Stéphane Miville on the 2015 XF 8000 Sno Pro
No, not already… It seems like yesterday that I presented my first impressions… The 2014-2015 winter will not make history, not very much snow in some places, difficult conditions in some regions all season long. Despite this, I have been able to ride over 3000 kilometers on my 2015 XF 8000 Sno Pro.
I tested it all season long in various conditions; unfortunately, the lack of snow kept me from testing the machine in powder snow. I had the chance however to ride a few times in 8 to 10 inches / 20 to 25 cm of fresh snow, which gave me a good idea of its capabilities.
Reliability…
In terms of reliability, nothing to report over my 3000 kilometers; no breakage, no recall. I noticed two things concerning the calibration of the air/fuel mix that should be improved. At warm starts in rather high temperature, -5 °C and more, I had sometimes to slightly push the accelerator in at the same time than the startup. This is not really a problem with an electric start, but without it, you have to start the 800 HO with one hand, which may become annoying for snowmobilers with less muscle power… That also happened three times this winter at cold starts; if after 3 or 4 pulls of the rope the engine did not start, I had to totally push the accelerator in to make the engine start. Except for these two minor points, there is absolutely nothing wrong, not any lack no matter the engine speed, and the reaction at quick start is instant, without any hesitation!
Wear…
Even if 3000 kilometers in a season is not so much, I saw many times on some models premature wear of various components. But no such thing here.
Despite the lack of snow and the icy conditions often met, combined with the 137" / 348 cm track, the percentage of wear of the skids is about 40 % after 3000 kilometers, which is very satisfactory.
Skids after 3000 kilometers
All suspension wheels are still in very good condition and no ball bearing is damaged.
I have also checked the exhaust system, the injection oil pipe, the coolant; no leak at all here and the coolant level is still the same after the first season.
The exhaust system of the XF 8000
In terms of clutching, I noticed no premature wear on rollers and tracks of the drive clutch as well as on the rollers of the driven clutch.
Roller of the driven clutch
The only parts to be replaced next season will be the ski runners. I have to ride long distances on asphalt to reach the trail, so there is nothing abnormal here.
Ergonomics and riding…
Without doubt the most important feature of this snowmobile. The riding position combined with the easy steering in all situations sets this machines among the leaders of the industry. Many snowmobilers tested this sled and they were all unanimous about this, we quickly get acquainted when we get on it. Usually, we associate the easy steering with a snowmobile that will present lots of understeering, a snowmobile that will not offer instant responses. Well, this is absolutely not what happens with the XF 8000 137"; in almost all conditions, the reaction to the handlebar is instant. The combination of the runners with the skis provides a very good grip on the ground without increasing the steering effort. By the same way, what to say about the skis that remain firmly planted at all times! You have to be really very aggressive to make the inner ski lift in turn, usually called « ski lift». This stability is mostly due to the precharge of the front ski shocks combined with the coupling (setting of the transfer) of the rear suspension.
Comfort, suspension…
Even if the pilot ergonomics are excellent, the Sno Pro edition remains rather rigid in terms of suspension. There are not many negative comments to write about the Fox Float 3 air shocks at front. A few tests will be enough for you to find the proper setting between comfort and a sporty aggressive type of riding. Concerning the rear suspension, the rear and central shocks are very rigid right from the first centimeters of travel, which reduces the zone of comfort and provides very low level of absorption in small bumps. I know that some dealers can adjust the calibration of the shocks for more flexibility, which must be helpful. For this reason, the snowmobile is slightly harder to control in stutter bumps.
In big bumps, the XF 8000 offers good performances. I used it with very low preload and I never experienced any bottoming. Arctic Cat has worked on the flexibility in the beginning of the travel for the 2016 models, by offering a 2-zone central spring, the first one being more flexible for the beginning of the course and the second one being more rigid to avoid bottoming. New shocks are also introduced in 2016 for improved comfort.
The Slide-Action 137
Performance…
The following is meant for those who are seeking for performance, who like to compare their machine with other bolids of the same motorization… Yes I know, the speed limit on trails is 70 km/h, but I am sure that some of you sometimes cannot resist and like to push the throttle on a lake or on any other safe surface.
I often had the opportunity this winter to compare performances with a 137" of 800cc from another manufacturer. At standing start, no doubt that the bicylinder of 160 HP is very quick, the throttle response is immediate and pulls very strongly. However, in terms of top speed and accelerations, the 2015 XF 8000 was not doing as well. The gear ratio allows a top speed of less that 160 km/h and this, in perfect conditions, while competitor reached about 170 to 175 km/h.
I replaced both gears and chain to gain higher top speed. There was a slight improvement but even after this modification, there was still something that kept the 800 from delivering its full power. After many tests with different weights of track and tension of the drive pulley spring that did not show any important increase, this is at that moment that I ran a few tests with another driven pulley. With the original driven pulley, I had noticed that the engine revolution did not come back down quite much at constant speed, which means a rather high pressure of the plates against the belt of the driven pulley. In other words, the spring of the driven pulley is very rigid and makes the opening difficult to let the belt going down in the pulley. My test with a driven pully with torsion, i.e. with a rotating preload and a helix that is less marked in the second part of the course of the belt, offered significant results. Accelerations were better and top speed was improved. This is not a major problem for those who ride on trail without being really concerned about the performance; only the meticulous pilots who want to make the most out of their bolid will have to work a little harder?…
Consumption…
Even if lots of elements impact the consumption, like the type of riding, speed, temperature, elevation, etc., I can figure an average consumption between 18 and 20 liters per 100 km, which means a tank range of about 250 km with 44,3 liters.
Recap…
The 2015 XF 8000 SNO PRO is a very attractive snowmobile in terms of ergonomics and easy riding. Add to this the absence of darting and the stability of the skis on the ground, and the machine is ahead in this matter. As we have been saying since many years, the Sno Pro editions are designed for snowmobilers who like riding in bumps, who always ask more from their machine. Those who like a more flexible and more comfortable snowmobile will prefer the LXR editions. In matter of looks, even if this is the 3rd season on this chassis, this snowmobile still turns heads. The extended pivot arms combined with the sharp and tapered hood offer a rather rebel style that lasts through years nicely.
As I am writing these last lines, some dealers already present the 2016 prototypes. It seems that the new Team clutches perform very well…
A nice memory for summer time!!!
Special thanks to our partner for this season, Gérald Collin Sport, Arctic Cat dealer in Saint-Lin-Laurentides.
To be followed in 2016, snowmobile fanatics!!
