead of easing
down, a rather disconcerting experience.
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Daryl Rath is not racing the new Thundercat
in this years WPSA. Instead they are
racing the 650 H1's as the rules for the WPSA do
not allow any ATV over the 700cc limit. However,
the H2 will get some race experience in this
years 6 and 12 hours of ATV America and some
Baja races. It is indeed race-proven tough. We will
see more Thundercat riders on the podiums in the
future. We will also see many mud-modified
Thundercats crossing the finish line first in
all the major mud bog races.
The result of three years of design and
testing, we were quite impressed with the
Thundercat. It is a blast to ride, and as fun as
a quad can be, keeping in mind the two
potentially tricky items above. Power is
unmatched in the ATV world, and those searching
for even more will be very impressed as well.
The thrill of popping the throttle lever and
watching your knuckles turn white is also
unmatched. Dealers are expected to have the H2
Thundercat by October, 2007 in limited numbers.
MSRP will be $10,499, but until production hits
a peak and demand ebbs a bit, expect some
dealers to ask more for this two-headed monster.
Maybe you should rush to your nearest Arctic Cat
dealer and put one on reserve today?
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