Man, seeing that 1995 EXT 580 brought back a lot of good memories of riding with my father over in the UP of Michigan around Lake of the Clouds. That 95' looks exactly like the one I remember riding as a kid. I remember one ride we were doing out there years ago, the primary clutch bolt had someone worked its way out and was actually sticking out of the side of my sled. It was Sunday afternoon and we found this Cat dealer guy all dressed up in his Sunday best getting ready for church. He was so excited to see our pair of 580 EXTs and took us in and chatted with us for a few hours and gave us a replacement bolt for free. Will never forget that experience, it was truly something special. Really appreciate you and this video Rocky!
Our family has been Arctic Cat from day one! First sled being a '68 Panther. I bought a '91 EXT Mountain Cat brand new and still have it. Last year found a '98 EXT EFI that was mint and brought it home. Awesome sled. The 580 Triple port was factory rated at 98 hp. But did have some reliability issues if you racked up too many miles. It needed new pistons at 3000 miles. Love that bottom end torque of the 580. Love the old Cats! And the new ones too!
1st off I love this channel and what you are doing. I had a 1995 EXT Mtn Cat that I put big wide plastic skis on it and then removed all the stickers and kept it polished. I had so many people ask me about it. No one in the U.P. knew what it was. It ripped and was so much fun. Keep up the great work.
Love this channel brings back so many memories. New sleds (or all toys for that matter) are becoming so ridiculously priced it's awesome to see these old girls with so much life left in them.
While not an EXT, I had an 1996 ZR580 and it was an absolute love and hate machine. It was the carb model and would fall into some sort of “safe” mode and I couldn’t get over 25 mph. That being said, when the sled ran great, man did I absolutely love that snowmobile! Albeit my thumb was sore as hell on that carb model because after a day of riding my thumb felt like it went through some sort of exercise regiment. Anyway, as much issue as I had with that 580, that thing had some serious torque! I have a soft spot in my heart for that motor and chassis! Love this channel! Keep it up!
my dads first sled was a EXT580 powder special. it was all black with white letters. a decent first sled but a dog. heavy heavy sled. my first sled was a 98 powder special 600 efi. still have it and its been great.
I had that exact sled when I was a kid. That 530 special was one of the best trail they ever made in my opinion. They were light so you could throw them around but I beat the heck out of that thing and it never blinked in all the years I rode it.
Great to see you make a video covering the EXT! My 97 EXT efi deluxe is still great to ride after all these years. As for the extra weight on the 95, those metal skis weigh quite a bit more than the plastic ones you have on the other one. But the 95 will still be heavier. I wonder what the difference is because putting plastic skis on my 97 lightened the feel of the front end quite a bit.
I remember being 15 in 1996, going with my dad to check out a new Arctic Cat EXT 580. He bought it right off the showroom floor, upgrading from his 1987 Arctic Cat El Tigre.
@@OldSchoolArcticCats My father only kept the '96 Arctic Cat EXT 580 for a couple of years. It was a really nice sled, especially with the lime-green hood vents and matching lime-green ski skins. My grandfather owned an Arctic Cat Pantera 580, and seeing him with that and my dad with his EXT 580 gave me the Arctic Cat itch. A few years later, in 2001, when I was 21 years old, I bought a 2000 Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000. It was only a year old, sitting in the showroom, and I paid $6,900 for it. It was my first loan-I guess I really thought I needed it! LOL. You sure can’t buy a top-of-the-food-chain snowmobile only a year old for $6,900 these days. Awesome channel, brother-keep making those epic videos and bringing us back the good memories of when we were all younger, better looking, and had a lot fewer responsibilities!
@@TimSaundersC4 2000 was a cool year of the Thundercat. Was yours a 121? I bought a 2000 limited “green hood” mountain cat version it came with a 136” 2in track. I bet that was such a cool experience buying a Thundercat back when it was basically new. I bought my first T Cat in 2016 it’s a 99. Thanks for watching the channel. I appreciate your comments!
I had a 1998 Indy 500 Polaris with the Fuji 488 liquid twin and my buddy had a 95 EXT 580 like the one in your video and when we used to drag race we were always neck and neck , I loved those old cats man ! Great video btw
I got a 1993 Arctic cat zrt 700 the is I'm mint shape and start's 2nd pull every time and a 1993 ext 580 In mint shape starts 2nd pull and I love love them great sleds
Hey Rocky! Great channel, watch all your videos. One EXT you might consider is the 1993 EXT 580Z, especially if you can find one with the cheetah print seat in good condition. Yes. EXT does stand for Exterminator as in exterminate the competition and is a nod back to the original early '70s EXTs...
My first sled was a 1992 EXT Special. Fox Remote reservoir shocks, purple accents, and FLAMES! 550 twin, it split the difference between the ones here.
The first long tracks from cat were EXT’s I believe. Idk what it meant after they used it on short track sleds. Always kinda confused me lol!! Cant believe how heavy they were think cat was still using steal bulk heads then but not sure. Man that low mileage EXT was a find omg. I found a 2011 Z1 turbo sno pro LMD with 180 original miles on it. Picked it up for $4000 couldn’t resist. Love the Z1 turbo once there set up correctly ride and handling is awsome. Im swapping all my aftermarket parts from my EXT Sno pro Z1 turbo to the 11. Now EXT means extended track on the 2010 Z1 144 skid. So ya kinda confusing lol!! Wish i could keep both Z1’s but i only have to much room and have a 2017 ZR 6000xc. My old ZRT 600 so maybe a CRF 1000 be cool for my another sled or firecat. Owned 3 F7’s back in the day still one of my favorite sleds ever. Great video keep up really enjoy old school cats.
I had the 95 zr 580 efi . When the sled ran it ran great but it had its issues just like you always had to have a good battery . But it always start 2 pull like you said . For most part it was a good sled but dam lol it had weird issues at times an then all the sudden fix it self lol and I went threw that whole sled with brand new stuff
Man my first real sled was a 94 zr580. Loved that beast. Put aaen twin pipes on it speed raced 750 ft grass raced imp stock. Loved it. Sold it for the 98 battery less zr600 that I then traded in on a millennium zr600 . Mine was #443
The 1990 was behind in the chassis/suspension department, they were jetted conservatively from what I remember, you could drop 1-2 sizes without trouble. The clutching wasn't great from the factory on this one. When Cat introduced the ZR Chassis it was the best chassis for a good while, suspension was very good and Cat won a lot of races at this time. The 580 motor was reliable but had some issues piston skirts cracking at 2-3k miles was common, stators tend to go bad and connecting rods. The 97's had problems with the rings spinning and catching the exhaust port. TPS was another issue.
Nice Cats... I own a 94 and a 96 EXT. Both with carbs and the 121" track. A few differences between the two, but both can really rip down the trail or on a frozen lake. They may not be as fast as some sleds, but like you say... they ride well and they look cool. Thinking about adding more to the collection.
Just subbed, I'll take the 1990 El Tigre😁 those are very nice sleds. I got a barnfind 91Jag440LT, put over a week into it. We got the gears lowered, my relative took care of my clutching. It was clocked doing 39mph @7700rpm. I love how much Spruce logs I can haul with my first Super simple and reliable Arctic Cat.
Those mechanical brakes were shitty! Had a 91 wildcat. The adjuster nut would sometimes backout from vibration and you'd have no brakes at the end of a field. Not good! The wildwood hydraulic units were and still are great brakes. My wildcat weighed 585 with fluids. Great video!
It seemed like when the ZR line (plus ZRTs) arrived after 1993 or so, Cat let the EXT name be used for a less special standard machine. Always thought that was unfortunate.
I have a lot of memories riding an old 93 Ext 580 Z with my dad as a kid. We still have it it’s just about mint for its age. If I remember right the Z was only made one year. Glad to see I guy loving old cats
Verry cool vid.sir! Verry informative and fun to look back at those 90s cats. Your right on how affordable and fun the sport can still be . The new stuffs great, but these will get you ripping down the trail as good as anything. Thanks man !
Actually it came out in 70. The puma ext. then in 71 they had the engine stick out. In 72 they went to Alaska and needed a hood for testing. So they took a belly pan and turned it upside down. That’s how the 72 evolved. It had then evolved into the eltigre in 73.
Ex very old dealers kid here. 1970 Puma EXT racers Were the first machine to get Dubbed the exterminator. The first appearance on a snowmobile for Arctic cat unique model was for the 1971 model year. There were two unique EXT‘s one was based off the puma. The other was Longer and used a 15 inch track with a very nice long seat and that was called the EXT special. The special was the prototype and it Is the father of two models. The 1972 EXT and a wider track variant That became the 1972 cheetah. I am so glad someone is talking about the old cats.
Also, if not for the success of the 1972 EXT race sled the 1973 El Tigre Would have looked very different. So in a way the 1972 EXT is the prototype for the 1973 Tiger.
I once had 93 ext580 Piston port design motor with no low/mid power, constantly foul the br9eya plugs ,very hard on fuel 7 gal tank Spring tensioned chaincase , primary clutch, Stator, cable breaks , low nose cone rough riding suspension ALL SUCKED Un-insolated super thin pipe caused hp loss & holes everywhere Moms 74 hp 488 indy efi felt stronger threw the rpm range while getting 2x mileage
Hey ski doo and polaris riders...your brands you ride today handle great because of arctic cat..look at sno cross videos of 1994 till early 2000s when arctic cat "owned snowcross"
Yah the carb modles were great but when the 580 went to efi nuthing but issues for me lol but when it ran it ran great . I just wish the 580 efi zr went battery less like the later modle zr . And if they went further in production with exhaust power valves I bet the 580 would been a good weapon
In order to judge “more fun “ fairly , you would need to ride a new sled in the mountains. I only rode for one weekend but what a blast the new machines are in the deep powder .
Man, seeing that 1995 EXT 580 brought back a lot of good memories of riding with my father over in the UP of Michigan around Lake of the Clouds. That 95' looks exactly like the one I remember riding as a kid. I remember one ride we were doing out there years ago, the primary clutch bolt had someone worked its way out and was actually sticking out of the side of my sled. It was Sunday afternoon and we found this Cat dealer guy all dressed up in his Sunday best getting ready for church. He was so excited to see our pair of 580 EXTs and took us in and chatted with us for a few hours and gave us a replacement bolt for free. Will never forget that experience, it was truly something special. Really appreciate you and this video Rocky!
Those are great memories! It’s always fun to think back on those days and the special experiences you had with your dad.
Our family has been Arctic Cat from day one! First sled being a '68 Panther. I bought a '91 EXT Mountain Cat brand new and still have it. Last year found a '98 EXT EFI that was mint and brought it home. Awesome sled. The 580 Triple port was factory rated at 98 hp. But did have some reliability issues if you racked up too many miles. It needed new pistons at 3000 miles. Love that bottom end torque of the 580. Love the old Cats! And the new ones too!
1st off I love this channel and what you are doing. I had a 1995 EXT Mtn Cat that I put big wide plastic skis on it and then removed all the stickers and kept it polished. I had so many people ask me about it. No one in the U.P. knew what it was. It ripped and was so much fun. Keep up the great work.
Love this channel brings back so many memories. New sleds (or all toys for that matter) are becoming so ridiculously priced it's awesome to see these old girls with so much life left in them.
I agree! Thanks for watching!
While not an EXT, I had an 1996 ZR580 and it was an absolute love and hate machine. It was the carb model and would fall into some sort of “safe” mode and I couldn’t get over 25 mph. That being said, when the sled ran great, man did I absolutely love that snowmobile! Albeit my thumb was sore as hell on that carb model because after a day of riding my thumb felt like it went through some sort of exercise regiment. Anyway, as much issue as I had with that 580, that thing had some serious torque! I have a soft spot in my heart for that motor and chassis!
Love this channel! Keep it up!
my dads first sled was a EXT580 powder special. it was all black with white letters. a decent first sled but a dog. heavy heavy sled. my first sled was a 98 powder special 600 efi. still have it and its been great.
I had that exact sled when I was a kid. That 530 special was one of the best trail they ever made in my opinion. They were light so you could throw them around but I beat the heck out of that thing and it never blinked in all the years I rode it.
Love EXTs! It was cool seeing them side by side like this. Great video
Thanks for watching!!
Great to see you make a video covering the EXT! My 97 EXT efi deluxe is still great to ride after all these years.
As for the extra weight on the 95, those metal skis weigh quite a bit more than the plastic ones you have on the other one. But the 95 will still be heavier. I wonder what the difference is because putting plastic skis on my 97 lightened the feel of the front end quite a bit.
I remember being 15 in 1996, going with my dad to check out a new Arctic Cat EXT 580. He bought it right off the showroom floor, upgrading from his 1987 Arctic Cat El Tigre.
What a memory!! How long did you keep it? Those are really cool sleds!
@@OldSchoolArcticCats My father only kept the '96 Arctic Cat EXT 580 for a couple of years. It was a really nice sled, especially with the lime-green hood vents and matching lime-green ski skins. My grandfather owned an Arctic Cat Pantera 580, and seeing him with that and my dad with his EXT 580 gave me the Arctic Cat itch. A few years later, in 2001, when I was 21 years old, I bought a 2000 Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000. It was only a year old, sitting in the showroom, and I paid $6,900 for it. It was my first loan-I guess I really thought I needed it! LOL. You sure can’t buy a top-of-the-food-chain snowmobile only a year old for $6,900 these days.
Awesome channel, brother-keep making those epic videos and bringing us back the good memories of when we were all younger, better looking, and had a lot fewer responsibilities!
@@TimSaundersC4 2000 was a cool year of the Thundercat. Was yours a 121? I bought a 2000 limited “green hood” mountain cat version it came with a 136” 2in track. I bet that was such a cool experience buying a Thundercat back when it was basically new. I bought my first T Cat in 2016 it’s a 99. Thanks for watching the channel. I appreciate your comments!
I had a 1998 Indy 500 Polaris with the Fuji 488 liquid twin and my buddy had a 95 EXT 580 like the one in your video and when we used to drag race we were always neck and neck , I loved those old cats man ! Great video btw
Thanks for watching!
my 93 580 cat had probs with mom efi 488 72hp indy
Rocky, stoked to see your channel grow so fast. What a cool fact about the Fox Shox. Never woulda guessed that! #teamarctic
I got a 1993 Arctic cat zrt 700 the is I'm mint shape and start's 2nd pull every time and a 1993 ext 580 In mint shape starts 2nd pull and I love love them great sleds
Hey Rocky! Great channel, watch all your videos. One EXT you might consider is the 1993 EXT 580Z, especially if you can find one with the cheetah print seat in good condition. Yes. EXT does stand for Exterminator as in exterminate the competition and is a nod back to the original early '70s EXTs...
I owned a 1997 EXT 580 DLX EFI, bought it in 1998 had it for years & I loved it.
My first sled was a 1992 EXT Special. Fox Remote reservoir shocks, purple accents, and FLAMES! 550 twin, it split the difference between the ones here.
The first long tracks from cat were EXT’s I believe. Idk what it meant after they used it on short track sleds. Always kinda confused me lol!! Cant believe how heavy they were think cat was still using steal bulk heads then but not sure. Man that low mileage EXT was a find omg. I found a 2011 Z1 turbo sno pro LMD with 180 original miles on it. Picked it up for $4000 couldn’t resist. Love the Z1 turbo once there set up correctly ride and handling is awsome. Im swapping all my aftermarket parts from my EXT Sno pro Z1 turbo to the 11. Now EXT means extended track on the 2010 Z1 144 skid. So ya kinda confusing lol!!
Wish i could keep both Z1’s but i only have to much room and have a 2017 ZR 6000xc. My old ZRT 600 so maybe a CRF 1000 be cool for my another sled or firecat. Owned 3 F7’s back in the day still one of my favorite sleds ever.
Great video keep up really enjoy old school cats.
I’ve got a mint 90 prowler 440.. would love to see you do a video on a prowler
My dad had a 95 EXT..it was a great sled ..never had a problem unless the battery died..I had a 95 ZRT 800 loved that sled..
I had the 95 zr 580 efi . When the sled ran it ran great but it had its issues just like you always had to have a good battery . But it always start 2 pull like you said . For most part it was a good sled but dam lol it had weird issues at times an then all the sudden fix it self lol and I went threw that whole sled with brand new stuff
Man my first real sled was a 94 zr580. Loved that beast. Put aaen twin pipes on it speed raced 750 ft grass raced imp stock. Loved it. Sold it for the 98 battery less zr600 that I then traded in on a millennium zr600 . Mine was #443
The 1990 was behind in the chassis/suspension department, they were jetted conservatively from what I remember, you could drop 1-2 sizes without trouble. The clutching wasn't great from the factory on this one. When Cat introduced the ZR Chassis it was the best chassis for a good while, suspension was very good and Cat won a lot of races at this time. The 580 motor was reliable but had some issues piston skirts cracking at 2-3k miles was common, stators tend to go bad and connecting rods. The 97's had problems with the rings spinning and catching the exhaust port. TPS was another issue.
Nice Cats... I own a 94 and a 96 EXT. Both with carbs and the 121" track. A few differences between the two, but both can really rip down the trail or on a frozen lake. They may not be as fast as some sleds, but like you say... they ride well and they look cool. Thinking about adding more to the collection.
The 97 EXT 600 triple was an awesome sled. A ZRT with a more plush suspension.
They're beautiful sleds
cool sleds most of those here in ontario canada are hammered to bits by now nice to see people like us keep them going
What are you referring to with single to triple port…?¿?
Just subbed, I'll take the 1990 El Tigre😁 those are very nice sleds.
I got a barnfind 91Jag440LT, put over a week into it. We got the gears lowered, my relative took care of my clutching. It was clocked doing 39mph @7700rpm.
I love how much Spruce logs I can haul with my first Super simple and reliable Arctic Cat.
Thanks for the support! That El Tigre is a classic 👍
Great channel, love those old Arctic Cats!
I had an EXT El Tigré 550 Special. '91 I believe.
Those mechanical brakes were shitty! Had a 91 wildcat. The adjuster nut would sometimes backout from vibration and you'd have no brakes at the end of a field. Not good! The wildwood hydraulic units were and still are great brakes. My wildcat weighed 585 with fluids. Great video!
Grew up riding one of these on the lakes of Minnesota.
Had a 1989 El Tigre 5000 EXT. was a great sled! I was told the EXT was considered an extra traction option?
We had a 580 EFI and LOVED it.
It seemed like when the ZR line (plus ZRTs) arrived after 1993 or so, Cat let the EXT name be used for a less special standard machine. Always thought that was unfortunate.
92 550 EXT with the flames on the hood. Similar to the prowler.
I always like to hear stories about the second best manufacturer. Thanks
And they are warm riding!!! That goes a long way on the fun factor!!!
I can get all them windshields looking like brand new.
What about the 1998 EXT 600 tripple I have? Any review would be great. Weight?
You rock buddy 👍💯
Thanks for the comment, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I loved the look of the 93
I love any old artic cat I got a 2002 artic cat 440z
Bro where does one get that fresh hat??
I have a lot of memories riding an old 93 Ext 580 Z with my dad as a kid. We still have it it’s just about mint for its age. If I remember right the Z was only made one year. Glad to see I guy loving old cats
The EXT meaning Exterminator is correct and I believe the term came out with the 72 EXT
Awesome!!
Verry cool vid.sir! Verry informative and fun to look back at those 90s cats. Your right on how affordable and fun the sport can still be . The new stuffs great, but these will get you ripping down the trail as good as anything. Thanks man !
Actually it came out in 70. The puma ext. then in 71 they had the engine stick out. In 72 they went to Alaska and needed a hood for testing. So they took a belly pan and turned it upside down. That’s how the 72 evolved. It had then evolved into the eltigre in 73.
Ex very old dealers kid here. 1970 Puma EXT racers Were the first machine to get Dubbed the exterminator. The first appearance on a snowmobile for Arctic cat unique model was for the 1971 model year. There were two unique EXT‘s one was based off the puma. The other was Longer and used a 15 inch track with a very nice long seat and that was called the EXT special. The special was the prototype and it Is the father of two models. The 1972 EXT and a wider track variant That became the 1972 cheetah. I am so glad someone is talking about the old cats.
Also, if not for the success of the 1972 EXT race sled the 1973 El Tigre Would have looked very different. So in a way the 1972 EXT is the prototype for the 1973 Tiger.
I also have a rare '81 Jag 4000.
So EXT was all about top of the line suspension?
The 1990 Ext special was the first production snowmobile with fox shocks.
I have an 89 ext 530 with 4000 kms. Should I keep it? Lol
Anytime I’m on a trail on my new summit I wish I was on my 1991 EXT.
I hear ya! The old EXT's are awesome!
I have one of the fastest, most badass EXT’s in New England. #theflyintiger
Full sled tour??
👀
The EXT has always been reliable and a great performer!
I once had 93 ext580 Piston port design motor with no low/mid power, constantly foul the br9eya plugs ,very hard on fuel 7 gal tank Spring tensioned chaincase , primary clutch, Stator, cable breaks , low nose cone rough riding suspension ALL SUCKED Un-insolated super thin pipe caused hp loss & holes everywhere Moms 74 hp 488 indy efi felt stronger threw the rpm range while getting 2x mileage
90 ext the tigre was my first cat
Hey ski doo and polaris riders...your brands you ride today handle great because of arctic cat..look at sno cross videos of 1994 till early 2000s when arctic cat "owned snowcross"
You’re right, those old Cats were so good!
AFTER 10,000 MILES COMPARE YAMAHA EXCITER VS EXT580 LOL
If you are talking about the pogo stick 570 exciter not that much better
Wish had a 93 580z
The EXT 580 was the first reliable article cat that I remember growing up
The 650 wildcat was reliable.
Yah the carb modles were great but when the 580 went to efi nuthing but issues for me lol but when it ran it ran great . I just wish the 580 efi zr went battery less like the later modle zr . And if they went further in production with exhaust power valves I bet the 580 would been a good weapon
Still am after a green ett 580zr battery less
Those are cool sleds!
IMO these 90's sleds are more fun than anything new made today.
I’m curious why? I have a 90s sled but I have never gotten a ride any of the newer “rider forward” type sleds.
In order to judge “more fun “ fairly , you would need to ride a new sled in the mountains. I only rode for one weekend but what a blast the new machines are in the deep powder .