New Ascender Platform and 800 Ctec!

[WhiskeyTee]

I'm scratching my head here on what everyones bitch is about the current plastics. Is it just the weight? Because i have never had a problem getting to what i need to get too. Yea pulling the hood is a bit of an effort. But do you guys really want to go back to the flop open hoods of the past?

 

[M8onEdge]

I agree the change looks on par with what Polaris did to the Axys...better more powerful engine and some changes in configuration. This looks pretty good and a Mountain Cat with 6-8 more hp will likely beat the current DOO and Poo climbing because what I saw with the '17s is the current MC is already pretty much doing that due to a great track and approach angle. I'd like to see cat do more with weight just because I think it would help the fat cat perception and sell more sleds but at least 15lbs would be a decent start. The weight evaluation I saw had the '17 MC within 15 lbs of the G4 wet weight and about 30+ over the Axys wet. 15 is a good start if that pans out. Not bad! Just might keep them in the hunt.

 

[sledking120]

It says their are mountain plastics on it with new vents also.

 

[M8onEdge]

I'm scratching my head here on what everyones bitch is about the current plastics. Is it just the weight? Because i have never had a problem getting to what i need to get too. Yea pulling the hood is a bit of an effort. But do you guys really want to go back to the flop open hoods of the past?

My bitch is weight, fitment and difficulty to remove. Compare my Axys...total hood and sidepanel difference is 11 pounds under my '15 PC. That's ridiculous right on top where you don't want it. I can remove my Axys side panels and hood in less than 30 seconds with no tools. No crawling around with torx screwdrivers. It's an easy, simple improvement.

 

[Iceman56]

My bitch is weight, fitment and difficulty to remove. Compare my Axys...total hood and sidepanel difference is 11 pounds under my '15 PC. That's ridiculous right on top where you don't want it. I can remove my Axys side panels and hood in less than 30 seconds with no tools. No crawling around with torx screwdrivers. It's an easy, simple improvement.

Agreed, say what ya want but the ease of taking the hood and panels off an Axys is so awesome and handy... Wish the other brands would follow suite

 

[BlueDevil]

No game changer but I like the improvements and will be a contender next year for sure. I'm up for a new one

 

[summ8rmk]

One thing people do not take into consideration when comparing the Polaris hood and plastics to the cat hood plastics is that the Polaris intake stays on the snowmobile. when you take the cat hood off that is also the intake so add a few more pounds for the intake and the cat hood is not as far off.

GS6

 

[F_ast]

I'm scratching my head here on what everyones bitch is about the current plastics. Is it just the weight? Because i have never had a problem getting to what i need to get too. Yea pulling the hood is a bit of an effort. But do you guys really want to go back to the flop open hoods of the past?

My biggest problem with the current plastics has been snow intake. I have siliconed up every hole I can find, frog skinz'd all vents and make sure panels are all locked in. Doesnt matter what I try my steering box gets so full of snow it locks up the steering. Mind you it is much colder where ai ride than most of you western guys. The snow in eastern Canada is crazy light and granular. Gets so tight the steering boots puff out like balloons.

 

[F_ast]

Either way, I'm super pumped for the 18s and the new engine. I'm totally into being a guinea pig on an 18.

 

[MountainCat1]

I'm scratching my head here on what everyones bitch is about the current plastics. Is it just the weight? Because i have never had a problem getting to what i need to get too. Yea pulling the hood is a bit of an effort. But do you guys really want to go back to the flop open hoods of the past?

Actually YES! Talk to any mechanic or work on your own sled & hell yes, bring back the clamshell-style hoods.

 

[Insaneboltrounder/sjohns]

I'm scratching my head here on what everyones bitch is about the current plastics. Is it just the weight? Because i have never had a problem getting to what i need to get too. Yea pulling the hood is a bit of an effort. But do you guys really want to go back to the flop open hoods of the past?

current panels are garbage , a quick look at doo , poo and now yam will show you what the should look like.

 

[goridedoo]

One thing people do not take into consideration when comparing the Polaris hood and plastics to the cat hood plastics is that the Polaris intake stays on the snowmobile. when you take the cat hood off that is also the intake so add a few more pounds for the intake and the cat hood is not as far off.

GS6

Bout 2.8lbs without the ECU

 

[89sandman]

I too really don't have a problem with the current plastics. Nice and sturdy, plenty of factory venting, go on and off easily, fit very well, love the look. Sometimes though when I'm layed over really far they do cause the sled to panel. The new plastics will help solve this problem, but still not a big enough deal for me to hate them as others seem to so much.

Now the panels on both my Pro's I hated Flimsy pos's, bowed and fit like crap. In fact all the plastic was flimsy, pull the rope and the whole side twisted and moved. Those twisty clips had to be the worst invention made by man. After a couple of hits to the front the tabs didn't line up anymore. Now those are some panels I can hate!

 

[kidwoo]

They drag in the snow

They let in way too much snow

It's a friggin erector set to actually work on the sled

And every time I'm on the left side on something really steep, pondering how the hell I got there and how I'm going to get out of there, the clutch rubs all over the plastic



Don't get me wrong skidoo isn't much better but polaris is killing it in the plastics. That's certainly the standard.

 

[sno*jet]

one thing... poos plastics are brittle! crack easily. but the way the current cats are put on is cave man!

 

[Stack]

I'm scratching my head here on what everyones bitch is about the current plastics. Is it just the weight? Because i have never had a problem getting to what i need to get too. Yea pulling the hood is a bit of an effort. But do you guys really want to go back to the flop open hoods of the past?

I just like the quick removal on the new panels that don't require tools, just much more intuitive, not necessarily a deal breaker on a purchase, but I do feel that is something they should have addressed long ago. This new regime at Cat is fixing the old managements mess, old mgmt lost touch with the "Voice of the Customer" I finally see them moving forward, and am excited for what the future has in store.

-Stack

 

[Allseasons]

Soooo, the black cats may have been the new ctec2 motor all along, not just an oil advertisement?

 

[knh208]

Looks great. I'm glad to see them building on a platform that works well and keeps up with the competition without being made of rice paper and glue.

Sent from my Palm Pilot

 

[Sharp]

Weight is the most overrated feature in today's snowmobile world. Get your head out of the sand and learn how to ride.

 

[M8onEdge]

I think I agree 20-30 lbs isn't a big deal from a real world performance/handling perspective. Design configuration matters a lot more. But like it or not weight does matter when it comes to sales. The perception that weight matters on the snow is overrated but perception is reality when it comes to what people choose to buy and as a result it has hurt the marketability of the Cat sleds. I'd like to see Cat stay competitive i.e. in business so it gives us all another good option. I think they're in denial if they don't play the weight game to some extent. People want to think they are buying the best technology and weight is part of that equation.