2017 Arctic Cat ZR 9000 RR 137 – First impressions

During the last week-end, the ZR 9000 RR has been tested over 300 kilometers. Here are my first impressions of this outstanding powerful and capable snowmobile.

I will begin with the heart of this fierce beast, the mechanics. I must say that snowmobilers looking for performance will be satisfied by this brand new turbo triple engine of 180 HP. Engineers have worked very hard to develop a system that eliminates the loss of pressure in air intake when releasing the throttle. All this in order to eliminate delays compared with a traditional turbo. Result : the engine of course is very powerful, but also seamless right from the first RPM and this, on all its course. This way, we can fully benefit from immediate strong pick-ups when coming out of each turn.

It is impressive to have all that horse power in such a compact machine. The Arctic Cat ZR 9000 RR offers an incredible power-to-weight ratio for a mass-produced snowmobile and the engine pushes hard without failure. Even if we always feel like riding faster, our conscience makes us release the accelerator before reaching the limits that seem infinite.

To activate all this power, Arctic Cat has also equipped the ZR 9000 RR with the new Arctic Drive system with Team Rapid Response clutches. This system provides most of the feelings we have when we pilot the machine. We can really feel the smoother start and the efficiency at higher speeds. Along with quick responses, the system should also optimize the belt lifetime. However, it is too soon to evaluate this matter even if the belt looks like new under the hood.

Such a powerful snowmobile would not be so without an extraordinary handiness. This is exactly what the ZR 9000 RR offers. The manufacturer chose premium adjustable suspensions to meet the different types of riding and trail conditions.

Fox QS3 front suspension and QS3R rear suspension are standard features on this snowmobile, to let us truly float over bumps and negotiate turns with great precision. Steering and skis offer perfect reactions and direct connection between the pilot and the machine.

Designed firstly for trail performance and agility, the Arctic Cat ZR 9000 RR still offers ergonomics and a seat of good comfort all while reducing pilot’s fatigue during longer rides. We will report in detail about these issues in our next article. Please visit this site often to read more after our future rides!

Team SledMagazine.com wishes to thank RPM Rive-Sud for their partnership within this trial. You can visit this dealer in Lévis, who offers Arctic Cat, Polaris and Yamaha snowmobile lineups.