Interesting, wonder how this will be different than the shed they have already released?
2018 cat
- Thread starter corydoneen
- Start date
Interesting, wonder how this will be different than the shed they have already released?
We installed a jaws can right away. Fit ok. M8000 can works on a ctec m6000. It was cutting out on a jack stand so we took it off. Later found out that new sled won't rev past 6200 rpm for first while. Must be a break in deal. We will try a jaws can this week.
C
catrider800
Member
Feb. 27th. is when the full lineup comes out.
Snowmobile.com did an honest weigh in with the sleds fueled. 32 pound difference. 13 more pounds if you run the belt drive Poo.....uh, that is 45 pounds.
So what does cat have on Poo. Cats 2018 big changes are a narrower lighter sled, direct injection, better low end torque, better approach angle to get up on the snow, better clutching and those amazing gray graphics. Seems like playing catch up to me. I actually like the Cats and would love riding them but this discussion is all about brand loyalty b.s. not the facts. Come on guys, you can do better, they're all great sleds but give Poo credit for driving these great advancements. I think Cat was very competitive with their M sleds, led the way in many respects but they dropped the ball on a lot of things in 2012 and have been trying to get back in the game since. Great progress the last few years.
So what does cat have on Poo. Cats 2018 big changes are a narrower lighter sled, direct injection, better low end torque, better approach angle to get up on the snow, better clutching and those amazing gray graphics. Seems like playing catch up to me. I actually like the Cats and would love riding them but this discussion is all about brand loyalty b.s. not the facts. Come on guys, you can do better, they're all great sleds but give Poo credit for driving these great advancements. I think Cat was very competitive with their M sleds, led the way in many respects but they dropped the ball on a lot of things in 2012 and have been trying to get back in the game since. Great progress the last few years.
The 32 pound difference was on the 17 3 inch/chaincase Axys and 17 Mountain Cat sleds. Throwing in the 2.6 belt drive weight is not comparing apples to apples. 3 inch track to 3 inch track is. In a short time we will have info on the 18's, that difference is sure to shrink. Polaris my have the lighest sled but it also has the weakest motor and suspension in the 800 class.
Cat has been back in the game for Atleast the last 2-3 years. for some reason people are still hung up on the few problems the '12s had, and using that as an excuse to not even give a newer cat a chance.
It's funny that the new doos seem to be having more problems than the '12 cats had but people justify it and stand by them. Where with the cats folks still can't get over it some 5-6 years later.
It's funny that the new doos seem to be having more problems than the '12 cats had but people justify it and stand by them. Where with the cats folks still can't get over it some 5-6 years later.
IMO cat hit a home run with this new engine/clutch combo. As far as chassis goes the proclimb is tough it's been put though its paces and is without a doubt the toughest chassis out there. Now add the suspension adjustments and narrower body paneling and you have the best mountain sled to hit the snow in quite awhile.
i agree that poo makes a good sled. I thought they were on top during the M-series days too. not many agree with me on that. that M-series was a big sled. huge hood. I lost interest until the proclimb. proclimb was intriguing. didnt sound worth buying until 16 imo tho. but cat was the first with a chassis that sits higher like they all do now. lots of cat stuff gets copied eventually. 8 tooth drivers will be one. i think their front suspension, the spindles and the distance between the a-arms is next. Poos front suspension just looks weak, A-arms stuffed close together like a 90s Blade "future" sled, remember those? and it all packs up with pow, even the springs on their shocks. if you ride them in the pow and then weigh them in its probably pretty close...
I like that cat improves their sled a little every year where polaris will give you the exact same machine with bng's, and still bare aluminum parts that attract ice formations.
But, poo makes a great sled, not hatin just weighin in.
Agreed nothing wrong with the sled from 2014 to now, 2016 changed the sled a lot with the different suspension, it's too bad cat didn't take the plunge on the mountain cat set up for the whole 2017 mountain lineup, my MC noticeably holds steeper lines with less effort then previous models, I want to try a '18 just to see how much the new panels contribute
I absolutely agree that Cat is heading the right direction. I think in the weigh in above comparing a 153 cat to the 162 Polaris is misleading.
Does the Poo feel lighter, not through the bars but I've always felt like it lifts up on the snow better....maybe not anymore. I've seen the Cats spin down and rest on their running boards in some conditions when the Poo just crept along....maybe not anymore. I also agree that the Poo carries more snow on the tunnel, I had a painted tunnel and if it helped it was very, very little. But when I look at the Cats I ride with they carry snow as well....but not as much.
I think overlooking the belt drive option that Poo offers only tells part of the tale. Don't tell me that a lot of you Cat guys wouldn't get one if Cat had the option....but they don't. Belt drive might not be great for turbo guys but they have been very dependable otherwise.
Both great sleds and it is great to have options.
Does the Poo feel lighter, not through the bars but I've always felt like it lifts up on the snow better....maybe not anymore. I've seen the Cats spin down and rest on their running boards in some conditions when the Poo just crept along....maybe not anymore. I also agree that the Poo carries more snow on the tunnel, I had a painted tunnel and if it helped it was very, very little. But when I look at the Cats I ride with they carry snow as well....but not as much.
I think overlooking the belt drive option that Poo offers only tells part of the tale. Don't tell me that a lot of you Cat guys wouldn't get one if Cat had the option....but they don't. Belt drive might not be great for turbo guys but they have been very dependable otherwise.
Both great sleds and it is great to have options.
+1 on the cat bashers since 2012. I know guys that bought the 05-06 poo 900's. Complete engine fiasco, although a few didn't have problems most did. But allot of those guys went right back to poo. Then their engines were grenading on allot of the Pro's. Then they went out and bought the new axy's. I'm glad it sounds like poo got their engine problems finally worked out. I'm not a brand loyal guy, I had a 900 poo and we have a Doo and a couple of Cat's. I don't get it either.
Cat didnt have enough MC parts last season or they would have done more with that platform. New panels have a sleek design with less bumps which cuts through the snow better on top of being more narrow. That's what I noticed about them. And the side panels are way lighter.
I'm gonna let the new engine have a year out in the field and give the aftermarket stuff a chance to come out cuz I can't leave anything stock lol, just gonna put a belt drive, lightweight jack shaft and possibly retro '18 belly pan and panels. Wish cat would just come with factory belt drive and get rid of that goofy chain case and oil tank. Would rather see that then new rear skid, led headlights would be a no brainer for the new 18's
Agree completely on the belt drive and oil tank.
Does someone actually know if the 18 is narrower than the 17 MC at the front of the boards? I know the panels are flush.
Looks like the same width right at the front of the boards, but looks like they did the same type of narrowing we do on the old plastics when we narrow with BM fab skinny boards. Cause the spacing at the primary looks to be the same as what I did when I narrowed my 16.
I don't think the new panels will be able to be narrowed any more than what they are. Well they could possibly, but then you'd need to lose that brace that keeps the belly panels from pushing into the primary. Any more narrow and without that brace and the primary will for sure just grind into the panel.
I don't think the new panels will be able to be narrowed any more than what they are. Well they could possibly, but then you'd need to lose that brace that keeps the belly panels from pushing into the primary. Any more narrow and without that brace and the primary will for sure just grind into the panel.
Just wanted to share this article. They claim the '18 M is narrower than the Axys. Not sure where the "narrow" measurement is actually made bcz it could be at widest part of running boards, widest part of plastics, etc. Great time to decide on which sled to buy when we all can argue about the "skinniest" snowmobile.
http://www.snowmobile.com/manufacturer/arctic-cat/2018-arctic-cat-m8000-sno-pro-153-review
http://www.snowmobile.com/manufacturer/arctic-cat/2018-arctic-cat-m8000-sno-pro-153-review
