Do a video on best sleds over 10 or 8 years old! In this market right now, prices are a little high. I know you have made that video already, but its been a few years!
2014+ arctic cat 600 c-tec2 2012+ arctic cat HO 800 2018+ for the improved ctec 2 800 2016+ Polaris 800 2013+ Polaris 600 2011+ ski doo 800 etec 2013+ ski doo 600 etec This is based on when most issues were ironed out and reliability/refinement was improved. As far as model goes, whichever your riding style prefers.
@ZachThéroux-q6y They are effectively already out of business, the whole factory will be closed down in a month or so when the last orders are produced.
To all these folks in the comment section who are confused, let me clarify: Snowtrax records their videos way before they’re aired. So, this was likely recorded before the news of AC pausing production was announced…. Stop crying about the fact they didn’t address the current AC situation in a previously recorded video. Some people I tells ya! ….
@ Maybe it’s because I watch all your videos, but I’ve heard Luke and AJ say several times that these videos are recorded far earlier than they’re posted…. Reading comments I can’t believe how many people are complaining that you guys are ignoring the “elephant in the room” 😂😂😂😂
I'm glad you mentioned that. I appreciate the enthusiasm for Cat, but it's not a very joyous time for the company (or having diversity in the industry, with Yamahameha gone officially)
@@cavscout43 Unfortunately, it isn’t a good time for them. This is the first year in my lifetime there will only be 3 manufacturers releasing new sleds for the upcoming model year - something I look forward to every year. AC may not even be in there so it may be down to 2…. Not a good time for the industry as a whole, really. I’m not an AC fan, never was, but I wholeheartedly believe that competition between manufacturers translates into the best machines for the customers…. Yamaha is done but I sure hope someone comes along and saves AC!!!!
@zachmiller9977 You are right...what was I thinking. Ride on my friend...enjoy the last new cats made... The mighty Catalyst heads out with a whimper and is going to be remembered as the Cat Killer Chassis.
The New CF Moto Sled. My Cousin said those High Horsepower sleds are the first to the scene of the accident. He had the first Polaris Indy 340 Liquid cooled. He passed away in November at age 88.
I don't trust the 858 durability yet, so I got a 146" m600. Man that 600 is snappy, rips wheelies like crazy. Love it. I'm in no need for a big bore. No way that 600 only got 125 hp, feels closer to 140.
Seems like when Tucker retired from snocross was the downfall of arctic cat!....arctic cat dominated up until that point! Was hilarious watching all the polaris teams try to work together to try and take him down!
It all started with Chris Metz running it into the ground, then Textron came in with their conglomerate thinking, where they completely ignored what the customers wanted, and managed to do an even worse job.
I was looking at buying a new sled instead i got 850 boost with bigger turbo tuned made 210 on e85 229 one 110for half of one of these plus an enclosed trailer
Lots of leftover 23's of all brands sitting in dealers, its just that Polaris and CanAm/Ski-Doo/BRP positioned themselves better in the last 15 years with larger portfolio's, dealer networks and marketing. (They have also always been much bigger companies with more R&D $$). Thanks to horrid liberal/democratic policies and COVID, lots of companies took a big hit the past few years and Cat was the odd man out. That being said, I have a 20 XRS 850 and 21 Assault 850, and my 20 Sidewinder at 280HP is my favorite of the three. It's not the best at anything, but I know it will last a long time, it handles pretty well with the updates and the 998 is still, by, far the king. Hoping the Catalyst 858 is a worthy send off to a great company. Snowmobiling wouldn't be where its at without them.
Sadly unlikely I think. The rumour started due to cfmoto sponsoring a snocross event recently, but someone had fact checked and shown that cf moto has been sponsoring snocross for quite a few years now, likely just to put their name out in the powersports industry in general
AJ if the hp and lightness and thé Price is compétitif with thé other brand Skidoo& Polaris, whit new skis i’am sold. Time for a good race with skidoo& polaris 850 on the Lake.😊👍🇨🇦
Hmmmmm? First I’ve heard of this. CF Moto seems to be really aggressive - it wouldn’t surprise me if they wanted to branch out, however, I think the snowmobile industry as a whole is a risking one to jump into these days. Wonder if they’d keep the AC name?
It’s Arctic cat’s fault. The slide action is not playful at all. Also it’s not that great on the trail and they’re just now catching up power wise. I love Arctic cat, but they did this to themselves.
Rear skid and some tweaks away from being a top competitor in the 850 class??? OK, so there are only 2 other competitors now, Ski-Doo and Polaris, both with better rear skids, so sounds like it is 3rd!!!!!! And soon it is not going to exist at all so tell me again why I would spend 15-20k on this sled?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@@snowtrax NOPE--- The Severance package given to the last employees said TEXTRON would not be Funding anymore Production of Any Arctic Cat Vehicles---Only if they are Bought by someone else could there be more Cat Products---Who is buying a Company who has losyt$$ since 2017 ?? The answer is no one.
"The cat is back" said about a company literally shuttering production until Textron can sell off the assets. Buying an AC right now would be one of the worst financial decisions next to responding to that Nigerian prince that's been emailing you 10 times.
Unfortunately snowmobiles will soon be a niche market only in northern areas above the 49th and the mountains. Climate change has killed the mass market.
@@thegodfreyspecial423 😂. We’ve had more snow where I live this year than back in the 90’s!!! A great year for sledding. Not sure what you’re talking about!
@ glad for you! Unfortunately that’s not how climate change works or how it’s actually affecting the industry…. Just because it’s cold and snowy this month doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Climate always been changing. Nothing man is going to do about it. The man made term is about controlling the populous and making them more slaves. Dont kid yourself that they arent fiddling with weather or who knows whats been created to cause chaos and then they sell you the solution. Everything man has told you to fear as been about money and control of resources.
Up there game??? is there not an elephant in the room that nobody talks about they’re going out of business for God sake’s!!! these guys are so bought and sold by the manufacturers!!😮
It’s strange how when all others sectors of the powerstorts industry (ATVs, PWCs, Outboards & almost all MX bikes) has moved on from 2-strokes that the remaining players in the snowmobile game keep trying to build the next best projection tube TV.
I get the attraction to 4-strokes, but a 2-stroke delivers twice the horsepower per displacement, sits lower and has fewer moving parts. With the engine sitting ahead of the rider, snowmobiles are far more sensitive to weight than virtually anything else. There's still a place for 2-stroke engines, especially, but not exclusively, in snowmobiles.
@GenSparks, weight is far more critical in MX bikes than it is on a sled made for trail riding. Sleds are double the weight of MX bikes and almost all of these run 4-strokes today.
@@toddbrackett4277 YZ250 the best lol and those 4strokes always need maintenance I think its a step backwards in mx bikes but if you want to float in the snow a 2 stroke is the way I believe.
"$20,000 for a snowmobile? That’s outrageous! Back in 1998, I could get a Thundercat 1000 for $12,000, and it would run circles around today’s models. This is exactly why snowmobiling is going the way of horses-becoming a niche activity rather than the beloved winter sport it used to be. Shorter winters and manufacturers jacking up prices to maximize profits have made snowmobiling unaffordable for most people. To everyone out there with a pre-2014 snowmobile, hold onto it-they’re going to be worth a fortune soon. Arctic Cat was the first to fold, and sadly, others may follow. Whether it’s bankruptcy or pulling out of the market, the writing’s on the wall. I once had a Yamaha rep tell me that they sold more Yamaha pianos in New York State than snowmobiles in all of Canada. It’s a shame to see where this industry is heading."
Built in garmin… I remember unfolding a paper trail map that we picked up at the bar. those were the days
Best chassis in the business, hands down.
Best gauge.
Subjectively, the best looking new sled.
Do a video on best sleds over 10 or 8 years old! In this market right now, prices are a little high. I know you have made that video already, but its been a few years!
2014+ arctic cat 600 c-tec2
2012+ arctic cat HO 800
2018+ for the improved ctec 2 800
2016+ Polaris 800
2013+ Polaris 600
2011+ ski doo 800 etec
2013+ ski doo 600 etec
This is based on when most issues were ironed out and reliability/refinement was improved. As far as model goes, whichever your riding style prefers.
@janm3793 Thanks man! It is great to have a helpful person reply and give advice.
Man what an awesome sled
Another great review from the Lester fellas. Grateful for your efforts.
Appreciate that!!
Man they were just gaining steam. Hopefully someone buys them and can continue on with this platform tweaking it along the way!
No one is buying them--they have lost Money beginning in 2017-----They are Toast
Cfmoto probably
I just hope they don’t go out of business
@@joeyholthusen6495hopefully.
@ZachThéroux-q6y They are effectively already out of business, the whole factory will be closed down in a month or so when the last orders are produced.
To all these folks in the comment section who are confused, let me clarify: Snowtrax records their videos way before they’re aired. So, this was likely recorded before the news of AC pausing production was announced…. Stop crying about the fact they didn’t address the current AC situation in a previously recorded video. Some people I tells ya! ….
Exactly. This was actually recorded in March last year.
@ Maybe it’s because I watch all your videos, but I’ve heard Luke and AJ say several times that these videos are recorded far earlier than they’re posted…. Reading comments I can’t believe how many people are complaining that you guys are ignoring the “elephant in the room” 😂😂😂😂
I'm glad you mentioned that. I appreciate the enthusiasm for Cat, but it's not a very joyous time for the company (or having diversity in the industry, with Yamahameha gone officially)
@@cavscout43 Unfortunately, it isn’t a good time for them. This is the first year in my lifetime there will only be 3 manufacturers releasing new sleds for the upcoming model year - something I look forward to every year. AC may not even be in there so it may be down to 2…. Not a good time for the industry as a whole, really. I’m not an AC fan, never was, but I wholeheartedly believe that competition between manufacturers translates into the best machines for the customers…. Yamaha is done but I sure hope someone comes along and saves AC!!!!
I pick mine up tomorrow
Will be worth 10K less by next season. Enjoy it
@jdxjim if u gotta worry about that ur in the wrong game bro
oof. Good luck. Hopefully you got it for a song on clearance.
@zachmiller9977 You are right...what was I thinking. Ride on my friend...enjoy the last new cats made... The mighty Catalyst heads out with a whimper and is going to be remembered as the Cat Killer Chassis.
Congrats on your new sled, enjoy.
The New CF Moto Sled. My Cousin said those High Horsepower sleds are the first to the scene of the accident. He had the first Polaris Indy 340 Liquid cooled. He passed away in November at age 88.
😂 high hp?? Are you high??
Crazy that he would say “the cat is back” as they are shutting down the plant in thief river falls. 😂😂😂😂
yeah Chinesse CF motors are buying Ac you 3rd world country murricans are getting off the train 😂
Crazy that you would think this was filmed in the last couple of weeks…
@@Captndarty It was recorded last March - read ST’s comment.
@@pajamatime5750 Sarcasm, it escapes people sometimes…
@@Captndarty My bad - I got your comment just responded to the wrong post…. That was meant for Jamison, not you…. Same team man!
Great info video AJ..
I'll take naturally aspirated over boosted anyway! Especialy when performance numbers are so close. I wish you touched on cost a bit
Most anticipated was the Firecat series.
My 2024 Riot 600 is a monster machine .
I don't trust the 858 durability yet, so I got a 146" m600. Man that 600 is snappy, rips wheelies like crazy. Love it. I'm in no need for a big bore. No way that 600 only got 125 hp, feels closer to 140.
@ - the 600 has a 800 crank … & honestly my 600 Riot rips … I’m very happy .. unfortunately I live where there is no mountain riding 😭😂
Seems like when Tucker retired from snocross was the downfall of arctic cat!....arctic cat dominated up until that point! Was hilarious watching all the polaris teams try to work together to try and take him down!
It all started with Chris Metz running it into the ground, then Textron came in with their conglomerate thinking, where they completely ignored what the customers wanted, and managed to do an even worse job.
@KTMsoldier1988 Tucker was a great racer, there's no doubt, however, most of his success was due to the A/C race team cheating.
@@ijimmythekid6918explain how they were cheating
@@ijimmythekid6918 sure! Is that why Blair Morgan was so successful on Cat as well?
The only problem will Artic Cat be around next year
Why whould they not ? Zero dept , no unsold sleds on stock..
@hjaltigto because Textron has put them up for sale and I don't see Textron keeping Artic Cat as a subsidiary
@@hjaltigto They have fired everyone, so who are gonna build the sleds? lol
@@hjaltigtoUmmmm haven’t you seen the news? 😂
The big question can a guy get parts for these sleds down the road?
I love my 858 Riot nothing bad to say at this moment, just wish I ordered with G8 stock still waiting for my G8 to show up
cool looking sled
Seen the vr1 boost and comp turbo both dyno over 195 at the crank stock
My riot 9000 is 300hp and reliable lol
@ stock?
No comment on the elephant in the room ST?
Maybe they know some behind-the-scenes info. I sure hope so at least.
Guessing this was recorded a while ago.
This was likely filmed last year before anyone knew cat was being sold
Now the green and black screams the cat is leaving!
Halting production indefinitely?
About time
🤷♂
I hope they won’t go out of business
Cf moto looks like a buyer, they're footing the bill for the ac race team so I would think they're at least in the market
I live in QC, and new byer of the 858 seems to have mechanic issues.
I was looking at buying a new sled instead i got 850 boost with bigger turbo tuned made 210 on e85 229 one 110for half of one of these plus an enclosed trailer
Lots of leftover 23's of all brands sitting in dealers, its just that Polaris and CanAm/Ski-Doo/BRP positioned themselves better in the last 15 years with larger portfolio's, dealer networks and marketing. (They have also always been much bigger companies with more R&D $$). Thanks to horrid liberal/democratic policies and COVID, lots of companies took a big hit the past few years and Cat was the odd man out. That being said, I have a 20 XRS 850 and 21 Assault 850, and my 20 Sidewinder at 280HP is my favorite of the three. It's not the best at anything, but I know it will last a long time, it handles pretty well with the updates and the 998 is still, by, far the king. Hoping the Catalyst 858 is a worthy send off to a great company. Snowmobiling wouldn't be where its at without them.
You've got to be kidding😂
Ski doo came out with this kind of sled like 8 years ago… talk about being late to the party AC.
Even the 17 year old rev XP is pretty comparable to what’s out today
@ it’s got a digital gauge though. .. Who cares
Prefer the 2025 Thundercat.
It's a shame it might be too late if the cf moto rumor isn't true.
Sadly unlikely I think. The rumour started due to cfmoto sponsoring a snocross event recently, but someone had fact checked and shown that cf moto has been sponsoring snocross for quite a few years now, likely just to put their name out in the powersports industry in general
AJ if the hp and lightness and thé Price is compétitif with thé other brand Skidoo& Polaris, whit new skis i’am sold. Time for a good race with skidoo& polaris 850 on the Lake.😊👍🇨🇦
Is this The Finale Flight For Artic Cat?! 😮😢
Saw a RUclips video saying CFMoto is buying Cat. What do you guys know about this?
I hope they do, I think new owners could tweak this sled to be top notch
Can you say CHYNA.
Hmmmmm? First I’ve heard of this. CF Moto seems to be really aggressive - it wouldn’t surprise me if they wanted to branch out, however, I think the snowmobile industry as a whole is a risking one to jump into these days. Wonder if they’d keep the AC name?
We've posted what we know about the situation on the SUPERTRAX website. Have a look.
There is not more desire for that than the turbo 1100 cat was.
Most anticipated sled in cats history.....kitty goes belly up....wtf
They probably could have made it even lighter if they didn't give the headlight a stroke.
It’s Arctic cat’s fault. The slide action is not playful at all. Also it’s not that great on the trail and they’re just now catching up power wise. I love Arctic cat, but they did this to themselves.
143 hp say Arctic it is in Sweden
Only 3 years too late to save Cat. Sad.
Rear skid and some tweaks away from being a top competitor in the 850 class??? OK, so there are only 2 other competitors now, Ski-Doo and Polaris, both with better rear skids, so sounds like it is 3rd!!!!!! And soon it is not going to exist at all so tell me again why I would spend 15-20k on this sled?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
So.... The best thing they can say is it's promising and the Garmin has a cool gimmick.
No wonder cat failed. So so so behind
Lol .Stupid comment.
@corymckinnon9588
Feel free to offer up where I was wrong, princess.
Too bad they're a decade late and they probably won't be around in a few years to even know it this new chassis was worth wasting money on.
Cat suspended production! 😢
PAUSED.
Rumors CFmoto bought them!
I’m pretty sure the 858 is the exact same weight as the 600 so there’s no difference in ride quality and ski pressure.
@@snowtrax NOPE--- The Severance package given to the last employees said TEXTRON would not be Funding anymore Production of Any Arctic Cat Vehicles---Only if they are Bought by someone else could there be more Cat Products---Who is buying a Company who has losyt$$ since 2017 ?? The answer is no one.
@@snowtrax Ceased
Not good. Such a promising chassis though
"The cat is back" said about a company literally shuttering production until Textron can sell off the assets. Buying an AC right now would be one of the worst financial decisions next to responding to that Nigerian prince that's been emailing you 10 times.
You do realize they film these videos long before they’re aired right? Likely before the news of AC shutting down even broke…. ????
Rip
Polaris should buy Cat and both use their knowledge base and work force to build Polcats!
Unfortunately snowmobiles will soon be a niche market only in northern areas above the 49th and the mountains. Climate change has killed the mass market.
@@thegodfreyspecial423 😂. We’ve had more snow where I live this year than back in the 90’s!!! A great year for sledding. Not sure what you’re talking about!
@ glad for you! Unfortunately that’s not how climate change works or how it’s actually affecting the industry…. Just because it’s cold and snowy this month doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
@ It hasn’t just been cold and snowing for a month. It’s always cold where I am and, other then last year, snow has been great for 5-6 years now.
Climate always been changing. Nothing man is going to do about it. The man made term is about controlling the populous and making them more slaves.
Dont kid yourself that they arent fiddling with weather or who knows whats been created to cause chaos and then they sell you the solution. Everything man has told you to fear as been about money and control of resources.
Up there game??? is there not an elephant in the room that nobody talks about they’re going out of business for God sake’s!!! these guys are so bought and sold by the manufacturers!!😮
It’s strange how when all others sectors of the powerstorts industry (ATVs, PWCs, Outboards & almost all MX bikes)
has moved on from 2-strokes that the remaining players in the snowmobile game keep trying to build the next best projection tube TV.
obviously weight when snowmobiling is everything look at yamaha they pretty much are submarines in the snow who wants that.
I get the attraction to 4-strokes, but a 2-stroke delivers twice the horsepower per displacement, sits lower and has fewer moving parts. With the engine sitting ahead of the rider, snowmobiles are far more sensitive to weight than virtually anything else. There's still a place for 2-stroke engines, especially, but not exclusively, in snowmobiles.
@GenSparks, weight is far more critical in MX bikes than it is on a sled made for trail riding.
Sleds are double the weight of MX bikes and almost all of these run 4-strokes today.
@ponycarfan, if 2-strokes deliver 2x the power of four strokes then why have they disappeared from almost every other powersport sector?
@@toddbrackett4277 YZ250 the best lol and those 4strokes always need maintenance I think its a step backwards in mx bikes but if you want to float in the snow a 2 stroke is the way I believe.
"$20,000 for a snowmobile? That’s outrageous! Back in 1998, I could get a Thundercat 1000 for $12,000, and it would run circles around today’s models. This is exactly why snowmobiling is going the way of horses-becoming a niche activity rather than the beloved winter sport it used to be. Shorter winters and manufacturers jacking up prices to maximize profits have made snowmobiling unaffordable for most people.
To everyone out there with a pre-2014 snowmobile, hold onto it-they’re going to be worth a fortune soon. Arctic Cat was the first to fold, and sadly, others may follow. Whether it’s bankruptcy or pulling out of the market, the writing’s on the wall. I once had a Yamaha rep tell me that they sold more Yamaha pianos in New York State than snowmobiles in all of Canada. It’s a shame to see where this industry is heading."
Adjusted for inflation that sled would cost $23,226…
“12,000 for a snowmobile? That’s outrageous! Back in 1991 could get a Mach 1 for $6300, and it would run circles around today’s sleds!”
@@MCmichaelD_
I was just about to look that up. Ya beat me to it
And you could buy a decent home for $140k. A new pickup for $35k. What's your point??
@@MCmichaelD_ LOL. No. Get real guy.