Up till now I rode over 4 000 km this season on the Arctic Cat Crossfire 8 Sno Pro Ltd and I am happy to present my mid-season report of this sled. In my region, we had quite a special winter and I ran my trials in all conditions! I had the opportunity to ride mostly in the greater Rimouski area, but also in Gaspésie, Chaudière-Appalaches and New Brunswick. The regions I visited and the conditions I met were diversified; besides, this gave me a better glimpse at the versatility of this machine and its performances in all kinds of situations.
First, with the Ltd edition of the Crossfire, Arctic Cat wanted to satisfy the eastern North American snowmobilers’ requests. Here, mountains are not very elevated and snowfalls are less abundant than in the Rockies, for example… For that matter, the mountain snowmobile remains a marginal tendency around here. However, an increasing number of snowmobilers travel by trails and sometimes, have fun in off-trail driven snow areas. This season, I was part of this category of snowmobilers.
So, my new riding style has influenced my choices of a 144 X 15 X 2,25 in. track and a M Series seat and they proved to be very appropriate selections. These two elements greatly increased the versatility of this snowmobile and the pleasure to ride it.
Worthy of the Arctic Cat tradition, the Sublime Green of the cab and the Flat Black of the windshield really provide a very nice distinctive look to this snowmobile. Dials and controls are the same than the 2010 edition. So, I must repeat that we would highly appreciate a reverse push-button that would be easier to access. Arctic Cat could also take this opportunity to modify the handlebar position or design; as it is set now, the rider cannot clearly see the dials on the dash…
Regarding the riding and performances, once again Arctic Cat completely fulfilled my expectations. With its lightness and riding position, this sled is very easy to handle. The softness of the steering requires a minimum of effort and provides great comfort during long rides. However, I could notice some tendency to ski-lift in sharp bends. Fortunately, this can be corrected by adjusting the Fox Float shocks with the compact air pump supplied with the machine.
As mentioned in my article entitled «My first impressions» published a few weeks ago, the best adjustment for me was between 40 and 60 PSI at front. However, the later we got in the season, the more hard pack trails we rode on. This made me change my comfort settings to 60-70 PSI at front and 125 PSI at the rear.
The incredible track pulling meets all my needs! A slight pressure on the running board is all you need to slide it when cornering. In powder snow, the track pulls out the front of the snowmobile and still gives the maximum of control and stability.
Finally, let us talk about the 800 H.O. engine that always starts at the first try, under any temperature. However, I must admit that this engine is a great fuel and oil consumer! Effectively, to date, the average fuel consumption is about 22 l / 100 km. The oil ratio Is about 34 : 1.
I also noticed that the 800 H.O. engine is noisier than the other 800 cc engines on the market. Arctic Cat announced more than 165 hp for this engine and I consider they are right, this number is correct. So, you better hold on tight to the grips when accelerating! In no time, you reach the speed limit…
To conclude, I can say that I lived a very positive experience this winter with the 2011 Arctic Cat Crossfire 8 Sno Pro Ltd. There have been no breakdowns up to now, no nasty surprises except maybe … some off-trail snow blades! I will be happy to present soon my late season report and my final impressions on this beast.
