Hay Days 2023

[p51mstg]

18 hours ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

@p51mstg rode them all... fwiw

Compared to my ProCross-based Riot, the Catalyst is far better on trail.  It doesn't handle as good as the 137 ZR, but it's a lot easier to corner than my Riot, even though it has a 4" narrower ski stance (mine is set up at the widest, 43").

 

[krom]

 

12 hours ago, Art Vandelay said:

I watched his videos before and maybe I should watch them again. I think he said the catalyst riot is a lot better on trail than the procross riot.

Ride one first

4 minutes ago, p51mstg said:

Compared to my ProCross-based Riot, the Catalyst is far better on trail.  It doesn't handle as good as the 137 ZR, but it's a lot easier to corner than my Riot, even though it has a 4" narrower ski stance (mine is set up at the widest, 43").

 

To each their own, out here they are both school busses in the trails, but the catalyst has far more inside ski lift, and took more work to ride.

I doubt jimwit could tell the difference at 30 mph, but I sure can, esp the way I like to ride.

Edited August 7, 2023 by krom

[Ziemann]

On 7/27/2023 at 4:30 PM, krom said:

The sled is a huge improvement over the procross (which despite claims on here, was within a few lbs of doo, and has a way better more predictable front end) 

Its also 5+ years late, should have a DI big bore with turbo option, new color touchscreen option, and Brian Dick's patented rear skid.
Its late, and missing all those features as a direct result of textron's poor, ever changing management.

That same management canceled every dealer withing a set distance from any bass pro/tracker dealer and refused to sell units to the remaining dirt dealers, to get a contract building units for them, and made the sleds pre-season only.  Which decimated their volume and market share.  They then decided to gut the sled and dirt line ups. 

On the dirt side they currently build 1 atv with a few different variations in TRF, the 600.  and 2 or 3 SXS, depending on if you think the crew version of the prowler is different from the standard version.  They choose not to build the XX turbo, 4XX, and 4XX turbo that had been developed before the take over (they presented time lines for the release of those machines at the dealer meeting in MN).  The XX hasn't appreciably changed since it was released 6 years ago (they changed the clutches, trans, and front diff only because team industries was fired)

Production volume dropped significantly due to these and other decisions, significantly increasing their cost to build units.

Forgot to mention that they fired 95% of the people who had a clue what they where doing, management (don't get me wrong lots of those guys needed to go, but they dumped the good ones, and kept the shitty ones)  The dealer call center has gone from outstanding to horrendous, fired basically anyone in the poga dept who knew what they are doing, and replaced them with clueless minimum wage phone attendants.  A dealer used to be able to make a call and either find the answer, or have the problem fixed in a few minutes.  Now its days to weeks.

Last winter they had only 2 or 3 guys doing tech support for the entire country, They have completely eliminated good will, and shut down special services.  Up until a couple of years ago, if something broke that shouldn't have, even a year out of warranty, it was easy to get it taken care of at little to no cost to the customer (complete engines, new tunnels or bulkheads, heat exchangers, skid parts etc).  Now if you are a few weeks out of warranty, pound sand.

Production can't keep up, because of they way they treated so many loyal employees its hard to get anyone to work there.  Digikey has expanded, pays significantly more, has way better benefits etc.  So now the line is run by a bunch of mexicans who left the poultry industry when all the flocks had to be culled.  If you speak english on the line, you are in the minority.

Parts availability sucks, because they fired everyone in purchasing, and brought in their own people and systems.  They try to blame covid, but its simply because purchasing doesn't order enough parts, often enough.  Even worse than the backorders are discontinued parts.  Every suzuki part has been discontinued, after they run out of stock on hand, it will be NLA.  If you own a wildcat x, trail, or sport, clutches are not available. If you own a 2022 XX and need trans parts, good luck every thing has been discontinued, and only a few are on the shelf.  They expect you to buy a complete new trans out of pocket for a 7 month old machine.

But wtf do I know

@krom , this is probably the best assessment that I have ever seen anyone post anywhere. Well played, Sir....

[Ziemann]

I'd assume that the excess M's and Riots will sell quickly in the fall- even with a 600. The off trail U.P. crowd will slurp up those excess Riots.....

The pics of that ancient gauge on Cat's latest, most innovative sleds speaks volumes....

I'm still torn. I WANT to like the Catalyst, because I still have a misplaced loyalty to Cat after 30+ years of new Cat ownership..... BUT, after beating this dead horse now for the last 6 months, I still don't get it. Objectively speaking, I still don't see anything on paper that would motivate someone like me into going back to Cat. I'm interested, but frankly other than the Catalyst being bright and shiny, there's nothing there that's all that compelling. What is it that should be swaying me away from my Matryx VR-1?????

 

[ZR6000RR]

10 minutes ago, Ziemann said:

I'd assume that the excess M's and Riots will sell quickly in the fall- even with a 600. The off trail U.P. crowd will slurp up those excess Riots.....

The pics of that ancient gauge on Cat's latest, most innovative sleds speaks volumes....

I'm still torn. I WANT to like the Catalyst, because I still have a misplaced loyalty to Cat after 30+ years of new Cat ownership..... BUT, after beating this dead horse now for the last 6 months, I still don't get it. Objectively speaking, I still don't see anything on paper that would motivate someone like me into going back to Cat. I'm interested, but frankly other than the Catalyst being bright and shiny, there's nothing there that's all that compelling. What is it that should be swaying me away from my Matryx VR-1?????

 

Because it is better in every way shape and form. I rode them both. No contest.

[Art Vandelay]

25 minutes ago, Ziemann said:

I'd assume that the excess M's and Riots will sell quickly in the fall- even with a 600. The off trail U.P. crowd will slurp up those excess Riots.....

The pics of that ancient gauge on Cat's latest, most innovative sleds speaks volumes....

I'm still torn. I WANT to like the Catalyst, because I still have a misplaced loyalty to Cat after 30+ years of new Cat ownership..... BUT, after beating this dead horse now for the last 6 months, I still don't get it. Objectively speaking, I still don't see anything on paper that would motivate someone like me into going back to Cat. I'm interested, but frankly other than the Catalyst being bright and shiny, there's nothing there that's all that compelling. What is it that should be swaying me away from my Matryx VR-1?????

 

Yeah I wonder the same thing. Haven't ridden either of them yet. Polaris quality seems iffy these days but the cat is brand new and who knows what textron is doing, so who knows what you'll get. By quality that's just my opinion from reading their forums, before someone jumps on that.

The gauge doesn't make any difference than me other than I laugh that they call it "deluxe" now in the new chassis when the one on my 06 fusion was better... 

[mnstang]

1 hour ago, Ziemann said:

I'd assume that the excess M's and Riots will sell quickly in the fall- even with a 600. The off trail U.P. crowd will slurp up those excess Riots.....

The pics of that ancient gauge on Cat's latest, most innovative sleds speaks volumes....

I'm still torn. I WANT to like the Catalyst, because I still have a misplaced loyalty to Cat after 30+ years of new Cat ownership..... BUT, after beating this dead horse now for the last 6 months, I still don't get it. Objectively speaking, I still don't see anything on paper that would motivate someone like me into going back to Cat. I'm interested, but frankly other than the Catalyst being bright and shiny, there's nothing there that's all that compelling. What is it that should be swaying me away from my Matryx VR-1?????

 

You can't tell how a sled handles by anything on paper.

[wrinkly balls]

1 hour ago, ZR6000RR said:

Because it is better in every way shape and form. I rode them both. No contest.

This is the best assessment i have ever read!!!! Thank you zr6000rr!!!!

[Simple Jim]

2 hours ago, ZR6000RR said:

I cant tell who I'm in love with more Krom or Awful knawful . Id bang them both. No contest.

well that just made it awkward. Whens my kawasaki coming off the line at cat ? have you talked to your important contact on that?

[awful knawful]

3 hours ago, ZR6000RR said:

Because it is better in every way shape and form. I rode them both. No contest.

You are retarded.

[ZR6000RR]

5 minutes ago, awful knawful said:

You are retarded.

Wow! You sure like to try to insult. I say it like I see it and that is how I saw it after back to backing between the Catalyst and the Poo 650. 

[awful knawful]

28 minutes ago, ZR6000RR said:

Wow! You sure like to try to insult. I say it like I see it and that is how I saw it after back to backing between the Catalyst and the Poo 650. 

I'm not insulting you. It's a statement. YOU ARE RETARDED!

It takes quite a while to set a sled up.

I'm betting you made zero adjustments.

[X2700]

4 hours ago, ZR6000RR said:

Because it is better in every way shape and form. I rode them both. No contest.

How long have you ridden both?

what conditions and what speeds?

[ZR6000RR]

28 minutes ago, awful knawful said:

I'm not insulting you. It's a statement. YOU ARE RETARDED!

It takes quite a while to set a sled up.

I'm betting you made zero adjustments.

Well of course not. The Cat was a pre-production model. Was not a demo ride but on my own. The Polaris was a private sled. Similar weight to me. Took me one ride to get my RR set up to my liking and the only adjustment besides the clickers was to take some pressure off the front shock. Had to much ski pressure. My duallies will probably make me add it right back. The cat handled and rode better and felt way more responsive, but that is subjective. About 10 miles on both. lake and groomed but well ridden trail.

Edited August 7, 2023 by ZR6000RR

[racinfarmer]

20 minutes ago, ZR6000RR said:

Well of course not. The Cat was a pre-production model. Was not a demo ride but on my own. The Polaris was a private sled. Similar weight to me. Took me one ride to get my RR set up to my liking and the only adjustment besides the clickers was to take some pressure off the front shock. Had to much ski pressure. My duallies will probably make me add it right back. The cat handled and rode better and felt way more responsive, but that is subjective. About 10 miles on both. lake and groomed but well ridden trail.

That the duallies off and throw them right in the fuck-it bucket.

[krom]

41 minutes ago, racinfarmer said:

That the duallies off and throw them right in the fuck-it bucket.

They are perfect for him, and his "like old people fuck" riding style. 

He can't have sled turns, his stop sign holding shoulders wouldn't make it 5 miles.

[ZR6000RR]

47 minutes ago, racinfarmer said:

That the duallies off and throw them right in the fuck-it bucket.

I prefer them. Not that I had issues with dating, but I prefer the lighter steering effort. I'm not racing. I am trail riding.

[Ziemann]

8 hours ago, ZR6000RR said:

Because it is better in every way shape and form. I rode them both. No contest.

Of course- you've always been objective and able to make your points with credibility......

 

[ZR6000RR]

8 minutes ago, Ziemann said:

Of course- you've always been objective and able to make your points with credibility......

 

Just like you. Fair an honest. CNN would love you!

[Deephaven]

Nothing says grandma like duallies or pussy like wanting less ski pressure.  Can't make this shit up.  Sure he rode the hell out of it

...now we know why he could crash at 30 which was in reality probably 15.

[EvilBird]

5 hours ago, ZR6000RR said:

Wow! You sure like to try to insult. I say it like I see it and that is how I saw it after back to backing between the Catalyst and the Poo 650. 

Doubt you would even step foot on a Polaris, let alone test ride one. 

[ZR6000RR]

21 minutes ago, EvilBird said:

Doubt you would even step foot on a Polaris, let alone test ride one. 

Well it was not a test ride. You need to actually read the fucking post.

[p51mstg]

11 hours ago, Ziemann said:

@krom , this is probably the best assessment that I have ever seen anyone post anywhere. Well played, Sir....

This is corporate America, though.  I see the exact same thing in software development.  Even the good companies delay releases, hold back enhancements and knowingly ship a product that should be, could be, so much better.

I’m not defending Textron, the bigger they are, the worse this situation gets.

 

 

[mnstang]

2 hours ago, Deephaven said:

Nothing says grandma like duallies or pussy like wanting less ski pressure.  Can't make this shit up.  Sure he rode the hell out of it

...now we know why he could crash at 30 which was in reality probably 15.

Really?  I want as little ski pressure as possible and still have the front end flat.  I run c&a with 10* carbides on trail sleds and enough ski pressure to keep the front end down with that much grip.  Which is a good amount of pressure.  With that much pressure you can't do the same stuff on the sled all the time that you could otherwise because you have to always be in a position to leverage a ton of force into the bars when needed.  And that's not including that it will wear you down after extended period of riding no matter how strong and fit you are, it will take a toll.  Just like riding without earplugs will.

And aren't you the fun factor guy that likes to get fully straight out of turns so you can wheelie your sba off a hump in the trail for the Polaris patented fun factors?  That doesn't sound like high ski pressure.  I'd wager zr6000 probably still runs more ski pressure than you.

[EvilBird]

1 hour ago, ZR6000RR said:

Well it was not a test ride. You need to actually read the fucking post.

Riding a Sled that isnt yours isnt a test ride? 

Even if it was your buddys sled are you not "trying" or "testing" it out? Back to back as you say with testing out a Catalyst that also wasnt yours?   

Dont get hung up on words Jim it makes you look even more stupid. 

Edited August 8, 2023 by EvilBird