Yep it’s not the machine in my case !! I have a 21 I need to trade in soon though or I’ll (in my head) loose value on it. It would be nice to have something easier but maybe it’s just hard mountain riding snowmobiles Lol!!! I don’t think I want a 16k dollar 600 just cause there are so many good sleds for me in the 10-14k price point. If someone else wants this one D.M. Me I’ll get you his number.
2024 catalyst
- Thread starter SnoPro1000
- Start date
Anyone that spring ordered a Cat last year. How did Cat do on delivery dates?
I think they had most of them delivered by the first of the year, other than a few trail sled models that were held up because of shocks. I believe shocks held some up last year too.
So I put a order in with my local guy and I have to pay up my deposit tomorrow. He didn’t have a 3 inch track available so I got the 2.6 . What I was wondering is what running boards to get? I rode the one but I dunno which boards they where and I know they are doing a plastic set or an aluminum? The aluminum seem maybe less breakable? Or? I dunno? I don’t thin there’s any other choice really since I don’t run stick tunnel bag for skiing. What else is there the artic cat site won’t let you build any more lol
I’d stick with stock composite boards, I believe the Snowest podcast claimed that snow didn’t stick to them as much as the aluminum boards..
From what I've read they come standard with black composite boards. If you want a different color you have to switch to the aluminum. 715 is right the snowest guys didn't like the aluminum boards as much due to snow sticking. Before I would make any changes to this sled I would ride it as is for a bit (300 to 500 miles) . The sled will be broke in by then and you will have a good feel for what you like and don't like and what the 2 of you are capable of. I think the Catalyst is an efficient chassis that will be a lot of fun to ride. Congratulations on your order.
Went to Calgarys biggest dealer just before Christmas to get some parts and had no stock on Cat yet, just new Polaris on floor. Might have all come in after I was there. Of course dual dealers sometimes don't get preference for delivery over dedicated single brand dealers.
Yeah didn’t think of that ! I asked my dealer about trade in and he said he had 6 holdovers right now? I dunno the details but sounds like a bad thing if your changing models . Of course if your an ascender fan maybe a good time to get a sled? I don’t know now iam on to trying to figure out how to make the sled look like it cost 2200 bucks to my wife…iam gonna need a side hustle for awhile lol
I had the chance to ride the Catalyst last week. I was not able to spend to much time on it as I would have liked. I currently have a 2019 154" Alpha. I love that sled, that suspension/track just goes and goes. I am excited about the future with Cat. As a dealer for almost 24 years, I feel like it is going to be good. It sounds like the golf cart idiots in georgia are letting the sled engineers spend some money finally, hopefully with them selling out so fast they will wake up more. Yes, I was hoping that the big engine was here, yes I want a turbo machine. Not because I think 80% of the guys that have them, don't have the skills or ability to ride them, just so we can say we do. My first impressions of the machine is it looks cool. They had 6 machines there, 2 were production ready machines. They others were test machines with different shocks and other things installed. The hood is easy to remove, I thought the side panels were harder than the the ascender chassis, as the quarter turn nobs caught the plastic holes more, maybe they will clean that up. The hood is lighter that the current chassis, but could be lighter with a mountain fit style design. The long fiber running boards have a lot of traction. The day we rode them, they held more snow that the sleds with the aluminum boards, but never felt like they were iced up or slick. The sled I hopped on first was a test sled, black 154" 2.6". It showed over 3,200 miles on the dash, I was pretty surprised by that. The steering post had no slop, they turn the skis sharp and are easy to do just sitting there. The power felt good, not as strong as a 800, but when you would hit it, it would jump right to 7900rpm's and then go right to 8200. The clutching felt smooth and on point. I thought the stock shocks were way to soft and caused me to fight it over the rough single track trial up through the trees. The first thing I noticed is the only complaint of the alpha is the flat tire feel it gives on the trail/corners, that was non existent on the catalyst. The new chassis does the off kelter stuff easier and the old chassis. At the same time felt more planted at the same time. The 3 inch track still feels more better to me, the snow was real so ft in the bottom of the creek bed, but the hill we played on had a good base. The 2.6 felt like it was chewing through, where the 3inch felt like it was building a base and lifting. After our short ride, i hopped on a 2022 atac 154 8000, the power felt stronger, but everything else felt old. Like riding an 900 mountain cat compared to the M7. It was weird, kinda through me off. The new seat looks way to short, but riding it I never had that feeling of falling off the back. I am 6'2" tall, so it was good for me, perfect stiff/soft feeling. They had a 9R sitting there collecting dust and I asked about the new big boar and how bad it beats the polaris and they laughed, they did say the little 600 will be right there until the top end pulls away. The bigger engine is going to be completely new one they said, the 600 looks like it would be very easy to install bigger jugs. The new sled has been completely went through, they have thought all the components. They said several time 10% weight savings, with more in the future. It felt a lot lighter that the 800, with a can, you could drop another 12-15 pretty easy. I just hope they hire a marketing team that can and will tell the world how great this machine is. The magazines and online reviews have been a good start. I left there pretty excited!
I noticed the same thing on the black one displayed at Jackson. I thought it might just have been a preproduction sled. Hopefully they clean that up. One of the things I really like about the Ascender, side panels come off smooth and easy.
Great review - thank you!
Ok I signed the dotted line and all royal was 15300 otd. Black with the unfortunate blue slash on the seat . Electric start 154x2.6 . He said there are no more available in Montana and he had 60 emails asking for it but for all I know that’s hullabaloo lol. He did say they had 7 total holdovers and some priced low . So if you wanna 23 it might be a good price? We’ll see. Hopefully they get here in September October so I can customize it lol
I was able to find a 146”x2.6” in black and put a deposit down.
Plan on using it as my everyday sled, will likely end up a twin rail. I was told the alpha skid is unchanged, should be a easy swap like the last generation.
Wish some of the accessories were available in black, if they were I might pop for bumpers and boards but with the colors available no thanks.
Plan on using it as my everyday sled, will likely end up a twin rail. I was told the alpha skid is unchanged, should be a easy swap like the last generation.
Wish some of the accessories were available in black, if they were I might pop for bumpers and boards but with the colors available no thanks.
I agree about the colors. I hope that backwoods has a front bumper by next season !
I think it was someplace in this thread, but can't find it. Spec sheet on an M600 Catalyst. Having Tank Capacities etc. Can't find it now.
No black option is weird to me. Choices are sky blue, green and red, actually the red is more weird then no black.
I’ve seen in person the white and blue sled and it’s pretty awful if your an old school guy who wants to be a man lol. Be great for your daughter but I guess that’s sexist? Iam going to take my Sms eat to a upholstery shop and black out the blue strip thing. Otherwise I guess you could have a powder coater to do a stick bumper? But you’d pay twice so that’s lame. I actually like the orange cats sometimes the green but this blue is yuk (to me)
I actually like the black, blue and white one. Reminds me of Team Forsythe back from the CART racing days.
Hope they have some great color combos when the '25 800+ hits. Talking to my Cat dealer a couple of weeks ago did not sound too encouraging, unfortunately. We'll see a year from now.
Hope they have some great color combos when the '25 800+ hits. Talking to my Cat dealer a couple of weeks ago did not sound too encouraging, unfortunately. We'll see a year from now.
They'll have to drop some bombs if they want to compete, and they will, it's been done before.
I'm hoping great things come from the Catalyst Alpha, I'd be all in if they would of just put an 8 in it. First thing on the list would be a narrower ski width.
I'm hoping great things come from the Catalyst Alpha, I'd be all in if they would of just put an 8 in it. First thing on the list would be a narrower ski width.
You keep to your single ski if you want narrower! lol The 36" width is too unstable for me as it is in some scenarios.
