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Panther, Pantera … Whatever! We get it, these throwback names embody Arctic Cat touring. This new saucy tour sled is for us easy riders who enjoy being out on the trail, but not having our heads frozen by a 100mph headwinds and who may be riding with friends and want to look in a mirror to see if said buddy is still there.
Bingo! Pantera does all that, and plenty more.
First, it brings back that popular name that stirs happy memories among many long-time riders. Second, it’s an easy handling sled with comfortable ergonomics (seat, shield and amenities), plus it adds in the 4-stroke Yamaha 3-cylinder engine that is full of torque. That’s good for propelling two riders at a good clip down the trail without putting the drivetrain ever straining.
There are lots to like here, and not just for us cruisers and folks who appreciate comfort as much as we dig speed. I tested the upscale Pantera 7000 Limited many days while out West this past Spring and loved the ProTour chassis, a spinoff of Cat’s well engineered ProCross trail and ProClimb mountain chassis. The ProTour is strong, light and easy handling. The big spindles up front, along with Cat’s IFP gas shocks, deliver fairly responsive and light handling, plus those shocks dissipate bumps well too. Ski stance is adjustable too, with the wider 43-inch setting giving you more side-to-side stability.
In back is Team Arctic’s Slide-Action rear suspension with adjustable torsion springs, coupling blocks and IFP shocks. Plus the Pantera adds fiberglass overload springs to absorb the extra weight of a second rider.
Ride also is aided by Pantera’s 146-inch long track. That spreads out the bumps well and the Quiet Track technology used in the 1.25-inch lugged track makes it quieter going down the trail than some other long tracks. The key here is cutting down vibration, so this rides smooth too.
We’ve raved about the 7000 (otherwise known as the Yamaha Genesis) engine for years and this is year two of Cat sharing the reliable 4-stroke with Yamaha (which used it in its former Nytro models). The power comes on quickly here, sounds like it means business, and delivers torque through the power band, so you’ve got plenty of ponies when you come out of a curve or head up a hill with your significant other or kid on the back of the sled.
Best yet, you can pop off that rear seat easily and go 1-up riding! With this engine, you won’t be the guy or gal that brings up the rear of the pack either. Imagine your buddies whining when you’re keeping up with them on your converted 2-up. Sweet!
Like Cat’s other models in its new chassis, the Pantera delivers good braking performance from its Radial Master Cylinder braking system. This features a dual-piston caliper that’s mounted on the back of the rotor. This allows for a shorter lever pull before you feel it working. That’s comforting to the driver and his passenger when you’re surprised by something on the trail.
The Ahhhh factor!
Naturally, it’s the comfort and convenience features that set it apart from standard trail sleds for the boy racers.
Start with a big windshield that allows you to ride visor-up, if you so desire. Add to that two mirrors firmly attached to the shield’s edges to give you a good view of what’s behind you. Then the Limited drops in a premium digital two-face gauge, compared to a single round gauge on the standard Pantera. Both are easy to read while on the trail, the dual giving you some more features.
More to the comfort point, Cat adds heated seats for both the driver and rider, plus heated hand grips for the second-row rider. There are giant wind deflectors that look similar to gauntlets for the rider too, so comfort is well accounted for. Passengers also will appreciate the adjustable seat back, which includes a tilt feature.
Naturally, two folks are going to be on this sled a lot, so Pantera’s seats are firm. But I found it enjoyable to drive even in some pretty severe stutter bumps. I like its big running boards that allow easy standing when needed.
Both the front and back seats have a heated visor shield plug and there’s a 12-volt outlet for the driver. The front seat heat button is a switch on the cowl between you and the steering column and you can select high or low. Low will do after a couple minutes, and I had this on several zero-degree morning.
Pantera has a big storage container (1,500 cubic inches) in back on the standard model, while the Limited adds two hard plastic saddle bags. One could carry overnight clothes for each rider, plus a few other necessities. These disconnect easily so you could carry them into a hotel. All the cases are key-lockable too.
One more thing: Cat knows us 2-uppers can take some long jaunts, and nobody likes being limited by fuel capacity. So in addition to the standard model’s 10.7-gallon gas tank, the Limited puts another 4.3-gallon auxiliary tank on the tunnel behind the passenger seat. It’s not just there as a spare either. It gets plumbed right into the primary tank so you’ve got 15 gallons of fuel range. Imagine that as you’re zipping along a long, wide trail where the gas stations are, shall we say, spread out a bit.
What else is different on the Limited? Well, it will be all black with the chassis and suspension rails painted to match your bodywork.
The limited looks sharp! Like a guy wearing a tuxedo T-shirt … it says you’re classy, but still like to party!