west report 09 mountain rankings

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There are no gigantic "wows" for 2009, but the new mountain sleds are still dripping with improvements, not the least of which is Cat's major fat-trimming from its M-chassis, plus the addition of telescoping bars.

When we tested the '09 beasts in the Rockies this spring, it was the Cat's leap forward that caught us off guard after we'd so enjoyed the new raw Polaris RMK last season. But, the new Cat Sno Pro and Sno Pro LE models are this year's cream of the crop and thereby our Best Mountain Sleds of 2009.

Our mountain team didn't agree on everything though, as you'll see in our ratings chart, but the Cats came out on top.

However, each of the other makes deserve plenty of kudos this year too. Ski-Doo's XP Summit/Everest sleds have refinements that quiet last years gripes, including groans about blown belts and busted driveshafts. Polaris squeezed more utility from its 800 RMK line by throwing it into a freestyle ride dubbed Assault. It's not for the steep-n-deep powder purist, but is aimed at the gen-X and -Y crowd that often treats backcountry riding as an extreme alternative sport.

Yamaha continues polishing and tweaking its Nytro too, plus it has thrown down the challenge to its competition by offering a 4-year warranty package, surpassing all the other OEMs.

Here's an overview of the smokin' hot 2009 deep-powder rods from the Big 4.

Ski-Doo Summit 800 X/Everest
After a season astraddle our 2008 XP 800 Summit X, we know Ski-Doo wants its mountain line to be unique. We've spent a gob of time talking with Ski-Doo's mountain sled research and development master, Chris Ruske, and Ski-Doo's engineers who work to assure Summits are functional too.

Again, there are two Summit 800 packages: Summit Everest and Summit X. The Everest is the basic Summit with an 800R PowerTEK engine, the lightweight XP chassis, Kayaba high-pressure gas (HPG) front and rear shocks, 2.25-inch lug track stretched to 16-inches wide, and it comes in three tread lengths, 146- 154- or 163-inches. It also features a Brembo hydraulic brake, analog gauge and Rotax Electronic Reverse (RER). Color is deep black.

The ice blue and white Summit X includes the Everest's standard features, but adds Kayaba HPG take-apart aluminum-bodied shocks, a racing seat, multi-function digital instrument pod, low windshield, high-temp brake pad, lightweight front suspension components and handlebar riser block. The highly popular Summit X 154 has a dry weight of 429 lbs., whereas the longer 163-in. model is 5 lbs. heavier.

Changes for '09 include a 4mm shorter and 1mm wider drive belt, which fits more cleanly inside the clutch sheaves and is more suited for deflection adjustments. The belt's rubber compound better resists heat-induced de-lamination and fraying. Summit engineers also adjusted engine alignment to increase belt life.

A new ramp and 43/47 helix for the driven clutch will give a more loaded shifting and will reduce belt temperature. To alleviate driveshaft issues, Ski-Doo designed a hydroformed driveshaft that's stronger than that in the 2008 machines.

To reduce snow and ice buildup on the cab intake, a 1-in. open-cell foam placed inside the pre-filter sock will push the intake screen flush against the hood.

In 2008 Ski-Doo led the other OEMs in mountain sled sales. The Summit's torque-wicked 800R motor, killer looks, 16-in.-wide deep lug track, lightweight chassis and excellent financing pulled new owners into Ski-Doo showrooms. Our rides show the sled hauls booty up a hill, flies through the powder and will take a hit dropping off a cornice.

Summit's ergos are great for mountaineering with tall anti-slip seat and tall bars. Ski-Doo placed emphasis on the seat material which is grippy, and durable. The instrument cluster shows all the vitals cleanly and smartly, including elevation.

We aren't happy though with Summit's handlebar swing. The Summit's steering post is over the motor and makes the handlebars swing down from the 9- or 3-o'clock position toward the fuel cell and your legs, similar to a car. This makes sidehilling and turning out from a highmark a bit more difficult than on either an M-Cat or RMK. However, the race-style steering post makes the Summit more assured on the trails and whoops than the others.

Kevin and Jake Allred, my fellow test riders, admit there's a learning curve to riding a Summit, not that that's a bad thing, just different. Summit's rider-forward and centralized riding position, as well as the handlebar swing, requires a rider to learn its unique riding style.

Polaris 800 RMK/Dragon RMK/Assault/Shift
Polaris is about choices with four 800 RMK-related models for '09: the Shift, RMK, Dragon and Assault.

We knew Polaris would up its stake in the 800 league because it's an 800 world out West. The '08 800 Dragon was capable of steep-n-deep agility, finesse in the trees and sweetness on trails. The most popular models were the 155 and 163 Dragon.

Polaris puts its new 800 Dragon RMK 155-in. at 472 lbs. dry and the longer 163-in. Dragon at 477 this year. All RMKs come with a new front bumper, which replace the flimsy '08 one, and lighter, yet stronger, rear slide-rail beams. The entry-level, no-frills Shift RMK comes only with a 144-in. track and has Ryde FX shocks. The standard RMK, the mid-level model, comes only as a 155-incher and has Walker Evans air shocks. The premium RMK is the Dragon and it's fully loaded with Pro-Taper handlebars, magnesium brake cover, lighter front spindles, new wave brake rotor with a Cyclone master cylinder, ice-scratchers and of course, the new front bumper and the lighter rail extensions. All RMKs have adjustable ski stance, ranging from 39 to 41 inches center-to-center.

The 800 Dragon RMK's handlebars and seat are perfectly-matched for extreme maneuvering and transitioning from sitting to standing; seat and handlebar heights are ideal for assertive mountain riding. The Pro-Taper bars, with mountain strap, are shaped and curved correctly. Furthermore, Dragon's running boards have good traction, and powder and ice can easily be cleared off them.

The RMK is nimble, though it's the heaviest of this crop. Its balance makes it feel so light we hardly noticed the extra 40lbs. between it and the M8 and Summit.

New this season is the backcountry Assault, a freestyle sled that's made for flying, dropping and whipping. Its Pro-Taper bars lack a center mountain strap, and its track is an obscure 146 inches. The stiff durometer track is really for hard-pack climbing and will cut down into powder and sink the chassis. Assault comes equipped with Walker Evans piggyback air shocks, which cuts weight and will take the abuse hard-core riders lay on their sleds. The Assault's ski stance is adjustable from 41.5 to 43.5 inches center-to-center. Its paint and graphic scheme is flat matte red. The sled has 800 Dragon RMK roots, but the fun of shorter track sleds.

However, we gotta be honest, the lighter a snowmobile, the easier it is to sell in the mountains. Simply placing more 800s in the mountain segment doesn't guarantee sales. Polaris needs to lighten its RMK.

Yamaha Nytro MTX
Yamaha says it hit its marketing goals with the Nytro MTX in '08. After all, Yamaha's polling, research, demographic profiling, economic analysis and psychographic research machine rivals the best at CNN. So, Yamaha was pleased with its numbers - sales, customer satisfaction and warranty repairs.

Prove it? OK, this year Yamaha's Spring Power Surge package included free stuff, special models and a generous 4-year warranty. No one else has such a warranty.

We know the Nytro MTX is heavy compared to 2-stroke mountain sleds, yet it feels light and like an 800 in deep snow.

However, when chasing the 800s up the huge steep-n-deep chutes, Nytro falls short. When Nytro is in its element, on open side-hills and flying up quick steeps, it's a fun ride, with powder hungry torque. It'll climb on top of armpit-high powder without blowing out its track. Additionally, with its tail-dumped exhaust and superb intake system, Nytro pulls in unrestricted air and spits out its spent fuel without intake or exhaust flow problems.

The 138-horse, 1050cc, 3-cylinder, 4-stroke fuel-injected Genesis motor gives crisp throttle response. The motor features an Engine Braking Reduction System (EBRS) to give riders that "free wheeling" feeling when the throttle bodies are closed.

The big 15x153-in. Camoplast Maverick track with 2.25-in. lugs floats the chassis well. The new for '09 lightweight ProMountain CK 153 rear suspension with a conventional torsion spring design also helps the sled float in fresh snow. It does this through weight transfer and a shallow track approach angle. The dual-angle rails give Nytro excellent trail manners, while maintaining deep snow flotation. The rear skid delivers 14 inches of vertical travel.

Nytro's rear suspension shock package is an aluminum HPG center shock and a HPG rear piggyback shock with clickers. The front suspension is unchanged for '09.

Mountain riders respect Nytro MTX for its ergos and stand-up riding, as leaning and pulling are near perfect. Its over-the-motor steering is manageable, and with its handlebar hooks, Nytro makes it easy to carve out a hefty side-hill run.

Its reverse lever is rather archaic though, it's hard to grab with a gloved hand and doesn't always work. We like push button reverse, but physics does not allow a 4-stroke to spin backward.

When pulling steep-angled turns on powdery flats, we learned Nytro often rolls on a side panel and the track washes out, killing momentum. It also has a stiff throttle, its windshield directs powder into a driver's face, its ultra-wide running boards load up with snow and the boards tend to hold the chassis up on the snow when the track needs to dig and claw. Photographer and Test Rider, Jake Allred suggests that the Nytro MTX "could possibly use the same running boards (tunnel) as the Nytro XTX."

Arctic Cat M8/M8 Sno Pro/M8 Sno Pro LE
Arctic Cat wowed us the most with its amped up, lightened M8s. Lighter is better and we love how these handle, especially with the new Power Claw track.

Cat's 2009 M8 Sno Pro is 22 lbs. lighter than last year, dipping from about 480 lbs. dry to 458 lbs. for the 153-incher. The LE (Limited Edition) is lighter yet due to a BOSS Seat, but except for that, and bold new graphics, it's the same as the normal Sno Pro. That means the standard Sno Pro is about 10 lbs. heavier than Ski-Doo's Summit, and the LE is only 3 lbs. heavier. Also, we noticed the '09 M8 153-in. Sno Pro weighs less than the '09 M6 144-in. and 153-in. That's good news for M8 riders, but not so much for M6 backers.

Where did Cat peel weight? First, there's a new electronic reverse, the same Ski-Doo and Polaris use (RER and PERC). This accounts for about half the 22-lb. loss.

Cat felt each part on its mountain line should reapply for its job. Every bushing, shaft, spacer, bolt and plate was re-examined. If Cat found a lighter and stronger material, it was used. If Cat designers felt that boring out a shaft did not sacrifice rigidity, they bored it. If they believed the M8 did not need a specific shaft, bolt, bushing or spacer, they pulled it. Cat also drilled out or chopped excess metal from steel or aluminum plates with attention to protecting strength and integrity. Cat concentrated on taking weight from the outer edges. Simply, the lighter the M's extremities, the easier it is to maneuver.

M8's tunnel was "bobbed" too. Now, it covers only the rear skid's length, nothing more. So a 153-incher looks like a 144. The bobbed tunnel is cut-out to expose the rear heat exchanger from the top. A new snow flap stops those big snow missiles from exiting the rear and there are new LED lights for the rear stop lamp.

Furthermore, Cat stuffed a new track into the tunnel. Gone is the Camoplast Challenger, replaced by an exclusive Power Claw 2.25-incher. This 15-in.-wide track combines the best of Cat's Attack 20 (on the King Cat and early M7) and the aggressive traction concept of a finger track. It is an 80-durometer, three-pitch track that has negative 20-degree paddles (similar to the Attack 20) and has traction towers that tilt positive 20-degrees.

The traction towers blend with the paddles on their outer edge, near the track's edge. The track weighs the same as the Challenger and has spleen ripping traction, and soft flotation. In the deep snow, the track receives throttle input like no other. Drivers can feather the throttle using the track's paddle and tower design to navigate difficult situations, rather than bullying through tough areas full bore.

Cat gave the rear skid a makeover too. The rear axle uses two wheels, which sit inside the slide rails. This cuts weight and gives the track bite when cross cutting a steep slope. Engineers pre-machined and cut the slide rails to accommodate ice-scratchers and also drilled the rails' plate and narrowed the limiter straps, reducing the rear skid's weight by 3.5 lbs.

Cat redesigned the running boards by shortening, and curling up the ends. If you're familiar with Fabcraft or Van Amberg tunnels, there's a similar appearance with the M-Cats boards. Weight is cut and the boards carry less snow.

We haven't been happy with Cat's low handlebars in the past, but now there's new telescoping bars that have 4 inches of travel and 12 positions, in 3/8-in. increments. Ultimately, the bar drops ¾ inches lower than the '08's standard height, and raises 3¼ inches taller than the '08's standard height. Only the Sno Pro models receive these bars though. The telescopic bars weigh just ounces more than the '08 bars.

The motor also receives an improved ECU/EFI calibration for 2009 and there's a new oil pump, which spins in the opposite direction of the '08.

We're extremely happy with Cat's diet, with the significant weight loss, and we give the telescoping handlebars and Power Claw track a big thumbs-up. The M8 has become the best technical riding sled on the market.