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The balance of Arctic Cat’s M-series chassis is amazing, making it arguably the best sidehilling and tree line ride. The way M sleds can be rolled easily up onto one ski and held there on even the steepest of sidehills is incredible. Arctic Cat hasn’t changed much on the 2011 M8 and while Polaris and Ski-Doo outflank the Cat in terms of updates the Cat still remains an amazing machine and one that can definitely hold its own in the mountains.
M8’s riding position is the most old school of this group, with its motor positioned low and in front of the rider unlike the Ski-Doo where the motor is almost right beneath the rider. Yet this conventional position and balance make the M8 very easy to maneuver on the mountain.
For 2011 there’s a new rear suspension calibration and some new graphics. The M8’s stiff suspension has been one of its weakest links though, so it is good that Arctic Cat has addressed this problem with revised valving to the Fox Zero Pro and Fox Float shocks in its rear skid. However, even with the revised suspension valving the M8 isn’t nearly as plush as the Polaris or Ski-Doo.
While the Arctic Cat M chassis has been one of our favorites for years and still is amazing, this spring we could not help but feel that it’s starting to feel old. Arctic Cat has used the same basic platform for its M-Series mountain machines since the M7 in 2005 although it has refined the sled many times with new engines, tunnels and other weight savers. Now in its sixth year, we have to speculate that a new M chassis must be coming soon.