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2016 arctic cat launch @ Saturday, March 1, 2015

Thunder101

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Feb 7, 2008
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X2 !! could not have said it better

At the end of the day I don't think it's about "having issues" hanging with other sleds in the back-country. That kind of mentality isn't going to push the sport and create a more specific back-country sled for us. I think this has to be tailor the sled to the our specific group of riders and the wants and desires we have from our sleds. Cat already makes the best point and shoot sled out there along with Yamaha. What I and others are asking for is a sled that is specifically designed around being on edge and "tree riding". I realize that means different things to different people, but I think at this point we can all agree the PC does these things "well" but there are large chassis refinements that could/can be made to improve this set-up even further. It starts by how wide the body has been made to accept the 4 stroke motor and goes from there. Literally every guy I ride with outside of one rides a Pro and I haven't seen much in the 13-15 models years that points towards them being any more or less reliable/durable then anything else on the mountain.

I would also love to see Cat push the limits on suspension design and weight. I feel like cat has been taking the "easy" road with this sled by creating a platform that serves as the basis for all the sleds. It does everything well, but if you want to compete with Pro sales, they've got to step out of that comfort zone and creating something that will put pressure on the other manufacturers. As we've already said and my buddies and I where commenting last night, I will be jumping ship if the motor holds together in the HO Polaris side. I also trust that Chris gives feedback that creates a sled that I would want to ride, cat can't even take input from its top two riders and move the damn post forward on these sleds, even though they see both Rob and Dave do it right out of the box! If that doesn't speak volumes to the commitment to build a back-country specific sled, I don't know what does.

Ive been a HUGE Suzuki fan all my adult life therefor I bleed green. ,,,,,,,,
things can change.
 
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Dam Dave

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I have put over 500 miles on the Pro Climb. 400 of which were a 2014 m8000.

I'm not the only guy (cat guy) who feels this way!

Why do you think Bret Rasmussen jumped to Ski Doo the year after the Pc came out? Same reason! Pc chasis isn't as good in the trees like him and Burandt ride.

for LOTS of money
 
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Jaynelson

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Nov 26, 2007
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Ok you guys are going to hate me, but I'm actually being serious here....


If Polaris comes out with a new RMK, AND another model closer to a snowbike, AND both are good....

...will Cat's sled division (at least the mountain portion) continue to exist? Or will they close the doors? That will take very substantial monetary investment in to the mountain segment for them to keep up, and they seem apprehensive to do so the past few years. And they don't have pockets as deep as Doo, Pol, or Yamaha. What do you think?
 
C
Feb 5, 2010
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Norway
That is exactly what I said too!!

If Cat are not coming out with a new mountain sled for 2016 I thing a lot of Cat owners are going to run down the doors at the Polaris dealer.
There is only a amount of time sled owners can take minor changes, new graphics and band aid for high belt temps.

Don`t get me wrong! I love Cat. I love my 13 LTD. And I will still stay on Cat for as long as I can. I rather build my own Cat for the purpose I use it, instead of buying a new one every year just for a little more venting, new placement of suspension and a little more venting.

I wonder WHEN Cat is going to look into forums, see what people want and to the changes they can to keep up with the competition on the other brands.
Polaris has already bought the big names that make the sales more easy. A good rider and good videos makes god sales. More advertising and more famous riders makes the sales.
 
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nosajlleb

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Feb 19, 2010
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Ok you guys are going to hate me, but I'm actually being serious here....


If Polaris comes out with a new RMK, AND another model closer to a snowbike, AND both are good....

...will Cat's sled division (at least the mountain portion) continue to exist? Or will they close the doors? That will take very substantial monetary investment in to the mountain segment for them to keep up, and they seem apprehensive to do so the past few years. And they don't have pockets as deep as Doo, Pol, or Yamaha. What do you think?

I might buy a Poo but after keeping an eye on the axys forum at HCS it will take a year of watching that engine and its electrical problems for me to see if its worth it. Right now it might do you Poo guys well to go read some of the growing pains there having. RPM fade, flickering headlights, I could keep going but it sure looks like there having just as many problems with vendor items as what Cat had in 12. And the illegal workforce hasn't even arrived yet in MN, oh boy that will be special to watch.
 

Vern

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I kinda got the vibe also over the past couple years that cat might be on the way out with all the dealer b.s. and what seems like the attitude of they know better than the customer on what the customer wants, but didn't they recently make some management changes? If so, maybe the changes and the Yami partnership possibly bringin some more coin into the game will help turn things around. I came to cat from poo due to reliability problems on my last poo and have been happy since. I think its sweet what poo is doing as far as advancing the technology and what not of sleds, but the lingering engine problems make it hard for me to even consider going back to poo at this point. So hopefully cat will start listening to rider input and get back in the fight for the top spot.

As for cat sleds themselves, this is just something I was thinking about while lookin at my sled one day, with the laydown engine is it even possible to skinny it up that much? The pipe goes pretty much side panel to side panel, is there room to run the intake in the front plus reconfigure the pipe in a manner to to make a nice tight package to slim things down significantly? That's one advantage the other brands have with the conventional engine as far as making things skinny, running the pipe pretty much straight forward and back along itself nice and tight like even though the doo still seems to be as fat as the cat.
 
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arctic2009

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Nov 19, 2009
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I kinda got the vibe also over the past couple years that cat might be on the way out with all the dealer b.s. and what seems like the attitude of they know better than the customer on what the customer wants, but didn't they recently make some management changes? If so, maybe the changes and the Yami partnership possibly bringin some more coin into the game will help turn things around. I came to cat from poo due to reliability problems on my last poo and have been happy since. I think its sweet what poo is doing as far as advancing the technology and what not of sleds, but the lingering engine problems make it hard for me to even consider going back to poo at this point. So hopefully cat will start listening to rider input and get back in the fight for the top spot.

As for cat sleds themselves, this is just something I was thinking about while lookin at my sled one day, with the laydown engine is it even possible to skinny it up that much? The pipe goes pretty much side panel to side panel, is there room to run the intake in the front plus reconfigure the pipe in a manner to to make a nice tight package to slim things down significantly? That's one advantage the other brands have with the conventional engine as far as making things skinny, running the pipe pretty much straight forward and back along itself nice and tight like even though the doo still seems to be as fat as the cat.

The F series had a laydown motor with the pipe running straight forward and back.
 

Vern

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The F series had a laydown motor with the pipe running straight forward and back.

That's what I was thinking, but how were they as far bulk compared to what we have now? I don't have any experience with those sleds. Also didn't the intake run out to the front of the sled instead of up out of the snow like the m's? Is there room to have the tighter pipe plus get intake up out of the snow?
 
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bradburck

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Jan 13, 2008
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How about the TSS style of pipe? Seems to work for them and I would think you could gain some side-side with that?
 
R
Last weekend, myself and 4 of my buddies did a 82 mile ride.
The 3 Polaris sleds had same fuel levels as my Proclimb. The other assault was less than all of us. He needed a gas station in about 15 miles. My Proclimb had half a tank still. All of the assaults and RMK were brand new sleds with about 150 plus miles on them.
So I ask, where is the awesome fuel mileage with the Polaris? BS. I don't believe it at all and I wittnessed it on more than just 1 sled. So if the new break in is 150 miles, whats the new excuse now......

I bought my Proclimb because of the ride and suspension and the power!!! I knew the front end is wider. I knew, it didn't bother me. If a person wants a very narrow ski stance sled, then buy it. Why do we buy these wider sleds, then complain about the chasis and oh, its too wide!!!

Thought I would just throw that out there.
 
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Wood

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Dec 7, 2007
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Would be cool if someone came out with a 408lb sled with 160hp but if it's Polaris they better find someone to build their engine. A 408lb sled would be bad *** but with their 800 motor history it would be sittin in shop waitin on a motor. Don't care how light it is, if it's sittin in the shop blown up it don't matter the weight

I'd rather replace pistons every other year on a real mountain sled than ride a long tracked trail sled with 'made in Bangladesh' fit and finish and a Fisher Price drivetrain....just sayin' :becky:
 

RACINSTATION

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a long tracked trail sled with 'made in Bangladesh' fit and finish and a Fisher Price drivetrain....

You just described every sled built today....
 
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