It had been a little over 13 years since I threw a leg over the very first Arctic Cat ATV somewhere in the rustic hills of North Carolina’s Smokey Mountains. I remember as the then named Bearcat 454 was rolled out to members of the North American press corps with a heavy dose of made in Minnesota pride; how big and rugged it looked in the dimly lit hotel conference room. During that first ride, I remember how tough the Bearcat felt; brawny in size and spirit. The boys and girls from Thief River Falls, Minnesota had crafted a quad that exuded a rugged throw it at me attitude, albeit it quirky in nature, with a funky heel/toe shifter and ample amounts of exposed steel framework and linear inches of hand welded seams. In short, it wasn’t going to win any beauty pageants nor have the nimble abilities of a stiletto heeled contestant, but it was going to get the job done and then some with sheer might and a never quit demeanor.

So it really should not have come as any surprise, as I rolled the new 2009 Arctic Cat 700 H1 quad from my trailer for a day of testing in central Minnesota’s lake region, that I was soon reacquainted with many of those same values once again.

Just as the Bearcat 454 did then, the 700H1 exceeds the needs instead of simply meeting them, when it comes to crafting the foundation of a utility quad. Ample power, stout suspension, massive cargo racks, user friendly controls and work focused extras such as a 2-inch receiver hitch, user actuated locking differential and a host of work based accessories that fit quickly into the Cat exclusive SpeedRack mounting system.

Power is a must when it comes to a utility bred ATV, and there is no shortage here as ample quantities are produced from the new 695cc electronic fuel injection engine, which features a four-valve hemispherical shaped combustion chamber, allowing the broad shouldered 700 to inhale and exhale fresh and spent fuel charge with minimal effort. The result is incredible torque and a linear power band that is ideal for utility duty. 

Perhaps the most recognizable trait of the big single cylinder domestic Arctic Cat 700 powerplant is the electronic fuel delivery system. It’s recognizable because it is nearly transparent, serving up instant starts, and precise delivery from off-idle to full throttle. About the only hiccup we could find in the map was a tendency to over-deliver fuel during off-throttle situations causing excess raw fuel to enter the pipe, creating a backfire on deceleration. However such mapping could be intentional in order to reduce engine braking, which the 700H1 has little to speak of.

As we’ve found with many utility quads, the big Cat has an excess of intake noise from the cockpit, due mostly to the inherent design of positioning the intake snorkel as high on the machine as possible to avoid possible water ingestion during deep stream crossings. But unlike its early Bearcat brethren, the new 700H1 is bathed in ample cowling, nearly snuffing out any hint of an engine, visually and audibly during low speed maneuvers. It’s only under hard acceleration and full throttle blasts does the engine and drivetrain growl begin to echo about the cockpit, all of which is little more than a nuisance in comparison to the stunning acceleration.

Rounding out powertrain duties is consistent liquid cooling with a thermostatically controlled cooling fan and a variable Duramatic Automatic Transmission. Like all modern era quads, Cat’s Duramatic tranny features a sealed constant velocity transmission (cvt) system. But unlike others, the Arctic Cat touts a cast aluminum case that is less likely to flex, crack or leak versus typical plastic enclosed CVT quads.


Riding In or On
Perhaps more so than the big “hemi” rumbling between our legs, what really stood out on the 700H1 was the suspension. If you thumb through the latest ATV brochure from Cat, the kids in the marketing department speak of additional “ride-in” found on the 700H1. What they are referring to is “sag” or the amount the suspension compresses by simply sitting on the quad.

We noticed almost immediately the 700 Cat had a very supple front suspension and a compliant, although not plush rear. This is usually not the case with big utility quads where a trade-off occurs in an attempt to generate compliant ride quality while still delivering near top of the pack payload capacities.

We also quickly noticed the 700 Cat had a tendency to “roll-over” in the corners if speeds were on the higher end of the spectrum. This is due to a suspension system void of a sway-bar both front and rear. But don’t discount the big green utility quad just yet. Without a sway-bar, the 700H1 is allowed to utilize its full range of suspension motion in a true independent fashion. For slow crawls, nasty obstacles, rock-laden fields or for true utility work, this is a preferred configuration. The lack of sway-bar also allows the Cat to “sag” or “ride-in” to its travel, thereby delivering a smoother ride and the feeling of sitting in the saddle as opposed to on-it.

If you intend on hammering the big Cat on trails or on high-speed, two track roads, and rank true utility use lower on your purchase decision spectrum, we’d recommend opting for the accessory sway bars, especially up-front. On this particular day of riding we encountered a wide range of conditions and felt the Cat came up short in the suspension department as the speeds increased, but was near perfect when loaded down with supplies as we made our way to check on our favorite deer stands and explored long abandoned logging roads littered with stumps and debris.

Might is Right?
There is little doubt that nearly all utility quads in the past 15 years have grown in size. Engine displacements have increased, payload capacity has nearly doubled and the machines themselves have grown along with those attributes, all in an effort to proclaim their “toughness” to the world. Unfortunately, might doesn’t always equate to right, and while consumers have started to long for smaller, more nimble quads, few OEMs have yet to hear their muffled wishes.

The 700H1 is definitely a full-size quad, measuring up at 47.5” in width, nearly 85” in length and a proud 48” tall. Big numbers for a big quad, yet the machine feels very balanced. But the cockpit girth is a bit cumbersome, and could especially be a problem for smaller riders compared to the 6-foot, 2-inch frame of this particular rider.

But, despite the width of the cockpit, the remainder is well thought out, and we especially like the left side gear selector, which allows riders to keep their thumb on the gas and switch gears, a must have when plowing snow or operating other implements which require repeated forward to reverse gear changes.

The simple right hand 2-wheel drive to 4-wheel drive switch is a cinch to operate and never hesitated to engage, although a more prominent indicator would be a welcome feature to quickly confirm your current drivetrain mode. We did find the pod mounted differential lock to be a bit cumbersome due to its two stage lock-out feature that nearly requires two hands to activate; not something we’d want to fumble with in sub-zero weather.

Other quirks include huge, molded-in fender flares that go above and beyond keeping the rider dry and mud free, but hinder the ability to “feel” the width of the machine in tight situations.

Blue Collar Green
When Arctic Cat first launched their ATV line-up in the fall of 1995, the focus was clearly on function and toughness. Fast-forward 14 years of refinement and we’re happy to report that those qualities still hold fast to the Cat breed, but are now massaged with a taste of form as well.

While styling is a bit dated by today’s more popular sharp lines and angles, the 700H1 is still a dramatic leap forward from Arctic Cat quads of just a few years prior. With muscle-car inspired torque and precisely metered fuel delivery, big payload capacity on “real” steel racks (remember those), and a suspension tuned for utility over trails, the 700H1 Cat has a laundry list of attributes proving all work and no play doesn’t have to be dull.