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M8 vs. Sno Pro vs. ETech

jazzfan

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Jan 30, 2009
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I've been reading a lot of comparisons of the Pro Ride vs. the Etech's but not so much about the M8's. How do they all stack up? The cat's have been pretty strong for several years. Are they falling behind?
 
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jpete27

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Mar 8, 2010
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The M8's I was riding with this week fell way behind...:face-icon-small-sho

Maybe it was this way!

The guys riding M8's that I was riding with this week fell way behind...:face-icon-small-sho

I'd like to see a single rider compare all of the sleds under the same conditions.

I bet they all stand out in certain ways and ride better in certain types of snow!
 

Tree Boss

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here soon me and M8Chris will line up and do a drag up a hill with no tracks, I bet the Pro takes his 2010 Sno Pro 153. He has a can and changed the primary spring and I am stock. The HO Cat is a hell of a running motor and you can not go wrong with either the new Pro or a 2010 or 11 Cat.
 
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MGM

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Dec 2, 2007
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Southern Idaho
Well I sold an M7 that I LOVED to get the pro so I'd like to think I'm not biased.

I ride regularly with a stock 09 snopro 153 (my pro is a 155), I pretty much can out climb and side hill is a push. We have similar abilities and weight about the same and both sleds are stock. When we switch it sure feels like the powder claw is moving a lot of snow, where the 5.1 feels like it just spins faster if that makes sense. However in just about every situation the pro is about 20% better of a sled.

I know the 10's had a bit more power and were monsters on the hill, over Christmas I will ride with one and can get a close comparison. I have a feeling they will be pretty close but it sure feels like the pro just gets on top of the snow and keeps going.
 
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AKSNOWRIDER

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well, I will explain it like this..and this is my opinion...the pro rmk is top sled out there right now...it raises the bar a notch when it comes to mountain riding....it will get on the snow and climb as good as the xp if not better(most admit the xp is king of straight up deep snow climbing), and it will sidehill and carve in deep/steep stuff as good if not better then the m sled(also acknoledged as best at sidehilling/carving), fit and finish is as good as any yammy so far, trail handling for a mountain sled is about as good as most mod sleds with 5 grand worth of custom suspension under them....its also the lightest sled out there..and that leaves a motor with only 143 hp if you believe in dyno reports winning the battle on the hill, then this sled shouldnt be competitive..yet it is and then some...the pro rmk is the total package.....the only downers that seem to show are weak a-arms(same as the dragons yet hardly anyone complained about them), and some broken bumpers, bent tunnels(again, same tunnel as the dragons..and typical of many sleds tunnels)....is it the only sled worth owning..absolutely not..all the current 800 mountain sleds are great sleds...the pro just does everything very very good compared to the others...it doesnt show any glaring weakness...we still have to see what happens with motor longevity ..but honestly..it should be fine..cant wait to see what happens when these start getting out on the hill with turbos and bigbores...i think they may take some of that market as well...
 
M
Nov 28, 2007
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held on to my M when i got my pro just in case, rode the pro once and had no second thoughts about selling it. pro is by far the best production sled on the snow. someones gonna have to really step up to beat this sled, the cast bulkhead alone is a generation ahead of any other 800...
 

1Mike900

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Dec 5, 2007
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AKSNOWRIDER you are quite right! Here is what I think, I may be way off base but here goes. 1) even if you have 10 + BHP in a skidoo or Cat it doesn't do any good turning a 16" wide heavy track. I am sure the extra width adds rolling resistance which is even less efficient. I bet they would benefit with a Cat PC track. 2) I think Cat's diamond drive is a hold back for power to the ground, That is why they really don't do as well even with the PC track. I bet they change with the new model to something with a jackshaft with a low mounted brake like they have presently. Or how about a chain drive/belt drive diamond drive set-up since the engine reverses. A 155+ Bhp non efficient sled will make the competition re think what they have? I am sure there will be changes shortly but enjoy as Polaris set a whole new std! I am glad they did as they are way overdue for the "Sled of the year"

Thanks Mike
 
D
Nov 17, 2008
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pro vs etec

went riding on monday
2 163 pros 1 163 etec all 3 2011
climbing up hill and drag racing across meadows all 3 dead even
boondocking in tight trees the pros win hands down with the same rider riding all
after 65 miles of hard riding the pros had 1\2 tank left and the etec had about 5/8
both good sleds
the pro is just a little more nimble in tight stuff
 

M8Chris

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Arctic Cat better come out with one bad a$$ sled next year or I'll be on a 2012 pro...need I say more about how awesome that sled is? wow! I dont care if it got dyno'd at 143 or whatever. that sled pulls hard. today going down a hill tipping it over and heading back up the hill it didn't even struggle with fresh snow it gets right on top. there are some people (not saying on this thread) that need to accept when there is something better then what they have. andI can't say it enough polaris did one heck of a job with their pros. amazing nimble powerful. best overall sled hands down. next year will be really fun to see what all the companies have out. I'd take a pro over my cat. and i've been loving my cat I can throw it around anywhere I want to but that pro is just ridiculous. theres my rant pros are sick.
 
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FrozenMOTO

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Jul 21, 2010
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Arctic Cat better come out with one bad a$$ sled next year or I'll be on a 2012 pro...need I say more about how awesome that sled is? wow! I dont care if it got dyno'd at 143 or whatever. that sled pulls hard. today going down a hill tipping it over and heading back up the hill it didn't even struggle with fresh snow it gets right on top. there are some people (not saying on this thread) that need to accept when there is something better then what they have. andI can't say it enough polaris did one heck of a job with their pros. amazing nimble powerful. best overall sled hands down. next year will be really fun to see what all the companies have out. I'd take a pro over my cat. and i've been loving my cat I can throw it around anywhere I want to but that pro is just ridiculous. theres my rant pros are sick.


Then what would they do with all of their manufactured branded gear.

I agree and it is the same with ALL power sports and even rigs. And it will never change, but the way I look at it is like this, when I bought my first new dirt bike I got kawi 250f and everyone said it was a pile and they are junk, all local yammi riders around here, I did alot of research and before I bought the bike and thought is was the best of its year. So they all gave me crap all the time, but when I beat them out riding I would just say, "Man I must be a good rider if I beat you on this piece of shi*".

Made it all better!
 

M8Chris

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I agree rider has a lot to do with how you can ride and how you ride. its not like one day your going to be riding like chris burandt in the trees it takes time practice and a lot of patience. however i do believe for boondocking in tight trees that pro just makes it easier. like i said i can throw my m around where ever i want in tight places some people wouldn't think about its all about being comfortable on your sled and knowing how it preforms. theyre all good(except xp's can't ride those haha jk jk but seriously i dont know how people ride those) just saying i think polaris did a great job with their sled this year. and i can't say anything bad about my kitty
 

M7DingBat

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I agree rider has a lot to do with how you can ride and how you ride. its not like one day your going to be riding like chris burandt in the trees it takes time practice and a lot of patience. however i do believe for boondocking in tight trees that pro just makes it easier. like i said i can throw my m around where ever i want in tight places some people wouldn't think about its all about being comfortable on your sled and knowing how it preforms. theyre all good(except xp's can't ride those haha jk jk but seriously i dont know how people ride those) just saying i think polaris did a great job with their sled this year. and i can't say anything bad about my kitty

Thank GOD!!!.....I'm not the only one that can't ride an XP! :party: :drum:
I agree with you as well. I can put my little M7 in some pretty hairy spots, but I've seen where these PRO's can get to, and it's pretty gnarly! I'll be looking forward to riding a new one come 2012. I love my M's...I REALLY do, but you just can't ignore how easy these things make riding, and thats "technical" riding to boot!!!
 
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snowmobiler

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with that whopping 143 hp,the pro makes an excellent kiddies meadow play sled after they outgrow a 120.
cats are oldschool trail sleds.
summits rule in the mountains.:)
 
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snopro_ac

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Oct 17, 2009
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with that whopping 143 hp,the pro makes an excellent kiddies meadow play sled after they outgrow a 120.
cats are oldschool trail sleds.
summits rule in the mountains.:)

i'm glad the summits rule in the mountains it was a lot easier to get rid of my summit so i could get a pro this year. put it on ebay and it was gone.
 

M8Chris

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with that whopping 143 hp,the pro makes an excellent kiddies meadow play sled after they outgrow a 120.
cats are oldschool trail sleds.
summits rule in the mountains.:)

Have you ridden a pro? Maybe it is just 143 but they're getting all 143 down to the ground and it's very consistent. I'm sure those xps are highmarkers but for nimble tree technical riding I'd take a pro the way it gets on the snow is amazing. I'd really like to see a pro xp and m8 highmark and hope the pro wins. Course the way ski doo guys are it'd be "oh my clutches were too hot" or "I really don't know why I lost I just feel like making excuses cause I am ignorant" ;)
 
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