Finally!!! A review of the '13's!!

JSun · Mar 22, 2012

Well, kind of. At least some kind of a comparo... First one I have seen.

http://www.snowmobile.com/manufacturers/arctic-cat/first-impressions-of-the-2013-powder-sleds-1551.html

Joe

SaberKitty · Mar 22, 2012

Reading between the lines, here's my future prediction

2012 first year chassis
2013 quirks addressed, 1% weight reduction
2014 new more powerful DI St. Cloud engines with 5% weight loss
2015 engine quirks addressed, another 5% weight loss

If true, in 2015 it will be the HP/lb leader. The big unknown is the other three manufacturers aren't going to sit still.

Executive summary- It's a great age to be a mountain sled consumer, just be prepared for more evolution making your one year old sled obsolete and get your checkbook out.

KMMAC · Mar 22, 2012

I think I'll keep riding nothing until 2015----------- Probably not...... But what ever it is it won't be new...

mr.deeds · Mar 22, 2012

I've read in a lot of places that cat will build their own engines in 2014...... but the rep that I talked to at the expo said that is only the case with the 4-strokes,- and that they plan on using Suzuki 2-strokes "until they no longer meet EPA standards".

Maybe they only meet the standards until 2014.... but i got the impression that we could be seeing Suzuki motors in Cats for a lot longer?? Maybe.

JSun · Mar 22, 2012

I'd put my money on Cat built 2-strokes in the near future. Don't know about the four strokes.

Cat can't steadily evolve at this point. They are behind the 8-ball. They don't need a different motor, they need to drop about 30 lbs off a great chassis.

Polaris will eventually come out with an 800 HO and sled sales show people are caring less about their motor being reliable and more about weight and the chassis's ability.

Joe

CATSLEDMAN1 · Mar 22, 2012

weighing the options

its amazing that cat doesn't feel any urgency to lighten their sleds.

from the bean counters pospective it makes sense. at the factory level you buy iron / aluminum and plastic by the ton. shipping out a 500 lb sled costs more money to the manufacurer than shipping a 400 lb sled. be thrifty, less is more. good thoughtful design trumps git er dun green tanks.

I really think they have hired more atv design engineers lately than sled engineers.

Kbakbmr · Mar 22, 2012

The less they weigh the weaker they are. Unless of course the sled is made of chromolly,carbon fiber, and titanium. The Pc might not weigh less than the pro but it feels lighter and it's tougher.

Gxf800sphc2012 · Mar 23, 2012

AGREEEDDD

Kbakbmr said:
The less they weigh the weaker they are. Unless of course the sled is made of chromolly,carbon fiber, and titanium. The Pc might not weigh less than the pro but it feels lighter and it's tougher.

i dont want it lighter unless it is more expensive and stronger... cuz honestly im bending running boards as it is... so those shud be stronger allready probably adding 2lbs... SO screw the weight its plenty light enough to throw around and POUND DOWN the jumps and humps w out worrying about tunnel twist.

Gxf800sphc2012 · Mar 23, 2012

THE REAL REVIEW

JSun said:
Well, kind of. At least some kind of a comparo... First one I have seen.

http://www.snowmobile.com/manufactu...mpressions-of-the-2013-powder-sleds-1551.html

Joe

IDC about all this steering increase and taller track... very nice improvements.. BUT belt issues... chain case problems jackshaft, motormounts... HAVE THESE things been changed or addressed. These are the things that ppl have been reading about and basing there $DOLLAR$ on for 2013 when they buy a sled.... no one wants to change belts and clutch covers or even replace panels and pipes as some have.... CAT NEEDS TO ADMIT THEY H A D A PROBLEM AND THAT IT HAS BEEN ADRESSED AND GIVE EVIDENCE TO WHAT THEY DID with photographs to back it up. ..... TELL ME IM NOT ALONE with my comments.
other than that i LOOOOVEEEE the way my sled operates and stretches my arms on every pull.. RIDE on lets get these kittens RELIABLE:rockon:

Going West · Mar 23, 2012

Not too friendly of a review on the cat, only good thing they could say was that cat has competitive heart and there trying to fix it.

Stack · Mar 23, 2012

Yeah I thought the review was not too friendly to the proclimb. It's all about weight obviously!

Stack

nosajlleb · Mar 23, 2012

I did see the new worm gear for the 4s(no new chain case or gears :face-icon-small-fro) and supposedly tightening the nut on the 800s covers up for what ever the heck is wrong there. Have heard of an aftermarket jackshaft thats good up to 1500hp flatlanders are convinced the shafts are junk from cat!

arctic2009 · Mar 23, 2012

Gxf800sphc2012 said:
IDC about all this steering increase and taller track... very nice improvements.. BUT belt issues... chain case problems jackshaft, motormounts... HAVE THESE things been changed or addressed. These are the things that ppl have been reading about and basing there $DOLLAR$ on for 2013 when they buy a sled.... no one wants to change belts and clutch covers or even replace panels and pipes as some have.... CAT NEEDS TO ADMIT THEY H A D A PROBLEM AND THAT IT HAS BEEN ADRESSED AND GIVE EVIDENCE TO WHAT THEY DID with photographs to back it up. ..... TELL ME IM NOT ALONE with my comments.
other than that i LOOOOVEEEE the way my sled operates and stretches my arms on every pull.. RIDE on lets get these kittens RELIABLE:rockon:

Well considering they sent out letters and one kevlar free belt to all of the cat owners, Id say they stepped up and admitted their belt problem. Not that it fixes the problem, but at least they have acknowledged it.

Gxf800sphc2012 · Mar 24, 2012

OBV

arctic2009 said:
Well considering they sent out letters and one kevlar free belt to all of the cat owners, Id say they stepped up and admitted their belt problem. Not that it fixes the problem, but at least they have acknowledged it.

Well we clearly kno that they admitted a belt problem... but Belts werent the fix. there is NO WAY in my mind that Cat is not using different clutches or other set ups trying to fix this problem... ID ASSUME that Cats test riders would be out everyday trying these sleds and finding corrections... i mean if it were mycompany thats what id be doing... other than throwing out bandaids

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Finally!!! A review of the '13's!!

JSun

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SaberKitty

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KMMAC

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mr.deeds

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JSun

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CATSLEDMAN1

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Kbakbmr

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Gxf800sphc2012

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Going West

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Stack

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nosajlleb

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arctic2009

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