Sabercat, Crossfire, Firecat EXT, M7

Hey guys I moved back to Eastern SD from Wyoming and sold my 01 MC 800 LE awhile back and I'm dumping my 99 PS 600. I originally sold the MC becasue I was getting chapped because of no snow and owed $ on it. I vowed I would not buy another sled until it snows before Jan1 and we keep it long enough to ride it for over a month and have a decent winter. We'll we got snow this winter even though not much left and not really ideal for riding a mountain sled around here even though I've done it. I was thinking of picking up either a used M7 141 or Crossfire 7 136 (something with at least 140hp like my 800 had). I've been out of looking at buying new iron for awhile and never really looked at anything other than a glance at the model names and what they looked like etc. But I never really did any hard research on how they performed after they were cut loose from production etc. Like the Sabercat, I remember looking at the specs way back but never really heard much about them. The Firecat I remember a buddy having a bunch of recalls and issues on his (think it might have been 03 but not sure) But I saw the Firecat EXT and remember hearing nothing of this model. The M series of course after coming from western riding. I see alot of guys riding 151 and longer tracks thinking WTF? I remember it was hard enough keeping hifax from melting within 10miles with the 144 2 inch lug and now you got guys riding something totally off the wall. What I'm looking for are some pro's and cons to some of these sleds. I initally though M-7 141 maybe in a snow pro but not certain.

I'm looking at riding mainly around here (but I hate trails so I'll probably go get stuck in some slew up to my neck.) My 800 had the rebuildable fox shocks with the dial adjust clicker that soaked up ditch banging very good for a mountian sled (Plus I'm a big guy so I need that little extra cusion). I don't think I will own another sled without rebuildable shocks. I love the ride of the longer tracks though the 2inch arctic cat paddle may not be the best for here. I will go out west so I don't want something totally declawed from the mountians either which is why I was leaning maybe toward a crossfire with maybe 1.5 or 1.75 track.

I've also kept an open mind to Polaris for the Switchback and the RMK also since I worked on a relatives sled's while he was racing in the hillclimbs a few years back. I liked the tracks that came on the RMK's from putting screws into and also the angled rails would help turning corners on the trail. I'd love to pick up an RMK 900 because they go so cheap around ($5600 retail) here but there again I don't need a 159.

But in the event I come accross and excellent deal on a Firecat EXT or Sabercat I have no knowledge of their pro's and con's. Can anyone share their insight, thoughts opinions on this whole matter? I'm still thinking M7 or Crossfire 7 but not certain and a bit confused after looking at what is out there for used sleds and the crazy prices. For example the same place I visited that sells on consignment so this is what the actual owners are asking.

Nice Price RMK 900
http://www.powerbrokersinc.com/show.aspx?vid=1056679&stockno=S38811
Nice Sled but are you high?
http://www.powerbrokersinc.com/show.aspx?vid=1079194&stockno=S30538
Nice sled with the exception that it needs a track...BADLY
http://www.powerbrokersinc.com/show.aspx?vid=1081464&stockno=S36768
This one's been beat up, epoxy holding the hood on. (I haven't been rolled)
http://www.powerbrokersinc.com/show.aspx?vid=1084881&stockno=S21154

So after going out and physically looking at used for the first time in years I'm freaking spellbound and lost at the same time. Somene share your thoughts on the Firecat EXT, and Sabercat. If they are not worth the ride money won't matter and I can scratch them off my list.

Get something with a 136 to 144 x 1.25 track. I haven't ridden any of the 13.5 wide tracks to have an opinion. The M7 will not be good for most E. SD conditions. I won't even ride mine here because of the track/hifax issues.

Yeah, the 13.5 track was a wonder when it came out but it didn't seem to stay long. That kinda had me wondering. I thought I remember finding some other differences from the Sabercat and the Firecat EXT I thought it was shocks but I looked on Cats site and they appear to be the same. dunno.

I'm picking up a Crossfire 6 for my wife on Wednesday. From what I have read and heard about this sled, and what you are saying, a Crossfire 700 (2006), or a Crossfire 8 (2007), would fill your needs nicely. But probably not much available on the used line for 07s. Lots of great deals on 2006 Crossfire 7s from what I have seen here on the forum. They have a 136 x 15 x 1.25 track. I will know exactly how they ride in a couple of days.

Love my M8 though.

Stay away from the firecat/sabercat. I have an F5 sno pro. Its not bad, but it just doesn't do anything very well either. Out of the box they need a lot of suspension tuning to get them to handle decent and if its a carb model your going to have quite a jetting project too because they come really rich. It was a good concept, and thanks for trying arctic cat, but it just didn't pan out in the real world IMO. Its also a be-och to work under the hood because everything is buried deep within the beast.

The Crossfire is a much better chassis, a great all around sled. I've ridden them and recomend them.

Myself, I'd rather own a mountain sled, make a couple trips a year, and if we get some snow here, well that's nice. For the one or two weekends a year we get ridable snow a mountain sled isn't really much of a handycap. Usually its ridding in windloaded ditches and I end up wishing I was on a mountian sled anyway.

hey i was wondering if u guys can help me out...im looking to buy a 03 or newer f7 next season and i was wondering if it was a good buy....any info about reliability...got mods....anything will help really...also wondering if there was stupid lil problems with them..anyways thats for ur time

Thanks for the input so far, Keep it coming!

Fosgate said:

Thanks for the input so far, Keep it coming!

Click to expand...

I bought an '04 F7 EXT for my wife. It is fast and has had zero problems (1500 miles). I put a 2 inch track for deeper snow out here in the west. Great sled with plenty of speed and good mileage. Highly recommended if you trail ride with an occasional jaunt into the deeper stuff.

I live in NW Iowa and have a crossfire Sno Pro. I love the thing. I would definatley recommend the Sno Pro package. It handles the ditches and the river very well. I thought coming off of a ZL that it would be apain on the river but I think it handles very closely. If I were you I would get the crossfire. If you want to go out to the Mountains, buy Ole's rail Extensions and a 144X2 track and you basically have an M, but it will be a longer track.

jeremy- there is nothing wrong with them starting in 04 and newer. Guys with 03's say the recalls have fixed the problems, but I don't buy it. I try to stay away from first year builds. My 04 F5 Sno Pro is potentially for sale if your interested. You don't really need F7 power unless you are going to race or free ride out west. My F5 is as fast as anyone can hold on too trail riding in the woods. I've passed me many an F6 and F7 and never been passed.

Another thing about firecats, don't get the sno pro package just because your ego tells you too. Only get it if you are really a jumper/ditch banger because when the trails are all whooped out, the sno pro package will punish you.

I have a 06 M7 141", and I theres also a 06 Crossfire 7 and a 05 F7 ext in my riding group. The XF and F7 cant come close to keeping up with my M7 in powder or anywhere except on groomed trails. They are both faster than me on top end but we never get the chance to hit top end anyways. The only bad thing is when I get stuck they cant reach me to help, and they both get stuck a lot more than I do.

I currently have both.

An 03 F7 (narrow track) and a crossfire. The x-fire is a much better all around sled. but the F7's are cheap, reliable and run like a scalded dog.

The issues of the 03's were all hype. i have 4500+ on mine and just replaced a coil. I vote for the snopro package. You dont have the be a ditch banger to enjoy it. i think they are much better setup. THe f-cats are more of a ditch/lake sled, but are still tolerable trail sleds.
The M sleds are a handful on the trail.

i have 3 03 firecats, two f7 and one snopro 440, the only issues we have had on them is the bulkhead, cracked on both of them in the front on the cluch side, and just went to the 04 chassis, much better chassis 03 first years were famous for falling apart, well everyone that i ride with, big time ditch/and big jumps dont help so if your head towards a 03 look for that and i have over 6000 miles on one motor and over 5000 on the other, and im still winning some drag races with them, good cluch set up is a must for them as well d&d sells good ones, but for powder dont really recommend them there fun but you cant highmark them, just dont have the track for it, but just blasting the flats there awsome just my 2cents

Fostgage. I live in eastern SD as well and have M1000 and my wife has Crossfire 8. If you are looking for all around sled for this part of the country the xfire has it hands down. The snow really never get to deep for it in this part of the country and for ditch or trail they are awesome. They will hang with any of the mentioned sleds ditch banging and smoke most of them once you leave the trail or the ditch and get into the powder. The ride you get compared to the F series is worth its weight in gold. If you take all the mentioned sleds and went for a very long day of riding everyone will be fighting over the crossfire by the end of the day just for the ride it gives you. You can put a 2 inch track on the x-fire for around three hundred and switch the gears if you want and head out west. My brother has this set up and it hangs with the M's all day long. You can buy a new x-fire 7 for around 5,000. You need to ride a x-fire before making up your mind to buy anything else. I have three in our riding group that have all bought x-fires to ride around hear after riding my wifes.

I was looking online again today at some prices. Holy crap I think some prices are there just so the guy to tell the wife "See it won't sell, Can I keep it now?".

But there is also some killer deals out there.

I have an 04 f-7 ext with 5000 miles on it and it runs great. I've never had a single issue with it. It was a rocket right out of the box. Its been a great sled. I just bought a crossfire 800 snopro and am just getting used to it, only have 400 miles on it but so far I like, it's got a ton of bottom.

Also check out the deals at Heinens Motorsports in Ossao Minnesota, they seem to have lots of none current sleds. Or on e-bay heinens1.