I dont understand the anger over reusing parts from the bigger sleds. I know quite well that kids don't really care when something breaks because "dad will fix it". I think that having to buy parts that are brand new and uniquely tied to a single sled would make it crazy expensive.
Your thoughts on the new Arctic Cat Blast Mountain
- Thread starter Frostbite
- Start date
@bkm20x thanks for posting that link - I hadn't seen it yet.
It's funny. They guy can't possibly say anything mean as Arctic Cat is doing him a huge favor to let him try these out so he can review them. But even in saying something nice, he managed to tell the whole story about why all of us are so un-enthused about both the blast and the EVO.
“This isn’t a F’n kids sled!”
Yup. You're right. It's not. This isn't the thing that we have all been clamoring for decades. It's not. I wish it was a kids sled. We all wish it was a kids sled. It's not.
It's funny. They guy can't possibly say anything mean as Arctic Cat is doing him a huge favor to let him try these out so he can review them. But even in saying something nice, he managed to tell the whole story about why all of us are so un-enthused about both the blast and the EVO.
“This isn’t a F’n kids sled!”
Yup. You're right. It's not. This isn't the thing that we have all been clamoring for decades. It's not. I wish it was a kids sled. We all wish it was a kids sled. It's not.
Yes absolutely. A real 3/4 version of any of the three brands main sleds right now and I would absolutely pay 13 for it.
But I understand what you are saying - the manufacturers just don't believe that there are enough people out there who would do it. And they may very well be correct.
i dont. looks like it will fit my wife nicely. she rarely rides and when she does i put her on my mountaincat and i ride my old mod sled. its pretty ridiculous, the 800 162x3 36" stance is just too much for her to be comfortable even trying to throw around. And she doesnt like the way the phazer longtrack rides down the trail like a piece of plywood. theres a market for these, whether its big enough to stay in the lineup time will tell.
There's a circular logic to saying "you'll be spending 50% more for a clean sheet 3/4 chassis sled." It's saying the market is only X sleds, it costs Y to build a new chassis, and the cost will be spread over Z years, so you're going to pay Y/X*Z more for your new sled, and nobody wants to pay Y/X*Z more for an already-expensive toy. Two problems with that. First, if it's easy, great fun to ride, and even a kid can dig it out, then the kid will want one, the wife will want one, and maybe you will want one (again, I'm thinking a scaled down chassis, but one that could be adapted to a range of riders). X just got a lot bigger. Second, a clean-sheet design means less materials and some components can be redesigned and simplified, bringing down per-unit cost. Quite simply, I feel like the market has gone stale and over-priced itself, and something really fresh would sell enough that recouping the R&D will be an afterthought.
Of course there's always a risk to such an investment. Henry Ford dumped a ton of money into a rubber production plant in Brazil just as synthetic rubber replaced natural as the main source for tires. These things happen. For all we know the whole world will turn to the cult of Greta Thunberg, only raw vegans will be allowed anywhere near the wilderness, and our sleds will be confiscated and melted down to build more windmills and kill many, many birds that would otherwise have lived out wonderful, happy bird lives. So we should thank Cat and Poo for playing it safe, Yammi for quietly disappearing, and I guess Doo for being Doo. I really don't know where I'm going with this, so I think I'll call it quits and see if I can find a piece of gluten-free raw vegan bovine before that's banned too...
Of course there's always a risk to such an investment. Henry Ford dumped a ton of money into a rubber production plant in Brazil just as synthetic rubber replaced natural as the main source for tires. These things happen. For all we know the whole world will turn to the cult of Greta Thunberg, only raw vegans will be allowed anywhere near the wilderness, and our sleds will be confiscated and melted down to build more windmills and kill many, many birds that would otherwise have lived out wonderful, happy bird lives. So we should thank Cat and Poo for playing it safe, Yammi for quietly disappearing, and I guess Doo for being Doo. I really don't know where I'm going with this, so I think I'll call it quits and see if I can find a piece of gluten-free raw vegan bovine before that's banned too...
Our rep will have one in a few weeks so I'll have my wife and daughter both on it. Might even throw my little guy on it to see how it does.
My wife is worried about the mono rail and it being tippy on the trails, so I told her I'd swap to a twin rail setup( I have a 141 PC skid on the shelf) and mono rail the 440 fan. LOL
Wife is 130lbs, daughter is 100lbs and my middle boy is about 70lbs. So it'll be a good test for each of them.
My wife is worried about the mono rail and it being tippy on the trails, so I told her I'd swap to a twin rail setup( I have a 141 PC skid on the shelf) and mono rail the 440 fan. LOL
Wife is 130lbs, daughter is 100lbs and my middle boy is about 70lbs. So it'll be a good test for each of them.
B
Bacon
Well-known member
It would certainly be a step in the right direction. At least have the option of no electric start. Shave off probably 20 lbs.
As someone who has sheperded a TON of kids through to adulthood snowmobiling I would never buy a kid's sled that didn't have electric start. I got really sick really fast of always running around starting my kid's sleds. We have an RMK EVO and I've done the shock mods which gets it out of the snow (adds 2 1/2" to the front and 3" to the rear) and basically turned the sled into a 550 Pro RMK 144 and lost about 10 lbs in the process. With the smaller bars, smaller gas tank and smaller seat the sled fits my 11 year old grandson perfectly. And yes it is older tech (Pro chassis vs. Axys) but it's a decent chassis and my grandson is loving it. I love the fact that in 15 minutes just by switching the throttle flipper I can go from 340 power to 550 power. That said, Cat is on the right track with a new engine. The 550 fanner from Poo is OLD and still carbed which sometimes causes the kids trouble remembering to use the choke. Just wish the Cat wasn't over 8 grand - $5800 for the RMK EVO was hard enough to swallow.
I am looking forward to your thoughts after getting wife and kids on the demo Reeb!! (Well, actually, I'd rather know what your wife and daughter think, as they bound my wife's weight...)
To the rest of you chumps poo pooing it becuase it's too big, or too small, or underpowered, or whatever, I think you're missing the point. This sled isn't for YOU, it's a cheaper entry level sled for smaller than fat-guy size people. It's light years better than a Freestyle, or Polaris EVO, and of course, more expensive. Yeah, it re-uses some parts. Be pretty stupid if it didn't, IMO.
I don't think the Blast was intended to be a "kids" sled at all, as that's what the 200 is. I'm hoping it is intended to be a sled that my wife can ride better than the M6000 153 that quite often takes her for a ride instead of the other way around... She needs a 3/4 or 7/8 scale sled, and that's what this is. 65hp will probably do her well, as will electric start and EFI. And if one wanted to knock 10 lbs off it, you can probably find a lighter can, as it is rumored to use the same can as the M8000/M6000, and that sucker must be brick lined... Then again, there is something to be said for balance... Having the heavier muffler tends to offseet the weight of the clutches, which isn't a bad thing if you have to sidehill throttle side up. (Hard to do on my M8, vs. easier with clutch side up...)
BTW, Reeb, I sold the Z440 SnoPro Mtn Lite to my buddy, who's 16yo son is riding the crap out of it! No more updates on that hot mess...
That's awesome. I'm rebuilding mine again. Not sure why but I have it almost down to the frame again for new powdercoat etc. Funny thing is that I bought a 2004 MXZX 440 Rev for my young man and if we have this Blast he will be able to go from his Z120(longtracked with 208 clone) to the new Blast and then to the 440 Rev. Leaving the old Fan with nowhere to go. I do have a younger son that is just cutting his teeth on the kitty cat so he'll be a few years for sure!
I don't want to sell the rev but I can't stop working on the old Monster Fanner so once it's ready I'll prob just fog the crap out of her and put it on a shelf until someone wants to go riding.
I don't want to sell the rev but I can't stop working on the old Monster Fanner so once it's ready I'll prob just fog the crap out of her and put it on a shelf until someone wants to go riding.
I thought you gave the monster fan to your brother, or something like that... Didn't figure it was still around. Think mine will probably cease to exist after its current owner is done with it... Pretty old sled, not terribly comfortable by today's standards. I saw a 570 Mtn Cat on FB in mint condition. My first sled. Thought about buying it, but I just got rid of two, and I don't really like riding the old chassis anymore... Oh well, gone to history.
Hey Reeb, where's our Blast ride report??
Hope your summer is going well, and winter brings a ton of snow!!!
Still thinking I'd like to get my wife on one of these, but haven't had any luck finding rental places that bought one yet... West Yellowstone trip between Xmas and NY is the current plan.
Well Covid hit and my weekend Blast got cancelled. My Polaris/Yamaha dealer has been so good to me and our business that I went blue with a snowcheck. Couldn’t help myself, that all blue....time will tell if I made the right decision, but I’m fairly confident it’ll be a hit.
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Alright, so somebody somewhere has to be getting some actual production models on the shop floor right? The obvious first question that needs to be answered by the first guy who can get his hands on one:
WHAT DOES IT WEIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't care how you weight it. Gas tank full, gas tank empty, oil tank full, oil tank empty. Whatever. Just state what it is and we can do some simple math from there for a good estimate.
PLEASE!! SOMEBODY WEIGH THIS SON OF A GUN!!!
And then if possible, a good little video walkthrough of the actual production model would be cool too.
WHAT DOES IT WEIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't care how you weight it. Gas tank full, gas tank empty, oil tank full, oil tank empty. Whatever. Just state what it is and we can do some simple math from there for a good estimate.
PLEASE!! SOMEBODY WEIGH THIS SON OF A GUN!!!
And then if possible, a good little video walkthrough of the actual production model would be cool too.
I have one coming, dealer says its supposed to be here the 13th. If no-one gets to it first, Ill happily do some weights and a video walk around. With a lightweight battery and anything other than the stock muffler you should be able to lose an easy 20-25lb right out of the gate.
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