OSM 14.2

MEN’S ADRENALINE JACKET BLACK / HIVIS

The CATALYST ™ platform set a new standard for performance, and now, we’ve given it power to match. The all-new 858 engine is lighter than anything we’ve done before and takes power and torque to new levels. Purpose-built for the CATALYST platform, the optimized laydown design will give you an even lower center of gravity for precision and control like nothing else. Unleash the 858 and experience the power that will change everything.

Make it easy to put more miles on this season with effortless control, unrivaled acceleration, and comfort of the INDY lineup. Industry-leading technology in the optional 7S display featuring RIDE COMMAND, you can take on the trail confident and connected.

IT’S GOOD TO BE KING!

In 1971 Arctic Cat produced a limited build of only 415, four-cylinder, 800cc air cooled King Kats in order to take control of North American race tracks.

Snowmobile: 1971 Arctic Cat

King Kat 800

Rider: Don McLennan

Shooter: Gail McLennan

Location: Oak Bluff, Manitoba

President & Publisher: Richard Kehoe

Copy Editor: Rick Bloye

Art Director: Darryl Aspin

Production Manager: Tendra Crossman

Advertising Sales: 1-888-661-7469

Director of Sales & Marketing: Andrew McEwan

Sales & Marketing: Eric Torresan Steve Belyntsev

Administrative Assistant: Sarah Day

Photographers: Todd Williams, Rob Alford, Emily Wicklund, Taylor Batch, James Wicken, Rob Alford, Richard Kehoe, Tendra Crossman, Maria Sandberg, Shelby Mahon, Chris Burandt, Brian Caswell, Levi LaVallee, Kristen LaVallee, Museum of Ingenuity J. Armand Bombardier Archives, Mike Duffy, Andrew McEwan, Brent Geerlings

Contributing Writers: Mark Boncher, Jeff Steenbakkers, Jason Kawczynski, Levi LaVallee, Chris Burandt, Tyler Swarm, Darren Desautels, Maria Sandberg, Rob Alford, Jordan Hammack, Richard Kehoe, Mike Duffy, Andrew McEwan, Brent Geerlings, Jake Hudson

Subscriptions: 1-888-661-7469 or info@osmmag.com

27083

Road Willow Beach, ON L0E 1S0, Canada ph: 905-722-6766 fax: 905-722-6761 toll-free ph: 888-661-7469 toll-free fax: 888-680-7469 email: info@osmmag.com www.osmmag.com

FILL THE TANKS UP! THE SEASON IS ABOUT TO GET STARTED!

We can’t wait for that first ride, we’re already prepping our gear needs list and it feels Christmas. It’s an exciting time of the year, and as the leaves are falling, time is starting to run out. Better get on it now so you’re not racing around at the last-minute settling for make do’s and good enough’s.

Field events and swaps are a great place to start tackling your seasons hit list. Sometimes it’s the only place to find your old parts and collectables.

Outdoor events like Haydays can be a tough visit when you must factor in weather, and lucky for us this year it was great. As always, the swap consumed a lot of time for

most of the Team. Many hours were spent walking up and down each aisle looking and searching for that deal of a lifetime. Although we didn’t find that type of deal, we found a lot of other stuff that provided a lot of laughs and banter with the Swappers. If you missed the famous Haydays Swap or are on the other side of the Great Lakes and are looking for a good sled swap, the Peterborough Sledarama, Off-Road Show and Swap Meet is on November 19. This grassroots Show has become famous for its swap over the years. Like Haydays, at Sleadaram you have to get there early to make sure that you find the good stuff. This is a busy Show and the good stuff

especially in the swap goes fast.

Many of us are looking forward to the big one and it’s next on our list of events that we attend before the snow season, the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show, October 20-22, 2023. The 36th Annual Show is going to be a snowmobilers and ATV/ Side-by-Side enthusiast’s fantasy. If you are needing anything for the upcoming season this is the easiest place to get it. From a new ride to a tow vehicle to seeing the latest and greats products the industry has to offer. With increased manufacturer, distributor and dealer displays and more tourism destinations, vintage snowmobiles, and clubs, the Toronto Show is bigger and better. All the racing circuits are there too so if you are looking to get involved in snowcross, ice drags, grass drags or vintage snowmobile racing it’s all at the Show. You can even take in a live Freestyle Show with Willie Elam, Keith Sayers, Christian Martinez and Steel Cutter featuring snowmobiles, motocross bikes and ATVs in the Ultimax Belts by Timken Live Freestyle shows.

Gearing up for the season couldn’t be any easier and the parking is free curtesy of On Snow Magazine and Snowmobiler TV. For more information visit torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

lawn ornaments

For over a decade we have been reporting on the fever of Lawn Ornaments. Quite frankly, nothing surprises us anymore. The way artistic way that people can properly display their clapped-out sleds rusting behind garages and trash cans or left out under the protection of a tree to protect from the suns UV rays is remarkable. If you are lucky enough to find a Lawn Ornament in your travels snap a photo of it and email it to us at info@osmmag.com and if we print it you will receive your very own T-shirt for your troubles.

Hey OSM,

I’ve been driving by this lawn mess all summer and finally thought of you guys. Why he tarps everything but leavers the ZRT out I’m not sure. What am sure of is that this lazy b%*@ard should invest in a whipper snipper to give a cleaner look around the sleds. Mike – Escanaba, MI

The swap has been known to be lonely on Sundays. I have to start by saying I love this section of your mag. It cracks me up looking at how people don’t care about their stuff. I found these two gems tucked behind the red barn. It looks like a Moto-Ski Mirage or Citation and some old POS Arctic Cat. They look like they’re in good condition and in need of a tarp. Their neighbours that have the pool next door must be pumped to be looking at these dream rides all summer long. Phil – Uxbridge, ON

lawn ornaments

OSM, We took these as a team while taking a day off from riding and visiting the local establishments in West Yellowstone if you know what we mean. Hoping you can send us both a shirt for all of our hard work.

Brandon (L) & Reggie (XL) - Egan, MN

We’re guessing that this was parked a few years back. We figured that the dust on the seat and windshield is a dead giveaway that this Phazer has endured the dry warm days of summer.

This Indy either ran out of gas last year and has been a local kids duct tape project. It looks a full two rolls was used on the seat. When we drove by it, it looked like it was proudly on display in a garden gnome type of way.

15"

sceneit

THREE GUYS GO DEEP

– THE INFAMOUS HAYDAYS SWAP…

What will they encounter on their dangerous journey?...

It has become an annual event for Boncher, Jason and Kehoe to spend too much time in the Swap, often losing track of their busy schedule, to-do list and their wallets. The savvy trio swear by always having three very important items on them before paying gate admission;

1.) Just enough cash for incidentals and hopefully that deal of a decade.

2.) A fully charged cell phone for photos (and valid passport to possibly to hand over to the police just in case they are abducted by the one of the snowmobile cartels or more likely if they make a dumb ass purchase and must flee the country to avoid going home to their wives.)

3.) An open creative mind.

If you have ever been to this swap, you can relate.

Never ask questions about another man’s purchase. ET’s are a dream come true at the right price but this looks more of an example of an overpaid nightmare. Hope he brought his passport!

Why most snowmobilers own full size trucks?

Looking to be single again? Bring an item like this home from Haydays –your wish is granted.

What a deal! Suckers are shopping everywhere in the swap.

Scooter never gets made fun of at the dog park but guess what? The swap ain’t a dog park.

Our Trio found this Ultrasonic Therapy Unit with bull horns fastened to it by superglue. Does it work? At “mid intensity” on the dial at a 14 dosage in minutes, Boncher gave it a sample. After the first jolt he looked violated and immediately said “no more” and walked away. Not one of them have spoken about it since… well until now.

Possibly

The swap has been known to be lonely on Sundays.

There are many opportunities with all the non-sanctioned contests.

Most truthful sign at Haydays.

the only way to drive a Smart car and not be ridiculed.

Entrepreneurs are everywhere in the Swap.

Best set of bar hangers.

Classic marketing of years past.

Don’t fall for this trap. Ever.

You’re not getting a deal from these guys. The Golden Trio tried to pry a vintage race sled from them but came up short in fair negotiation..

Ooooh Baby

sucked in their day and probably do today. But now you can ride them, grow a beard and be considered a hipster.

Looks like when you are trying to sell a ’91 MX for $1,200 it will give you plenty of time to kill a few cans.

Believe it? Got to be true. You can’t make that stuff up.

– Wet Bikes

A true find.

The Rider’s union boss himself showed up just in time to save the day once again. On the 16 something hour drive to Haydays the OSM trailer snapped a few important welds. Thankfully, Dan and Logan Skallet parachuted in to make on site welding repairs. Thank you Boys!

Haydays 2023! A 12-year old’s Dream Trip

A Haydays Perspective by Everett Kawczynski

Haydays 2023, was a new experience for me! There were many fun things for a kid like me to see, from buying helmets and snowmobiles, to watching the X Racing Show, it was a blast! For people wanting to discover the sport, this is a great place to find old or new snowmobiles. You get to see the newest machines and announcements from Arctic Cat, Yamaha, Polaris, and Ski-doo, it is fun to watch them compete to see who has the best sled. Personally, I am now on team Arctic Cat; especially with their new edition, The Catalyst!

Our adventure started early Friday when we toured the Arctic Cat motor factory seeing most of the 600 motors for the Catalyst being built and then shipped to be installed in all the new sleds delivering this fall. Not only was this the first time I have been to Haydays but I got to be the first kid in the world to see the new 858 motor at the factory tour! Being a powerhouse of a motor like the competitors 850’s, but light like a 600, I thought that was pretty cool.

The best part was I got to meet all five of the Black Cats riders, Kyle, Taylor, Riley, Dave and Maverick- all backcountry guys with many years of experience which I respect, and I look up to them. Let’s not forget all the cool engineers and marketing people designing everything, and planning the parties, they certainly are good people there at Arctic Cat. On the topic of racing, we watched as UTV’s raced and dirt bikes and snowmobiles all duked it out to see who the coolest was. I have to say it would go to the snowmobilers doing backflips.

The food at Haydays was unmatched especially the fried shrimp that I got, even though it was kind of expensive. People had been getting everything from Oreos to hot dogs and most people looked like they really enjoyed their meal. The swap meet was great and, wow, it was huge! Unfortunately, I didn’t come home with anything as there weren’t too many deals that had been worth it on my budget, but I didn’t even get close to a 30th of the swap which could be why. I saw many other people taking home all kinds of parts, and sleds, which was cool to see their happy faces.

I love how everyone was friendly at Haydays and didn’t care about ANYTHING I did, which is one reason why I thought Haydays was a dream of a place for me… and because I got to take off school for it too! As a member of Team OSM of course I had to do some actual work and sell subscriptions too. A whole lot of people bought subscriptions, maybe not as many as Uncle Rich wanted, but still hopefully good enough to earn the right to come back and help next year. I want to say thanks to everyone from the Cat Crew and the OSM team too… especially our driver Josh who got me home safe, and unfortunately back to school for Monday!

TBY JASON KAWCZYNSKI

his bout won’t feature the likes of Floyd Mayweather or Mike Tyson, but in the snowmobile industry, two of the biggest sled sellers are facing off head-to-head here. The winner will hold the title of the 2024 Crossover Champion!

These two are not the only options in the crossover market, but they stand alone as the elite top two. We have disqualified a few sleds on the way to the ring that may certainly be good options for a lot of buyers, but fall short of the top tier. Arctic Cat has a great option with the Catalyst Riot, but this season the smaller 600cc didn’t quite make the cut. The Yamaha XTX was great in its own class, but is somewhat over-

weight for this match. The XTX 4-stroke is a long track sled but is much more trail oriented than these two lightweight 2-stroke crossovers. All the other options, including more from Polaris and Ski Doo just didn’t quite have all the credentials to qualify for a “Best of the Best” feature. Say what you want, but for today the headliner has been decided: In the right corner we have the Polaris Assault 850, and in the left corner is the Backcountry X-RS 850.

Our two demo machines have been similarly configured with all the essen-

tials to make this a fair fight. Both have a deeper lug 2-inch track, the fanciest displays known to man, with all the bells and whistles, top of the line shock packages, electric start, and the option to get them both “twinning” in all-black colorways… nobody will lose you in the snow! Neither of these sleds are going to give you a great trail sled, and they can’t truly compete with most mountain sleds. That’s the definition of a great crossover - they can do just about anything pretty darn well.

THE CANADIAN FAVORITE

No, we are not talking about poutine, maple syrup or hockey, but something even better! Born in the land of the north, the Ski Doo Backcountry X-RS has always been an OSM favorite, and for more years than not, as one of our top choices for a crossover sled. In 2024 it was finally reborn in the Gen 5 chassis, following that chassis’ release in the trail and mountain lineup last season. Yes, we complained about this to BRP, but honestly, I don’t think our weight had any pull in this decision. However, we still rejoiced like schoolgirls on Tik Tok when it did happen. We talked quite a bit about the G5 chassis last season and had previously noted that this really wasn’t a huge difference in the ride from the previous G4. That said, it certainly brought some great features that fine-tuned the machine, and did some catching up with the competition.

Bringing a new look with narrower body panels, lighter weight components, LED headlights and re-designed motor mounts were some of the most important upgrades over its predecessor, and all of these are now in the Backcountry! With the Gen 5 package you also get the new cMotionTM X rear suspension where BRP was able to shave off a few more pounds which provides a better-balanced system with easier weight transfer and is tailored for crossover use. Shocks are KYB Pro all around with the 36’s in the front and 40’s in the rear. Ski stance is narrow and falls right in the middle of a trail and mountain width at an adjustable 38-40”. Our demo included the highest tech 10.25” touchscreen with BRP connect which is essentially the equivalent of the Polaris 7s display, sharing many common features. This is an upgrade as the standard gauge is the 7.2” which also works great sans the touch screen, GPS and other premium options. If you don’t prefer our choice of the 16”x146”x2” track, there are four other track/skid options including a mountain ready 16”x154”2.5” PowderMax. All models come standard with electric start and optional Shot® start system, now found across most segments and not just in the mountains anymore.

THIS ISN’T A MOUNTAIN SLED BOYS AND GIRLS BUT FEEL FREE TO USE IT AS ONE!

TIMELESS AND STEALTHY, ALL BLACK COLORWAYS JUST MAKES YOU FEEL FASTER!

P-MAGA

Sorry Donald Trump, but this is a race you can’t win this time! Polaris has done one better making America great again this round, producing something of pure awesome-ness that all sides of the political spectrum can finally agree on… the Polaris Matryx Assault. This isn’t really fresh news since the Assault doesn’t have a whole lot of “new” coming this season. It’s now been around for a few years, and blew us away last season when it got the option to deliver hyper-speed capabilities with the boost sea-level turbo. If you added the turbo, the Assault vs. Backcountry wouldn’t be a fair fight, so in this case we are blatantly ignoring it. Las Vegas has the odds for a turbo vs turbo crossover rematch next season that is highly likely. That’s a test we’re certainly excited about seeing this March!

The Assault is truly a premium Polaris sled that spares no features. The 7s display, which has become the industry benchmark for a premium gauge comes standard, and while we have continued to talk in depth about it over the past few years, it’s still the best in the industry. Walker Evans Velocity shocks work great in both the front and rear, and will likely become a mainstay now that Polaris has acquired WER. Our demo did have the hand guards as an added accessory, which wasn’t a stock feature and added a few hundred bucks to the price of the unit. Again for 2024 there is no adjustable ski stance on the Assault; you get 42.5” and that’s it, which is hands down the biggest downfall of this sled off the trail.

POLARIS HAS DONE ONE BETTER MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN THIS ROUND, PRODUCING SOMETHING OF PURE AWESOMENESS THAT ALL SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM CAN FINALLY AGREE ON…

ALL TRAILS LEAD TO THE DEEP

Giving a true crossover test requires certain prerequisites including testing in an area that has the best trails, and endless opportunities to jump off the trail when you feel the urge. Our goal was to use our tanks of fuel 50/50 on and off the trail, and that’s precisely what we did.

On the trails both sleds were easy to handle. The Assault had an edge due to its wider footprint in front and the tipped-up rails in the rear. It wasn’t much of a noticeable difference from a Matryx 137” sled where it stayed planted and well behaved in the tightest of turns. But the additional length and added weight were felt in certain conditions, and it didn’t feel quite as playful as a full on-trail sled. The Backcountry was a bit wilder, trying to rail tight corners at high speed, and it did take a bit of getting used to when jumping back and forth between the two. We ran it mostly on the narrowest 38” stance setting to avoid making too many changes later; if your riding day were to consist of all trails, it’s easy enough to change out and see a big difference.

It didn’t take too long for our sleds to steer themselves off the trail, which is where the fun really started. Both sleds floated nicely in the few feet of fresh snow and had no trouble starting and stopping wherever we felt the need, without any worries of getting stuck. Picking through the trees and carving was when the riders on the Backcountry started to really have their fun. It excelled in getting on edge with very little effort, and being almost five inches narrower than the assault, you had more lines to choose from.

Navigating our off-trail path with these two tech savvy snow machines gave us the confidence to keep going deeper off-trail as the huge displays with GPS just offer that warm fuzzy feeling of knowing exactly where you could get back out, without having to turn around and follow your tracks. Which one is better? You might as well debate Biggie vs Tupac, as you’d have an easier time deciding!

SHOT START IS AN OPTION ON ALL SKI-DOO PLATFORMS IN 2024 INCLUDING THE BACKCOUNTRY.

WALKER EVANS VELOCITY SHOCKS ARE A POLARIS STAPLE AND COME STANDARD ON THE ASSAULT.

POLARIS INDUSTRY LEADING LED LIGHTING OPTIONS WON’T LEAVE YOU IN THE DARK.

KYB PRO SHOCKS AND THE 41” FRONT END ARE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN ON THE BACKCOUNTRY.

2024

JANUARY 5-7, 2024

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

AND THE JUDGES SAY…

These sleds were so close in performance, our test riders faced a tough decision; we elected to list some specific criteria and let the votes decide.

• On-trail Performance- The Assault was the clear winner here as it was very similar to the ride of any other Matryx trail sleds. Not that the Backcountry was bad by any means, but it just took a bit more work to keep up with the group

• Off-Trail Performance- Backcountry dominated over the Assault when getting in waist-deep powder. The 16” wide track gave it a huge advantage in the flotation department, and the narrow front end made those pow turns much more effortless. The Assault sometimes took a couple tries to get it on the edge.

• Weight and Overall Handling- The Backcountry’s claimed dry weight was 471lbs., and the Assault came in at a heavier 508lbs. Both equipped with Electric start, it added some extra heft to these ponies, but you could still feel the difference between them as the Backcountry felt a lot easier to move around. Maybe this was due to some of the other previously mentioned amenities, but still… the nod goes to the Backcountry!

• Good Looks- This is a tough one and to each their own, but neither of these

sleds fell into the ugly category. Our demos were both dressed in all black which is a timeless design. But if you are looking for something bolder, the Assault had several options. You could choose from a purple/teal, black/dull orange or a bright yellow/army green. The Backcountry was available in only the black and a Mint/Orange which was pretty darn sharp on the snow. Some of our riders said they didn’t think the Gen 5 was an upgrade in the looks category versus the Gen 4, but I personally felt the improvements on the G5 looked great! We will call this one a draw.

• Gauges- One thing for sure was that this was a unanimous decision. We liked the familiarity of the 7s as it seems to be a bit more refined. This is likely because of all the time we have spent with it previously. That being said, in the big picture both gauges are a ten out of ten, and it was three years of using the 7s that separated them.

• Price- The Backcountry as tested came in at $18,399USD/$21,049CAD and the Assault at $18,018USD/$21,273CAD. Coincidentally, it was a little cheaper to choose the sled that was manufactured in its local currency. Neither was a cheap option, but you’re likely aware of that! The result is so close to call, and for the most part is based on small personal preferences.

LIFE’S DECISION CAN BE TOUGH AND THIS ONE WAS ALMOST AS HARD AS CHOOSING A MARRIAGE OR ROOMMATE.

Life’s decisions can be tough and this one was almost as hard as choosing a marriage or roommate. These two tough competitors went blow for blow in all the categories. The Assault leaned more trail and the Backcountry more off-trail, and if we must call a winner, the noticeable difference of the off-trail characteristics ultimately tipped the scale and was the deciding factor. For a 50/50 crossover sled that can do it all, we had to award the win in 2024 to the Backcountry! Stay tuned for next season as a rematch is a priority after having one of the most enjoyable days on the snow last season with these two gems.

RIDER COMMENTS

BACKCOUNTRY X-RS

I think the backcountry is hands down the best crossover sled, and my personal choice when spending money on myself. For someone with a small stature like me, it’s really easy to handle. There’s plenty of power in situations when I forget to use the throttle until it’s nearly too late!

Katie K. – Professional semi-pro mediocre backcountry rider

MATRYX ASSAULT

The Polaris Assault has been one of my favorite sleds since it was initially introduced many moons ago. I ride a lot in the upper Midwest and Northern Ontario where a beefy front end and a long track are essential. The tipped-up rail allows this to handle like a short-track sled on the trail, and the engineers at Polaris did their homework with the Matryx chassis. If I wasn’t just a poor magazine guy, I’d have both the non-turbo and boosted versions in my garage!

Mark Boncher – Overly opinionated starving test rider

ASSAULT.

You hear all kinds of things when you’re walking the grounds at Haydays, but seeing young folks this excited about Arctic’s announcement of a new 858 motor was very satisfying. We are all incredibly happy to listen to the banter back and forth between the young bucks and the old-timers equally. Never in recent history have we seen as many attendees wearing Arctic Cat green as this season, and certainly for a good reason. As much as we enjoy it, the guys and girls at Arctic Cat are just loving it!

I had a chance to speak with long-time Cat engineer Roger Skime about the motor and that excited twinkle in his eye told me everything I needed to know. But I saw that same feeling of Cat pride and satisfaction in the eyes of young Carson Price, one of the engineers at Arctic who did a lot of work to bring this motor to where it is. We were given a backstage pass to the engine factory for a pre-release, and got to see the big smiles from all the Arctic engineers and marketing folks. Needless to say, this motor was a long time coming, but now is the time for the Cat faithful to rejoice. Here’s our take from the detailed intro and Arctic reps!

BY MARK BONCHER

IF

the Catalyst chassis put a big green pin back on the snowmobile market map, the 2-stroke DSI 858 might make the whole map green! Alright, that might be a bit much, but the new super-low, angled-back laydown powerplant does not add a pound of weight over the 600 -TEC2 motor… yes, the 600! That in itself is impressive, but you will get an engine that is 11% more powerful than the current 800! That’s right, this proprietary engine design weighs less than the current 800 (over 4% less), has a ton more power, and is in the lightweight,

mass-centralized Catalyst chassis. The engine was developed along with the Catalyst chassis, so one was not developed before or after the other. This creates a very well complimented machine that does not have ‘retrofits’ either way with the chassis or motor. The 858 C-TEC2 will be available in all the major market segments from the trail to crossover to mountain. We are assuming that means the Alpha One, Riot, ZR and ZR R-XC machines, but exact final models were not disclosed. The low-end torque should have everyone excited, but especially the mountain folks!

THE NEW SYSTEM HAS FEWER PARTS WHICH ADDS VALUE IN MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY.

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT RIDDEN THE 858 YET, WE WERE HIGHLY SATISFIED AFTER ALL THE RIDES ON THE 600 LAST WINTER.

PUTTING CAT BACK ON THE MAP

The engine is so low in the belly of this beast, you can hardly slide a piece of paper through anywhere. This is helped by the engine mounts being integrated into the bottom of the crankcase, and the motor seamlessly fits with the centerline steering. Again, utilizing the lay-down style of this motor, Arctic Cat is able to get the center of mass lower than any other comparable 850 on the market. This maximizes all aspects of performance from flatter, more predictable handling to more consistency in getting power to the snow. Only a few things follow over from the 800 engine like some bearings, electrical, etc., making this a truly brand-new C-TEC motor. Plus, the Catalyst has the fastest, easiest to remove, tool-less panels and hood in the industry… that makes working on anything underneath the plastic quick and easy.

In addition to the weight loss and power gain, there are new exhaust valves and air intake system in the front, plus the new crankcase design. The motor is the same bore as the old 800 motor, but has a longer 75.6mm stroke which makes it more efficient and is why the crankcase is taller as well. Keeping the bore the same meant that the engine did not get wider and rotating mass (piston weight) was kept low. If you remember the 1000cc motors, they vibrated a lot and lifespan was slightly decreased because the motors ran hotter.

In addition to these changes, the reed cage in the intake is 12mm closer to the engine and there’s new alternator venting. The exhaust valve system is ECM controlled and uses one valve for three ports. The port height change is increased 250% and helps give more low-end torque with a smaller lower port while giving increased RPM along with top end power. Using a larger and higher port… the 3-port system allows it to be more efficient throughout the powerband. One more added benefit is that it also results in cleaner emissions.

The new system has fewer parts which adds value in manufacturing and assembly. The exhaust itself is also lighter, tuned for the 858, and has new mounting and springs. Finally, the intake is in the process of being patented because of its smart simplified design with fewer parts, fewer areas that need sealing, and it is lighter because of these things. There is another inlet(s) for the intake besides the main one that decreases the chances of snow getting stuffed in and losing power in deep POW. In addition, the decibel levels are less!

WEATHER, GEOGRAPHY, AND MORE ARE OPTIONS YOU CAN UTILIZE. PLAY YOUR FAVORITE TUNES ALL DAY AND MORE THROUGH THE BLUETOOTH OPTION.

YOU CAN SPLIT THE SCREEN ON THE NEW GAUGE TO SEE ALL KINDS OF INFO AT ONCE.

TRAIL MAPS ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE ON THE NEW DISPLAY.

Featuring over 200 races from around the world and right here at home. REV TV is your 24/7 home for motorsports. REV TV showcases all forms of high-octane racing, such as MotoGP, Monster Jam, World Rally Championship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, World Endurance Championship, Indy Lights, WorldSBK, the Isle of Man TT, and much, much more.

We’ve also got DIY, behind-the-scenes, news, interviews, and other motoring lifestyle programs such The Inside Line (Formula One), Winged Nation (Winged Sprint Cars), and PASMAG’s Tuning 365 (Custom Cars and Culture). We also have a slate of original programming including REV Culture with Todd Lewis that features interviews with motorsports luminaries and up-and-comers, All North Racing which focuses on grassroots racing, and more programs added all the time.

JUDGED BY THE GAUGE

A lot of folks were turned off by the relatively standard, oldschool gauge on the 600 Catalyst for 2024. That changed quickly along with the 858 as there will be a larger 8-inch touchscreen display with GPS/maps, group ride, Bluetooth, and all the other things available from Polaris and Ski-Doo. The system is powered by Garmin, so it is a high-quality design that is very customizable and also gives you all the pertinent engine info like temps, fuel, speed, RPM, voltage, time, ODO/trip, and more.

Not surprisingly, this Powersport Navigator will go into both Cat snowmobiles and off-road vehicles. You can track up to 20 people at once in your group and have voice/text with headsets. This at the current time is all done without needing to have cell coverage if you are in the USA, but cell coverage will be required for operation in Canada. It’s very similar to what is in most auto and high-end moto-markets and has an easy-to-use status bar at the bottom which allows you to scroll through important information.

Trail maps on the new gauge will come pre-loaded for both the snow states and provinces respectively, on either side of the border. The layered maps show gas stations, restaurants, topography, public/private lands, and you can pre-plan/track your routes as well.

WHILE IT HAS BEEN PAINFUL TO WAIT, SIMILAR TO A LONG LINE FOR AN AMUSEMENT PARK ROLLER COASTER, WE HAVE CONSOLED OURSELVES AND OTHERS KNOWING THAT THE LAST PLAYER TO SHOW UP AT THE 850+ GAME DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE NOT THE BEST.

WHAT WE THINK

We are no different than the rest of the people who have been patiently waiting for this motor to arrive. All the stats, info, and motor in the sled look good on paper and in the classroom, but until we ride it, we will reserve final judgement. While it has been painful to wait, similar to a long line for an amusement park roller coaster, we have consoled ourselves and others by knowing that the last player to show up at the 850+ game does not mean they are not the best.

NEW BLOOD AT THE TOP

We were introduced to the new top brass at Arctic Cat as parent company Textron recently made some changes. The new CEO and President of Textron Specialized Vehicles is Rob Scholl and his right-hand man Philip Jhant is the new VP of Powersports. Both of these powersport enthusiasts will steer Cat as they continue to slice up the competition with new advancements to the snowmobile line.

TO ‘TOP’ IT ALL OFF THE 858 GETS A COOL TOP-END HEAD COVER.

THE LAYDOWN STYLE MOTOR HAS MOUNTS DIRECTLY INTEGRATED INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE CRANKCASE.

This burger was the talk of the fast sled scene in the 1990’s and boasted more toppings than double quarter-pounder. You got Xtra Lettuce and Tomato!

I promise that’s the last bad dad joke you’ll get in this article, but truthfully the Polaris XLT was a big leap forward not only for the red team, but also for the industry. The black and purple Indy XLT Special was a jumpstart for Polaris in the engine department, weight loss category, suspension engineering classroom, and more! I am pretty sure every magazine at the time gave it top accolades. I remember being an impressionable Junior in high school when the XLT was released and it just about blew me out of my Reebok Pumps!

Lightweight AND Fast

The new-at-the-time 579cc triple motor was a design that cast the cylinders and heads as one piece. This saved weight and the aluminum cylinder block was diecast. Who else misses the great sound that the old triples had? That exhaust tone was one of the most exhilarating aspects of snowmobiling 30 years ago. This three into one y-pipe exhaust was slightly less throaty with a new resonator, but that was easily replaced if you wanted everyone to hear ya! Some people did not like the monoblock as you couldn’t just replace one cylinder at a time if it got scored, but the noticeable lack of vibration and more reliable cooling were pluses. Mikuni round slide carburetors did the air/fuel mixing and although these were not ground breaking carbs they were reliable.

The sled came in at 471 pounds total which was less than the 488cc Indy 500 twin at the time. But the XLT also had a larger roughly 12-gallon fuel tank so you could potentially go farther, albeit with more wet weight. You could also get electric start and reverse as options but again with even more weight. Polaris marketed the XLT in the 500 class when it was truly in the 600 class. The Xtra Light Triple lived up to its name with over 90hp, and although it was not in the class of the Thundercat or other ‘hyper sleds’ of the 1990’s, it was formidable because of its fantastic power to weight ratio.

Handling was also paramount for this trail ripping machine. Anyone who has spent time on an old trailing arm suspension Polaris Indy knows that these things went around the corner very well. The XLT was better than any other Indy before it as it widened out the stance to 38 inches and the XLT Special got the Fox gas shocks with floating internal pistons all the way around. The IFS up front had over 6-inches of travel and the 121-inch XTRA rear suspension had a whopping almost 8-inches. This was pretty darn good at the time and the long travel rear suspension was considered the best bump tamer on the market and transferred well getting power to the ground.

Testament to time

For over three decades we’ve seen XLT Specials at drag races across North America. That should tell you something. Not only were they fairly reliable, but they were favorites of the aftermarket companies and weekend warrior racers. I am pretty sure the first time I smelled methanol, it was at our local lake’s annual drag race in 1996… and the sled was an XLT.

There was nothing better than watching the ZRT/EXT, XLT/XCR, SX/SRX and other mid-size sleds duke it out at the races in the mid-1990s. This was the golden era of grass and lake racing and although everyone loved the bigger displacement sleds, the somewhat second tier was where much of the true performance folks hung out. At under $6,000 out the door you could be piloting a brand new XLT Special, and a few hundred bucks more in the correct mod parts started to really free up triples like this sled. Unfortunately I do not believe we will ever see a new 2-stroke triple again in a snowmobile, but there are plenty of them still alive, you just have to spend some time at the drag strip!

A Riders Reflection

Growing up in a Yamaha heavy house, like any kid wanting to find his own way I begged for XLT when it first came out. For two seasons my dad refused to cave but finding an alternate path in my Grandpa, I finally got to be on a Polaris! When the surprise showed up in October, I came to the garage with helmet in hand ready to rip the triple across the green grass, only to find that he bought me an Indy 340. Bittersweet as it was, I sucked it up and rode it for three seasons (and five crashes) before a suburban culvert finally sent the junior version to snowmobile heaven. By this time, I was empowered with some of my own money and found an affordable deal on a used XLT and rejoiced that I was finally in the elite club. Only after affixing every racing related decal possible to the hood (to increase speed of course) I was ready to put thousands of miles on it. Luck was not on my side as the XLT only logged a few hundred miles before a farm field washout took control and I was forced to watch the sled ghost ride into the tree line. Teenage mentality had me convinced that I would be better off on a Ski Doo next, but it didn’t take long before there were yellow pieces of sled scattered on the trail. Looking back now as an adult, it just might have been the rider-error after all!

Jason K. –Retired teenage wanna-be racer

JANUARY 11-14, 2024