Did you guys see the new Cat Catalyst?

[KnappAttack]

Looks like it has a lot of ProCross DNA in it yet on the front end, slight changes in spindle design etc. a little bit of the Polaris in it along with a couple Ski-Doo bits on it. Only comes in a 600 two-stroke for MY 2024, no 800 class engine till MY 2025. Belt drive from the Polaris mtn. sled is kinda cool, but not earth shattering. Nice to see the ProCross front end on it, but still the same rear suspension which they didn't even try to alter.

I really think that the Yamaha/Cat deal may be done as no talk of a four-stroke in it. Wonder if we'll see the 998 turbo go into the Polaris in the future perhaps? Or is it possible that Yamaha will go back to producing their own chassis again? Or maybe the 998 just continues with the same ProCross chassis we have now for years to come....




Anyway, nothing earth shattering here in the "NEW Cat Catalyst" at all IMO, nothing more than some new plastic, a slight tunnel change, a bit of copying of some of the other OEM stuff anyway, which isn't all bad, just surprised at they didn't re-design the rear suspension or make bigger or more changes than they did.


31001

all-new-arctic-cat-catalyst-platform.1887011

 

[DGZRT]

As long as it has two skis and a track they are all going to start looking much the same . Hopefully the new spindles has some geometry changes to Make the front end better . Didn’t Ski doo just widen there stance and everyone raved about it ?

I like the less parts and modular design so maintenance work is easier. Hopefully the rear has some tweaks to make it better but couldn’t tell from pictures.

I like the idea of a belt drive . Should add some HP to the track and less maintenance if they perfected it . If the cover comes off easy and the belt is easy to change should be a winner .

New EFI system ! Hopefully better mileage and oil consumption.

Lighter weight and the engine low should make it a trail weapon.

I like the looks ! Now just come with a $ 13500 price tag and I’m in .

I don’t really care about the gauge package I never look at the one I have now . Some kind of GPS system would be nice

 

[Fleecer]

I like it, but will a turbo 998 fit in it? Will there be a 998 turbo for 24 or will the relationship dissolve?

 

[cannondale27]

The rear suspension they are showing is the RR race skid. Would think the ZR skids would be the one they update.

 

[Upstater57]

Lighter, easier to service, less parts, better fit and finish, and a belt drive are all welcome. As noted above, all good ideas eventually coalesce into commonality. After all, everyone has a slide rail suspension in the rear and A arms up front. I assume Cat's new skid frame design and larger two stroke engines will appear in the 2025 model year on the new chassis. Time will tell if the supplier agreement with Yamaha will continue. Textron is capable of designing/building anything they want. The bigger question is if Yamaha wants to remain in the sled business without Arctic Cat. The economics of building a new sled factory from scratch for a few points of market share is not a good business decision. I cannot imagine Polaris or Ski Doo building sleds for Yamaha although I could imagine the 998 being sold to Polaris for example if Cat/Yamaha are done with each other. I hope the relationship continues and 998 finds its way into the new chassis. Until then I will ride my antiquated 22' Tcat EPS while viewing the new two stroke sleds in my rear view mirrors.

 

[KnappAttack]

Lighter, easier to service, less parts, better fit and finish, and a belt drive are all welcome. As noted above, all good ideas eventually coalesce into commonality. After all, everyone has a slide rail suspension in the rear and A arms up front. I assume Cat's new skid frame design and larger two stroke engines will appear in the 2025 model year on the new chassis. Time will tell if the supplier agreement with Yamaha will continue. Textron is capable of designing/building anything they want. The bigger question is if Yamaha wants to remain in the sled business without Arctic Cat. The economics of building a new sled factory from scratch for a few points of market share is not a good business decision. I cannot imagine Polaris or Ski Doo building sleds for Yamaha although I could imagine the 998 being sold to Polaris for example if Cat/Yamaha are done with each other. I hope the relationship continues and 998 finds its way into the new chassis. Until then I will ride my antiquated 22' Tcat EPS while viewing the new two stroke sleds in my rear view mirrors.

I agree with you. However Cat for years has said lighter weight, lighter weight year after year, if that was the case the sleds would weigh nothing by now. I've learned to take it with a grain of salt. The only machine Cat built that was actually light, was the 2003 F7. Even they gained weight year after year.

I used to race for Arctic Cat and went from a 1991 Cat 700 Improver, that when on the scales weighed #485 race ready, to a 1994 ZR700 that weighed #515 race ready with identical improved stock drag setups, yet they claimed "lighter weight" still year after year. I'm not sure what "part" they weighed to claim "lighter weight", but marketing knows how to spin things! Many times they claim lighter weight they actually end up heavier in reality, so I don't believe these OEMs till the production sleds end up on the scales.

I too will be riding my "old 998 ProCross" for years to come. Lets face it, once you do the couple small fixes to the driveline, they are pretty much bullet proof. I don't see a sled of its caliber coming down the pike like it ever again with the way things are looking, thus the reason for me ordering a 2023. If the 998 goes away, or the Cat/Yamaha relationship is finished, who knows if anything like it will ever be built again. Every year the snowbelt keeps inching up with global warming, and battery/electric power on the horizon, there may never be another four-stroke turbo built like we have now again if the relationship fails. I know I want nothing to do with a turbo two-stroke trail sled, so thats off the plate. IF the 998 goes away, all you have is the 900 Doo four-stroke to pick from, which isn't much to write home about. Only time will tell I guess.

 

[Doowithblue]

Pros and cons of catalyst chassis. First the pros: excellent ergos with attention to centering weight. Appears to have longer front arm in rear susp like the other two brands. Much focus on light weight including belt drive vs chain.
Now for the cons: to debut a new sled with just a 600cc engine option out of the gate to me is piss poor marketing. Also if it doesnt have at least an 8" multifinctional gauge its already destined for bankruptcy. To say that a new 800cc motor is coming in 2025 is already too late. Lastly if this chassis is ready to go why not release 5000 of them as limited builds in 2023? Im baffled by their marketing

 

[no1b4me]

Here's a crumb.... Foundation for electric.

 

[Upstater57]

I remember the first 900 cat twin after they discontinued the Tcat. Cat said it was a worthy replacement for the Tcat. At 90mph on the lake, the front end started to lift in a cross wind. Got back on my 2000 Tcat. When I was passing the twin at 100mph the Tcat felt planted and stable all the way past 120. Same goes for my 1100 ZR9 and any 998 I have ridden. Light sleds are great for women, people that only spend time on tight trails, mountain riders, and men that cant' handle a "heavy" sled. At high speed, heavy and planted work best. Besides with EPS, the 998 "feels" lighter. LOL

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

Rear suspension looks like the rear scissors is mounted little farther back. Front arm mounted higher and farther back on the rail. Rear shock looks little larger so does center. The coupling linkage is at a totally diff angle an configuration so it probably makes it more progressive in its geometry. The center shock also appears at a little more vertical like on my ice age rails that made it night and day.

Front suspension is already best in business so really no changes needed.

Running boards looks great, bodywork is nice imo but also very subjective since it’s iffy. The running board having the extra guesset and strength to the rear suspension mounts is nice, the lay down engine is a nice plan too as it gets it back farther and lower. I would like to sit on one and see position it puts you in and the way seat feels.

On the gauge thing, who on earth cares if it’s a Friggen tablet. A nicer more interactive would be nice buy you really want to pay $2000 for that thing ontop of a $20k sled?

They announced a larger engine still in development 850 or 900 is my guess as they just released their 800 cpl years back. Why not send it out in 600 trim for many reasons, the changes made it is only motor that fits according to sources with a handful of changes made, also it’s lower power and probably lower sales numbers so it will get it out to masses to have the bugs worked out and warranty issues found fast but with less power and less of a knucklehead behind the bars.

 

[Doowithblue]

Anyone esle notice they call this little 600 an efi? Not a ctec. Are they abandoning the ctec dfis? Not sure they were a true dfi anyway.

 

[Upstater57]

Anyone esle notice they call this little 600 an efi? Not a ctec. Are they abandoning the ctec dfis? Not sure they were a true dfi anyway.

The have made changes to the internals of the engine and changed the EFI. Don't know why, but my guess would be to improve crankcase lubrication so they can make more power for the bigger engines. Putting the same EFI parts in all of them is economically favorable. Maybe they also added a few ponies to the 600. In the past it did not make as much power as Doo and Poo.

 

[APEXJOCKEY]

Anyone esle notice they call this little 600 an efi? Not a ctec. Are they abandoning the ctec dfis? Not sure they were a true dfi anyway.

??? They didn’t abandon the Ctec. It says Ctec2 right on the side of the cowling.

 

[hibshman25]

Belt drive certainly causes concern for those of us hoping for a 4 stroke in the chassis. Could also be positive such that Yamaha would design their own chaincase to compliment the motor.

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

Belt drive certainly causes concern for those of us hoping for a 4 stroke in the chassis. Could also be positive such that Yamaha would design their own chaincase to compliment the motor.

Would be a nice thought that only chassis and suspension are shared and developed together. Motors and drive train and even body work can be their own. I know they have some minor differences now but they are insignificant in those aspects