ATV with a fully manual transmission?

[js5020]

One thing I haven't gotten around to is to see if its capable of modifying the 4wd shifter to get 4wd lock like the zuki. I have seen 01 and earlier it is possible, 02 maybe, 03 and later not possible.

 

[timswi]

My 2cents..I had a Yamaha Big Bear 4x4 that had the semi-auto trans..The machine was indestructible but after plowing with it for a few seasons I found the full automatics much more efficient...Also, hill climbing is better with the auto--A few times I didn't have the RPMs perfect and missed a gear, that isn't fun.

General trail riding though, the manuals are fun.

I have a Polaris Sportsman 570 efi 2-up. I'm very happy with it.

 

[dfkrug]

Yes it has 3 ranges, we bought it new so its not a swap from a zuki king quad.View attachment 606703

Interesting....maybe some short-lived features of '02-'03. All your other ACs had only 2 ranges, correct?

Suzuki is my favorite brand, based on quality and features. Also, my first ATV experience, back in '83 with the new LT185 semi-auto quad. First serious production maker of 4-wheelers. Also, Suzy uses painted bolts thoughout. (I was into motocross bikes back then.)

Currently have a top-of-line 2000 Suzuki Quadmaster 500 4x4 Auto, a 650# monster.

I also had an AC DVX400, a sporty quad with manual trans, which was a joint effort with Suzuki and Kawasaki. I was going to lower the final drive ratio for utility use, like I did for the Warrior, but the parts were harder to find. Super-quick ATV...more power than anyone should want, who is not racing.

 

[bullbreaker]

Been along time but another good feature about the AC/Suzuki was the toe heal shifter where you would kick your gears up with your heal .

 

[dfkrug]

Been along time but another good feature about the AC/Suzuki was the toe heal shifter where you would kick your gears up with your heal .

An unusual feature that I kinda liked, which allows you to ride around in sandals, since you always pushed down to shift. The ACs had it, but the Suzukis did not. The longer AC wheelbase was probably why.

 

[Oldpath05]

I had a 94 Suzuki King Quad, it was king of gears but wasn't liquid cooled and when I parked it in gear on an incline/decline, needed a stick of dynamite to get it out of gear so I could start it up. The 96 AC Bearcat was the best atv, I could park that on a bank in gear, shut it off, then step back on the rocker shifter and it would slide right out of gear. The ride was good to with that unique stile walking linkage hooked on the rear axle, the only big draw back was the front end didn;t lock and unlock to a poss tract, when atv-ing I like a true 4x4.

 

[dfkrug]

I had a 94 Suzuki King Quad, it was king of gears but wasn't liquid cooled and when I parked it in gear on an incline/decline, needed a stick of dynamite to get it out of gear so I could start it up.

I would say most semi-auto ATVs are hard to shift into neutral with the engine off on a slope. That is why you need a good parking brake. Turning engine off in gear...no bueno.

You had the Bearcat 454 4x4? Two-range trans, correct? No full auto trans offered?

 

[Oldpath05]

I would say most semi-auto ATVs are hard to shift into neutral with the engine off on a slope. That is why you need a good parking brake. Turning engine off in gear...no bueno.

You had the Bearcat 454 4x4? Two-range trans, correct? No full auto trans offered?

Yup and I liked the rocker shifter on it to, noval idea, wished they still made them, now there all belt drive auto, but maybe someday I'll fix the old one back up if I can still get parts for the motor and transmission.

 

[js5020]

I needed to juggle some equipment around today which involved getting all the quads out of the shed. Took notice the cat 300 now has 778 miles on it, even with the low miles time is taking its toll on things like hoses, seals, and such so it's waiting it's turn to be run through the shop. One of the things I was doing some research on was an overbore kit to get some more ccs out of the engine, but although I have read about the kits I cannot seem to find one easily. The 300 is mostly used as a work quad and does the majority of snow removal and doubles as a spare trail machine so I would like to keep it around.

 

[Oaktree]

I suppose my question would be why a full manual transmission? As I said I have a semi manual and honestly it's a pita once you have used an "automatic". No one and I do mean no one wants to ride the 5 speed all day long on the trails, they will take any of the auto machines over shifting all day long.

I was thinking the same thing. A lot of my riding is over some pretty rough trails that can be enough of a handful without the hassle of shifting. The two ATVs I've had...a late 80s-vintage Polaris and my current CanAM both had the CVT and I wouldn't trade it. Yeah, dirt bikes are manual (or at least any I've had were), but they're not a work vehicle where you've carrying tools, equipment, etc.

AC was late to the ATV world, so they partnered up with Suzuki on the drivetrain, starting with the AC 300/KingQuad300.

AC uses Suzuki engines in some of their snowmobiles too, my 660 4 stroke has one. Smooth and very quiet, biggest problem is that cooling is barely adequate in loose snow, tends to overheat if trails are icy.

 

[junkyardwarrior]

About like cars. 99% of Americans (and possibly canadians) can't drive anything with a manual transmission, so manufacturers quit making them with the exception of sport quads. The Yamaha YXZ1000 was a manual transmission, clutch pedal and all. I love it. But it's also the reason it did NOT sell very well initially; until RecKluse designed an "auto clutch" for it. I've put several in, and it does change it considerably. Gear kit + Reckluse makes it a totally different machine. I much prefer full manual, though. Guess I'm one of the very few left. It would be nice if manufacturers offered a fully manual trans UTV but it won't happen for a LOT of reasons, and #1 is what I just listed. Another reason is manufacturing 10 or 12 gears inside the transmission is more expensive than 4 or 6 and a belt & converters. Keeps cost down a little. Keeps warranty costs down too since most can't drive a manual and they tend to smoke the clutch about 10 feet into ride #1 and expect warranty to pay for their own ignorance. It happens with motorcycles too, most commonly crotch rockets. Also with sport quads. I rode sport quads (trails) for years and with a group of friends who all had some sort of sport quad. Only one that wasn't a manual was the KFX700 and it was a wheelie monster and not much else (sport?? LOL). Every ride there was at least one that was having clutch trouble and of course me being one of the 2 or 3 "mechanical-minded" people (out of about 25 or so riders), they'd always tell me how their stuff was junk and that the manufacturer shoulda made the clutch idiot proof. I'd usually adjust the cable to put some freeplay back into the lever and they were good to go for a while, normally enough to get through the ride. During the week, they're replacing the plates & steels with barnett brand stuff. Mine (660 Raptor) had the same original clutch in it the day I sold in in 2014 as the day it was assembled in Japan.

Could you imagine what an RTV diesel would be like with a manual transmission? It would be a REAL workhorse!!

 

[DK35vince]

About like cars. 99% of Americans (and possibly canadians) can't drive anything with a manual transmission, so manufacturers quit making them with the exception of sport quads. The Yamaha YXZ1000 was a manual transmission, clutch pedal and all. I love it. But it's also the reason it did NOT sell very well initially; until RecKluse designed an "auto clutch" for it. I've put several in, and it does change it considerably. Gear kit + Reckluse makes it a totally different machine. I much prefer full manual, though. Guess I'm one of the very few left. It would be nice if manufacturers offered a fully manual trans UTV but it won't happen for a LOT of reasons, and #1 is what I just listed. Another reason is manufacturing 10 or 12 gears inside the transmission is more expensive than 4 or 6 and a belt & converters. Keeps cost down a little. Keeps warranty costs down too since most can't drive a manual and they tend to smoke the clutch about 10 feet into ride #1 and expect warranty to pay for their own ignorance. It happens with motorcycles too, most commonly crotch rockets. Also with sport quads. I rode sport quads (trails) for years and with a group of friends who all had some sort of sport quad. Only one that wasn't a manual was the KFX700 and it was a wheelie monster and not much else (sport?? LOL). Every ride there was at least one that was having clutch trouble and of course me being one of the 2 or 3 "mechanical-minded" people (out of about 25 or so riders), they'd always tell me how their stuff was junk and that the manufacturer shoulda made the clutch idiot proof. I'd usually adjust the cable to put some freeplay back into the lever and they were good to go for a while, normally enough to get through the ride. During the week, they're replacing the plates & steels with barnett brand stuff. Mine (660 Raptor) had the same original clutch in it the day I sold in in 2014 as the day it was assembled in Japan.

Could you imagine what an RTV diesel would be like with a manual transmission? It would be a REAL workhorse!!

I think your 99% can't drive manual is very extreme. 30% maybe.
Surprised most all motorcycles ( dirt and street) are still manual transmissions if no one can shift gears. Yet they get by just fine.

 

[lilranch2001]

I think your 99% can't drive manual is very extreme. 30% maybe.
Surprised most all motorcycles ( dirt and street) are still manual transmissions if no one can shift gears. Yet they get by just fine.

Yea, I agree. I thought it was high as well, not sure 30% is correct either tho.
Lots of the new generations have never ridden a bike or driven a stick shift.

Maybe they should put it on the census.

 

[airbiscuit]

I put a different sprocket for more low end torque in my Yamaha 350 Warrior (6 speed manual). It is much more fun to ride on the trails than my 660 Yamaha Grizzly (auto). More nimble, responsive and easier to throw around the corners. If you really want to chase it, buy a Yamaha Banshee and hold on!

 

[IndyIan]

AC was late to the ATV world, so they partnered up with Suzuki on the drivetrain, starting with the AC 300/KingQuad300. These unique 280cc engines featured the usual semi-auto transmission, but the final drive is part of the same case, and it held a massive 4 quarts of oil. The Suzy version had IRS and a 3-range trans while the ACs had only 2 ranges, but a longer wheelbase.

Your 2002 AC 300 had 3 ranges? That is curious, as my AC300 4x4s from '01 and '04 had only 2 ranges, as did my '04 AC500 4x4.

When I bought my 01 Kingquad 300 in 2002, I looked at the 01, or 02 Arctic cat 300 and it was only missing the front diff lock that the kingquads had. That feature is nice to have in many situations, either slippery or rough when you may have only 1 or 2 wheels on the ground. I thought the AC300's had double a-arm rear suspension while the kingquad has swing axles. The kingquad is a good simple work beast, but I can't imagine rough trail riding with it keeping up with the newer machines. For rock crawling I'd think it would be far better than the new stuff just by having the COG at half the height, but I just play in our woods a bit. I estimate I've got ~5000 miles on mine as the speedo cable broke in the second year at 1000 miles.

 

[dfkrug]

I thought the AC300's had double a-arm rear suspension while the kingquad has swing axles.

Early Suzuki and AC utilities both had IRS, tho the designs are different. Photo is the KingQuad 300 (280cc) IRS, with swing axles. The ACs had double-wishbones, even the 2WD utilities.

Tho virtually all 2-wheel M/Cs are still manual-shift with hand clutch, scooters (which can be over 600cc in the US) are virtually all CVT autos. I don't see the former losing manuals in my lifetime.

 

[Oldpath05]

I think your 99% can't drive manual is very extreme. 30% maybe.
Surprised most all motorcycles ( dirt and street) are still manual transmissions if no one can shift gears. Yet they get by just fine.

I was going to ask that question, lots of people around here have motorcycles and dont recall anyone mentioning a automatic motorcycle, but about everything else have gone automatic. Doesn't Honda ATVs still have some what of a standard trans?

 

[atsah]

I think the Honda has ESP, push button clutchless shifting with the option of full auto included..

 

[Tennsawdust]

I think the Honda has ESP, push button clutchless shifting with the option of full auto included..

It's basically a dual clutch transmission. You can use the paddle shifters or let it handle the shifting itself, much like cars with the "flappy paddles".

 

[otlski]

Yea, I agree. I thought it was high as well, not sure 30% is correct either tho.
Lots of the new generations have never ridden a bike or driven a stick shift.

Maybe they should put it on the census.

You troublemaker.