1996 arctic cat puma

 Cat's Puma is the tamest of the litter. With a 340cc twin that makes a point of snubbing gas pumps, the low-cost, adult-sized Cat is a solid buy at $3,099. It's also the least expensive in the Arctic Cat arsenal (not including the Kitty Cat). Last year we found it offered only a little less performance than the fan-cooled Jag, which costs $1,000 more and has a 431cc single carburetted engine. Of course, the Jag sports 92cc more than the Puma's 339cc fan-cooled single cylinder, but value-wise, the Puma can't be beat.

Its proven Suzuki-built, piston-ported two-stroker is fueled efficiently by a 32mm Mikuni carb. The trade-off with a small-diameter single carb is an absence of acceleration, but that's to be expected. You gain exceptional mileage relative to two-cycle engines. We can't think of any other 1996 model sled that can challenge the Puma's fuel efficiency.

The Puma served as a test bed for clutch development as Cat's new aluminum drive clutch was first introduced on the Puma series about two seasons back. The thinking was that if there were problems with the clutch, those problems could be solved quickly while not inconveniencing many Cat customers, since the Puma is a low-volume series. As it turned out, there were very few problems with the lightweight drive clutch, which is being used on 17 of the Cat models for 1996.

The Cat clutch is manufactured by Arctco and built to more stringent tolerances, which ensure smoother, more efficient performance. Engineering on the clutch started in 1992 and first appeared on production Puma models in 1993. Last year it was added to the Bearcat series. Drivetrain efficiency is a key attribute of the new design.

Reliability is another attribute. Those looking for a reliable, fun-to-ride, entry-level sled at a low price will not be disappointed with the Puma or its dressed up sibling, the Puma Deluxe. For only $450 more the Deluxe offers a speedometer, odometer, trip meter, gas gauge, low oil warning, electric start, hand and thumb warmers and a high windshield in addition to the brake lever lock that is the sole standard feature on the base Puma.

While the base model Puma isn't fully loaded, it's still a great deal of fun. That's the crucial point to any recreational toy: Is it fun, and does it give its owner a good value-to-fun relationship? The Puma scores well there. Given its 37-inch ski stance and aluminum tunnel, you can expect it to feel light and easy to steer. That nimble handling and light, easy-to-control feel is directly attributable to its AWS double-wishbone suspension. While not the latest version of Cat's front end, it is a solid design that keeps the Puma tracking straight and sure.

Navigating even the ugliest trails is made easy with Arctic Cat's proven AWS double-wishbone suspension up front and Arctic Extra-Long Travel Slide-Rail in the rear. What you get is seven inches of front travel and 8.5 inches of rear travel working together to help you over the bumps and through the tight turns. Better-than-average handling is compliments of the progressive-rate spring and coil-over gas shocks. Compared to the power provided, the suspension far surpasses the engine. As with most Cats, you can readily dial in suspension and handling adjustments to suit your riding style.

Arctic won't disclose sled weight, but we'd figure the Puma probably weighs in around what you'd find in an Indy Sport. We do know that it's easy to turn around in a narrow trail by grabbing onto the skis and pulling. That means it will be relatively light when yanking it out of a powder bog, too.

Puma styling and comfort is quite good for a sled in this category. Its seat is well padded and contoured to fit virtually every size and shape of rider. The seat back is shaped to hold a rider like a saddle. Footholds are wide and well-angled, but the floor boards could be a little wider and less flimsy. Up close, as well as from a distance, the Puma lines are sleek, making it look like a bigger, faster Cat.

For those who want the choice of riding with or without a passenger, the Puma two-up will fit your needs nicely. It comes with a longer 136-inch track (the base model track is 121 inches) and an overload rear suspension that lets you adjust for one or two riders with the flip of a lever.

When it comes to getting a lot of bang for the buck, we like the Puma from its suspension to its mechanical disc brake. We have only two complaints: the gas tank was decreased from 11 gallons to 10, and power and acceleration were lacking. The smaller fuel capacity won't keep us from recommending this entry-level sled and the lack of power causes us to suggest a move up to the bigger, but higher-priced Jag.