Thanks for the Catalyst coverage! I added your video to my Catalyst playlist and subbed. You might've been the last consumers in the US to ride an 858 this season! 😎
I'm glad you pulled over with us and chatted for a while! I may have one more Canada trip in me, but I am starting to feel like my luck has run out for the season haha
Keep in mind these are early prototypes. Watch snowests last podcast… significant changes to mapping and clutching have already been made that completely changes the feel of the motor
I'd heard about that change already, this one definitely had a pretty cooked belt on it from the towing and demo mileage/use. I'm confident the things will be weapons next season, you could certainly feel the engine response was there, it just wasn't making it to the ground.
Always! I'm not paid by anyone, I've been on the other side hearing reiterated pamphlets when trying to make a decision on what to spend my money on. Thank you for the good words!
The gearing on the 600 is pulling more rpm, so it looks like clutching adjustments will help the 858 pull more rpm and be more resposive. Thanks for giving us one of the better reviews with the good and the bad of the sled.
I rode that Catalyst 858 was in Pittsburg last weekend. I am impressed with that Chasis 4 sure good to see Arctic Cat back in the mix hope they sell a lot of them . We need the healthy competition between the manufacturers especially with only 3 now. Riding in Pittsburg SDR last weekend was a blast was out in the storm all day Saturday felt like mid winter lot of snow got about 300 miles last Friday and Saturday. Ended a terrible season for snow conditions on a positive note made the best of it got 1050 miles on my 24 VR1 650 loving the sled have had zero issues with it runs strong. Love your channel have learnt a lot.
Thank you for the good words! I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Catalyst rigs do next season, I think they have a lot of potential to be a solid contender in the market for sure. These last couple storms definitely brought the season back around for a lot of us, certainly myself included, needed to end on a good note haha
@@MunsonMotorsports watching the video it sounds like you are on one of the first group of sleds they got in and had to load them right onto trailers for demos. AC didn’t get a chance to tune them etc.. once they started getting feedback they recovered all the sleds and got to work on tuning and steering issues.
@@petertousignant6566 I'd heard similar things as well! This one was allegedly a "vibrating one" that didn't have the revised motor mounts...I didn't find it to be bad vibration wise so who knows there. I don't mind the steering ratio honestly, sure it's goofy at low speeds, but it will allow for awesome resolution with a super aggressive ski, I hope they don't alter it too awfully much.
Arctic cat is so awesome for letting people take a rife on a demo sled like that. I rode dads 600 catalyst this season really liked it. Im a cat faithful but ill tell the bad. Shocks need softer calibration on the ATAK package anyway. The seats a little to hard for my liking. And clutching could definitely be better. We put ZR 8000 64 gram weights in is seams to be pulling them good. But snow melted before we had a chance to tell how much better there working. Cool video thanks for sharing.
Good to know! I was worried about the seat when I first hopped on, but out on the ride it seemed great...but that may be a different story after a 100 miles haha. I've heard/read very good things about the clutching Thundershift Products has been putting out for these things
@@MunsonMotorsports Ya seats not bad until u ride rough trails or really long rides. My father made softer seat for his big difference even felt like a better ride. Ya the 64 gram weights seam to be working good. I would of bought the magnetic adjustable weights from SSI for $135. Easy to use and very affordable but the 64’s seam good. I do all my own clothing since the 90’.
I thought you meant Pittsburg PA not NH.. You said Atac.. I had a 2006 Yamaha Attak.. I miss it.. That thing ran absolutely great on slush.. I was big into jet skiing and it was like being on a jetski in the slush.. As long as everything was getting lubricated it handled great.. I would imagine that the snowmobiles that you are riding ride different in different conditions... In the first half of your video I could hardly see anything.. I could see a lot better in the second video.. What I found that works when it is slushy or rainy was that I had a big windshield and I would use a motorcross helmet and goggles..
I rode that same sled last weekend after the good storm, even with massive bumps, it rode excellent, at 300 lbs it still took everything i could throw at on firm, medium i did get some bottoming, it definitely feels sluggish compared to my vr1 boost, but it was a great feeling machine, and in the short time i played with the g8, i found that i like it much more than the 7s
That's great to hear. It seems like most of the pre-production units didn't have clutching calibration sorted all that well and who knows if that one got a new belt at all as I'm sure when I rode it, the belt was hurtin'. I honestly didn't dabble with the G8 gauge too much but I love the ability to punch in what destination you want and the gauge will populate the route via trails on the spot.
@MunsonMotorsports as well as on the g8 it was super easy to add additional stops along the way, and ive seen in other places as well that cat has actually invited people out for a redemo because of calibrations not being where they wanted them, im not one to buy a 1st year engine, but it has my attention and might be enough to get me back riding cats again
I know every sled has thier issues, but not worrying about plugs is a real nice one. 850 E-tec runs so clean. For a tool kit, I am sure you will build one out, but I am running the Mountain Lab - Backcountry Tool Kit, and it has been PERFECT. I have used nearly every ride since I bought it. It has a nice case, everything stays put, but has room for a couple of extras if you want to toss them in (I put my clutch tools in there). Its a great go to. I am a fan of the Catalyst as well. Obviously a very different sled from a Lynx Rave, but awesome none the less. I really like how well it will carry speed through a turn. I understand the worn sled issue, but a fresh unit (I rode a catalyst just out of break-in) really handles well and feels so light.
I'm gonna check that tool kit out right now! I figured I'd look into some of the Boxo brand kits for fun, figured I'd ultimately have to build one out but if I could save some time and get a kit that has most of everything I wanna pack with a rugged case that would be great! I had a blast on that Catalyst, it definitely got me thinking...
I’ve had that exact failure on the assault front track shock mount 3 times on two different machines and two different riders. One bolt shears and the other works itself to ejection. Not sure which happens first. Thread locker was used in all skid bolts when broken down for maintenance. My take is that the assault just can’t handle really hard trail riding like the XCR.
It sure is a real chicken or the egg scenario. I'm now starting to think with the lack of connection points through the middle of the skid that it flexes a lot during compression events and the constant flexion is not helping things one bit. Unfortunately I 100% agree and am to the point (broken more since this video) that the IGX just cannot take true aggressive riding. I have some ideas on how to strengthen/fix it, but I'm just not sure if it's worth it as those of us breaking it are probably a very small percentage...however since this video I've had multiple people reach out saying they've broken the same. It's a bit of a bummer since it is such a fun machine!
I'm stoked you got to throw a leg over a Catalyst and try it out. I bought a 2024 RXC 600 Catalyst mid season (was there a season?) and got a whopping 350 miles on it. I agree with a lot of what you had to say about it but just wanted to share my experience so far with you. The slow speed steering does take a bit to get used to but I think in your instance it was exacerbated by your snow conditions and lack of carbide. Full disclosure I don't like Cat's skis, I don't think they have a deep enough keel and they are vague in most snow conditions. Making turn in even worse, Cat elected to install a 4" single carbide on my RXC from the factory. These carbides are for children and do the Catalyst platform a huge disservice. After 125 miles I installed a set of Curve XS skis with a 6" shaper bar (which I already had from my 18' RR) and I believe these skis and a little bit of suspension tuning made this the best handling snowmobile I've ever ridden. I wont say it's drastically better, but I believe it is a little bit better than a matryx and a LOT better than a G4 ski doo (I've never owned, only ridden these sleds briefly). The clutching, at least on the 600s for 2024 is out to lunch. My RXC is very responsive and smooth but hits a wall at 82 mph and I am lucky to see anything faster than that. Any reputable aftermarket clutching company is claiming a 3 sled gap in 1000' with just clutching changes, which is crazy. It's an easy problem to solve so it doesn't really bother me, but again I think Cat is doing themselves a disservice leaving that much performance on the table. The seat is VERY firm. I like it, but if you read through the forums it is apparent that most people do not. I am 240 lbs and have been wanting a stiffer seat for years and finally got it. We'll see how I feel about it on some high mileage rides next winter but for now, 150 miles at a pop I have no complaints. Also regarding the warmness of the sled, with no windshield and the stock handguards I was comfortable riding in single digits without having to put too many layers on. I've always been a mid height windshield guy, and I'll probably get one eventually but I was pleasantly surprised with how the wind mostly deflected around me. And that's about all I've got, otherwise I absolutely love the sled and can not wait to put more miles on it next winter. Like you eluded to, the ergonomics are very good and you can move around the sled easily, it makes riding aggressively near effortless. The highlight for the Catalyst platform for me is how predictable it is in all conditions. This might be a strange thing to be stoked on, but it never does anything weird, even in weird conditions and it never requires "man handling" the sled to get it to do what you want. My local trails are tight and relatively technical with a lot of short , steep elevation changes and turns with limited sightlines and it excels in these conditions. Sorry for how long this was. I love talking about sleds. For anyone reading this, if you're considering buying an RXC, I just want you to understand how stiff the suspension is before you spend your money. I'm 250+ geared up ready to ride and with all shocks set on setting 2/3 on the QS3s, I can hit 2'+ moguls at 55 mph and not bottom this thing out. It is so much stiffer than the Procross RR I had before this on all settings, it was surprising. If you do not like to attack rough trails, you will not like the RXC. It is not compliant in factory form, you have been warned.
So I'm the same size as you, give or take a few pounds, and I was too also worried about the stiff seat, but after driving my 600 rxc it fits really good, 100% agree on the stock carbides sucking , I found the sled was way warmer than I expected, I was worried on my first klms that the 600 was going to be way too doggy, but right around the 350 mile I notice a huge difference. The PowerBand and clutching is in my opinion set for typical trail speeds, anywhere from 35 to 80 miles an hour it pulls really well. After 80 it was a slow pull from there. My biggest concern was the stiff suspension, once I got some miles on it really softened up alot and became one of the best I've driven. Still a little work needed but became real good.
@@aaronmcfee506 it's cool to hear you had the same experience as me, I admittedly don't have enough miles on it yet to put any work in to the suspension, but I might play around with it when it's time to rebuild it and make some changes to the valving. Traditionally being a big guy I've messed with spring rates for the front and center shock but on the catalyst I was able to achieve ride height without much preload. I hope Cat keeps dialing in their settings as the years go on because I believe they have the chance to make this the best sled on the market.
@nate390 I agree, I used to be a skidoo guy but got tired of losing motors all the time and feel like you had to baby it to just make the season. 5 or 6 years of cat and no major issues at all. I find this chassis between your body position and the longer front arm on the rxc skid , your front shock is even more in play, next year I'm going to remove the rear coupling blocks and shaft for some wheelie action on the trails and going to add some speedwerx goodies
I wanted to buy one pretty bad, but dealers seem to be greedy on prices for the 858. Maybe if it was 2nd or 3rd yr after the refinements. I got a way better deal on a XCR I Feel
After seeing how discounted the 2024 ac are be crazy to pre order and pay what cat wants they will be thousands cheaper next year. Snowcheck you use to get the best price not anymore
@@coryrootevery brand has heavily discounted leftovers right now, not just Cat. I ordered an 858RXC from Arctic Adventures in NY and got $1000 off msrp plus no freight or set up fees. Plus you get an extra year of warranty with a spring order.
@@coryroot I've seen a lot of people bag on Cat for discounting the pricing mid-late season, but a local Polaris dealer is selling VR1 Boosts for 6k off MSRP... The entire country had a bad winter, I don't know what people expected.
@kwmiked Give Granite State Power Equipment a call, ask for Paul and let him know I sent you. I haven't spent much time shopping Cat prices, but he seems to be a very straight shooter.
@MunsonMotorsports already ordered a Poo, I was done dealing with CAT dealers. Found one dealer that took 1200 off msrp, but they didn't want anything to do with a trade in. Oh well. Next yr maybe. See how they go , Rather not get first yr
100% on my list going into next fall. I'll be pulling the sled apart and replacing a LOT of the hardware simply with new fresh stuff. I believe the overall mileage/abuse is taking it's toll, but the numerous disassembly/reassembly and retorquing of bolts certainly hasn't helped anything either.
I want to like arctic cats so bad now that I have a house in Pittsburg near the dealer. Unfortunately they are still a distant 3rd place in my eyes. That 858 sounded super bogged and flat.
I really want to see them do well too, the sport needs three good contenders. My verdict is still out on longevity of them but I am looking forward to seeing how they all perform next year. That demo unit definitely had/has a cooked belt on it from all the demo rides and towing sleds back, I guess Cat has made a statement of sorts that the pre-production units don't have the final clutching calibrations in them either so that's something.
I believe it's called the "East Inlet" parking/pull off..? If you head out of Pittsburg and just keep heading up Rte 3 you'll come to it eventually, you really can't miss it. If you go past you'll just end up at a border crossing about 5-6min later and have to turn around haha. That footage was all from this past Saturday the 16th!
The best way I can come up with to describe the ergos would be it feels like a cross between the Lynx Rave and the Matryx. You have the somewhat rolled out panels similar to a Lynx, but your knee and leg angles (at least for me at my height) are very similar to that of the Polaris, with maybe a touch less knee bend as the ability to move around side to side feels a bit easier on the Catalyst. Handling wasn't/wouldn't really be a direct comparison to draw from since the carbides were so worn and the snow was such mush....however I do feel the Catalyst with fresh carbides in some real snowpack would be very confidence inspiring.
@@MunsonMotorsports from the camp ground to boundary pond not bad! Then we looped down along the Maine border up high and down to magalloway fire tower was good. From there back to the camp ground was straight bumps
That's a tough call my friend! Based off that little riding I did get to do, the Catalyst is a VERY fun machine. Polaris also has very fun and exciting models. I think the decision would come down to what type of riding you do/are looking to do. After that little ride I am more likely to lean in the direction that the Catalyst is the fun day trip sled you take out when you want to blast with the boys and not be fatigued after. Where the Polaris rigs may be slightly more "do it all" and suitable for much longer rides, while still retaining the ability to have that raw fun factor a lot of us still love about them. I really don't think you could go wrong with either one at this point.
@@MunsonMotorsports Thanks for the feedback. Yea I get what you’re saying. Wish I got the chance to demo one. Probably hold off a year and let any bugs get worked out. Definitely looks fun!
@@sleddheadxp800r One guy at the dealership had said something about that loop! We had no idea where we were going, the 858 was a little low on fuel and it was already after 5pm so we played it safe :(
You can have very lazy clutching or a worn belt that doesn't pull proper RPM, but still have a responsive engine....just because the clutching isn't working in the engine's favor doesn't mean the engine itself isn't responsive to throttle inputs.
I had pretty solid luck with this Assault last season, but this year it's given me some fits for sure. Definitely would like to see some revisions and strengthening of the IGX skid for sure...it shares some stuff they had issue with on the Rush style skids so they know it's somewhat of an issue
Thanks for the Catalyst coverage! I added your video to my Catalyst playlist and subbed. You might've been the last consumers in the US to ride an 858 this season! 😎
Thank you! Like I said in the video, not brand loyal, just love the sport and providing what I hope is useful information/impressions!
Those conditions were top notch 😂😂😂
Just a couple little rocks here and there haha
Nice meeting you guys on Saturday! Hopefully you can get back out again.
I'm glad you pulled over with us and chatted for a while! I may have one more Canada trip in me, but I am starting to feel like my luck has run out for the season haha
Keep in mind these are early prototypes. Watch snowests last podcast… significant changes to mapping and clutching have already been made that completely changes the feel of the motor
I'd heard about that change already, this one definitely had a pretty cooked belt on it from the towing and demo mileage/use. I'm confident the things will be weapons next season, you could certainly feel the engine response was there, it just wasn't making it to the ground.
Nice to see a honest review when coming off another brand
Always! I'm not paid by anyone, I've been on the other side hearing reiterated pamphlets when trying to make a decision on what to spend my money on. Thank you for the good words!
The gearing on the 600 is pulling more rpm, so it looks like clutching adjustments will help the 858 pull more rpm and be more resposive. Thanks for giving us one of the better reviews with the good and the bad of the sled.
I rode that Catalyst 858 was in Pittsburg last weekend. I am impressed with that Chasis 4 sure good to see Arctic Cat back in the mix hope they sell a lot of them . We need the healthy competition between the manufacturers especially with only 3 now. Riding in Pittsburg SDR last weekend was a blast was out in the storm all day Saturday felt like mid winter lot of snow got about 300 miles last Friday and Saturday. Ended a terrible season for snow conditions on a positive note made the best of it got 1050 miles on my 24 VR1 650 loving the sled have had zero issues with it runs strong. Love your channel have learnt a lot.
Thank you for the good words! I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Catalyst rigs do next season, I think they have a lot of potential to be a solid contender in the market for sure. These last couple storms definitely brought the season back around for a lot of us, certainly myself included, needed to end on a good note haha
@@MunsonMotorsports watching the video it sounds like you are on one of the first group of sleds they got in and had to load them right onto trailers for demos. AC didn’t get a chance to tune them etc.. once they started getting feedback they recovered all the sleds and got to work on tuning and steering issues.
@@petertousignant6566 I'd heard similar things as well! This one was allegedly a "vibrating one" that didn't have the revised motor mounts...I didn't find it to be bad vibration wise so who knows there. I don't mind the steering ratio honestly, sure it's goofy at low speeds, but it will allow for awesome resolution with a super aggressive ski, I hope they don't alter it too awfully much.
Arctic cat is so awesome for letting people take a rife on a demo sled like that. I rode dads 600 catalyst this season really liked it. Im a cat faithful but ill tell the bad. Shocks need softer calibration on the ATAK package anyway. The seats a little to hard for my liking. And clutching could definitely be better. We put ZR 8000 64 gram weights in is seams to be pulling them good. But snow melted before we had a chance to tell how much better there working. Cool video thanks for sharing.
Good to know! I was worried about the seat when I first hopped on, but out on the ride it seemed great...but that may be a different story after a 100 miles haha. I've heard/read very good things about the clutching Thundershift Products has been putting out for these things
@@MunsonMotorsports Ya seats not bad until u ride rough trails or really long rides. My father made softer seat for his big difference even felt like a better ride. Ya the 64 gram weights seam to be working good. I would of bought the magnetic adjustable weights from SSI for $135. Easy to use and very affordable but the 64’s seam good. I do all my own clothing since the 90’.
I thought you meant Pittsburg PA not NH.. You said Atac.. I had a 2006 Yamaha Attak.. I miss it.. That thing ran absolutely great on slush.. I was big into jet skiing and it was like being on a jetski in the slush.. As long as everything was getting lubricated it handled great.. I would imagine that the snowmobiles that you are riding ride different in different conditions... In the first half of your video I could hardly see anything.. I could see a lot better in the second video.. What I found that works when it is slushy or rainy was that I had a big windshield and I would use a motorcross helmet and goggles..
I rode that same sled last weekend after the good storm, even with massive bumps, it rode excellent, at 300 lbs it still took everything i could throw at on firm, medium i did get some bottoming, it definitely feels sluggish compared to my vr1 boost, but it was a great feeling machine, and in the short time i played with the g8, i found that i like it much more than the 7s
That's great to hear. It seems like most of the pre-production units didn't have clutching calibration sorted all that well and who knows if that one got a new belt at all as I'm sure when I rode it, the belt was hurtin'. I honestly didn't dabble with the G8 gauge too much but I love the ability to punch in what destination you want and the gauge will populate the route via trails on the spot.
@MunsonMotorsports as well as on the g8 it was super easy to add additional stops along the way, and ive seen in other places as well that cat has actually invited people out for a redemo because of calibrations not being where they wanted them, im not one to buy a 1st year engine, but it has my attention and might be enough to get me back riding cats again
I know every sled has thier issues, but not worrying about plugs is a real nice one. 850 E-tec runs so clean.
For a tool kit, I am sure you will build one out, but I am running the Mountain Lab - Backcountry Tool Kit, and it has been PERFECT. I have used nearly every ride since I bought it. It has a nice case, everything stays put, but has room for a couple of extras if you want to toss them in (I put my clutch tools in there). Its a great go to.
I am a fan of the Catalyst as well. Obviously a very different sled from a Lynx Rave, but awesome none the less. I really like how well it will carry speed through a turn. I understand the worn sled issue, but a fresh unit (I rode a catalyst just out of break-in) really handles well and feels so light.
I'm gonna check that tool kit out right now! I figured I'd look into some of the Boxo brand kits for fun, figured I'd ultimately have to build one out but if I could save some time and get a kit that has most of everything I wanna pack with a rugged case that would be great! I had a blast on that Catalyst, it definitely got me thinking...
I’ve had that exact failure on the assault front track shock mount 3 times on two different machines and two different riders. One bolt shears and the other works itself to ejection. Not sure which happens first. Thread locker was used in all skid bolts when broken down for maintenance. My take is that the assault just can’t handle really hard trail riding like the XCR.
It sure is a real chicken or the egg scenario. I'm now starting to think with the lack of connection points through the middle of the skid that it flexes a lot during compression events and the constant flexion is not helping things one bit. Unfortunately I 100% agree and am to the point (broken more since this video) that the IGX just cannot take true aggressive riding. I have some ideas on how to strengthen/fix it, but I'm just not sure if it's worth it as those of us breaking it are probably a very small percentage...however since this video I've had multiple people reach out saying they've broken the same. It's a bit of a bummer since it is such a fun machine!
I'm stoked you got to throw a leg over a Catalyst and try it out. I bought a 2024 RXC 600 Catalyst mid season (was there a season?) and got a whopping 350 miles on it. I agree with a lot of what you had to say about it but just wanted to share my experience so far with you.
The slow speed steering does take a bit to get used to but I think in your instance it was exacerbated by your snow conditions and lack of carbide. Full disclosure I don't like Cat's skis, I don't think they have a deep enough keel and they are vague in most snow conditions. Making turn in even worse, Cat elected to install a 4" single carbide on my RXC from the factory. These carbides are for children and do the Catalyst platform a huge disservice. After 125 miles I installed a set of Curve XS skis with a 6" shaper bar (which I already had from my 18' RR) and I believe these skis and a little bit of suspension tuning made this the best handling snowmobile I've ever ridden. I wont say it's drastically better, but I believe it is a little bit better than a matryx and a LOT better than a G4 ski doo (I've never owned, only ridden these sleds briefly).
The clutching, at least on the 600s for 2024 is out to lunch. My RXC is very responsive and smooth but hits a wall at 82 mph and I am lucky to see anything faster than that. Any reputable aftermarket clutching company is claiming a 3 sled gap in 1000' with just clutching changes, which is crazy. It's an easy problem to solve so it doesn't really bother me, but again I think Cat is doing themselves a disservice leaving that much performance on the table.
The seat is VERY firm. I like it, but if you read through the forums it is apparent that most people do not. I am 240 lbs and have been wanting a stiffer seat for years and finally got it. We'll see how I feel about it on some high mileage rides next winter but for now, 150 miles at a pop I have no complaints.
Also regarding the warmness of the sled, with no windshield and the stock handguards I was comfortable riding in single digits without having to put too many layers on. I've always been a mid height windshield guy, and I'll probably get one eventually but I was pleasantly surprised with how the wind mostly deflected around me.
And that's about all I've got, otherwise I absolutely love the sled and can not wait to put more miles on it next winter. Like you eluded to, the ergonomics are very good and you can move around the sled easily, it makes riding aggressively near effortless. The highlight for the Catalyst platform for me is how predictable it is in all conditions. This might be a strange thing to be stoked on, but it never does anything weird, even in weird conditions and it never requires "man handling" the sled to get it to do what you want. My local trails are tight and relatively technical with a lot of short , steep elevation changes and turns with limited sightlines and it excels in these conditions.
Sorry for how long this was. I love talking about sleds.
For anyone reading this, if you're considering buying an RXC, I just want you to understand how stiff the suspension is before you spend your money. I'm 250+ geared up ready to ride and with all shocks set on setting 2/3 on the QS3s, I can hit 2'+ moguls at 55 mph and not bottom this thing out. It is so much stiffer than the Procross RR I had before this on all settings, it was surprising. If you do not like to attack rough trails, you will not like the RXC. It is not compliant in factory form, you have been warned.
So I'm the same size as you, give or take a few pounds, and I was too also worried about the stiff seat, but after driving my 600 rxc it fits really good, 100% agree on the stock carbides sucking , I found the sled was way warmer than I expected, I was worried on my first klms that the 600 was going to be way too doggy, but right around the 350 mile I notice a huge difference. The PowerBand and clutching is in my opinion set for typical trail speeds, anywhere from 35 to 80 miles an hour it pulls really well. After 80 it was a slow pull from there. My biggest concern was the stiff suspension, once I got some miles on it really softened up alot and became one of the best I've driven. Still a little work needed but became real good.
@@aaronmcfee506 it's cool to hear you had the same experience as me, I admittedly don't have enough miles on it yet to put any work in to the suspension, but I might play around with it when it's time to rebuild it and make some changes to the valving. Traditionally being a big guy I've messed with spring rates for the front and center shock but on the catalyst I was able to achieve ride height without much preload. I hope Cat keeps dialing in their settings as the years go on because I believe they have the chance to make this the best sled on the market.
@nate390 I agree, I used to be a skidoo guy but got tired of losing motors all the time and feel like you had to baby it to just make the season. 5 or 6 years of cat and no major issues at all. I find this chassis between your body position and the longer front arm on the rxc skid , your front shock is even more in play, next year I'm going to remove the rear coupling blocks and shaft for some wheelie action on the trails and going to add some speedwerx goodies
I wanted to buy one pretty bad, but dealers seem to be greedy on prices for the 858. Maybe if it was 2nd or 3rd yr after the refinements. I got a way better deal on a XCR I Feel
After seeing how discounted the 2024 ac are be crazy to pre order and pay what cat wants they will be thousands cheaper next year. Snowcheck you use to get the best price not anymore
@@coryrootevery brand has heavily discounted leftovers right now, not just Cat. I ordered an 858RXC from Arctic Adventures in NY and got $1000 off msrp plus no freight or set up fees. Plus you get an extra year of warranty with a spring order.
@@coryroot I've seen a lot of people bag on Cat for discounting the pricing mid-late season, but a local Polaris dealer is selling VR1 Boosts for 6k off MSRP... The entire country had a bad winter, I don't know what people expected.
@kwmiked Give Granite State Power Equipment a call, ask for Paul and let him know I sent you. I haven't spent much time shopping Cat prices, but he seems to be a very straight shooter.
@MunsonMotorsports already ordered a Poo, I was done dealing with CAT dealers. Found one dealer that took 1200 off msrp, but they didn't want anything to do with a trade in. Oh well. Next yr maybe. See how they go , Rather not get first yr
Think maybe should replace hardware when rebuilding a skid after so many miles? The assault should have beefier parts like the xcr
100% on my list going into next fall. I'll be pulling the sled apart and replacing a LOT of the hardware simply with new fresh stuff. I believe the overall mileage/abuse is taking it's toll, but the numerous disassembly/reassembly and retorquing of bolts certainly hasn't helped anything either.
What kind of cable is that for your heated shield? I like how it locks together.
I'm running an LJE Products power cord! It's the best I've ever found! www.ljeproducts.com/shop-products/helmet-accessory-power-cord
I want to like arctic cats so bad now that I have a house in Pittsburg near the dealer. Unfortunately they are still a distant 3rd place in my eyes.
That 858 sounded super bogged and flat.
I really want to see them do well too, the sport needs three good contenders. My verdict is still out on longevity of them but I am looking forward to seeing how they all perform next year. That demo unit definitely had/has a cooked belt on it from all the demo rides and towing sleds back, I guess Cat has made a statement of sorts that the pre-production units don't have the final clutching calibrations in them either so that's something.
I must have been spoiled, i would never ride in those conditions. Maybe thats normal now with the thin snow conditions in general.
Where is that parking along RT 3?
Is footage recently? Been bad past couple weeks for snow melt
I believe it's called the "East Inlet" parking/pull off..? If you head out of Pittsburg and just keep heading up Rte 3 you'll come to it eventually, you really can't miss it. If you go past you'll just end up at a border crossing about 5-6min later and have to turn around haha. That footage was all from this past Saturday the 16th!
How are the chassis ergos compared to the Polaris Matryx chassis? Can you also compare the handling?
The best way I can come up with to describe the ergos would be it feels like a cross between the Lynx Rave and the Matryx. You have the somewhat rolled out panels similar to a Lynx, but your knee and leg angles (at least for me at my height) are very similar to that of the Polaris, with maybe a touch less knee bend as the ability to move around side to side feels a bit easier on the Catalyst. Handling wasn't/wouldn't really be a direct comparison to draw from since the carbides were so worn and the snow was such mush....however I do feel the Catalyst with fresh carbides in some real snowpack would be very confidence inspiring.
Dam dude I just missed you at deer mtn
If that's your sled in your avatar we definitely passed/saw you out on the trail at one point!
@@MunsonMotorsports yup that’s me! Hard sled to miss😂
@@Josh9079 Great looking machine! Were you able to find any good trails out there?
@@MunsonMotorsports from the camp ground to boundary pond not bad! Then we looped down along the Maine border up high and down to magalloway fire tower was good. From there back to the camp ground was straight bumps
@@Josh9079 Love to hear it! I wish we'd been able to make it out a little further and find some of that good stuff, but that's the way she goes!
Been on a xcr 850 for a few years. Was really considering a 858 atac. Would you take one over Polaris?
That's a tough call my friend! Based off that little riding I did get to do, the Catalyst is a VERY fun machine. Polaris also has very fun and exciting models. I think the decision would come down to what type of riding you do/are looking to do. After that little ride I am more likely to lean in the direction that the Catalyst is the fun day trip sled you take out when you want to blast with the boys and not be fatigued after. Where the Polaris rigs may be slightly more "do it all" and suitable for much longer rides, while still retaining the ability to have that raw fun factor a lot of us still love about them. I really don't think you could go wrong with either one at this point.
@@MunsonMotorsports Thanks for the feedback. Yea I get what you’re saying. Wish I got the chance to demo one. Probably hold off a year and let any bugs get worked out. Definitely looks fun!
It’s funny you’re getting slush on your back. Normally you get it in the face!
Sometimes it's nice to change it up! hahah
@@MunsonMotorsports thanks for the great vids.
8250-8300 rpm ,10 pounds lighter ,new calibration when in production…..
Can't wait! Hoping to get a ride on a production one next season!
Nothing like tearing the shit out of stuff
Was this st Patrick’s day weekend?
Yes indeed, this was Saturday the 16th
@@MunsonMotorsports shoulda kept going north with the cats and hit 9 mile loop
@@sleddheadxp800r One guy at the dealership had said something about that loop! We had no idea where we were going, the 858 was a little low on fuel and it was already after 5pm so we played it safe :(
It’s a little lazy, few seconds later, motor is very responsive 😂😂
You can have very lazy clutching or a worn belt that doesn't pull proper RPM, but still have a responsive engine....just because the clutching isn't working in the engine's favor doesn't mean the engine itself isn't responsive to throttle inputs.
Maybe get a windshield
It’s 2024 think polaris could build a 2 stroke you don’t have to baby get it not to foul plugs
I've been pretty good about letting them at least get up to 70-75* ect but the one time i just blast it out of the trailer I kick a plug haha
Same happened to my sons 2019 with only 900 miles we ride polairs sleds but a shit tone of bullshit all the time
That sucks.... Why I dont understand cat haters?
I had pretty solid luck with this Assault last season, but this year it's given me some fits for sure. Definitely would like to see some revisions and strengthening of the IGX skid for sure...it shares some stuff they had issue with on the Rush style skids so they know it's somewhat of an issue