By: Kent Lester
It looks like the new Crossfire R may be one of this year’s best-kept secrets. We received our R-1000 press sled a week ago and have had a chance to put a couple hundred miles on it.
If you’re not a Cat person, you may not be familiar with what this sled is. It’s a Crossfire with a 14-wide x 128-inch track and adjustable handlebars.
The suspension has been calibrated for trail riding instead of powder crunching and the idea is to deliver the same vibe you got from riding a Firecat.
The big diff is, this sled is rider-forward and considerably lighter than a regular Crossfire – especially since the other ’09 CFs have a 141-inch track, now.
Birch Point Cats in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, Canada set up this sled and it is a sweet package. It feels feather-light and that big, throbbing one-liter mill is unbelievably torquey.
We couldn’t help but think this sled is like a cross between a Firecat and a Thundercat. With all that power we were distracted and had forgotten that the biggest mill a Firecat ever had was 700ccs.
With this big 2-stroke EFI twin you get some vibes at idle and even when loafing on trails – nothing bad, just a reminder you’re sitting on about 160-plus stallions and they really, really want to get out of the barn.
Get this: At 60 mph with the clutches backshifted out, you’re only rolling 5300 RPM. Just tap the throttle and this thing will loft the skis, set you back on the seat and dislocate both your shoulders.
The sound is awesome – better than a rock concert! Actually this is one thing that really surprised us. This sled is not overly loud at all… but the sound of all those horses is downright fattening.
The suspension is surprisingly good, too – not too stiff but ideal for regular trail riding – didn’t expect that.
We think this is the best Cat we’ve ridden in a while and the R is going to be a big hit, especially if you’re hungry for power.
