Season Review: Arctic Cat Norseman 6000 ES 2018
The 2017–2018 snowmobile season has been beautiful, lots of snow, pleasant temperatures and most importantly the 2018 Arctic Cat Norseman 6000 ES test! I want to share with you my comments on this snowmobile that gave me lots of great memories.
In this article, you will find a general review of the mechanical elements, the standard equipment, my various observations of its capacities, the strong points, the consumption of gasoline/oil and much more. Let’s not wait any longer and let’s read my final analysis of the Arctic Cat Norseman 6000 ES, a versatile snowmobile that will surely meet all your expectations!
Mechanical Elements
The Norseman 6000 has the 599cc CTEC2 2-stroke engine with 2-stage fuel injection. This engine has 125 horsepower and provides conventional fuel and oil consumption thanks to its modern design. Having tested the snowmobile in several conditions (trail, utility, and off-trail), I can confirm that the engine offers what you need to accomplish hard work quickly. The accelerations are powerful enough to put a smile on your face.
Arctic Cat installed the Arctic Drive System with the TEAM Rapid Response drive clutch. It is efficient, reliable and it operates smoothly. On trails, the engine and the clutch provide an exciting performance. The snowmobile works and can perform heavy tasks, it can easily do whatever you want to do. Finally, off-trail the snowmobile allows you to cross unexplored places without worry.
The rear suspension has an articulated and lockable area
For an excellent transfer of its power to the snow the Norseman has a 154” x 15” Cobra track and 1.6” lugs. This track provides a lot of skill in utility mode. However, it is not too aggressive (lugs height) and allows you to have high trail skills at the same time. To contribute to trailing skills, the manufacturer has opted for the XTRA-ACTION Rear Suspension with adjustable torsion springs and Torque-Sensing Link rear arm. With this feature, you are more comfortable when dealing with rough trail conditions. As a bonus, the articulated section makes it easier for you to back up since the back of the snowmobile tries to lift rather than sink (compared to a conventional system. Last interesting aspect about the rear suspension, a plunger gives you the ability to lock the skid which provides a more rigid and more suitable driving in off-road or work conditions. Delivering all the available bite of the track.
The Arctic Race front suspension does an excellent job on the trail.
At the front of the vehicle is the ARCTIC RACE suspension equipped with adjustable gas shock absorbers. These shock absorbers offer very appreciable performances and are perfectly adapted to the capacities of the Norseman 6000. The geometry and robustness of the front suspension will give you all the confidence you need to take curves without worry.
On the Norseman, you feel very comfortable thanks to the seat.
Standard equipment
The Arctic Cat Norseman 6000 ES comes with several standard features that are great. When you take the controls, the comfort of the seat is impressive. The dimensions are well calculated to allow both sitting and standing to perform more difficult maneuvers in heavy snow conditions. Moreover, some photos show how easy it is to drive the Norseman off-trail without too much effort. The other eye-catching feature behind the handlebars is the 14” mid-high windshield that provides excellent wind protection in all circumstances. The digital gauge is relatively small, but it gives all the information, and it is easy to use.
Of course, this snowmobile offers standard hand warmers and thumb warmers. However, it only has two intensities, and we would like to have more. For the 2019 models, Arctic Cat will change the controls on the handlebars. Another standard feature on the Norseman is the electric starter which provides an easy and fast engine start without any effort.
With the Norseman 6000ES, you get a lot, because there are still other impressive standard features. A 12-volt socket, a tunnel bag, a front bumper, a pivot hitch and a rear luggage. With all this standard equipment, you get a versatile snowmobile ready for adventure.
The Norseman 6000 is a valuable help to the sugar shack.
According to the manufacturer, the Norseman’s primary vocation is to be a utility snowmobile. So, I put it to test in utility situations like pulling a sled with wood, scratching private trails and helping with tasks at the sugar shack. The engine’s power is perfect for any task, and the clutch engages smoothly. Accelerations with a load at the rear are natural, stability is great, and handling remains very good. The Norseman 6000 is genuinely a good utility snowmobile that will not be stopped.
Trail test
For the trail tests, I did several rides in solo, in group and also with a passenger. The goal was to have a global vision of the Norseman in trails. The first thing I noticed on the trail was how easy it is to ride since it has a certain size and the skis are quite imposing. Despite everything, trail handling is excellent. Then I focused on the power and efficiency of the engine. Once again, I have nothing to say because this snowmobile is perfectly adapted for trails. The engine offers very good accelerations, powerful acceleration in curves. By the way, the softness of the clutch is excellent, and it almost makes us forget the presence of the drive belt. One aspect I wanted to test is with a passenger. When you have a passenger, the behaviour remains excellent and intuitive. However, we would like more rigidity on the rear suspension.
The Arctic Cat Norseman 6000 is easy to handle off-trail… Deep snow will certainly not stop it!
In off-trail
The thing I love the most in snowmobiling is to go to unexplored places where there is an abundant amount of snow. I like to exploit the maximum of the snowmobile by playing in the deep snow. The Norseman is doing very well, even better than I expected. Of course, the 154” x 15” track and 1.6” profile have a lot to do with it. Also, the 599cc, 125 horsepower CTEC2 engine offers excellent performance. The combination of the clutch and the surprising handling makes the Norseman floats on the snow to give you that pleasant feeling of gliding. You have everything you need for a beautiful getaway off the trails.
I would like to say that the Norseman has impressive handling and capabilities in all circumstances and we get to the point where we wonder if it’s not too easy to ride. Bravo to Arctic Cat for creating a versatile and competent snowmobile for many types of activities!
Fuel and oil consumption
I had already reported on fuel and oil consumption in my mid-season article, and there was not much change from my previous report. I will tell you the same notice, and I exhaustively share my consumption. However, it always depends on your driving style, being alone or accompanied, being used in a deep snow environment or on trails, all that can change the data. All these variables bring a lot of fluctuation in the result.
To guide you and give you a better estimate, I did 75% trail, 15% off-trail and 10% utility mode. I managed to compile an average of 20.5 l/km of petrol and consumed an average of 450 ml per 100 km.
2 thumbs up for the Arctic Cat Norseman 6000 ES 2018!
Conclusion
The Arctic Cat Norseman 6000ES 2018 has been a great adventure partner and has always exceeded my expectations in every situation. It’s a very competent and versatile snowmobile that’s worth considering for your next purchase. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and I now must return it to the dealer…
The SledMagazine.com team want to thank our partner RPM Rive-Sud, Arctic Cat dealer in Lévis, for making this trial possible. We invite you to meet a dedicated team who can advise you on the purchase of a future vehicle, for mechanical maintenance or a complete line of clothing and accessories.
