AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com
But that’s not all! The more important news is that Cat came out with a true 3/4-size snowmobile! YES!!! Dads, kids, moms, nephews, nieces, grandparents and everyone else across the snowbelt can now collectively high-five, and possibly even group hug! The new sled is called the ZR 200 (yes, there’s a Yamaha SnoScoot version), and it’s what the industry has been waiting for.
If that wasn’t enough, a culmination has occurred in the form of Cat’s Ascender mountain sled platform. Will Ascender finally put Cat back in driver’s seat that the fabled M-sled was in for years (before the ProClimb chassis)? We’ve got more on that coming up!
What families asked for
We’re losing kids to video games, sports, hobbies and more because of a lack of sleds between youth- and full-size machines. Is the ZR 200 the golden gun that will keep our youth in the sport and ensure a healthy future for the industry? It can’t hurt! And families have been craving it for years!
The all-new ZR 200 platform is slightly larger than a 120, and it has much the same features and workings of a full-size sled. Perfect! It is aimed at kids roughly 6-12 years old who are learning the ropes with older, experienced riders monitoring them. The sled is fully SSCC trail legal with working lights, bumpers, brakes, etc. It also has real plastic skis, double A-arm front suspension with coil-over shocks, and rail rear suspension with coil-over shock and torsion springs. The track is a capable 10x93x1-inch Cobra, and it can even take an adult through the snow.
The ZR 200 is powered by a single-cylinder, 9-horsepower carbed 192cc Yamaha 4-stroke engine. Top speed was estimated at 30-34 mph, depending on rider and conditions, but the sled does not have a governor on it. There is a relatively big 2.2-gallon tank, and a Hayes hydraulic disc brake incorporates some of its bike technology. Handlebar warmers, hi/lo headlights and even a tiny, mountain bike-like mountable gauge are standard. Like a pit bike, we can see many adults having a good time on this sled as well.
There’s plenty of impressive tech on this little sled, but possibly most impressive is the clutching. This sled gets similar new technology in its Arctic 200 CVT system as the big sleds get this year in the TEAM Rapid Response II. There is a roller bearing on the bottom of the primary and, just like the big sleds, this clutch is self-adjusting, so you never have to mess around with setting your belt deflection. Kevin Thompson, a long-time engineer at Cat in charge of driveline and electrical systems, said, “We want to make this sled easy for the whole family to go out and have fun, with as little maintenance as possible.”
We are sure more options will come for the ZR 200, but a taller riser is already available. At press time, pricing was not final, but we were told it would be under $4,000 US. There are sure to be updates on this highly anticipated sled, so stay tuned to www.AmSnow.com.