WINNER: ARCTIC CAT ZR 137 DSI
Mark Says:
Kent! How do you continually fan on the puck like this and completely miss out on joining me in anointing the new ZR 800 DSI as this year’s BIC Trail Sled? This sled and its revolutionary Dual Stage Injection mill is one of the biggest stories in MY 2018.
Dual Stage Injection is the next step in precise fuel management after semi-direct injection and it delivers performance and economy closer to Direct Injection than any SDI system. More importantly, this new 800 mill produces more torque and infinitely better throttle response than the Suzuki 800 it replaces.
There’s more here that makes this a legit BIC winner: Arctic Cat re-designed all the associated body panels on the latest ZRs using proprietary, easy-to-use fasteners and finally, made oil tank filling easy and spill-proof. Most importantly, the new skin looks up-to-date, tight and functional.
Ride quality on our winning 137 variant of the ZR is the best in Cat’s fleet. The Slide Action skid is plush and the wide-spaced front IFS is super compliant, particularly if there’s a set of Fox QS-3 shocks in play.
The new, re-invented, redesigned, re-powered ZR 800 is a big win for Arctic Cat in MY 18 and the slot-injected 600 in this sled ain’t no slouch either.
RUNNER UP: POLARIS SWITCHBACK XCR
Kent Says:
I can’t disagree with Mark that the 137-inch Cat is a great sled – actually, in all of its variations it rates extremely high with me.
However, I would like to point out to His All-inspiring Wisdomness, that Polaris makes one of the finest trail sleds I’ve ever ridden.
The 136-inch version of the XCR is sweet with an 800 but I absolutely love the same sled with a Cleanfire 600 under the hood.
The 125-ponies this mill extrudes is in perfect balance with its driveline and the AXYS chassis. Torque is plenteous.
You can be aggressive with it on trails because its handling is so close to ideal it makes you feel like a cross country star. At the same time, the level of ride compliance from those Walker-Evans adjustable piggies is a joy to behold.
Mark, if I may make a suggestion to you: Perhaps you should consider the fact that not everyone rides like a distilled version of Tucker Hibbert.
There are many of us out there who look for the all-round benefit of a snowmobile that rides, handles and has sensible power that can be fully utilized on trails.
The XCR does it all.
