2015's worth it?

Frostbite said:

You certainly can make a 2015 perform but, it will cost you. I have a 2015 and it works great now after a 2106 36" front end (may be too narrow?) 3" track, 8 tooth drivers with a dropped chain case and a belt drive, MDS clutch weights, SLP stage II, etc.

I went on a demo ride of the new 2018 M8000 and after jumping back and forth several time, I determined I liked my 2015 better. It was lighter, more nimble and the power plant on the 2018 felt very much like a four stoke.

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YUP, Me too, Thinking of setting my '17 Mountain cat to 37.5 or 38.5 stance for this upcoming season?

Thing I noticed with the newer spindle is I only have to countersteer 1/2 as much to get the same result when side hilling as with the 2012-2015 spindle setup. Doesn't seem like much but less sawing on the bars saves energy over the day and gets you a little extra ski angle when you need it in a tight spot. Most general riding it's not a big deal. I like 38" stance over 36" too. Just depends on your riding preferences.

Fish on!!! There is no doubt that narrower panels are better, they are just farther down on the list of must haves for my riding style. I myself love to carve, so what is most important to me is making the sled roll up as easy as possible. Love it on deep days when you hit a trail and you have to "break" the bars loose because you have been carving the whole time and only moved them enough to counter steer. I'll take the sacrifices you make in stability all day long for a sled that rolls by just pushing down with your feet. Thus for me the 36 front end is WAY more important than worrying about my panels dragging a little bit here or there. That's the thing about sledding, a sled that is set up perfect for me would be a total nightmare for someone else. Now I need to start my search for the elusive perfect brake lever

Honestly, I was NOT a fan of the 36" front end at all until I did the dropped 2017 Mountain Cat chain case.

The dropped chain case and the 36" front end go together like Forest and Bubba but, prior to the dropped chain case, the sled just seemed tippy. Now, it rolls side to side smoothly and almost telepathically without the abrupt edge. With the 36" front end alone, it was like there was a super narrow balance point and if you leaned even a smidge too far the damn thing would just tip over. I felt like an *** clown tipping over all the time and I have been riding for 40 plus years.

I used Tom's kit to lower the chain case. it was a pain in the butt but, well worth the effort. If it hadn't worked so well, i was going to sell or trade in my sled for a new Skidoo Summit 850 or a RMK. Now, I am happy as a clam.