We’ve had two chances to test ride the new ProCross Cats and to get a feel for the design goals Cat has initiated.
The first thing we noticed about the new platform is its great ergonomics. Cat has deep-sixed the adjustable seat and handlebars on these sleds (the ProClimb mountain sleds still have the telescoping bars) and some Cat fans will be disappointed they’re gone.
Not to worry. The ergonomics are so good on these sleds you are instantly comfortable whether sitting or standing, especially if the rider’s height is anywhere between 5ft 7-inches and 6 feet.
Although we don’t know any actual weights yet, the 800 feels extremely light and agile when you’re riding it. We call it “flickable”.
The sled responds so quickly to the rider’s weight shifting and handlebar inputs, it feels like it’s almost plugged into your brain.
Probably the biggest question is whether or not this 800 is as fast as the very fast Ski-Doo E-TEC and Polaris Cleanfire 800s.
Certainly, the mules we’ve driven have been super-fast. We can’t comment on whether or not the production 800s will be faster or slower, but we have to admit, the ones we rode last week in West Yellowstone were absolute bullets – we’re talking nosebleed fast.
More on Zinio.
You can get a full detailed ride report on all the new Cats when you grab the Online Edition of Supertrax (Vol 22 #5) on Zinio.com available Friday. Don’t miss it!
