trying em all out!

[metallicat]

Today we had an epic day of riding! (not mountains,... prairie, but stay with me...) I finally got a good day to switch back and forth with my buddy who bought a new cat 800 mountain sled last year. so 2013 Pro and a 2012 Pro Climb 800 same length. HONESTLY! 160arcticthp vs 150poohp is not even in the ballpark. the Pro is snappier, ballsier(if that's a word!), and just more torque. i've heard people say.... "Arctic cat has more HP than Poo, but Poo puts it to the ground better, more efficient." I finally expierenced this today. I actually thought the cat was "doggy" compared to the pro. Not posting this trying to start crap with anyone, just really surprised with real life riding trials. and to back this up... the guy with the 2012 cat.....snowchecking a pro!!

 

[NytroNorm]

When it comes to flatland riding the hp doesnt matter near is a much, its all about traction and the power claw sucks on the flats.

 

[sledneck_03]

What I have seen the pros ****ing pop on the snow and so do the Xms. The xm steering is the only issue I have with the down turning bars. If I never went online based on what I've seen the Xms are flaw less, 3 guys I know have 13 pros and only one blew a quick drive belt first ride and nothing since. A couple guys have 13 cats and have blown motors and stabbed track and now a guys chain case blew.

Based off what I've seen the the mountains it would be between a pro and a xm and I'm more comfortable on the pro coming off a iq with the steering.

 

[Leaf27]

When it comes to flatland riding the hp doesnt matter near is a much, its all about traction and the power claw sucks on the flats.

I honestly don't get your argument. So your saying that the Cat felt "doggie" compared to the Pro because he was riding in the Prairies and the powerclaw track?

There is some descent riding in the "prairies" some would say that there are areas that are similar to the foothills of the Rockies type terrain.

I think that the OP is spot on with his experience with both sleds.



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[blackie205]

i have done this comparison in the mountains last year 11 pro vs 12 cat the cat was lacking traction badly but the pro was way nicer for me to ride,to get a better comparison u would need to do a 13 cat vs a 13 pro as they upgraded to a 2.6 track,but i have tried them all this year and i still pick a pro, the 13 r way better then the previous years in all the brands

 

[NytroNorm]

I honestly don't get your argument. So your saying that the Cat felt "doggie" compared to the Pro because he was riding in the Prairies and the powerclaw track?

There is some descent riding in the "prairies" some would say that there are areas that are similar to the foothills of the Rockies type terrain.

I think that the OP is spot on with his experience with both sleds.



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Yes thats exactly what im saying, the powerclaw wont hook up in the prairies and makes it feel like a dog. Obviously the power claw was designed for powder not the rock hard snow conditions we have.

Throw a CE on the cat and i think the OP would have a different opinion of what sled makes more power.

 

[rmscustom]

Yes thats exactly what im saying, the powerclaw wont hook up in the prairies and makes it feel like a dog. Obviously the power claw was designed for powder not the rock hard snow conditions we have.

Throw a CE on the cat and i think the OP would have a different opinion of what sled makes more power.

The polaris track is more of a powder track than the power claw.
I had the same impression as the OP, The polaris has much better throttle response, It seems the power is there right now where as the other 2 feel "doggy" through the bottom and mid but have a little more top end.

 

[Leaf27]

Yes thats exactly what im saying, the powerclaw wont hook up in the prairies and makes it feel like a dog. Obviously the power claw was designed for powder not the rock hard snow conditions we have.

Throw a CE on the cat and i think the OP would have a different opinion of what sled makes more power.

Well I cant speak for metallicat, but when someone posts "EPIC" to me that does not equate to "rock hard snow conditions". JM2C

 

[NytroNorm]

the polaris 5.1 may seem like more of a powder track but it just works better on the flats.

"EPIC" and "Prairies" dont belong in the same sentence as far as Im concerned haha.

Come on guys, we all know the cat has a good 20 hp on the pro. Is the pro a better sled? of course it is, thats why I ride one!

 

[Solby]

I have been on both. Cat has a lot more HP and feels like it. No 800 HO cat feels doggy unless something is wrong with it or clutching. That being said the pro is a great mountain sled, maybe the best, but probably not going to beat a cat on a drag race.

 

[Reg2view]

This is not an excuse for cat, but I run with lots of them.

Cat still hasn't figured out the clutching on the proclimb, they are still suffering from a diamond drive hangover. They barely ever figured out the M8 clutching, and never really got the M1000 right stock. Poo's stock clutching just kills compared to cat, doo is catching up stock, much better than the early XP's and Revs. And I don't run poo stock clutching, either, but respect their setup, and have way too much experience with doo's.

If you think the 5.1 has better hookup on hard snow than the PC, ride a doo. Those stock tracks hook on the hard.

 

[Leaf27]

the polaris 5.1 may seem like more of a powder track but it just works better on the flats.

"EPIC" and "Prairies" dont belong in the same sentence as far as Im concerned haha.

Come on guys, we all know the cat has a good 20 hp on the pro. Is the pro a better sled? of course it is, thats why I ride one!

I agree that the Cat has more HP, I guess it boils down to what and where you like to ride.

 

[metallicat]

I knew this would ruffle some feathers, but i just wanted to give my opinion after riding both. and just to clarify, if all there is is hardpack snow, i don't ride. Our riding area is mainly flatland with some smaller hills, lots of tree rows, CRP fields, and stubble. All of which blow in with a lot of GREAT snow when we get it. I like a couple feet of snow just like the next guy. just cause i ride on the prarie doesn't mean we don't have that. Another thing i want to clear up. I didn't mean that the cat was totally underpowered. i just personally thought, as did the owner of the A/C, that the polaris powerband was imediately responsive while the A/C seemed to get up there a little slower. Had nothing to do with the track. i was strictly talking about the engine response. Both of us have ridden sleds for at least 20+ years so we know a thing or two about a thing or two. oh yeah and we grew up in our dad's snowmobile repair shop before that and oh yeah, his dad used to race sleds back in the day. Honestly, i don't care which one is better, just sharing my experience. and if it was the other way around i would admit it. Later guys.

 

[ReTodd]

AC's have always felt like rubber bands....takes the motor a while to spool up. But yes, they must have way more power than the poo because the belts only last about $1/mile!

 

[fastlane]

I had a camo extreme on a 12 cat and it still sucked.. lol New pro in the shop works night and day better and i didnt have to stick thousands into it.

 

[AndrettiDog]

It's funny how well the 5.1 track works on the Pro because it was terrible on the Dragon/IQ chassis. My old D8 would trench in the powder and spin in the hard pack. It didn't work - I had to change to the CE. But on the Pro I never felt the need to change the 5.1 for something else. The Pro just does a good job of getting up on the snow.

By the way, I rode with a buddy who tried out the Pro Climb. He's coming from an '04 Edge sled. He got to ride a '13 Pro, XM and Pro Climb. The one he liked the least was the Pro Climb. He is stuck on the other two. I told him either would be great sleds.

 

[NytroNorm]

I totally agree that 5.1 sucked on the dragon's. Did polaris change the durometer for the pros? Or does it just work better with the lighter/ coil over pro?

 

[SnoDay]

This is interesting because I own a 12 M8 and my buddy has a 13 Pro 800. We were in the mountains this past January and did a switch too and our seat of the pants scientific consensus was that neither felt stronger than the other which would go along with the OP that the Pol is putting power to the ground better since the Cat has more power. But I disagree that the Pol feels way more snappy or can out run the Cat in the flats. Both me and my buddy are admittedly a little biased to our respective sleds since we put some hard cash on them but neither of us think one is miles ahead of the other. Just my opinion but really any new sled is lot of fun to ride. If you disagree ride my '02 RMK and then hop on a '12 or '13 huge improvements the past few years by all brands.