Recently, thanks to Évasion Sport located in Saguenay, I got my hands on the Arctic Cat Riot 8000 for an afternoon. This snowmobile is equipped with a 794 cc 2-stroke engine of more or less 160 hp.
The Riot 8000 is a 50/50 hybrid snowmobile designed for those who like to ride on the trails, but also enjoy venturing off-trail when there’s fresh snow.
Suspension
The test model is equipped with the standard Arctic Race Suspension (ARS) II with FOX 1.5 ZERO QS3 shocks in the front and rear track. As for the front track shock, it’s an Arctic Cat IFP 1.5″. Both of these are mounted on the standard CROSS-ACTION suspension with three-wheel rear axle, Torque-Sensing Link and adjustable torsion springs. Also, it is equipped with the COBRA track with 1.6″ studs.
Here is what I noticed…
First of all, I must say that it was my first time behind the handlebars of a machine from this manufacturer and I was a bit hesitant because I was a bit skeptical about their products.
As a guy who has been riding another brand for a long time, I was happy to take part in the little battles between friends.
Let’s start with the positive points:
- The appearance of the machine;
- Nice visibility in the side mirrors;
- The windshield, bigger than normal added by the dealer, really protects from the wind;
- No rumbling in the tunnel from the track or other elements;
- The driving position is comfortable;
- Handles and thumb really warm up well;
- No loud noises from the clutches;
- The Mountain seat is comfortable and soft
- The engine is powerful and has a good pick-up;
- Mountain skis are great for getting off the trail, but not for being on it;
- The suspension does the job even though I found it a bit stiff;
- Adjustable ski position (from 41.5 to 43.5 inches);
- Reinforced footboards;
- Push-button reverse;
- Push-button electric starter and also recoil;
COBRA track with 1.6″ spikes.
Let’s continue with the negative points:
- Gauges and speedometers are getting old and basic;
- Engine at idle makes a lot of vibrations;
- Need a key and safety cord for starting;
- The control buttons are too cluttered and I had to stop to adjust the degree of heating of the handles or something else because it’s hard to find your way around, especially with big gloves on;
- Under turn in the curves (normal considering the wide skis);
In conclusion
We must keep in mind that 50/50 hybrids are versatile machines and that we should not expect to have the same behavior and the same performance as machines dedicated to trail riding or backcountry riding.
They have wider skis for snow and the distance between them is adjustable. For some manufacturers, this adjustment can be made down to 40″. On the model we tested, the width is adjustable between 41.5″ and 43.5″. Also, the hybrids have longer tracks (146″ on this one).
All of this means that you have to counterbalance your weight to tackle trail turns and have a more sporty and active riding style. The customers targeted by this product are those who want to make these compromises to be able to go off-trail a few times.
Once I got familiar with it, I was able to enjoy my ride and have fun. I haven’t tested it off-trail, but I believe that with its features, it could compete with the competitors on the market.
For my part, being always on the trail, it is not a choice of machine that I would make. The sporty and active riding that we have to do is pleasant, but to ride 5000 km per winter with it I am not sure…
I invite you to visit the Évasion Sport website for your snowmobile needs.
