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Arctic Cat Mmmmm, 8000
If this were a game judged on juicy looks Cat’s M8000 would be a clear winner. It’s sculpted, sexy, angular bodywork has a distinct cool factor. Cat brings a lot to the table with the M8000. The sled is equipped with a really strong, reliable, lightweight 2-stroke high output motor with a long history of success in the mountains. Equally strong is the FOX air shock equipped suspension package with geometry adapted from the championship-winning snocross sleds. The M8000 remains essentially unchanged for 2015 aside from new rail stiffeners and graphics.
Cat conceptions
The M8000 feels like the racer in this group with a fun, fast engine and bump-crushing suspension. This sled just begs you to squeeze that throttle and go fast. The M8000 is the only sled in the group with FOX air suspension, and the shocks offer a noticeably different ride than its spring shock competitors. In the bumps the shocks feel initially stiffer but are a lot more capable of soaking up bigger hits. The suspension gives you that feeling that the faster you go the better it will work… and it does.
Sidehill handling on the Cat is a little quirky, but the more time you spend on it the easier it becomes. You have to be really careful how far you submerge the inside ski. Dip it too much and the spindle will catch and it’s hard to recover. The sled could really use a different ski to give the front end some improved flotation.