The All Terrain Vehicle has long been known as a form of off-road transportation but now the units are being used quite extensively for work. Now more than ever before you can find more ATV specific tools on the market. Arctic Cat is a company that has been a longtime producer of ATV work related accessories. Located in Thief River , Minnesota , Arctic Cat has been in the powersports business producing ATVs and snowmobiles for over 40 years. The manufacturer invited us to a showing and testing session consisting of a line of Tillage equipment. These new products are known as the Speedpoint system, consisting of a three point hitch which is designed to plug into the 2 inch rear receiver and attach to the SpeedRack, rack system of the Arctic Cat utility ATV. The three point hitch unit uses a 12 volt self-contained actuating motor to adjust the height of any of the cultivation tools. The three point hitch has lifting power and down pressure making the unit perfect for small food-plots or hobby farmers.

After initial purchase of the three point hitch, tooling options include the Tandem disc, single disc, cultivator, gauging wheels for depth control, drag harrow and single moldboard plow.

Wildlife food-plots are becoming very popular, ATV sized farming implements have been on the market for over a decade. Mowers and pull behind tillage tools are selling and the ATV manufacturers want and need to offer their own products. As we have all seen in the last few years, ATV manufacturers are adding more versatile accessories to their product line. Arctic Cat has always been a leader in real world ATV implements and they are definitely on top of the game with their Speedpoint System. Recently, at the Arctic Cat Dealer meeting we found out that the Speedpoint system was tested rigorously. Our sources tell us that the original designer tested the Arctic Cat three point hitch and implements for 50 hours on each tool. The tools could show no fatigue with in the 50 hour time frame or design would have to start over.

The original tester told us that he plowed up a 25 acre field with the single moldboard plow, now could you imagine plowing 25 acres one row at a time. We liked the system and the implements, most other three point hitch tools on the market lock out the rear suspension but not the Speedpoint system. This design fits the three point hitch into the 2 inch rear receiver and is locked into the top rear portion of the Speedrack which is Arctic Cat’s own tool accepting cargo rack design.

First off, we tested the three point hitch and the single moldboard plow, surprisingly the hitch was easy to attach with just a few pins. A rear rack mounted switch raised and lowered the hitch which then raised and lowered the mounted tools. We found that the Speedpoint system gave the ATV more control when the suspension was free to work as it was designed. We could turn easier and travel to and from the field better control. The moldboard plow worked great, as we set the tool into the soil a front cutting wheel precut the sod and the plow blade would flip over the soil with ease. We found the process to move fast and work really well. Depth can be regulated with the hitch height and with the use of a rear adjustment wheel located on the back of the moldboard.

Next, we changed the moldboard plow out for the tandem disc set. The tandem disc unit has four individual gangs of offset cutting discs. The overall process is simple, first plow the soil with the moldboard plow and then use the tandem disc set to break up the large chunks of soil and sod. Surprisingly, the double disc unit did a nice job, braking up and pulverizing the freshly turned soil. We just drove over the area that had been plowed and great results followed. As the process continued, we decide to try the drag harrow which is made to put the finishing touches on your planting area. The unit is made from a steel frame and a heavy-duty drag. This is the last step in soil preparation which smooth and levels the seed bed making for a great planting situation.

Once you seed the area and your plants begin to grow look to the Speedpoint cultivator which includes 7 adjustable or removable “S” tines. These tines can be moved or removed in-order to be pulled through your plants and the process can cultivate your soil without damaging the harvest and while removing weeds. Options include a set of 7 inch cultivator shovels that can add to the digging or soil preparation process.

Light gardening can be done with the last tillage tool, a single set of disc units. This is a half version of the tandem disc set and works great for keeping ground aerated. The last option available is a set of gauging wheels made to fit the tillage equipment. The wheels attach directly to the tools and ride at an adjustable depth, helping to manage and control soil depth.

In conclusion, the Speedpoint system and the tillage tools worked well. They handled the small farming operations with ease. Each tool was well suited for its designed purpose and operated as intended. The three point hitch also worked well, the planting process went great. One point we have to make is this test was done in the black fertile soils of Minnesota and there were few rocks to hamper its operation. We would love to give a better evaluation here in the rocky soils of the mountainous Northeast. Arctic Cat also offers rough and finish cut pull behind mowers, a seeder, cargo trailers and several spray units with or without boom attachments. Next time you’re at your dealer check out his selection of Arctic Cat accessories and look into the Speedpoint system for your panting needs.

Speedpoint price list:

Three point hitch $779.95
Moldboard plow $499.95
Tandem disc $869.95
Drag harrow $589.95
Cultivator $429.95
Single disc $499.95
Gauge wheel $74.95
Extra switch $69.95
Cultivator Shovels $7.95