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17 mountain cat m-8 demo ride

tinkerjohnson

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Premium Member
Dec 12, 2008
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Southern utah
My Xm rear shock is having issues. So I have been wanting to try out the new mountain cat and my dealer had a demo and he let me take it out and try it. So to start with its a 17 mountain cat 800 153 3" it has a Slp can and Arctic cat high elevation clutch kit (66g weights and different primary spring) everything else is stock. That sled flat out rips, it has really good low mid and top end power throttle response was really good, power for an out of the box sled was really good, pulled hard and run 8100 rpm all day no matter if I was climbing in the powder on the trail it was consistent clutching was spot on imho. Handling was really good too I felt at home and was really comfortable and confident on this sled. I could pull lines and hold them better with more control than my Xm (t-motion I think it's where I have a control problem especially when skis lift is set to high) rear suspension in the cat is much better Than the doo aswell. I set all shocks up for my weight and setups from other snowest riders who posted what was working for them, agin spot on. Ski lift was perfect and I felt in control at all times (on my doo 50% I'm out of control) we had a good storm and at least 2+ft of fresh powder on our ride and the sled carved and floated like a dream, pulled right up on the snow. I have a buddy with 16 le 3" and I can't pull a donut off on his without tipping over or washing out his sled wouldn't pull back up from its side. And this sled will recover And tip back up (probably the narrower side panel and running boards that's not dragging as much aswell as dropped chain case and 8tooth drivers) all in all it was a much better sled than I would have believed it would be compared to the 16. My only complaint with the sled the brake disk and chain case are fairly exposed with thin plastic covers, and fuel mileage. it seems to like fuel more than my Xm but I was pinned all day long ripen it up on this sled. I didn't give it much of a break all day, and when I felt like I was gonna toast a belt from working the sh::t out of it, clutches were surprisingly pretty cool (my doo gets hot) in conclusion from a guy that rides a doo and used to ride a poo this sled gets the win for me I would buy this sled in a second. Cat got it figured out and got all the bugs worked out on this sled. I may own one in the near future
 
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CO 2.0

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Lifetime Membership
Nov 26, 2007
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Fort Collins, CO
Prob still tinkering with MDS weights. I switched to Cutler weights this year with much better results. If I rode below 10k all the time I prob wouldnt have switched.

My setup:
083 belt
Cutler weights
120/310 primary spring h5 speedwerx w/ adapter
Thunder glide washers
43 helix
180/270 speedwerx h5 secondary spring
7 tooth w 20 49 gearing

10-12k ft
 
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Bacon

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Nov 26, 2007
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Napoleon, ND
I geared up and pulled a couple grams out of the primary on my '16. But apparently I didn't change enough stuff for it to work good. Except it does.
 
K

knifedge

Well-known member
Dec 20, 2009
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Colorado
I geared up and pulled a couple grams out of the primary on my '16. But apparently I didn't change enough stuff for it to work good. Except it does.

--Stock 68 gram setup pulls 7800 at 10 k ft....48 deg helix does ok on hardpack but pulls down in powder....i like how stock setup pulls on groomef trail....43 helix doesnt pull as hard...works great in powder though....
 
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Bacon

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
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Napoleon, ND
I think I'm at 65.6 grams with 20-49 gearing. Everything else is how it came from factory. Pulls 8100 at 10,000 ft. Might be 66.5 grams. Dealer ground down my stock 68's and weighed them out. I weigh 185. Diamond-s can, other than that its stock.
 

ranger12

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Nov 24, 2012
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Dickinson ND
I think I'm at 65.6 grams with 20-49 gearing. Everything else is how it came from factory. Pulls 8100 at 10,000 ft. Might be 66.5 grams. Dealer ground down my stock 68's and weighed them out. I weigh 185. Diamond-s can, other than that its stock.
What year sled 16 or 17 ?
 
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WyoBoy1000

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Nov 27, 2007
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Red Lodge MT to North, CO
Cheap route.

Get the recommended weight for elevation, then throw in a sw 122/285 sporting and adaptor.

That alone wakes them up big time.


To really work, put 8t drivers in first. I got the mds to work but there not designed to work with that low of gearing, even though better than stock once you go 8t it's a whole better system.
 
J
Jan 20, 2011
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0
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78
What did you have the shocks air pressure set at for the mtn cat. I weigh 175. Just bought the cat at trying to find the best set up
Thanks
 

joshkoltes

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Dec 16, 2007
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ranchester, wy - nashua, mn
I think I ended up just under 64 grams to get my 81-8200 and left everything else stock

used cutler weights. I weighed them before I loaded them and one was .4 g heavier than the rest so I sanded the back side down.
 
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