2018 MC ride review

richardderkevorkian · Apr 17, 2017

I got to throw a leg over a buddies 2018 MC this weekend

First of all I'd like to say that they did improve a few things but they haven't gone far enough to sell me on one. Currently own 13 and 16 limited's

Positives

New motor felt great, Extremely responsive and the clutching was spot on

New panels are a huge improvement, time will tell if that front 1/4 turn gets broken off with alder bashing.

The new MC shocks are a crazy good improvement over the evolvs on my 16 limited. They felt bottomless

Rolled chaincase, the snow was hero snow but I could tell it feels different in a good way with the rolled chain case and bigger drivers.

Negatives

The new cat skis are absolute garbage, the super long leading edge and aggressive Keel is a death trap in spring/windblown snow. I put grippers on my 16 because it was so unpredictable and the 18 skis are no different

Move the controlles off the bars already, I don't need to be able to turn on my handle bar warmers and high beams with my thumb... it's a mountain sled the only thing I want on the bars is a brake lever and throttle...

My last gripe is the running boards. I personally want a board that's easy to replace like the poo boards. If I hook and alder or bend one up I don't want to have to swap to a tube style board.

Cats moving the right direction but they didn't do enough to upgrade yet. Maybe in 19!

ultrasks700 · Apr 17, 2017

I still cant believe they haven't changed the handlebar controls yet, they haven't changed since 2007, they sucked in 2007 and they still suck now. Im hoping some over the summer some company will develop a true "plug-n-play" kit that will relocate the H&T/Beam buttons onto the console somewhere and due away with the bulky throttle block. I did this on my M-series but everything was all cut and splice, looks like I might be doing it again...

CO 2.0 · Apr 17, 2017

Like the bar controls Speedwerx are coming out with that were on display at the dealer show?

cpa · Apr 17, 2017

Not to be negative...just want your honest opinion because I haven't rode an 18 yet but snowchecked one and have a 2016 limited currently that I love, and had a 2014 and a 2012.

Everything you posted as a negative has been that way for years, in fact was that way the last 2 times you upgraded. Are the new improvements not better than the improvements they made in 2013 and 2016 when you decided even with all the same negatives they had back then that it was worth upgrading?

I've never seen a sled that benefits more from a new set of skis than the Proclimb. It amazes me that Polaris can have such a great ski and clear from the parabolic ski in 2001 Cat has had the absolute worst ski on the market by a long long ways. The M's werent bad for a few years I guess but what has cat been thinking since then? Even the changes in 2016 didn't get it right. Good thing grippers are cheap, easy to mount up, and plain work on the Cat.

boondocker97 · Apr 17, 2017

So you mean you wanted the extruded running boards on page 130 of the new accessories catalog as standard equipment? If you bent one, install a set of these.

richardderkevorkian · Apr 17, 2017

boondocker97 said:
So you mean you wanted the extruded running boards on page 130 of the new accessories catalog as standard equipment? If you bent one, install a set of these.

I want those to be factory installed so I can race it in Stock classes at hill climbs. I know they are offered it's the fact that cats still half assing it on this sled.

richardderkevorkian · Apr 17, 2017

cpa said:
Not to be negative...just want your honest opinion because I haven't rode an 18 yet but snowchecked one and have a 2016 limited currently that I love, and had a 2014 and a 2012.

Everything you posted as a negative has been that way for years, in fact was that way the last 2 times you upgraded. Are the new improvements not better than the improvements they made in 2013 and 2016 when you decided even with all the same negatives they had back then that it was worth upgrading?

I've never seen a sled that benefits more from a new set of skis than the Proclimb. It amazes me that Polaris can have such a great ski and clear from the parabolic ski in 2001 Cat has had the absolute worst ski on the market by a long long ways. The M's werent bad for a few years I guess but what has cat been thinking since then? Even the changes in 2016 didn't get it right. Good thing grippers are cheap, easy to mount up, and plain work on the Cat.

I have fixed everything on my 13 that makes it not currently worth upgrading to an 18. It has B&M skinny boards, polaris handle bars with deleted controlles, polaris skis, and it's currently lighter then an 18 so unless cat fixes that stuff from the factory I'll be holding out another year.

The shocks on the 18 were the thing that stood out the most to me, they are amazing and would be an expensive upgrade to do to any current sleds.

CO 2.0 · Apr 17, 2017

I guess it's all in what you are comfortable with. I rode a 13 with a turbo, helium hood plastics, Skinny boards, 16 front end, and a bunch of other mods and LW parts on it. Same day I rode the 18 Cat. Went back and forth all day between them. The 13 felt like I was riding a dinosaur in comparison. Skis are the first thing I've taken off my 12, 14, 15, and 16 Proclimb. Grippers are the only ski I'll use. And I've tried them all.

fharrison · Apr 17, 2017

I don't want to change the topic but how are the gripper skis on trails? I know most people here don't do much trail riding but I have a fair amount of trail riding to get to my riding areas. Just curious if they push badly or do they handle decently on trail. I do not like the 16 cat skis. I don't think they do anything well and am looking to change them next year. I was also looking at pilot 6.9's.

kiliki · Apr 17, 2017

do well on the trail. not perfect but very acceptable. push a bit better than the PPros.

sno*jet · Apr 18, 2017

im always switching between the modes on the grips so i like them on the bars myself.
I believe the pro style running boards add 4-5 pounds?
cat skis suck yep.

BBP · Apr 18, 2017

Which shocks were on your buddy's sled? The standard evols or the new adjustable ones?

richardderkevorkian · Apr 18, 2017

BBP said:
Which shocks were on your buddy's sled? The standard evols or the new adjustable ones?

new adjustable ones

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2018 MC ride review

richardderkevorkian

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ultrasks700

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CO 2.0

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cpa

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richardderkevorkian

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