Arctic Cat is far less represented than Skidoo and Polaris, discussion

[d1100t]

Oh I agree it’s a good chassis, but to be a competitive company you need to stay fresh and current. Like I said earlier or in other posts, low hanging fruit like 1 of the other 2 running boards they already design just put the ****ing things on especially the tube ones they make the chassis more rigid witch I like. And redo the tank of a hood and snow sucking intake. If not belt drive then dump at least 10# somewhere. This is easy stuff of your gonna keep the skeleton the same for longer

I agree.
Cat should have been preparing for a special 60th anniversary sled years ago.
It's something that would have been easy to promote. Makes me wonder about cats future.
We've loved every sled we've had since the 2018 ascender updates have came out.
For not a lot of money cat could have raised this chassis, updated the running boards and intake and put a 900cc motor under the hood. All these things are being done by the aftermarket to this chassis now.
In my opion there is nothing wrong with the ascender chassis we have now, just needs more updates.
I'm not snow checking this spring.
I would have if Cat would have made some of the chages we've been asking for!!!

 

[BlueDevil]

I agree with a few small updates and possibly a hp increase the cat alpha one would be the best outta the box sled you can buy hands down. Buuuuuuuuttt no step forward for cat in 2022. Well besides an unproven clutch.

 

[summ8rmk]

I have an Alpha and a Khaos. Both 3in tracks.
For nasty technical riding, i will take the Khaos. It is predictable and sidehills like nothing else.
For straight up climbing the Alpha wins by a large margin, wheelies Alpha wins again.

Day to day riding, I'll take the Khaos. Really deep snow, ill take the Alpha

Cats perform well and their 800 keeps up with and beats the 850's N/A.

I agree that they should have planned this yr much better than what they did.

Next yr will be big for cat. Watch and see what comes.

Sent it

 

[NHRoadking]

Next year will be big? They utterly failed and missed a marketing opportunity for their 60th anniversary. That doesn’t show much foresight on their part.

By next year Cat will have fallen further behind. Ask truck companies about brand loyalty. Snowmobile riders are similar. Once you lose a customer to another brand it is hard to get the back.

If Cat is going big next year it better be HUGE.

 

[BirdmanID]

I live near idaho falls, i have to say since this thread came up this season, ive been taking note of what i see. A lot of arctic cats, both around town and out riding. Quite a few more than this thread would lead you to believe. Granted, you don’t know whats in an enclosed trailer vs what you happen to see on an open one.

 

[zimmy44]

Next year will be big? They utterly failed and missed a marketing opportunity for their 60th anniversary. That doesn’t show much foresight on their part.

By next year Cat will have fallen further behind. As truck companies about brand loyalty. Snowmobile riders are similar. Once you lose a customer to another brand it is hard to get the back.

If Cat is going big next year it better be HUGE.

I agree, Cat needs to go big next year,! However, I don’t think it is hard to get riders back if cat releases something big. Many of the younger riders don’t show the same brand loyalty that the older generation did. They buy what works, regardless of the brand. Cat just needs to step up to the plate with a reason to bring more people back.

 

[Chewy22]

Next year will be big? They utterly failed and missed a marketing opportunity for their 60th anniversary. That doesn’t show much foresight on their part.

By next year Cat will have fallen further behind. As truck companies about brand loyalty. Snowmobile riders are similar. Once you lose a customer to another brand it is hard to get the back.

If Cat is going big next year it better be HUGE.

If they did not have something big up their sleeve, they would have done more then just a new primary to make continues improvements to the current platform. As much as people don’t want the hear it, the 60th was ruined by COVID - period. Cat played it smart by not rushing something to market. Plus all the Poo boost guys will be looking to jump ship next year when they can’t keep those sleds on the snow. Why the heck do you think they limited the release. They know what they currently have and only a couple more months of testing to figure it out.

 

[North]

Yes the sky is falling and Cat is light years behind the other brands etc. I can't comment on the gripes people have with the newer sleds (intake, boards, ride height) because I haven't owned one and my ancient M just keeps trucking, but given the consistency of those complaints the frustrations seem valid.

Dealer network and marketing are issues 1A and 1B for the brand IMO. I personally kinda appreciate that the marketing is non-existent - less BS to sort through, but it's honestly baffling that AC Snow can exist at all with how bad it is. I believe good products speak for themselves but only to a point, and it's clear that "good" does not move units in this industry; It either has to be the best across the board, new and shiny, or you have to hype what you have. Their social media game is way out of touch and seems like an afterthought. Cool that they have some good riders with the Black Cats, but they need some grooming as spokesmen.

Anyways, here's an unbiased take on the Alpha that might calm everybody down a bit. I thought it was interesting that a stated Polaris guy would chose the Alpha:

 

[turboless terry]

I agree, Cat needs to go big next year,! However, I don’t think it is hard to get riders back if cat releases something big. Many of the younger riders don’t show the same brand loyalty that the older generation did. They buy what works, regardless of the brand. Cat just needs to step up to the plate with a reason to bring more people back.

Does this mean I'm still young? I buy what i like or what works. Life is too short to be brand loyal. I did start out on cat.

 

[M7sleddn]

That video has better marketing for AC than Cat has.

 

[summ8rmk]

One thing i really dislike on the Polaris and really like on cat is the hand and thumb warmer controls.

I prefer them up on the bars. They're never in my way when riding and easy to change temps plus cat has them separated.
Polaris hand and thumb are together and just low/high.

I have to look down on the console to find it then double check to make sure its off or not.

Sent it

 

[NHRoadking]

I prefer controls off the bars. No need to be there on a mountain sled.

But yes, handwarmers should be more than low/high.

Don’t the 2022 Polaris sleds have the constant temp hand-warmers now? If so and they work, that’s a cool idea.

 

[mountaincat 800]

I have to bring this up.
Does anyone remember the mid 90's? Polaris had been using the same basic wedge chassis for over 13 years with "refinements". They sold the trailing arm IFS as a superior design to the double A-arm suspension. Polaris is now able to bring new features and ideas to life much faster but there was a time when they were lacking. Now Cat is lacking but who knows, maybe 2033 they could be back on top.

 

[d1100t]

I have to bring this up.
Does anyone remember the mid 90's? Polaris had been using the same basic wedge chassis for over 13 years with "refinements". They sold the trailing arm IFS as a superior design to the double A-arm suspension. Polaris is now able to bring new features and ideas to life much faster but there was a time when they were lacking. Now Cat is lacking but who knows, maybe 2033 they could be back on top.

I do.
I had 2 of those sleds. Very bad memories from those days!!!

 

[Live2ride777]

Ugh my pro x was a terrible machine

 

[M8onEdge]

Cat has been represented pretty well in the SE Idaho/Western wyoming riding areas we frequent since 2018. Not like the other brands but definitely better than the proclimb days. It appears Cat thought the Alpha would sway more market share than it did but it definitely generated some new interest and sales. The video above is a great review and pretty much nails the biggest strength (awesome hookup and traction) and weakness (sidehilling in harder snow) of the alpha. Had a lot of cats over the years but glad I'm not a loyalist to any of them. I was really interested in an alpha as the second sled when I first rode it but exploding clutches, embarrassing intake quality and a track and alpha rail that are clearly not free of issues just doesn't cut it for me. Fix the quality issues, put out a twin rail and alpha as options and I'd be back looking at Cat. Personally, I think it's more interesting to ride a little of everything v.s. one sled/brand, but quality/reliability has always been more important than having turbo power for how we ride.

 

[Vern]

I have to bring this up.
Does anyone remember the mid 90's? Polaris had been using the same basic wedge chassis for over 13 years with "refinements". They sold the trailing arm IFS as a superior design to the double A-arm suspension. Polaris is now able to bring new features and ideas to life much faster but there was a time when they were lacking. Now Cat is lacking but who knows, maybe 2033 they could be back on top.

18 years actually. 1980-1998 with a hood change in ‘88.

 

[NHRoadking]

Cat has been represented pretty well in the SE Idaho/Western wyoming riding areas we frequent since 2018. Not like the other brands but definitely better than the proclimb days. It appears Cat thought the Alpha would sway more market share than it did but it definitely generated some new interest and sales. The video above is a great review and pretty much nails the biggest strength (awesome hookup and traction) and weakness (sidehilling in harder snow) of the alpha. Had a lot of cats over the years but glad I'm not a loyalist to any of them. I was really interested in an alpha as the second sled when I first rode it but exploding clutches, embarrassing intake quality and a track and alpha rail that are clearly not free of issues just doesn't cut it for me. Fix the quality issues, put out a twin rail and alpha as options and I'd be back looking at Cat. Personally, I think it's more interesting to ride a little of everything v.s. one sled/brand, but quality/reliability has always been more important than having turbo power for how we ride.

I agree on the twin rail idea!

 

[IDspud]

I’m confused why I should care about cats 60th when I buy a sled?
I’ve never bought anything from anybody or any company because of an anniversary.

I also don’t need a huge advertising campaign to tell me how the sleds I see on the mtn perform.

I do know out of the 14 cats we took out regularly this year the only major costs were rider damage.

Call me crazy, in today’s world I trust real world experience over what someone is paid to tell me.

 

[slyrydr]

after all the praise and criticisms ..... and serious weighing of pros and cons of the 3 major brands....i voted with my hard-earned money, and sno-checked a new 165 mt. cat...nobody to please but me..?