new cats.. opinions??

all of them are decent sleds now I think. they all have strengths and weaknesses, just have to decide what is important to you, and what you are able to put up with/get over.
 

I think 99% of the issues people have with sleds failing is due to the operator. I watch people here with new sleds, and on youtube, pounding the sh!t out of these things. Wide open right out of the box, with no brake-in period. Firing up a cold sled, and beginning the beating with no warm up. Holding them open across the whole lake. Burn outs on the pavement... I could go on forever...
I've had issues with all brands. ALL the new ones are priced beyond their worth.
I prefer Yamaha, but had a blast on my 96 Doo FIII, and my 98 MACH 1.
The only sled that ever left me stranded was 87 Yamaha I had MANY years ago. The only other blown engine I had was a 91 Wildcat, she made it home on the one cylinder though...
I'm looking at Yamaha's and Polaris for next year, something like 2003-2006.
 
PS>
Sorry to hear about your situation. Even paying for labor would really tick me off, but it's better than nothing, and better than I would expect around here.
 
03viperguy said:
they are ALL expensive. I still say that argument is moot. when they are all as close as they are, just pick one you think is going to last and do what you want.
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Doo, cat and polaris have mire affordable and fast sleds available. Yamaha does not.

Not that the phazer is not fun, but it's not 120 hp so fun.the $$ to hp ratio is not the same as say a 600cc shift or 600 cc TNT. Cat less so, but the dollar to hp quotient is not as favorable.
 
romie said:
Well guys, here I sit contemplating my first yamaha in 10 years. You talk about cats poor quality and I have logged over 30000 miles over the years and never been pulled home. Now, in 2002 I ordered a viper and rode it just as I had my cat the year before. Same ditches, same road approaches, same everything. Believe it or not something broke 4 of 6 weekends and the motor quit the next week due to the ram air/snow induction. What broke:suspension in front, in back, motor mount, rear track tensioner bolt head, etc.... Only now that I am older and ride a bit easier do I consider a yami again. Was it a fluke, maybe. Is it a fluke that my cats have made it back every time for 22 years, maybe again. All I know is they all look good and damned expensive. If I can slip one by the wife next year I'll be smilin.
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I used to like cats before I knew better. I had one and it was not reliable.
most of my fiends ride cats, and have for the whole time they have ridden. None of them were or are what I would call reliable in any sort of a meaning.

I would say you were extremely lucky with your cats, and unlucky with your 1 yamaha .

Sure any sled can and will break, but cats IME break far more often and are not made as well as any of the other 3 brands.
 
so I went toa show to look at them and sit on them. I must say, they are NICE sleds. well put together (for a change) and they do feel light. only complaints are that they look a little unfinished under the gauge. and while the oil tank looks nice being made of aluminum and part of (I think) the chaincase cover, you cant see through it and I am not sure how you would check the oil quickly. although I would get a 4 stroke, so I guess for me its a non-issue. otherwise, man they are such a leap forward for cat. comfortable to sit on, nice fit and finish, and just look well made all around. kind of interested to take one for a ride and see how they feel. not like I have the cash... cant even afford to fix the crank in the viper lol!! anyone else see them in person? oh, and they look like you would actually have wind protection!! what a concept!
 
Aluminum oil tanks on 2 strokes? That seems way odd for a couple of reasons.

Plastic weighs less, costs less and you can see through it.

I bet those were pre production parts and that they will be plastic normal tanks on the real 2012 cats.

Still though, that's great that these units looked to have been built better, but these again are pre production ones. Of course they want them to look good, otherwise who would buy one? These are hand built one off units, but they won't be on the real ones. I would reserve any fit and finish and build quality judgements until you see a production one.

And even then, there still is that disconnect between what cat wants, and what suzuki makes for the motors. That to me is more scary than fit and finish, and right there with poor build quality issues.
 
just realized I was mistaken. its magnesium. not a one off part, of that I am certain. I know there might be some changes, but the way they were assembled and how they looked was a lot LOT better. here is a clip about the oil tank...
Replacing Cat’s ACT final drive, the new magnesium chaincase not only permits changeable gears, but is a mounting point for chassis spars and also incorporates the oil reservoir on two-stroke models and the oil tank on the four-stroke sleds.
thats what I meant :)
 
i like the looks and the design of there crossover sleds.

what is your opinions of the "telescoping handlebars"? to me it seems like its one more gear that will strip out when you least want it to.
 
nah, they have had them a few years and I think they are problem free. not unlike jackstands I dont think
 
I am no Arctic Cat fan but I love it when a company pushes the envelope and moves the goal line! We can only hope that it wakes Yamaha up so we can get this kind of product with Yamaha's fit and finish and reliability that weighs less then a small SUV!
 
Hmm, have a pic of the magnesium oil tank that doesn't require me to join articcrap.com? LOL

If the oil tank is magnesium, I am having a hard time justifying the extra cost, for what may or may not be a weight loss versus a blow molded plastic jobby.


We all know how light the plastic tanks are.
 
I think the idea is tht it is cast into the chain case cover. one large peice, stronger, light, etc.
 

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If I was to stray away from Yamaha I would definitely go Polaris. I have always liked the looks of their sleds and besides the old XLT's that blew motors up all the time, they are pretty reliable. Arctic Cats reputation keeps me away for sure and I've never trusted the motor in a Ski Doo. I owned one BRP product in my lifetime and I swear I will never spend that much on one machine again. (Take that with a grain of salt.. theres almost 2 g's in the XL-V but that machine is worth maybe a quarter of that)
 
I would have to say the same also..I would go Polaris .Hate the heck of them doos.Had a couple doo's when I was younger..never liked their motors.And Cats..well just never got into them.My cousin had Cats here.Another cousin of mine has Polaris sleds and when Polaris came out with the independent suspension and all..3 cylinders,they looked cool.Even back in the day I rode my cousins 340 XLT..that thing was wicked on acceleration..but still stuck to my 78 440 Exciter.Once I went to Yamaha..never looked back..
Don't know what year it was..but another cousin of mine got a brand new Polaris Triple that year..we were all impressed since our sleds had twins.But a friend of mine had a 78 SRX 440 and had that Polaris a mile race.Polaris left him for a while,but that SRX kicked in towards the end and passed him.My cousin was pissed and went straight home crying..lol
 
the Yami's are to heavy for them to lug out...so they said BS them I guess.Nice to see the Doo was last..You have your work cut out for you Andy....
 
probably because yamaha has no 800cc 2 stroke. and if they are brand new out of the crate, the doo has a break in period in the ecu.
 
03viperguy said:
probably because yamaha has no 800cc 2 stroke. and if they are brand new out of the crate, the doo has a break in period in the ecu.
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don't 2012 yami's pump out 160+ hp so it should be here with these sleds ;)!
 
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