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FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 2015 Arctic Cat XF 6000 Sno Pro

Mark Lester
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 2015 Arctic Cat XF 6000 Sno Pro

We recently got an exclusive sampling of Arctic Cat’s new 2015 XF 6000 C-TEC and can happily report the new 600cc DSI mill has found another happy home in this sled.

The whole premise of the DSI slot injection mill was to get as close to DI’s precision fuel management as possible without actually using a cylinder head injector to get fuel into the combustion chamber when the rising piston closes the exhaust port.

The side-mounted injector on the C-TEC shoots right through the cylinder wall and not into the transfers like on current SDI systems. This difference is significant.

The injector is aimed at the piston dome and squirts fuel intermittently up to about 7000 rpm. This angled orientation and on/off sequence means there’s little (if any) unburned fuel escaping out the exhaust port.

In fact the injector is precisely timed and aimed to keep fuel from exiting the combustion chamber until the exhaust port is closed. This description puts DSI at a higher level of precision than typical SDI systems.

When the throttle is whacked open and RPMs pass the 7K mark the injector stays on full time shooting fuel on top of and underneath the piston (through the piston slot) to be scavenged up the transfers with the incoming air.

The always-on injector’s mixed fuel coming up the transfers is contained effectively by the expansion chamber’s reverse pulse – which is at its sweet spot at 7000 RPM and above.

What does all this mean? Our 2014 El Tigre 6000 has carded the highest non-DI 2 stroke mileage we’ve seen with a legit 20 MPG (US Gallon) and regularly exceeding 16 MPG on hard pulls. The motor sips oil as well as a result of its electronic stepper pump system and is the 600 to beat in MY14.

The XF 137 chassis is as happy with the light 600 DSI as the 129-inch ZR platform.
There’s a hint of understeer common in all Arctic Cat’s 137-inchers using dual staggered carbides. To correct this, we’ve installed 6-inch single runner carbides instead and have seen the understeer erased.

The 2015 XF’s ride quality is improved substantially by an new valve code spec for the rear arm Fox damper and a move to lighter factory air pressure settings on the Fox air shocks up front.

All in all we think this is one sweet X-over ride for MY 2015. Great power sets the new standard in the 600-class with excellent ride quality in a trail biased 137-inch chassis.

FEEDBACK ON ARCTIC CAT’S 2015 LINE-UP

Kent Lester
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FEEDBACK ON ARCTIC CAT’S 2015 LINE-UP

The sheets were torn off Cat’s 2015 new models earlier this week and we continue to be impressed with the company’s unrelenting desire to re-invent itself.

The broadened availability of both the new-last-year 600 CTEC-2 and the increased use of the 1049cc Yamaha triple makes for a pretty exciting 2015 model mix.

Unfortunately, according to some of our Facebook commentors, some of you are disappointed Cat didn’t come with a new 800 2-stroke this year.

Frankly, based on the number of new sleds from TRF this year (an all-new 2-upper, a bunch of variations on the 600 DSI, a new 4000 series & more), it would have been pretty risky introducing a completely new engine again this year.

Remember, it takes three full years for a new engine or chassis platform to complete endurance testing before production.

We think focus has been squarely placed on delivering the best 600 possible the last two years and the brass simply needed complete assurance the CTEC-2 would be reliable and deliver results to the consumer (you) once it was placed in the hands of thousands of users. C’mon, Cat has brought out more new models than anyone else the last two years!

Another consideration is the fact Cat is committed to building all of its new 2-strokes on US soil.

This means a lot of tooling needs to be done in the St. Cloud, Minnesota engine plant before another variation of the CTEC can be manufactured.

Meanwhile, Cat has a very fast, reliable, proven 800 it can use while development on a second DSI mill moves ahead. Yes, we think one is definitely coming – just not for a while.

You impatient commentors need to ask yourself this: Would you rather have a rushed 800 DSI or a bulletproof one?

Next complaint we heard was about the new 4000 series. This sled puts the venerable 500 EFI Suzuki to work in ProCross skin and actually delivers a very fun snowmobile both for serious cross-country riders and for trail riders.

Most important, this sled allows Cat to compete in a category it hasn’t had a lot of selection in previously.

At 84-hp the 4000 is nice performance competition for the newly successful 90-hp Ski-Doo 900 ACE and will be priced considerably lower.

Yes, there’s a ton of shoppers looking for choices in this power range and we think the new 4000 will hit the nail on the head – especially if Cat lives up to its promise to keep the pricing attractive.

What can we say about a 2015 137-inch 600 Procross? We’ve ridden this sled and are preparing a full report on it for you. Keep viewing this site to find out more.

Marshall Distributing Makes AIMExpo Debut in 2014

Press Release
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The American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo) announced today that Marshall Distributing, a highly regarded wholesale distributor of ATV, motorcycle, PWC, snowmobile and UTV parts in addition to motorsports apparel, has signed on to become one of the event’s newest distributing exhibitors. The 2014 event is scheduled for October 16-19 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center.

Marshall Distributing visited AIMExpo last October and saw the event’s success first hand. Now the company joins as an exhibitor and will interact directly with members of the trade, media, and consumer segments of the powersports industry while also hosting members of its dealer network.

Marshall Distributing Owner and Founder Roger Marshall explained his reasons why participation in AIMExpo was something he couldn’t pass up. “After attending the inaugural AIMExpo this past fall and seeing the true potential that it provides to dealers, and the excitement created for the consumer, we embrace the opportunity to share the vision with Larry Little and his team,” said Marshall. “This is absolutely the appropriate platform to showcase the variety of products we offer in the motorcycle, ATV, PWC, snow, and growing UTV markets. We strongly believe this is the type of industry function that Marshall Distributing belongs at to support our dealer network and share our long-time passion with the industry.”

Featuring nearly 200 companies in its network, Marshall Distributing has become an industry leader in the distribution of aftermarket parts and accessories for all segments of the powersports marketplace, whether on dirt, pavement, water, or snow.

Created in 1964 in Cass City, Mich., Marshall Distributing has expanded over its 50 years of existence to include distribution centers in Clifton Park, N.Y., and Sparks, Nev., with a continued exploration towards even greater growth.

“With such a long legacy in powersports and an impressive roster of brands that is continuously growing, Marshall Distributing is well positioned to take full advantage of the AIMExpo vision,” said Larry Little, Vice President & General Manager, Motorcycle Group. “Roger Marshall and his team have recognized the value AIMExpo provides by experiencing it in person. We look forward to integrating them into the 2014 event and are excited about the opportunities their involvement will bring to AIMExpo’s continued growth. We will have AIMExpo show-only specials exclusively for dealers in attendance that will certainly make it worth their while to be there,” commented Marshall Distributing’s President and COO, Joe Mooney. “We are looking forward to the opportunity of unveiling our new products and brands to our dealers, as well as showcasing them to the media and consumers.”

Over 220 exhibitors are already committed to AIMExpo in 2014, including many new companies like Marshall Distributing and the event continues to grow and further establish its position within the powersports marketplace.

TEST RIDE: 2014 Yamaha SR Viper LTX SE

SnowTrax TV
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SnowTrax Television Co-Host AJ Lester evaluates Yamaha’s 2014 SR Viper LTX SE.

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Polaris Racing Update

Press Release
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Polaris snowmobile hillclimbers won 10 of 12 Pro classes – including all four Stock classes – and two of three Pro King of the Hill titles as they dominated the Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Hillclimb Assn. (RMSHA) season opener at Montpelier, Idaho.

Polaris racer Keith Curtis won four classes at the Bear Lake Hillclimb run Feb. 14-15 at Montpelier, and he won the Stock King of the Hill title.

Polaris racer David Sharp, Jr., won the 800 Improved Stock and 800 Mod classes and the Mod King of the Hill title. He was also second in the Improved King of the Hill competition.

Also winning Pro class titles on Polaris RMKs were:

– Brandon Titensor, 600 Improved Stock
– Cole Wilford, 600 Mod
– Luke Rainey, 700 Stock
– Erin Beukelman, 700 Mod

Polaris Pros Fill the Podium

Polaris Pro racers claimed 25 of the 36 available podium positions (top three finishers) at Bear Lake. The Polaris racers absolutely dominated the Stock classes, winning all four and grabbing 11 of 12 podium positions. Polaris Pros also finished 1-2-3 in four classes, including 800 Improved Stock, where Polaris racers filled the top five finishing positions.

– 1000 Stock: Keith Curtis won, Luke Rainey was second and David Sharp, Jr., was third as Polaris racers took five of the top nine spots.
– 800 Stock: Keith Curtis won, David Sharp, Jr., was second, Aaron Sterck was third, and seven of the top 10 finishers were on Polaris sleds.
– 700 Stock: Luke Rainey won, Brandon Titensor was third, and seven Polaris hillclimbers finished in the top 11.
– 600 Stock: Keith Curtis won, Aaron Sterck was second, Luke Rainey was third, and Polaris racers filled eight of the top 11 finishing positions.
In 700 Mod, Erin Beukelman won, Cole Wilford was second, and five of the top 10 finishers were Polaris racers.

David Sharp, Jr., won the 800 Improved Stock class, where Polaris racers finished first through fifth. Dolan Phelps was second, Erin Beukelman was third, Tyler Crockett was fourth, and Kyle Heap was fifth. Pro rookie Toby Shepherd finished eighth.

Along with his three Stock class wins, Curtis won the Open Mod class and the Stock King of the Hill title. He was second in 800 Mod. In the Stock King of the Hill competition, Rainey finished second and Sharp was third.

To win the Mod King of the Hill title, Sharp summited the mountain in 46.119 seconds, the fastest time of the day. Curtis was second and Wilford was third in the Mod King runs.

Polaris Racers Win in Pro Master’s, Women’s & Amateurs

Polaris racer David Sharp won the Pro Master’s Stock title and was second in Pro Master’s Mod, where Charles Lopeman took third.

Shelley Heap won the Women’s Stock class and took second in Women’s Mod and Women’s Improved Stock, where Raysha Nielsen finished third. Heap also finished second in the Women’s Queen of the Hill run.

Other Polaris winners at Bear Lake included:

– Cory Nielsen, Amateurs Improved Stock and Amateurs Mod
– Justyn Heater, Amateurs Stock
– Tanner Meyers, Juniors

The next RMSHA event will be the Afton Hillclimb, Feb. 28-March 2, in Afton, Wyoming.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2013 sales of $3.8 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian Motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid powered vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris Engineered parts, accessories and apparel, and Klim branded apparel. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PII, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at polaris.com.

EPIC WEEKEND FOR TEAM ARCTIC AT I-500 AND NY

Press Release
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Team Arctic terrain racers delivered a winning weekend of epic proportion, completely dominating both the USXC Seven Clans Casino I-500 cross-country with 14 class wins and the ISOC Seneca Allegany Air Force National Snocross with 10 wins.

Team Arctic’s Brian Dick delivered a dramatic victory at the I-500 in Thief River Falls, setting the fast time during the first two days and holding off his Christian Bros. Racing teammate Zach Herfindahl on the final day to notch his second career win in the legendary event.

In addition, Team Arctic racers took seven of the top-10 places in Pro 600, with Cody Kallock (fourth), Ben Langaas (fifth), Timmy Kallock (seventh), Chad Lian (eighth) and Nick Fischer (ninth) scoring outstanding finishes.

Brian Dick also captured the Pro Open win at the I-500. Ben Langaas and Kevin Tinjum joined him as two-class winners at the event. Team Arctic won 14 of 17 classes at the I-500 and captured 32 of 51 possible podium positions, including a 1-2-3 sweep in five classes, underscoring racer talent and the performance of the ZR 6000R, ZR 6000RR and Sno Pro 500 machines.

“Our racers and crews delivered a phenomenal performance at the I-500,” said Race Manager Mike Kloety. “In a race infamous for its unpredictability, our racers and snowmobiles proved fast and consistent in the brutally rough conditions that challenged them over three days and 500 miles. We’re proud of all the Team Arctic racers who challenged themselves in this great race.”

At the ISOC double-header in Salamanca, NY, Team Arctic’s Tucker Hibbert once again delivered a crushing performance to win both Pro Open finals in convincing fashion.

Trent Wittwer and Carson Alread joined Hibbert with two class victories apiece, while Marica Renheim continued her undefeated season in Women Pro AM. Team Arctic owned the Sport class in New York, with Montana Jess winning the first night and Travis Kern taking the second.

“Our snocross racers and teams have worked hard and the pros finished a marathon three-week road trip that began before the X Games and finished in New York,” said Kloety. “The New York results are fantastic and we’re proud of the effort given by our racers and teams. Their success in all the classes proves that Team Arctic is strong. “The only disappointment was that, after scoring his first National win on Friday, Montana Jess suffered a season-ending hand injury after a competitor’s sled landed on him. Our best wishes go to Montana.”

The next national events for Team Arctic are the USXC Park Rapids 100 on Feb. 22-23 in Park Rapids, Minn., and the ISOC National Snocross in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., Feb. 21-22.

Arctic Cat Inc., based in Thief River Falls, Minn., designs, engineers, manufactures and markets all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and snowmobiles under the Arctic Cat brand name, as well as related parts, garments and accessories. Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the ticker symbol ACAT.

More information about Arctic Cat and its products is available on the Internet at www.arcticcat.com.

Tough luck for Byers in Valcourt

Press Release
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The Supertrax/ Byers Motorsports/ Polaris team attended the 32nd running of the Grand Prix de Valcourt which played host to the CSRA National Round 5.

The top snowcross racers from 4 race circuits (CSRA, ISOC, ECS, SCMX) came together for this weekends races.

The Valcourt track was similar to past years taking place inside the Ice oval track and included the famous 100ft+ finish line jump.

Visibility was a factor in Saturdays racing as Valcourt got hit with a blizzard Friday accumulating almost a foot of fresh snow.

Jamie hit to the track in moto 1 with a strong showing finishing a solid 7th. He was a little trigger happy in moto 2 jumping the start light and was placed in the back row for the re-start.

Jamie put his head down and charged to a 7th place finish. Unfortunately his qualifying results weren’t enough to make the main event.

Bad luck came Jamie’s way on Sunday morning. During the practice session, he had an awkward landing in the rhythm section rolling over onto his ankle. Jamie did starts on Sunday before heading home having his ankle checked out.

The next scheduled event is CSRA National Round 6 returning the Georgian Downs in Barrie, Ontario February 22-23.

We will take the week to recover and see how Jamie is feeling come next weekend.

2015 ARCTIC CAT: 4000 Series and Reviving Lynx

Kent Lester
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2015 ARCTIC CAT: 4000 Series and Reviving Lynx

A new ProCross sibling is being offered this year and it just makes good, plain sense. Cat’s venerable 500 EFI 2-stroke is now available in LXR and Sno-Pro versions of the 129-inch ProCross chassis.

These sleds are called the 4000-Series and offer all the amenities and suspension variations offered by the 6000 and up Cats.

The 4000RR and Sno-Pro replace last year’s 500 Sno-Pro and its very limited-build chassis. The designers claim the change to the ProCross 4000 delivers better handling and less weight. These sleds have had a strong history in cross-country racing and the new 4000 will be a nice upgrade on the starting line.

There’s life at the bottom of the product line these days and Cat has been absent a few years when it comes to low-cost entry-level and semi-utility sleds.

The 2015 Lynx 2000 is targeted more at entry level buyers than utility but designed to offer second-sled appeal for those willing to live with less features at a lower cost.

Powered by Cat’s 570cc fan-cooled 2-stroke twin and offered in both 129-inch (single rider) and 144-inch 2-up (Lynx 2000 LT) under the Twin Spar platform, these sleds are arguably carbon copies of last year’s F-570 and T-570.

There’s been no compromise on ride quality with either and both incorporate coupling, sliding front arm technology and Torque Sensing Links to iron out the wrinkles on trails.

Cat has gone to a dual-skag carbide on the Lynx to improve handling and eliminate darting and promises pricing will be very attractive.

Both sleds come with run-backwards reverse. Other than the Bearcat, these are the only two Twin Spar models left in Arctic Cat’s line-up.

2015 ARCTIC CAT: FIRST EL TIGRE, NOW PANTERA!

Kent Lester
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2015 ARCTIC CAT: FIRST EL TIGRE, NOW PANTERA!

With the popularity of long tracked sleds with detachable 2-up seats growing quickly, the focus has strayed from the 2-up touring category the last couple of years.

However, there are strong signs the market is gaining again and Arctic Cat is capitalizing on the popularity of its 7000 series 4-stroke to get eyes back on the touring segment.

Frankly, this Yamaha-built 1049cc triple is such a sweet mill, it just seems like it was born to be driven long distances with two on board.

It’s the only engine offered so far in the new Pantera 7000 2-upper, available in two different trims: Pantera 7000 and Pantera 7000 LTD.

The Limited is instantly identifiable by its blacked out tunnel and skidframe and the sled carries the rich aura of Panteras from a couple of decades ago.

Besides lacking a few amenities, the standard version has a silver tunnel and skidframe pieces but retains the same engine, suspension and 146-inch track as the LTD. Both versions use a special touring-only tunnel with deeper footrest areas, particularly for the rear passenger.

The super-premium LTD has an enhanced gauge package, heated driver and passenger seats and beautiful molded, hard shell, removable luggage.

There’s a covered mega-box at the rear big enough to swallow a removable auxiliary 4.3-gallon gas tank (this bumps the sled’s range to a claimed 200-miles) and still have room left over to carry a week’s worth of underwear and socks. Word is there’s 1500 cubic inches of cargo space back there.

We’ve ridden the new Pantera LTD and we’ll tell you two amazing facts about it: One, this sled rides like no other. It’s one of the plushest tourers we’ve ever experienced and it does it without air assist or special skidframe tricks other than Cat’s sliding arm technology with overload springs in combo with a 1.25-inch Quiet-Track.

The second thing we discovered is this sled turns on a dime despite its very long 146-inch track and skidframe. We kept waiting to uncover the handling compromise here but it never came.

The new Pantera is a lighter, more nimble upgrade from the already very effective Twin Spar based T-Series 2-uppers Cat has built the last few years and it just makes good sense to offer a tourer in the most up-to-date chassis platform Cat makes.

2015 ARCTIC CAT: MORE 6000 CAT MODELS

Kent Lester
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2015 ARCTIC CAT: MORE 6000 CAT MODELS

Last year’s highly successful introduction of the new Arctic Cat 6000 El Tigre was a huge homerun for Cat.

Not only was the DSI 2-stroke a hit but it literally sold out as soon as the details were made available to the public.

Cat followed up the unprecedented demand with a new 6000 RR and even a mountain version with the new DSI engine.

For MY2015 Cat has assured us there will be more 6000 series available and has expanded the engine’s availability into 137-inch XF models (LXR and Sno-Pro) and also 141-inchers (Sno-Pro and Limited).

The engineers told us the skidframe’s rear arm calibration has been softened a bit on all 137-inch Sno-Pros this year and the sleds will ride even more closely to Ski-Doo’s rMotion.

In the trail segment, besides the 129-inch El Tigre, Cat will offer an LXR version of the 6000 with a higher windshield, coilover shocks up front, heated seat and plusher suspension settings.

There will also be a Sno-Pro 6000 version besides the premium El Tigre. It shouldn’t be hard to find any 6000 this year at your dealer.

Besides all the model variations, Cat has assured us there will be more built this year than last. With the success of the new 600 twin and the satisfaction level customers are reporting, we think demand will still be very high for this engine in all platforms.

2015 will bring both standard and Sno-Pro versions of the M6000 to the mountains with improved skidframe calibration (the SnoPro will use a Fox Float 3 on its rear arm) and very aggressive 2.25-inch tracks.

An all-new M7000 4-stroke is a first stab into the mountain market with a naturally aspirated (EFI) 4-stroke for Arctic Cat.

New this year, the M7000 Sno-Pro will be offered with a 153×2.25-inch track and severe tweaking of the skidframe (Fox Float 3) to allow the heavier 1049cc 4-stroke to climb out and perform strongly in deep powder.

Cat is whipping momentum throughout its model line-up and the strong sales results and market share gains the company made last year are sure to continue with such an exciting model mix.

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