During the 2020 Snow Shoot, I had the opportunity to try the all-new Arctic Cat Riot X 8000, and it only took a few minutes to “fall in love” with this stunning new model.
With its dynamic and aggressive look, the Riot X shows its true potential by showing its hybrid vocation. This results in an excellent snowmobile on the trails with impressive power, superb handling with the rigid chassis, and intuitive feedback back to the rider. Riot X also allows you to leave the trails to have fun in deep snow.
The Arctic Cat Riot X 8000 has the 800cc C-TEC2 2-stroke engine with 165 horsepower. This mechanism, combined with the Team Rapid Response clutch, provides clear acceleration, strong throttle response, and a captivating sound.
To transfer this power to the snow, the all-new CROSS-ACTION rear suspension offers a perfect compromise between the qualities required for trail riding and those needed to deal with the deep snow. For the shock absorber, the manufacturer put the excellent FOX QS3s, which are among the best in the industry. With a 146” track, you get a lot of grip. Also, the X version comes standard with 2” high studs so it can be more orientated towards the off-trail driving (40% trail, 60% off-trail).
To give more flexibility off-trail, an adjustable steering comes as standard. It is, therefore, easy to switch from a sitting position to a trail without having the handlebars in your face. And when you are in front of deep snow, you lift it to have fun and to have optimal ergonomics. It’s an excellent compromise.
Finally, Arctic Cat wanted to make it look great; it features a combination of bright colors… It certainly does not go unnoticed!
