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Sledguy74

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Arctic Cat To Unveil New Chassis Platform At Hay Days

cat-straight-24.jpg Screenshot from the Arctic Cat teaser video.

It’s official: At long last, Arctic Cat is officially going to take the wraps off of a new snowmobile chassis platform, with the full unveiling coming at the Hay Days Grass Drags & Swap Meet event the second weekend of September near North Branch, Minnesota.

     The wait is almost over.

     Before that, though, Arctic Cat has released a sneak-peek video showing flashes of blurry components. The company is inviting snowmobile enthusiasts to help name this new platform. Considering at this point, folks don’t really know what the platform entails or looks like, asking consumers to help name it seems like an odd venture. We’re going to submit the name “Bob” with our entry, just because then, if the folks at the Textron headquarters go with our suggestion, we’ll be able to refer to Arctic Cat’s new Bob Sled in print for years to come!!

     But seriously, marketing gimmick aside, the news that Cat is coming with “A Revolutionary New Platform,” according to their video, has to considered great news for those who have eagerly awaited the next big step from Team Green, as the brand moves beyond the ProCross/ProClimb chassis platform it originally released for model year 2012. It’s also fabulous news to those who were fearing doom-and-gloom as far as the future of Arctic Cat: You don’t unveil a new chassis if you’re going away! 

What We Know

Here’s all that Arctic Cat officials will say publicly right now:

     “You’ve waited for it and now you can name it! Starting today through July 28, enthusiasts can submit names for Arctic Cat’s revolutionary new snowmobile platform, which will launch at Hay Days and be available for pre-order beginning in 2023,” Cat’s statement said.

     “The platform is designed to give everyone the ride of their life, with more centralized weight distribution, a lightweight yet strong design and improved ergonomics,” the statement continues. “The platform will span the two-stroke mountain, crossover and trail sled families. Find more information on Arctic Cat’s website and be part of history.”

     All of the buzz words are certainly interesting – more centralized, lighter, stronger, improved ergos: Check, check, check and check!

     It’s also interesting that the statement singles out two-strokes as the powerplant of choice when the platform is launched. It also name-checks all the prime categories for most enthusiasts. We guess the utility and 2-Up touring crowd will have to wait, because Cat is starting with the trail gunners, powder runners and those who like to have a snowmobile that can do both.

     Based on close inspection of the Arctic Cat teaser video that was released, all we can really confirm is that it has a new headlight. It will also have a handlebar with hooked ends, a windshield and a snow flap: big news there, right?! We’re very confident that there’s a lot more to this new platform than that!

Your Role

Clearly the video was released at this point to create some summer energy around the Arctic Cat snowmobile brand and build anticipation for a product release in eight weeks (Hay Days is September 10-11). It also comes just before the brand’s big 60th anniversary celebration in Thief River Falls this coming weekend (July 15-17). 

     Given that Cat’s statement says that the pre-order doesn’t doesn’t begin until the calendar turns to 2023, it’s a safe bet that we’re talking about model year 2024 snowmobiles.

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Hmmm, possibly and early build for Jan 2023?

 

 

As much as I'd like to see some great new sled come out of Cat (and I'm sure this release will bring improvements). This is more likely to be Cat playing catch up to the other 2 manufacturers than it is to be a "Game Changer".

 

LED headlights, thinner tank/seat area, improved handling from modified spindles and skis, etc......

 

Wonder if the long rumoured 900 2 stroke will come with it?

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Excited to see what they do.

I actually really really enjoy riding my Pro-Cross 

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On 7/20/2022 at 9:39 AM, Spiderman said:

Excited to see what they do.

I actually really really enjoy riding my Pro-Cross 

 

I don't think they need a "new" chassis myself. The Pro-cross only needs refinement. Trim some fat and narrow it up and she will rock with the best of them.

 

 

 

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16 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

 

I don't think they need a "new" chassis myself. The Pro-cross only needs refinement. Trim some fat and narrow it up and she will rock with the best of them.

 

 

 

 

the latest procross/proclimb chassis (changed in 2018) is now called the ascender chassis, narrower panels, new powerplants. other than the pain in the ass powervalve cleaning (must remove cylinders to get "all" of them) they are a nice riding chassis. at least you only have to clean the PV's every 3500 miles. just in time for a top end. ;) I am not a big rider forward guy but, I meshed with the ascender from day 1. Ski

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36 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

 

I don't think they need a "new" chassis myself. The Pro-cross only needs refinement. Trim some fat and narrow it up and she will rock with the best of them.

 

 

 

And a new power plant - 850 to compete with others. 

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12 minutes ago, skidooboy said:

 

the latest procross/proclimb chassis (changed in 2018) is now called the ascender chassis, narrower panels, new powerplants. other than the pain in the ass powervalve cleaning (must remove cylinders to get "all" of them) they are a nice riding chassis. at least you only have to clean the PV's every 3500 miles. just in time for a top end. ;) I am not a big rider forward guy but, I meshed with the ascender from day 1. Ski


I really haven’t looked at a new cat, surprised the PV are now behind the motor vs out front like they have always been. 
Kitty’s are good for an easy 5k miles before freshen up. 

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12 hours ago, stoney said:


I really haven’t looked at a new cat, surprised the PV are now behind the motor vs out front like they have always been. 
Kitty’s are good for an easy 5k miles before freshen up. 

 

the main guillotine's are still up front but, they have a secondary system, which is on the sides of the cylinders. you can get at the outer ones but, the inner ones are impossible. Ski

 

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2 hours ago, skidooboy said:

 

the main guillotine's are still up front but, they have a secondary system, which is on the sides of the cylinders. you can get at the outer ones but, the inner ones are impossible. Ski

 

I remember the APV motor on my 13 was out front, near the front triangular arm. 

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14 hours ago, skidooboy said:

 

the main guillotine's are still up front but, they have a secondary system, which is on the sides of the cylinders. you can get at the outer ones but, the inner ones are impossible. Ski

 

Be interesting to see what Scott has to say. He reported over 15,000 miles on cat two strokes and motors not touched.  They defiantly last.  

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17 hours ago, Strong Farmer said:

Be interesting to see what Scott has to say. He reported over 15,000 miles on cat two strokes and motors not touched.  They defiantly last.  

he is on a doo now. ski

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bought it last year. ski

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  • 1 month later...
4 hours ago, Sledguy74 said:

Haven’t look much at it yet, but great to see a new chassis. 
I understand that for now it only comes with 600cc engine, no 800 (or possibly TBD bigger cc engine) or 4 stroke. 
With the more narrow chassis design, might need to offer a wide body version like Doo has. 
 

Looking forward to seeing some on the trails this year!

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19 hours ago, stoney said:

Haven’t look much at it yet, but great to see a new chassis. 
I understand that for now it only comes with 600cc engine, no 800 (or possibly TBD bigger cc engine) or 4 stroke. 
With the more narrow chassis design, might need to offer a wide body version like Doo has. 
 

Looking forward to seeing some on the trails this year!

The chassis will not be produced for consumers until the 23/24 riding season, a year from now.   I think at best there might be a few demo units at dealers for test rides this season.  Probably be a few racers on the new chassis in race series where that is allowed.

 

As a long time Cat diehard I'm excited to see some serious investment on the sled side of Cat.  Better late than never.

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31 minutes ago, snowowl said:

The chassis will not be produced for consumers until the 23/24 riding season, a year from now.   I think at best there might be a few demo units at dealers for test rides this season.  Probably be a few racers on the new chassis in race series where that is allowed.

 

As a long time Cat diehard I'm excited to see some serious investment on the sled side of Cat.  Better late than never.

 

I guess that explains only the 600cc class engine for now - no possible 650, 850, etc....

 

Definitely good for the sport, always had cats myself, now on a Doo - which so far, very happy with, but who knows what happens down the road.

Hopefully the belt drive system also takes care of the problematic issues surrounding the old one.

 

I have not heard anything, but will Yami still be partnering with Cat with the new chassis when it is released to the public market in the 23/24? 

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