AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com
Small complaints
Our only complaint with the Sno Pro regards its suspension. While the Fox Float suspension is light, it is stiff and unforgiving on the trail. Thankfully Arctic Cat has addressed our concern with revised rear shock valving on 2011 models. However, even with revised valving we have yet to ride an air shock system that works as well as a spring shock.
A point of much discussion on the HCR was the track, and to be fair there really wasn’t a problem with it, but it just wasn’t suited to the snow we had out West this year. We found the HCR track trenched more in the powder and baseless snow when compared to the same profile, but softer, Power Claw track on the Sno Pro.
M-thoughts Although we didn’t test a base model for the full season, it seems the standard M8’s setup is pretty good. It has the same track and suspension geometry as the Sno Pro, but with Fox coil-over suspension. You do lose some of the premium features, like the adjustable steering post and gauge if you choose the base model, but you also save nearly a thousand bucks.
The HCR is built to race up winding hill courses and it does this really well as our results (See Spring 2010 issue, p. 38) clearly showed. For Cat die-hards looking to compete in hillclimbs, picking the HCR is a no brainer. However for recreational riders, choosing between an HCR and a Sno Pro is a more difficult decision. You should carefully consider what kind of snow conditions you normally ride in, the terrain and your own personal riding style. If you’re a deep powder rider looking to high mark hills and ride in the trees a lot, then the Sno Pro is probably a better choice. The HCR is better on the trail, has plusher suspension and a track that is better suited to harder snow.
If you’re a Midwesterner who rides both trails and mountains, or an aggressive mountain rider who regularly hits big drops and jumps you will definitely appreciate the HCR’s suspension.
Clearly the HCR isn’t for everyone and priced at $11,999, it’s the most expensive M8. Consider this though, how much it would cost to build a similar machine by adding aftermarket parts to a standard M8? A quick calculation will show that the HCR is a pretty good value too.