How is the Alpha One 600 working out?

Frostbite · Dec 16, 2018

For some reason I seem to be interested in the Alpha One 600. Maybe it's because of what I think it should be (which is lighter than the 800 Alpha One) but, it's not!

It's not lighter because it only comes in electric start, it has no lightweight mountain seat (because the battery for the electric start lives under the back of the seat), there are cheaper shocks used on the 600 and the bar riser is 3.5" and not the 4.5" on the 800.

Cat says the 600 Alpha One is 20 lbs. heavier than the 800 and weights 466 and the 800 weighs 446 lbs. I would like to see the 600 Alpha One with the Skidoo Shot system, the lightweight mountain seat and weigh in at 430 lbs but, that's just not the case.

I guess I am semi interested in the 600 because I ride at the relatively low elevation of 4-6,000 feet and I like the idea of the Alpha one design and a lightweight sled. To me, there should be at least some weight savings when going to a snowmobile with a smaller engine size.

So, enough of my wishing how it was built, how are the 600 Alpha One's working in the field?

idacatman2 · Dec 16, 2018

Got a buddy that has one for his son and I have ridden it some and it runs really well pulls over nice. Just a smaller shorter version of the 800. We did line them up and drag race up a hill as expected the 800 pulls the 600 by a good margin. The 600 is fun and in lower snow levels is a hoot to ride.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ak · Dec 16, 2018

If you want a 600 that’s a ripper look into the summit 600r with shot I think you would be surprised how strong the motor is.

Frostbite · Dec 16, 2018

Thanks for the responses guys!

I would sure love to demo a bunch of sleds. They are all getting so good now that it's tough to tell what sled suits you best until you get some time behind the bars.

I really want a sub 400 lb sled with plenty of power and electric start. That 600 Skidoo AK mentioned just might fit that requirement best?

Watching the weigh in video online, I was shocked the Polaris 850 was 40 lbs lighter than the Skidoo 850. How is the Polaris Pro 600?

The only reason I say I would like electric start is my 800 Proclimb with its center mounted pull rope (less leverage) and a high compression head (my fault) is getting to be a bear to start when it's below 20-15 degrees.

ak · Dec 16, 2018

Frostbite said:
Thanks for the responses guys!

I would sure love to demo a bunch of sleds. They are all getting so good now that it's tough to tell what sled suits you best until you get some time behind the bars.

I really want a sub 400 lb sled with plenty of power and electric start. That 600 Skidoo AK mentioned just might fit that requirement best?

Watching the weigh in video online, I was shocked the Polaris 850 was 40 lbs lighter than the Skidoo 850. How is the Polaris Pro 600?

The only reason I say I would like electric start is my 800 Proclimb with its center mounted pull rope (less leverage) and a high compression head (my fault) is getting to be a bear to start when it's below 20-15 degrees.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OorL9ZWDuJA

They weigh a 600 pro in that video

Frostbite · Dec 16, 2018

I see that and the polaris 600 with a 155" and belt drive weights 506 lbs ready to ride. Pretty impressive.

Based on Cat's own data, the 600 Alpha would be 20 lbs heavier than the 800 Alpha (due to electric start) which weighed 540 ready to ride, so the 600 Alpha 154 should weigh 560 ready to ride. That's 54 lbs heavier than the Polaris. Yikes!

I wonder about the Skidoo Summit 600? The Gen 4 850 154 with the SHOT system weighs 551, so I would have to assume the 600 154 Summit would be very close to that, maybe 545-548?

The most impressive thing in the video was the new 850 Polaris with a 155 and belt drive weighing in at 510 ready to ride.

562xp · Dec 16, 2018

The only time you feel the extra weight of the Alpha is when it is stuck, compared to an Axys.

Devilmanak · Dec 16, 2018

Alpha 600 is cheap for what it is, and has good shocks. (Benefits of that over another sled.)

madmax · Dec 16, 2018

I have a buddy who has one. He loves it. Most people will never realize it’s a 600. He has a wrap on it so no one knows it’s a 600. I really eish they wound have offered in a pull start only sled. Realisticty it should weigh a few lbs less than an 800, just because the motor is lighter than an 8. He is only wishing he could find some aftermarket performance parts for it.

joshkoltes · Dec 17, 2018

Devilmanak said:
Alpha 600 is cheap for what it is, and has good shocks. (Benefits of that over another sled.)

It just has good shocks in the back
Has cheap throw away coil overs in the front
No goggle bag
Big seat
Has a wicked throttle delay cruising at 23 mph then trying to stab it
Tops out at 56 mph on the trail
Couldn't feel a difference handleing wise on the flat
My coworker has one of each 6-800, I rode it 20 miles on the trail. We have no snow yet
The 800 is fantastic though

sno*jet · Dec 17, 2018

too bad they made it entry level only, it could be so good. they didn't fix the wicked hesitation? thought that would be sorted out by now, wonder why the 800 doesn't have it.

zl5600 · Dec 17, 2018

joshkoltes said:
It just has good shocks in the back
Has cheap throw away coil overs in the front
No goggle bag
Big seat
Has a wicked throttle delay cruising at 23 mph then trying to stab it
Tops out at 56 mph on the trail
Couldn't feel a difference handleing wise on the flat
My coworker has one of each 6-800, I rode it 20 miles on the trail. We have no snow yet
The 800 is fantastic though

Front shocks are re-build style. 56? Maybe with the break rpm limiter in place. I have two 600's and neither have any throttle delay, only on start up and that is on first moving from start, after that the 600 is as good if not better than any other 600 out there.

kidwoo · Dec 17, 2018

joshkoltes said:
Has cheap throw away coil overs in the front

Or as we call them: fully rebuildable re-branded fox zero pros for 1/10 of the price.

Just admit it frosty: the 600 just has a way better color scheme. That's why you want one.

joshkoltes · Dec 17, 2018

kidwoo said:
Or as we call them: fully rebuildable re-branded fox zero pros for 1/10 of the price.

Just admit it frosty: the 600 just has a way better color scheme. That's why you want one.

I guess I didn't get face to face with em. Just noticed they were solid black bodies with no brand markings and bottomed them out off a road approach.
The top end could be a clutching or gearing thing. It seems geared pretty low and has alot of pop of the bottom but nothing after that.
I think he all ready has about 250 miles on it.

I like the purple/green better. the white blue grey seems as boreing as the early release models.

CO 2.0 · Dec 17, 2018

I havent ridden the 600 alpha, but on the floor those front coil shocks feel awkward with an odd compression pinch point compared to the air shocks on the 800.

kidwoo · Dec 17, 2018

Yeah the base tune on those sucks.

But unless they changed something with the 600 alpha specifically, they're the same fox stuff they've been using. Just change the piston and valving and you have the cheapest custom tuned zero pros around.

https://www.arcticcatpartshouse.com...952a/front-suspension-shock-absorber-assembly

Dat price yo!

Way ahead of you guys :face-icon-small-hap
https://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=437136

Escmanaze · Dec 17, 2018

Frustrated

I am equally frustrated by the fact that the 600's aren't any lighter than the 800's. Only in the ski-doo line do the 600's save anything over the 800's and even then it's only 7 pounds. If you're going for lightweight, and Polaris is already 30-40 pounds heavier than the doo, that isn't going to be enough reason to go for the doo. And then like you say, Cat makes it even worse. They make you take electric start with it so now the 600 automatically is a bunch heavier than the 800's. What are we doing here people?

Arrrrgggghhhhhh

Frostbite · Dec 17, 2018

Wow, I step away for a day and you guys lit it up! No, I don't like the 600 Alpha for the graphics or paint job. It looks pretty boring/wimpy to me. They need a full on Mountain version of this sled with all the lightweight stuff and as long as I am asking, include the SHOT starting system.

To make matters worse, my wife says:

"Since you are looking at maybe getting a new sled, I sure miss the days when you rode yellow snowmobiles because I could see you much more easily".

Geesh

I suppose she will have me looking a a Gen 4 850 with SHOT. Damn the bad luck!

kidwoo · Dec 17, 2018

Frostbite said:
It looks pretty boring/wimpy to me.

You take that back!!

Frostbite · Dec 17, 2018

Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.

In our Brave New World one should phrase it as:

"It just isn't visually appealing to me".

Is that better?

How is the Alpha One 600 working out?

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads