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Sorry we couldn’t really compare Arctic Cat’s F8 with these key competitors because Cat only offers it in more upscale Sno Pro trim. But we did a full season test of the racier Sno Pro and were plenty impressed by its motor, handling and comfort.
We told you our impressions of the F8 Sno Pro in our long-term test (Oct. 2010, p.22), but here’s a quick snapshot of our thinking.
Super motor! We got more grunt and pull out of this and more speed than any normally aspirated 2010 sled. In our Real World tests we hit 95.13 mph and on the dyno we tested the 800cc liquid twin at 163.4 mph. It now looks as if the Ski-Doo 800 and Yamaha Apex are both in that same ballpark.
But we love the F8 because it’s strong, smooth and, well, FAST. Yet the F8 also handles easily and well. Steering effort is light, while throttle pull is as silky and easy as you’d ever want. After Cat revamped the steering geometry a couple years ago, its F sleds can corner aggressively too.
Add in a good riding position, excellent ride comfort and a slide-action rear suspension that can take punishment and the F8 is a hoot on the trails or across a lake. For this season it also comes in an extended track model, the EXT, with a 144-inch track.
Downsides? Gas mileage is low. We got only 10.6 mpg in our full season of riding.