 |
The
front handbrake is a neccasity for bringing
the Thundercat to a stop at speed, but
for a person with a smaller hand the lever
can be difficult to reach with your fingers
because the lever is several inches away
from the grip |
We also felt that the Thundercat would benefit
with an easier to engage or stronger braking
system. The ATV can reach speeds up to around
80mph. Considering the huge amount of power
this quad is capable of, and it’s large
size, a lot of stopping power is needed when
getting up into higher speeds. We found the
foot brake alone was not enough to quickly bring
the Thundercat to a stop, and the hand brake
was a necessity for bringing the beast to a
stop in a hurry, and at high speeds and on the
trails, it took a little longer than what we
felt was a comfortable distance to bring the
ATV to a stop, which is no surprise considering
the speed capabilities and amount of mass in
motion (over 700lbs) it isn’t going to
stop on a dime.
As for the ergonomics of the Thundercat 1000,
it has achieved Cadillac status with its extremely
comfortable seat along with new handlebar design,
which made for an enjoyable riding experience
for our test rider, but it is better suited
for a larger rider. Also, the Digital instrument
Pod display mounted on the bars is very simple
display, but provides plenty of information
with 14 informational outputs ranging from the
standard clock/hour meter, fuel level, odometer
/ trip, speedometer / tachometer, but it also
has a battery condition, differential lock,
temperature and oil pressure among other readouts,
which are easy to read while riding.
| |
|
|
Thundercat's easy to read on dash
display with the key conveniently located
on the dash, which we prefer over fender
mounted key placement |
The
reverse rev-limiter is very thumb accessible,
but you might find yourself reaching for
it to start the Thundercat by mistake
as it is located in start location for
other model ATVs |
The large body of the Thundercat 1000 provides
room for plenty of rack storage space with 300lbs
of capacity available for carrying cargo. Also,
the racks utilize Arctic Cat’s SpeedRack
technology, which allows for quick installation
and removal of Arctic Cat accessories without
the use of any tools, which is an added plus.
Finally, the Thundercat is equipped with a 2”
automotive style receiver hitch, and it has
a towing capacity of 1,050 lbs.
| |
|
|
The Thundercat gas tank is located
under the seat for a lower center of gravity,
which allowed Arctic Cat to add an extra
cargo space below the dash, which we found
extremely useful for carrying water and
other accessories |
As with all machines, the Thundercat 1000 has
its good points and not so good points. We’ve
listed out a few of both that stood out to us.
| Advantages |
- Incredible power to get you through
anything whether you’re at work
or play
- Lots of torque
- Nice styling and bold graphics give
the Thundercat an aggressive, sporty
look
- Quick and smooth acceleration reduces
arm fatigue
- The Thundercat is fast, and we mean
FAST
- Handles well at higher speeds
- Good tires make it feel more secure
when turning
- Good ground clearance for rugged terrain
or deep mud
|
| Disadvantages |
- Incredible power that could be overwhelming
for a novice rider
- Size does matter! The Thundercat
is a large machine and not ergonomically
well suited for smaller riders
- Heavy steering at low speeds makes
it hard to maneuver in tighter trails.
If technical trails are your thing,
we’d recommend the Arctic Cat
700 instead
- Braking ergonomics / power needs
to be improved to stop this massive,
powerful machine
|
 |
|
Overall, we think the Thundercat 1000 is an
amazing quad with substantial amounts of usable
power, but the size and power of the machine
need to be taken into consideration and respected.
This quad seems right at home riding on open
terrain. It could also make an exceptional mud
machine that is able to power through just about
anything, or it could even be used as an incredibly
powerful workhorse. Arctic Cat has made a well
thought out, performance utility quad that has
a definite market niche. We hope that Arctic
Cat keeps their ingenuity going with this machine
to make it a truly exceptional performance ATV.
