2016 Alpha

Allseasons · Mar 30, 2018

Well call me nuts, but I think AC is kinda dropping the ball on sales, but I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity.
Canadian prices lol, but for me to sell my 2016, I’d lose $7k just on purchase price just to buy a new alpha, not including all the extras I’ve bolted on. So all the drop and roll pieces are arriving, and I figure another 3500 for alpha skid, I’m saving $3k, and I’ve grown quite attached to this sled. So I’m justified right? Lol. Money pits haha

And my claim of AC dropping the ball, my dealer is snow checking 2-1 Polaris 850s to Cat Alphas. And by cat not changing chassis I’m able to keep updating my ole girl to updated show room floor models. Minus motor, I like my zuke so whatever

Frostbite · Mar 30, 2018

I'm with you! I too love the Suzuki motor and I have so many mods on my 2015 that I can't imagine selling or trading it. Also, spending $3,000 on a rear skid change doesn't make much sense to me either. I think I will ride the fence for a season or two and wait for a new mountain specific chassis and see if the Alpha one rear skid is really the game changer it's touted to be.

F_ast · Mar 30, 2018

I personally have a new 2018 and a 2018 M. The new ctec2 motor isba mpnster. I don't really consider firing my zuk up anymore to be honest.

Saying that, I think catvoffering the kit is a great way to generate additional sles. People who are not sold on the concept may not be inclined to buy a new alpha may be more inclined to upgrade. Gets more product on the snow without asking everyone to get a new sled.

One thing you also have to consider is I am pretty sure you have to convert to a drop case (2017 mountain cat or 2018 M sleds) in order to convert to an alpha. You can go with a TKI drop case belt drive too.

boondocker97 · Mar 30, 2018

Looking like conversion kits won't be available until next spring so you'll have another season to think about it.

I finally got to ride the new Ctec motor last weekend and I will say it runs much smoother than the Suzuki built 800. Pretty impressed for a stock motor.

Allseasons · Mar 30, 2018

Well hell. I put money down on a kit last week. Hopefully I snuck in under radar

89sandman · Mar 30, 2018

Country Cat has the kit for $2500, BDX for $2700 but none until the fall at the earliest. I would hope with Textron taking over they will have the backing to start getting things done in a more timely manner and finally show the snowmobile world how a real manufacturer does business. New sleds should be on the showroom floor by the beginning of Sept at the latest with all current year parts available at the same time. This hillbilly way sleds are run has always been a joke.

I would love to upgrade my 16, but learned long ago modding a sled is just throwing money away. Plus putting in the drop and roll is a TON of work! Season here was horrible, only rode 2 times, so was planning on a new sled next year but might just keep my 16 and buy a side by side instead. At least that is something I can get some use out of

Nytrous · Apr 2, 2018

I love my rough running 2014 Suzuki! Years of tried and true! Not quite sold on the gimmick quite yet though.

Nytrous · Apr 2, 2018

My ol 14 is worth nothing now, so may as well throw a few bucks at it seeing that at the end it's really just the same chassis with some r&d bucks thrown at it

Nytrous · Apr 2, 2018

Plus surely ice age will offer a much more affordable option to convert

MTN_VIPER · Apr 2, 2018

Nytrous said:
Plus surely ice age will offer a much more affordable option to convert

Maybe not, Cat has patented the Alpha skid. Which could prove to be a smart move on they're part if skid works out well.

sno*jet · Apr 2, 2018

cant wait to see what options will come out. the new track has the nubs for 4 introvert drivers. if the track has to be run slightly tighter anyway, why not. then maybe stock driveshafts will work.
i think options will come for us penny pinchers. like 6 tooths for you standard case owners.

Nytrous · Apr 2, 2018

It's the same chassis with refinements... if u want to jump to the new and inproved, I don't blame you, it looks awesome and seems like a hell of a sled, but at the end of the day it's the same chassis since 2012. Do what u can afford. In my case, I'm keeping my 14 with mods. Plus I may be the only one that thinks the new team clutches are garbage...

Barcode · Apr 3, 2018

short vid of our kit. Showing how easy it is to pull over the kit is set at 35.5" wide. Can be set narrower if you wanted.
Just another option to the Alpha

https://youtu.be/0zf4z-I_T-c

Big10inch · Apr 3, 2018

I have a pretty much new 17 MC and I am stoked about the Alpha rail being a bolt on we can buy. I am a fan of the proven motor, best 800 ever. I should be able to sell my 300 mile 3" track and offset the cost of the kit, maybe even sell the skid minus shocks and keep the swap cost under $1500.

eldereldo · Apr 3, 2018

Allseasons said:
Well call me nuts, but I think AC is kinda dropping the ball on sales, but I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity.
Canadian prices lol, but for me to sell my 2016, I’d lose $7k just on purchase price just to buy a new alpha, not including all the extras I’ve bolted on. So all the drop and roll pieces are arriving, and I figure another 3500 for alpha skid, I’m saving $3k, and I’ve grown quite attached to this sled. So I’m justified right? Lol. Money pits haha

And my claim of AC dropping the ball, my dealer is snow checking 2-1 Polaris 850s to Cat Alphas. And by cat not changing chassis I’m able to keep updating my ole girl to updated show room floor models. Minus motor, I like my zuke so whatever

Over the weekend I had a chance to ride a 2016 that has the dropped chaincase installed, 3” track and sucked in body panels, and I have to say it was still way harder to ride than my 2018. Especially on downhill turns it took a lot of pull to get it to lay over where as the 2018 would go with just foot pressure. I think the more forward boards help a lot here. I was surprised at how much of a difference there was, figured they should be real close but they aren’t.

summ8rmk · Apr 3, 2018

eldereldo said:
Over the weekend I had a chance to ride a 2016 that has the dropped chaincase installed, 3” track and sucked in body panels, and I have to say it was still way harder to ride than my 2018. Especially on downhill turns it took a lot of pull to get it to lay over where as the 2018 would go with just foot pressure. I think the more forward boards help a lot here. I was surprised at how much of a difference there was, figured they should be real close but they aren’t.

That is all shock setup.

Allseasons · Apr 3, 2018

eldereldo said:
Over the weekend I had a chance to ride a 2016 that has the dropped chaincase installed, 3” track and sucked in body panels, and I have to say it was still way harder to ride than my 2018. Especially on downhill turns it took a lot of pull to get it to lay over where as the 2018 would go with just foot pressure. I think the more forward boards help a lot here. I was surprised at how much of a difference there was, figured they should be real close but they aren’t.

Good to know. I didn’t realize the footwells were deeper. I steer mine with foot pressure already, soft shock settings and 250lbs of leverage lol

Nytrous · Apr 3, 2018

It's a shock thing, setup the shocks and it's an '18. Putting assender plastics on a 17 dosnt make it easier to roll on its side. Maybe I'm wrong, but come on...

Nytrous · Apr 3, 2018

And don't get me wrong here, I have a '14 with low miles, and it's super clean but that dosnt matter, it's worth nothing.. your new alpha will be worth nothing in 4-5 years because the snowmobile industry moves so fast that some new model will make it that way, just like the alpha does to our 4-5 yr old sleds, it's a no win.. unless you enjoy spending and losing money on something that's the next best thing and it really only makes ****ty riders maybe a bit better

Old & slow · Apr 4, 2018

Allseasons said:
Well call me nuts, but I think AC is kinda dropping the ball on sales, but I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity.
Canadian prices lol, but for me to sell my 2016, I’d lose $7k just on purchase price just to buy a new alpha, not including all the extras I’ve bolted on. So all the drop and roll pieces are arriving, and I figure another 3500 for alpha skid, I’m saving $3k, and I’ve grown quite attached to this sled. So I’m justified right? Lol. Money pits haha

And my claim of AC dropping the ball, my dealer is snow checking 2-1 Polaris 850s to Cat Alphas. And by cat not changing chassis I’m able to keep updating my ole girl to updated show room floor models. Minus motor, I like my zuke so whatever

I am in the same situation. What did you order for the D&R.
I talked to my dealer and he said one more year of holdover sleds. In 18 the dealer's were allowed to order what they could sell. When in previous years they were forced to take what A/C said. This year he has like 3 or 4 18's left but is still sitting on a bunch of 2017's. Once the hold overs are gone that should help stabilize the used market.

2016 Alpha

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