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The pushing was gone, to the point that now I am starting to adjust the limiter straps and rear suspension again to see if I can get more handling performance out of the sled. Having ridden Ski-Doo’s a lot I may have been just more comfortable with these skis as well.
The F1100 has wide spacing of the front A-arms and high spindles. The front suspension geometry is very good in handling bump steer and large impacts, more so than the XP chassis front-end, I found. Though some of the Cat’s front bulkhead is steel and not fully aluminum like the XP chassis. Changing to a full aluminum casting might be a good update for the F1100 sled in the future. However, the Cat feels very tight and strong and it can take a beating. The rear suspension is compliant and can soak up bumps, but you can still feel the weight of the sled.
The Turbo is a pleasure to drive long distances, and short bursts of corners and heavy bumpy trail sections. The stock track is a good size for this sled and hooks up hard. If I was drag racing extra studs would help, but for trail riding the two per window was fine. One nagging issue with the rear is the lack of outer wheels which allows snow and slush to enter the rear track. When cornering hard it constantly throws up little blobs of snow or slush at you and over your head. I think a 4-wheel set up is needed. The rear suspension is easy to adjust, and the rear skid as capable as a XP SC5, it is damped well and has had no issues.
Happy with my choice
Did I make the right choice? Hell yes! This sled is a joy to drive, the power is intoxicating and it’s a good sled for riding long distances. If it’s wide open, you are going to run away from any other sled. If you are on a tight, twisty brush trail, you might lag behind. I knew this was a muscle sled when buying it, so my eyes were fully open. I have a perfect more nimble 2-stroke sled to jump onto, so I have the best of both worlds. The weight is not as big a deal as I was anticipating. Frankly, for most trail riding this sled more than gets the job done.
At the end of the first season I logged a total of about 1,000 miles on my F1100 ‘Beast’. Its fuel economy was comparable to my 800R, and riding with no 2-stroke smell was great. The only issues the sled has had was the reverse malfunctioning while at a gas station (you do not want to have to man-handle this machine around). It was replaced under warranty. A thumb warmer needed replacing, and there was a small oil leak in the chain case. After all the supposed issues with belt life for this sled, I had none. My first belt blew at 901 miles, which I consider excellent. I’m not easy on belts either. The sled is as good as the day I bought it, and I am looking forward to riding next season.