2009 Arctic Cat 700 H1 EFI MudPro - The First Sinkable Stock Quad!

OK, so I had a wad of butterflies terrorizing my stomach as I waited for my race. I fumbled around the bar being sure to lock the machine into four-wheel-drive and just studied the racers in classes currently running so that I could pick good lines. The lane of choice seemed to be on the right side of the course only one slot from the pit wall. So guess where I headed. Oh yes, it was on!

I pulled up to the line with anticipation, and the green flag was waved. I forcefully blasted my way off into the pit and immediately the front of the machine began to float. Remembering what seasoned racers Ladner and DaWayne Crowder shared with me, I knew that a well-balanced stance and not too much forward weight would get me to the end without having to bail off the machine. The motor worked flawlessly with plenty of smooth power and it snarled through the bog with precision. As for the mild-mannered Maxxis Zilla tires, they hooked and pulled away at the bottom of the pit. I found that feathering the throttle seemed to get more forward motion than holding it pinned to the hilt.

Moving the differential locking... 

   

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Moving the differential locking button off the bar to the dash cleans up the controls, and with the illuminated button you can see when you're fully locked.

With my machine now buried up to the top of the seat and three other MudPros bearing down on me, I just tried to keep a cool head and get to the finish line. Thanks to Arctic Cat's snorkel design, water was successfully being kept from entering the machine's internals, which would have meant a quick end to my race. The extra height added by tweaking the shocks for the MudPro gave me just the right amount of lift and clearance to continue trudging through the bog without getting swallowed up. And in case you're wondering how everything turned out, your ATV Rider Magazine crew was the very first to cross that line making known to the public the awesome ability of Arctic Cat's new MudPro 700 H1 EFI! As for how the winch performed on this test/race, we don't know. We never needed it and I think that's a great sign.

Final Thoughts
This ATV Rider Magazine machine not only took first place in its very first exhibition race for Arctic Cat's new mud-ready ATV, but it also gave us a newfound appreciation for the engineers and all of their hard work. It tackled everything we put it through with ease, and we experienced absolutely no operational problems. This is truly an awesome creation for the rider or racer who wants a machine that not only is backed by a six-month warranty, but also has all the components you need to hit the deep stuff right off the showroom floor! We can't wait to get our MudPro home and put a little long-term testing on it. We'll report back as soon as we know more, so stay tuned!