2014 mountain sled shootout

[rmscustom]

Good read, wet weights, drag race times, hill cross times, rider reviews and even some weights after been rode.
part 1
http://www.snowmobile.com/manufactur...rt-1-1788.html
part 2
http://www.snowmobile.com/manufactur...rt-2-1789.html

 

[mtncat1]

I read it I was surprised how close all the sleds where, pretty much put to beds cats b/s test where the pro gained tons of snow weight. I was however surprised they didn't do some kind of a high mark test.

 

[Solby]

I read it I was surprised how close all the sleds where, pretty much put to beds cats b/s test where the pro gained tons of snow weight. I was however surprised they didn't do some kind of a high mark test.

I'm not sure you can fully come to that conclusion. From what I have seen compared to my dad's 14 proclimb le the pro definitely carries more snow. However, it is really different how much snow they carry depending on temperatures and snow conditions. Some conditions we have concluded there wasn't much difference. Others, when it is between 10-20 F and light powder, after two days my pro had probably 5 times more ice and snow on it.

I will say that on the hill so far they are all very competitive.

 

[Reg2view]

SLP had always been poo-biased, but the last two years they've been abit more neutral and open minded. The Allreds did a nice job again. Beyond the sled's performance, a good dealer or which sled is easiest to work on counts, too.

If poo adds some power and a new track for 2015, they'll sell a bunch of them. AC will offer little new, probably just a viper lookalike. We know what Y has. Doo is the wildcard, they have momentum and some additions like a 174, a belt drive, steering changes, etc. would garner more attention and sales. No one is going to reinvent the mountain sled for 2015 (like poo did in 2011). Maybe in 2016.

 

[rmscustom]

No doubt the stock Pro will hold more snow than the rest if ridden the same way as the other 2 but no way its 30-40lbs, maybe 5-10lbs on the worst day. With my tunnel wrapped and taking 30 seconds a few times a day to kick off the rear drop brackets its about the same as the other 2.

 

[rotax]

Pol could pcoat the tunnel inside and out, and redesign the drop brackets, that would help a lot with snow/ice build up. The drop bracket clearly was not developed with powder/snow in mind, just another CAD/paper developed part. I think the heat exchangers also play a role in this snow/ice formation build up too.

A reliable Polaris engine is [still] needed before they add any more 'power'. With the weight and belt drive advantage, the power is actually fine for a majority of the riders.

Only other gripe I have with the pro is the cooling...there really isn't enough for those of us who ride late late season summer snow. Yeah, 'get off the trail' obviously works when there is powder to get off into, but thats not always the case, and wouldn't be an issue anyway because whos riding the trail when there is pow to be had?

 

[mtncat1]

one other thing stuck out in my mind ,the pro was 40 freaking pounds lighter than the completion!

 

[ndmountainman]

I put on a complete tunnel wrap from 2Cool, including inner tunnel. That took some time but doesnt have to be perfect to work for function. I also installed a u cooler on my sled. Highest temp I ever see is 127. Runs very cool when climbing, never gets heat soaked. I have virtually no snow build up except for my running boards.

 

[sledneck_03]

Mmmm... Weird cause was in cooke city with over hood snow and the pros had next to no ice to hammer off in the morning compared to the cat and doos.

 

[Slick]

Mmmm... Weird cause was in cooke city with over hood snow and the pros had next to no ice to hammer off in the morning compared to the cat and doos.

Well then someone snuck out over night and knocked it all off cause that's not the norm. The Poo and Doo stock hold a lot of ice build up, the Poo right where the running boards hook on and the Doo everywhere. The Cat is hands down winner in that category.

 

[sledneck_03]

Well then someone snuck out over night and knocked it all off cause that's not the norm. The Poo and Doo stock hold a lot of ice build up, the Poo right where the running boards hook on and the Doo everywhere. The Cat is hands down winner in that category.

The 12 cat in our group had an insane amount around the rear hanger, bumper and all over boards and up by toe area. Had non painted tunnel and full cooler. But in apples to apples comparison so do the pros.

 

[rmscustom]

12 cats were horrible, new ones are much better for snow weight. The sacrifice with no coolers in the tunnel for the cat though is a weak tunnel... Weaker than the "tin foil" pro tunnel. Lol

 

[Slick]

12 cats were horrible, new ones are much better for snow weight. The sacrifice with no coolers in the tunnel for the cat though is a weak tunnel... Weaker than the "tin foil" pro tunnel. Lol

Agree the 14 Cat is far better at not holding excess snow and ice than the 12. Disagree on the tunnel strength, Cat is more than adequate unless totally abused, but some guys can wreck a rock.

 

[geo]

Maybe adequate (Cat tunnel with front heat exchanger) but definitely weaker than a stock Pro in the back half. Bulk head to tunnel on the Cat is better though lol.

Had both.

 

[OuraySledder]

I think it is hilarious that the main focus is still the snow sticking to the snowmobile... Those Cat guys that made the full of snow video really stuck a cord, seems it is about the only card they have left to play. The test demontrated that the PRO isn't underpowered in real world use, it is a full 40 lbs lighter and it really doesn't collect more snow.

I have only seen one new Cat on the snow in the last few years but I don't see any more snow stuck to my PRO than to the Doo's. The PRO is still, hands down, the best handling mtn sled ever built. Everybody else is just looking to make excuses for why they are behind the curve.

 

[Slick]

I think it is hilarious that the main focus is still the snow sticking to the snowmobile... Those Cat guys that made the full of snow video really stuck a cord, seems it is about the only card they have left to play. The test demontrated that the PRO isn't underpowered in real world use, it is a full 40 lbs lighter and it really doesn't collect more snow.

I have only seen one new Cat on the snow in the last few years but I don't see any more snow stuck to my PRO than to the Doo's. The PRO is still, hands down, the best handling mtn sled ever built. Everybody else is just looking to make excuses for why they are behind the curve.

You're right, there is no more snow stuck to yours than the Doo's, but it's a hell of a lot more than is stuck to the 14 Cat. I've had a 11 Pro 163 CE, and a 13 Pro CE 174, tried lots of different mods on both of them, and this year a Prolite 800, and I would have agreed with ya till I rode the BDX this year. Propaganda says BDX weighs similar to Pro, so that makes it sorta apples to apples and so far this year in deep snow it's not even close between the stock Pro 800 and Prolite 800. Kinda really opened my eyes as to what a Pro with 155-60 HP would actually be like, and I really liked my Pro's. Been out with a whole lotta Pros this year and only way they compare is boosted and it actually takes 3 to 4 lbs to get even, so minimum you're gonna be spending at least the Mtntek turbo which is $5 k ish, so again apples to apples. Where Cat needs some attention is on the clutches, I hate them, they get the power to the snow maybe as good as the Poo clutches, way better than Doo's ****ty system, but quality is low at best, too much niggly crap to deal with, and Cat really needs to shed weight on the stock sleds.

 

[OuraySledder]

You're right, there is no more snow stuck to yours than the Doo's, but it's a hell of a lot more than is stuck to the 14 Cat. I've had a 11 Pro 163 CE, and a 13 Pro CE 174, tried lots of different mods on both of them, and this year a Prolite 800, and I would have agreed with ya till I rode the BDX this year. Propaganda says BDX weighs similar to Pro, so that makes it sorta apples to apples and so far this year in deep snow it's not even close between the stock Pro 800 and Prolite 800. Kinda really opened my eyes as to what a Pro with 155-60 HP would actually be like, and I really liked my Pro's. Been out with a whole lotta Pros this year and only way they compare is boosted and it actually takes 3 to 4 lbs to get even, so minimum you're gonna be spending at least the Mtntek turbo which is $5 k ish, so again apples to apples. Where Cat needs some attention is on the clutches, I hate them, they get the power to the snow maybe as good as the Poo clutches, way better than Doo's ****ty system, but quality is low at best, too much niggly crap to deal with, and Cat really needs to shed weight on the stock sleds.

858 is easily 160hp and only $2500 with a controller. If you must spend more fit the X3 track. I bet a PRO with the X3 and an 858 would be all over the ProLite for the same money.

Alas, I stretched the budget for a stocker but, I love that thing. So who makes a better stock sled? I have only seen one new cat (12 HCR) on the snow ever. I had to bungee it out on the trail we packed in on the Doo and Poo. Never liked the Doo. I demo'ed one last spring, nice but no love. The BDX would be great but for $4-5k more than a PRO? I can't see it.

 

[rmscustom]

I've rode and rode with a Pro-Lite 900, super fun playful sled and impressive power...
But when things got tight it could not hold the lines my stockish Pro and another stock Pro could do. To be fair the Pros were 163s and the Lite was a 153 and what killed the Pro Lite was front end lift (also what makes it so damn fun), trenching and the front end diving down hill. Maybe with different skis and a different skid set up it would be a different story. To say a Pro doesn't compare with a Pro-Lite in deep snow is not my experience.

 

[M8onEdge]

FWIW I know these guys and they try to do an objective, real-world evaluation. Re: the snow weight, it's kind of a meaningless number because they didn't have a scale on the mountain - it's the snow left after running back out of the trail for at least 15 miles. My observation is the '14 cat does hold less snow than the Pro's at least where you can see it. Who knows what that means but the whole thing does seem like a desperate act to save face by a company that refuses to embrace the fact that what really matters in the snow is power to weight, not just power. My '09 162 M sled weighed 468 dry....my '14 162 M8 weighed 470 dry....5 model years later.....good grief.