2024 Arctic Cat Catalyst

cdnredneck_t3

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Somedays the old NA feels better than others.

I had never considered a high pressure system though. Learned something today 😁
Ya, it never really clicked for me until watching Gale Banks YouTube channel. He says it's Air Density that makes power. Boost is just the differential pressure from atmospheric to the manifold. So if a turbo is altitude compensating and you have a high pressure day how much is it really contributing. One could also say that it is robbing power by creating an exhaust restriction and warming up intake air temps slightly lowering the air density. Where the NA machine has no back pressure and more intake air density.

With that being said MOST days snowmobiling at altitude won't be those conditions.

I'll also say since this is the cat thread I really think they have made good changes and since I prefer NA sleds I might have to snow check one for next year. I really want Cat to be a contender again.
 

Mountainman52

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lol oh ya? with 120hp at altitude and its not even available to buy? let me know when you get it ill give it a good spanking with my G5. im sure it wil smash alpine meadows just fine. But its not a contender for best mountain sled
....... there is 858 and you can bet soon after a Turbo.......I think you Doolaiders are jealous and scared....!!
 

Caper11

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People never really thought about it. How many times over the years have people said their sled was running good today, or jeez I need to add to my clickers it's over reving today, or on the flip side can't pull rpm on a low pressure day or feels like it doesn't have power. Theoretically the factory turbos should be the same all the time. But on certain days my high compression 9R might just out perform a factory turbo. But Fernie Trees are so tight you can't really stretch the legs on a turbo so I am NA. If I rode bigger country I would be on a turbo. Not all terrain is turbo terrain.

Doubtful, the turbo will also grab more air, so it will build pressure quicker, so the point is moot. Turbos do not need to be on the bar to make NA HP.


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Mcstuck87

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....... there is 858 and you can bet soon after a Turbo.......I think you Doolaiders are jealous and scared....!!

Where do the riders put their feet on the new cat after they take out their plastics running boards? I’m scared for the ppl who think this things gonna be awesome. I see a stump, crippling that low ass engine/sketchy running boards/ and a sled you can’t get parts for lol. 🫠


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maxwell

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Where do the riders put their feet on the new cat after they take out their plastics running boards? I’m scared for the ppl who think this things gonna be awesome. I see a stump, crippling that low ass engine/sketchy running boards/ and a sled you can’t get parts for lol. 🫠


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they will be last up the hill poaching track all the way. Stumps should already be uncovered by others. LOL
 

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Where do the riders put their feet on the new cat after they take out their plastics running boards? I’m scared for the ppl who think this things gonna be awesome. I see a stump, crippling that low ass engine/sketchy running boards/ and a sled you can’t get parts for lol. 🫠


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Cause the other 2 brands have parts too. lol. Polaris guys waiting on clutches and doo guys waiting for chains. This sled will be the best handling sled ever built the way it’s designed. You want a top heavy sled,doo has that option for you. Running boards aren’t going to break,ask the skidoo spark guys if they’re worried about their hulls snapping. Multiple sites are claiming 183 hp , sled is going to be a beast for a N/A.
 

cdnredneck_t3

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Doubtful, the turbo will also grab more air, so it will build pressure quicker, so the point is moot. Turbos do not need to be on the bar to make NA HP.


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It takes time to get the turbo spinning, they do not grab more air quicker. That's why they have the one way valve in boost tube so the engine does not pull as much vacuum trying to spool the turbo. That is a fix for the intake side but there is still an exhaust restriction. From my experience if throttle response is your main concern an NA is the ticket. With the mostly short pulls I'm used to the turbo is just starting to gain on the NA after it jumped it off the line and then you run it of real estate with the NA being there first. And in tight trees where you can't hold momentum a NA has the turbo beat. You might see the turbo pull a cool line here or there but they have to because the NA did a couple zero turns and some snappy throttle maneuvers and kept gaining elevation. The turbo would lag and push it's way past where it needed to go and have to drop elevation again.
 

Caper11

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It takes time to get the turbo spinning, they do not grab more air quicker. That's why they have the one way valve in boost tube so the engine does not pull as much vacuum trying to spool the turbo. That is a fix for the intake side but there is still an exhaust restriction. From my experience if throttle response is your main concern an NA is the ticket. With the mostly short pulls I'm used to the turbo is just starting to gain on the NA after it jumped it off the line and then you run it of real estate with the NA being there first. And in tight trees where you can't hold momentum a NA has the turbo beat. You might see the turbo pull a cool line here or there but they have to because the NA did a couple zero turns and some snappy throttle maneuvers and kept gaining elevation. The turbo would lag and push it's way past where it needed to go and have to drop elevation again.

I agree, I would take a 9R over a boost as well for that type of riding.


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snopro

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Ya, it never really clicked for me until watching Gale Banks YouTube channel. He says it's Air Density that makes power. Boost is just the differential pressure from atmospheric to the manifold. So if a turbo is altitude compensating and you have a high pressure day how much is it really contributing. One could also say that it is robbing power by creating an exhaust restriction and warming up intake air temps slightly lowering the air density. Where the NA machine has no back pressure and more intake air density.

With that being said MOST days snowmobiling at altitude won't be those conditions.

I'll also say since this is the cat thread I really think they have made good changes and since I prefer NA sleds I might have to snow check one for next year. I really want Cat to be a contender again.
Back in the day when we oval raced super mods we all had air density gauges for jetting. Air density is real. If you didn’t have a gauge you either ran fat or blew up.
 

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We will see how the cat does this season with the 183hp engine. Oh wait now, no we won’t.


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Maybe see it in the spring in demo form


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Caper11

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Back in the day when we oval raced super mods we all had air density gauges for jetting. Air density is real. If you didn’t have a gauge you either ran fat or blew up.

My 440 race sled was a temperamental SOB. Always had to change jets on that thing during the day.


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mountianguy

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Ya, it never really clicked for me until watching Gale Banks YouTube channel. He says it's Air Density that makes power. Boost is just the differential pressure from atmospheric to the manifold. So if a turbo is altitude compensating and you have a high pressure day how much is it really contributing. One could also say that it is robbing power by creating an exhaust restriction and warming up intake air temps slightly lowering the air density. Where the NA machine has no back pressure and more intake air density.

With that being said MOST days snowmobiling at altitude won't be those conditions.

I'll also say since this is the cat thread I really think they have made good changes and since I prefer NA sleds I might have to snow check one for next year. I really want Cat to be a contender again.
I know how my Alpha compares to a G4 turbo. Now you take away 40 lbs and add 15 hp I think the NA Cat will give the G4 all it wants and more. The G5 maybe a bit to much but it will be pushing it. In the trees the Catalyst will be as good or better than anything else it will be the big open climbs where the turbos will have the advantage. This sled is going to surprise a lot of people and in a good way. It will be interesting to see this winter when the demo sleds are out. The handling and ease of riding will be the best hands down. They have done way to many things right for this sled not to work. As far as the engine being to low and the running boards breaking time will tell but I'm thinking someone is a bit nervous.
 

tmo1620

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I know how my Alpha compares to a G4 turbo. Now you take away 40 lbs and add 15 hp I think the NA Cat will give the G4 all it wants and more. The G5 maybe a bit to much but it will be pushing it. In the trees the Catalyst will be as good or better than anything else it will be the big open climbs where the turbos will have the advantage. This sled is going to surprise a lot of people and in a good way. It will be interesting to see this winter when the demo sleds are out. The handling and ease of riding will be the best hands down. They have done way to many things right for this sled not to work. As far as the engine being to low and the running boards breaking time will tell but I'm thinking someone is a bit nervous.

The guy chirping about the design and how it’s gonna break is riding an 8 year old sled that’s essentially an 11 year old chassis and thinks it’s amazing. He’s talking like he’s got the whole new design of the cat figured out and it’s gonna suck……….. take with a very small grain of salt


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Cause the other 2 brands have parts too. lol. Polaris guys waiting on clutches and doo guys waiting for chains. This sled will be the best handling sled ever built the way it’s designed. You want a top heavy sled,doo has that option for you. Running boards aren’t going to break,ask the skidoo spark guys if they’re worried about their hulls snapping. Multiple sites are claiming 183 hp , sled is going to be a beast for a N/A.
Now here is some common sense folks, most doolaiders have Biased opinion kinda like the Left leaners............must be something in the Doolaid there drinking,,,,,,,,,
 

cdnredneck_t3

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I know how my Alpha compares to a G4 turbo. Now you take away 40 lbs and add 15 hp I think the NA Cat will give the G4 all it wants and more. The G5 maybe a bit to much but it will be pushing it. In the trees the Catalyst will be as good or better than anything else it will be the big open climbs where the turbos will have the advantage. This sled is going to surprise a lot of people and in a good way. It will be interesting to see this winter when the demo sleds are out. The handling and ease of riding will be the best hands down. They have done way to many things right for this sled not to work. As far as the engine being to low and the running boards breaking time will tell but I'm thinking someone is a bit nervous.
I agree, the Alpha is not giving anything up to a G4 or an Axys chassis. I personally think a Hardcore with those Fox shocks is a better Khaos than the Axys Khaos. And contrary to what the Doo crowd says some of us actually prefer the vertical steering. I can jump back and forth between cat and poo no problem, G5 i have zero instinct to ride.

The low engine, centered mass and with the cat engine laying back should make it super predictable. I'm thinking they might have achieved what Doo started trying in 08 with the XP and actually got the rider on the center of mass. Doo just put the jackshaft and rider over the engine and right over the a-arms which in my opinion puts to much weight on the spindle when sidehilling causing poor handling characteristics. The Catalyst center of gravity should be quite a bit rearward of where Doo has theirs. I'm looking forward to seeing the Catalyst on the hill this year.
 
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