Will you buy a first year sled without a demo ride?

turboless terry · Mar 4, 2018

I get it but if not doing them, their not doing them. I guess it's like a Christmas bonus. Do it once and people are mad if you don't do it again. Doesn't matter your circumstances.

If you want one you buy it. If you don't like it, sell it. If you are not sure you either take a chance or you wait until next. If you wait and they suck, it was a good call. If you wait and they are the best thing since milk, you just got a whole year older and missed the boat. It's not the end of the world to wait if you are happy with what you have. The info is all there. A couple unsure things. Buy it or don't. I only had 1 year I regretted. 2005 rt 1000. Biggest pile ever made. I almost bought a 2008 xp for my wife. Thank God my dealer wouldn't take a sled on trade.

IDspud · Mar 4, 2018

goridedoo said:
$14000, I do.

The goridedoo clarifies your insecurities.....

$14000?
Pretty sure if you don’t like it you’ll sell it for more than $0

DRIVEBYE · Mar 5, 2018

I would buy one but not with a major change like the Alpha.

goridedoo · Mar 5, 2018

IDspud said:
The goridedoo clarifies your insecurities.....

$14000?
Pretty sure if you don’t like it you’ll sell it for more than $0

Pretty sure to leave the dealership a $14000 check has to come out, tax, title, license need to be paid, oil, weights, and other thing need to be bought. Then if it sucks you waste a trip, have to sell the thing and find a new sled mid season.

Insecurities? Own more cats than doos. What has cat done for you over the years? Why are you against demos? Dont think its asking much, but thats just me.

Reg2view · Mar 5, 2018

There's likely a long lead-time newly designed part supply issue - i.e., track - to help explain why cat has only R&D and maybe a few hand-assembled protos to ride. The new 3.5 tracks would be protos, too.

Dam Dave · Mar 5, 2018

I bought a 2018 C Tec Mountain Cat with no test ride, all new engine, best sled I have ever owned so far:juggle:

ARCTIC · Mar 6, 2018

So Textron owns Bell Helicopter, Cessna and many more high end companies. Most new sled buyers have above average incomes and our sport is starting to be oriented for the elite. When $14-$15k doesn’t totally break the bank, it’s just another high end toy.

Like others have stated, the 18 is the best performing sled I have owned and in my opinion it has lived up to the hype. I would not hesitate to purchase an Alpha without a demo. My opinion of most demo sleds are provided to the dealers for their enjoyment and R&D to let the rest of us know how to clutch our machines and what accessories to buy. Just FYI, I have never had a demo ride from a dealer before purchasing a new sled.

jim · Mar 6, 2018

Hype and careful test rider reviews will sell more sleds than any demos will. I would say that about 20% of the population is comprised of negative, downer personalities. And those are typically the ones who complain the most and loudest...on sites like this.

So Maybe Cat realized that issuing 100s of expensive demos for people to ride, and some to complain about, is not a good business practice. Maybe they only committed to hand-built a small number of them? Maybe they are finalizing design specs and details? Maybe dealers don't want demos?

Don't know. I do know that I've never bought a sled that I've demo'd. I did take a risk on a first year M1000...had some bugs to work-out, but overall was an awesome, pull and go sled. I'd expect the same for this one.

03Firecatguy · Mar 6, 2018

Like its already been stated, its only the skid that's new. Its going to be extremely tippy, so you will need to learn how to ride like that. Cat also mentioned that the first prototype design was a hacked up factory skid in 2013 and they still own and use the sled and it has never broke. So if 2 stock rails bolted together and stock rear components cut and welded to work were made to perform I'm sure there won't be a problem with this. Would be cool to try, but not the sled for me. I'll be hanging out on my 17 for another year or two.

madmax · Mar 6, 2018

Dealer in salt lake told me yesterday they will have one “on display” in about 2weeks. No demo rides. At the Yellowstone expo you will be able to ride one out in a field (on flat ground) “for a few minutes”. Better than nothing i suppose. Maybe someday Cat will be healthy enough to have a multitude of color choices.

turboless terry · Mar 6, 2018

A rip on the flat will at least give a person an idea. People will buy by the numbers this year. 850. It is handling I go for. Power is easy to remedy. Handling is not. I bought by the numbers one time and bought an 05 rt 1000. Biggest pile ever. I will go to the expo, even though they ruined it, to look at the alpha.

89sandman · Mar 6, 2018

Haven't seen one negative review from anyone who has rode one, not even one negative comment. If you're snowchecking a sled next year and you don't buy the Alpha you'll wish you had.

turboless terry · Mar 7, 2018

That is crazy knowing how biased and brand loyal snowmobilers are but we realistically have few reviews. That will say a ton if there isn't any but there is always somebody. If there is a bad review, all it necessarily means is they don't like it.

goridedoo · Mar 7, 2018

89sandman said:
Haven't seen one negative review from anyone who has rode one, not even one negative comment. If you're snowchecking a sled next year and you don't buy the Alpha you'll wish you had.

Worth something.... BUT I have heard reviews from 5 people, three being blackcats and 2 being guys who appear to be Cat riders already.

89sandman · Mar 7, 2018

Don't think for some people no matter how many good reviews there are it will be enough. They are just looking for the one bad one, the one that concurs with their opinion.

Seems like all the home engineers saying it'll be impossible to ride on the trail and sidehill are having a tough time with it. Change is a tough thing to accept especially when it means your way of thinking also has to change...

IDspud · Mar 7, 2018

Go ride doo,

Insecurity :

In my context I guess being the inability to commit to a product purchase without a free ride first.
Personally the free ride never happens, so I trust my best judgement and deal with the results.

My apologies if other insecurities were offended.

Nothing against demos, just no need to cry if I don’t get one....

As for Cat... they have provided me and my family of 8 (and countless friends) with 20 years of the fondest memories and greatest freedom on earth. I’ve rarely called upon them for warranty, but when I have it’s been quick and painless. In my experience they put down as tough and reliable a machine that you can find.
Perfect? No, but they’ve lived to tell a lot of tales.

Cat has never paid me a dime.
I’ve enjoyed every dime I’ve payed to them.
The memories are worth the risk.

If the $14000 hurts that bad, DONT DO IT.
Wait a few years it’ll be cheaper. That Easy.

Side note...
The kids grew up on phazers and a couple other breeds along the way, this isn’t a cat ONLY promotion. Just answering what cat, or more specifically Sledding has done for me. Awesome family Activity!!!!!

TS Drag Racer · Mar 8, 2018

I buy a new sled every year, never demo any of them. Last 3 years I've been on Axys, Doo 850, MTN cat this season. Haven't been disappointed yet, by not doing demo rides....

goridedoo · Mar 8, 2018

Looks like it will be Polaris for me in 2019. First year Poo motor... what could go wrong :face-icon-small-dis .

Maybe Cat is alotting these as well and doesn’t want a ton on the snow this year, which would make sense I guess. Hopefully the Alpha is a ripper, proves itself in 2019, and sells a pile in 2020.

turboless terry · Mar 8, 2018

The new 850 should be awesome and looks like they are cleaning up all their problems. The only thing that surprised me was no 3.5 pitch track. They must think it doesn't work as good. Should be a good year for everybody.

Jaynelson · Mar 8, 2018

Never rode a spring demo for any of the sleds I snowchecked.

That said, it's getting really hard to find a good review these days. Between the magazine reviews and the individuals who get to ride pre-production stuff....there really is no advantage for anyone to say anything negative. Everyone wants FB and Instagram likes, advertising, half the online sled community is some type of social media ambassador (or gunning to be) for some clothing manu, accessory manu, sled manu, etc. The best reviews are usually once people on here start riding their new stuff in the fall....that's what I always look forward to.

I'm really sad that forums in general are giving way to Facebook....the level of info and the reading is just awful.

Will you buy a first year sled without a demo ride?

What are your requirements for ordering/buying an Alpha Cat?

I will only order/buy one if I have ridden one

I will order/buy one if I have heard positive reviews from someone I know or trust

I trust Rob Kincaid and David McClure

I have no problem buying a sled that myself and no one else has ridden

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