Here are some observations (in no particular order) I made of the Firecat while at the Syracuse (NY) showing on March 4. *These observations are made with the understanding that the machines on display were prototypes.
Cons~
~The "airforce induction" has a very fine screen under the aggressive looking noise piece. *I realize they are trying to keep the air clean & free of snow but I am concerned about it plugging in powdery conditions.
~The spark plugs are accessible however they are very close to the exhaust pipe that wraps over the engine. *It looks like a pair of mechanics gloves (that cover the wrist & forearm) will be needed if the plugs need to be changed while the pipe is hot.
~The front heat exchanger is welded to the close off panel of the tunnel. *This is a concern if you are going to run studs. I am sure I am not the only one that has punctured the front heat exchanger when a stud went astray.
~The brake light assembly did not look as finished as the rest of the sled. *I am sure the production version will be cleaned up a little bit.
~The monogage is tilted up similar to Polaris' angle. *While viewing should be easier while sitting, I am not sure how well I could read it while standing up.

Pros~
~Both the left & right headlight assemblies are adjustable from the dash. *No more lifting the cowl to adjust the headlight.
~The monogage is 6" in diameter & easy to read. *They didn't have one powered up so I don't know how big the numbers on the digital portion are.
~The gas tank filler neck is large and appears to be an insert. *The gage appears to be molded into the tank so the gas cap no longer imparts the force of sloshing fuel hitting the float. I believe this is what broke the neck on my '97 ZR6.
~The dimmer switch is integrated with the brake lever. No problem finding it!
~The tool kit is in a molded case under the front of the seat. *There is a shelf molded into the back of the gas tank where the tool kit sits. *The seat fits over the other half.
~Unlike the 2002 Sno Pro, the APV is attached to the cylinder by cap screws instead of studs. This should make removal easier as you won't have to flip with the servo cable.
~The recoil handle has been moved up out of the way of your right knee. *No more annoying bruises on your knee!
~425/435 pounds dry weight? *I believe it! Weight reductions abound! Many pieces have been combined to shave weight & lower assembly time. *Even the ski saddles are milled out.
Have you seen the Firecat? http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/devil.gif
Tell us what u think! http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif[B]

Hopefully by the time the Firecats reach consumers the bugs will be taken car of.Should be since us Sno Pro owners are doing some of Cats R&D work for them.Maybe by then they will have a fix for the Speedo & trip functions since mine never worked.Also I have been informed there is a guard of some sort for the heat exchanger.

As far as changing plugs you are right .the right one is easy but the left one kinda sucks since its close to the exhaust.

No problems reading the tach when in digital or analog when standing.

I'm 5'-9" tall have also noticed (at the Syarcuse show) when you sit on a Firecat your knees seem to be higher than your waist. *This would explain why the footrests are flatter than usual. *The higher knee position will make it harder to go from a sitting position to a standing position. *I like the sled, but I'm concerned that this low sitting position would cause fatigue over the course of a day. *This is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

You can all rest assured that what you see at the shows more than likely won't be what you're getting in the fall.either they will upgrade or cut costs.Either way what you see now won't be what you get in the fall. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

One thing that scares me is all the plastic and less metal. How is that sled going to hold up for years to come?

I for a fact would not want to buy a used one. After 2-3 years of hard riding that thing will be a rattle trap and falling apart.

Lightweight is cool, but durability is just as important to me. I am highly doubting how durable this sled is going to be. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

hp, my observations exactly.

hp the only reason you see more plastic is because most of the plastic parts on the sled are formed together making less parts and more apearence of the plastic. But rest assured because this is a sno pro chassis which means it can take a beating, and I know that because i have a 02 Sno Pro 440 Liquid. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I was at the show here in Regina Sask on feb 22. The firecats are nice sleds, very small and light. As for pro's and con's the only con is the air induction hood. The cloth material that filters the snow dust is not going to work...FACT. With the big holes and screens that sleds currently have they still plug up in deep snow. The heat that the pipe will give off will melt small snow particals in the cloth and leave it wet therefore when you stop for food, drinks or whatever it will freeze up. After the screen is frozen and clumped up with ice you cant clean it out how does the sled breath? *As for changing plugs with the pipe set up thats not to worry about because with EFI you can run a whole year on a set of plugs.......or if your concerned then change em before you leave home. *The sled is solid and feels good to sit on and has nice ergoes......really nice.
The only reason I am not getting on is the Torque numbers that they wont tell us about......Big deal 140hp....no torque no PULL.

Sled-head-Everyone that I know that has an EFI has fouled out plugs before-it is just as easy to foul out a plug on an EFI machine as it is on a carbed machine.

insidr34-I have seen nothing but compalints about the 02 sno-pro's. Most all say what I said earlier that they arent as durable and wont last-because of all the plastic.

Arctic Cat in the past few years has gone down hill in the durability department when it comes to the chassis and hoods and their fit and finish is still bad compared to the others. *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

Aw common sled-head, I have always said they all have their problems. I know that. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/baaa.gif

Sorry......Not tryin to pick a fight http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif *I think that they are all junk.....

You can say that again! http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

It just depends on what color of junk you want to ride on.I will take mine green.

As far as all the plastic goes & not holding up is this coming from non-pro Snow-X's that think every corner is a demolition derby?Just what are you reffering to as what is plastic on Firecats & metal on other sleds?

Yes answer sno pros question. What parts of plastic are you refering to? By the way sno pro I live in Wisconsin Dells just north of you. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif My guess...... probably gonna be more bad than good http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/devil.gif

Sled Head. Im sorry but your wrong. *The fit and finish of arctic cats is laging far behind the others. *This is my honest opinion. *When you open the hood of a AC its just looks like everything is out of place and that it was put together by a guy that didnt have all the tools he needed. *

Doos fit and finish is the best all around. *They may need more bungies to hold the hood in it (EXTREEM DRIVING) But the engine and exhaust is just perfect and its a joy looking under a doos hood. *Everything is all nicely dressed up and everything looks good and clean. *This may not be important to all people but to me its the first thing i look for. *The fit and finish follow to the back of the sled also. *

The new rev will beat the F7 no matter what. *The Rev reviews by magazines are so high and even the test riders say its the best now. *They call it the sled of the future. *It goes around the corner on rails with no skilift. *It corrects itself in mid air if you jumped crooked. *The exact words of the magazine are that no matter what brand you ride you will have to admit that the rev is the best because it just is. *

Also the new rev has amazing fit and finish and they didnt go with Digital Tach. *

The firecat does have some cool cowl designs. *And i like the headlights. but thats where it ends. *I would still go for the ZR before the F7.

I hear what you are saying about the durability and a lot of that has to do with the design & application engineering. *But the fact stands that this sled is light so the force that is imparted on the chassis will be less. *Remember F=ma, we can't change the acceleration due to gravity "a"http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif *(unless you fill the seat with helium&#33http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif but when the mass "m" is reduced, so is the force "F". *Is this reduction enough that the plastic can withstand it?......that remains to be seen. *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif *You have a very good point there Bilbat. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Of course the magazines give the REV great reviews.They cant afford to badmouth a sled from a major manufacter, just like car magazines.Its all about kiss ###.

Then you have Ski Doo reps & Dealers test riding them, do you think they are going to say it sucks?No because they have to sell them next year.

Dont get me wrong I believe it is a great machine but I want to ride a production unit, not some test sled that may have different suspension on it than what you will get.Plus from some of the pictures I have seen of it under the side panels looks like a nightmare (really cramped).

After reading posts from several forums, I have a few questions for the 2002 Sno Pro owners~
Is your brake rotor located on the track drive with caliper mounted to the tunnel? *If so do you have problems with "cold" brake application?
What are the problems associated with the digital/analog gage?
Have you had any problems with the airforce induction? *Have you taken in snow during snowy rides or while hitting powder?
Have you pulled the top steering out of the gas tank?
When you buy a Sno Pro, do you get any special attention from AC? *Since it seams to be a limited production, development project it seams to me AC would be interested in your input.... what is working & what isn't?
Rear suspension~ Do you have the Cross Link? Do you have a torque sensing link? *I noticed the Firecats at the show didn't have TSL & I am wondering why? *And it appears AC is not offering the Cross Link on the F series, not even with the Sno Pro suspension. *I wonder how sold they are on this "double coupling" idea?
Just wondering.........
http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

I can only give you some limited input on the sled since I have not ridden mine a lot yet nor do I race.I would think the guys that race these could maybe help a little bit more on the durabillity issues but here it goes.

The brake rotor/caliper assy is mounted on the driveshaft in the tunnel.I have not had any problems with this.This is by far the best braking sled I have ever ridden on.

My speedo has been inop since day one.Also I cant get it to go back to the trip function, its stuck on the hours ridden.This is a widespread problem.

Have had no problems with the air induction.I have ridden in conditions when it was snowing very hard & ridden through big drifts.Never bogged or stumbled.

After four days of riding I checked were the steering attaches to the gas tank, no problems & nuts were still tight.

I just informed A/C that I am the new owner so we will see what I get in the mail in the weeks to come.Again I do not race so what does & doesnt work on my sled may be different that the guys that race.

I took a picture of the brake rotor & its location.If you want any other detailed pics just let me know.

Thanks for the info 02SnoPro, I had heard there was a problem with the tunnel brake icing up & not applying adequate brake until the ice melted. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/nervous.gif With the light weight & the brake not going through the gearcase I bet you do have a great responding brake system on that Pro!http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/devil.gif

Before I go out & ride hard I apply the brake for a couple of seconds & that clears it off if anything is on it.I have never had it ice up even if I dont use much brake on a long section of trail.The first time I rode the sled my buddy almost rearended me because I applyed the brake like my old sled & stopped so fast for the corner.Plus no brake dust in the engine compartment.

The Firecat will NOT have the brake on the drive shaft.

Thats to bad since I think its a good idea.Seems strange to have the brake under the hood now that I have ridden a sled with it elsewere.You dont see cars with the brakes under the hood do you?

EfI is junk I was doing some work for a well known mechanic around my house and he had a 500 efi sitting there ...I said whats that in for he said its an efi...i said so he said there junk...he said there a b***h to work on and its an expensive fix! http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Well you usually don't see cars with CVT's under the hood either.

LOL http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

99 INDY, you need a little more info than one man's opinion to say that something is junk. *For every negative factual report you can find on efi I'll bet you can find 5 that have had no problems.

And c'mon Machz, I have no problems under the hood of my ZR...things are arranged quite nicely...of course, I guess you're concerned about how the engine compartment looks because you have to spend a lot of time under the hood of your DOO *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif * As far as fit & finish, tell me that the windshield assembly of the rev won't be rattling itself loose. *How many bolts do they have holding that thing in place anyway? *lol *It's OK to point out the goods and bads, but let's be real...generalizations don't hold up.

I have read that the '02 Sno Pro's have been pitching to the left side when in the air. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif This doesn't surprise me too much. *There isn't much weight on the right side of the sled (under that aggressive hood) to counterbalance the engine offset & clutches. *Maybe the cross shaft mounted brakes will add some weight to the right side. *Not that I plan to jump my Firecat, but with dry weights in the 430 range, I might not be able to avoid it.:devil:I'd hate to add balast to such a light sled!

I'd like to add one more "con" to BILBAT's pro & con list. At the Iron Dog safety inspection here in Anchorage Alaska us consumers got to check out the machines and meet the racers. *Anyway Kirk Hibbert was running an F-5 firecat in the race. When i snuck a peek under the hood I saw that the expansion chamber ran directly over the top of the clutches. I find it hard to believe this occur even on a proto-type.
By the way Arctic Cat won the race with a time of 38hrs,41 min 15 sec. for the 1000 mile long race. The F-5 team posted a 17th place finish with a time of 55 hrs 25 min.

Chuck - What sled was the winning team riding?

Just got a good look at an F5 at the local dealer. *I disagree with the fit-and-finish comment. *Looks good to me.
As for the plastic, it looks like the stress points (front suspension) are tied directly to the bulkhead. *Couldn't get a good at the steering post though. *The brake was in the tunnel (it will probably be moved in production - as noted)

The one concern I would have is the rear mounting point for the lower A-arm. *It's mounted to a "tab" that protrudes from the bulkhead. *If the suspension takes a hit (stump, rock, culvert), it looks like this is the weak point in the suspension and would be the first to give. *If that's the case, would the whole frame be toast?

I hope I'm wrong because that thing looks HOT!

I saw that too. *The AWS V is known for being a rugged front end but when you break it, there is alot of damage. I'm thinking AC might have taken this into consideration when designing the AWS 6. *Possibly they designed it to breakor bend @ that tab? *The tab appeared to be accessible & repairable. *I also noticed they beafed up the lower a arm but beafing up the diameter of the tube. *More evidence that they don't want the a-arms to bend or break.

I bent both the top and bottom on my '95 ZR (culvert). *The spindle was tipped back about 5 degrees from vert. *Replaced the arms and good to go. *I would say the suspension did it's job. *The parts that were replacable and least expensive gave way ($40 used). *I've also heard many stories of guys bending a-arms but never heard of any of them creating more damage than they were able to fix. *Hopfully the Firecat will do the same.

I think that having the brake under the cowl is better because it always stays clean. *Having it in the tunnel may be good in a race because it is cooled buy the snow and stuff but i dont think we would have the same long life like we do with the brake inside.

I guess my post was to nasty because the erased it. It was to machzzzz and his comment about Cat fit and finish but i will say no more because i will probably get kicked off.

One thing that I noticed on the Firecat was the tunnel reinforcement that was about an 1" X 1" running down the center of the tunnel above the track. Is this common to some of the late model Snopro's or the ZR's? The sales guy mentioned something about a problem when studding down the middle. If I get one I'll get the 1.375" track but I'm still curious just in case I end up with the 1" track.

That is a good point. *I don't recall that channel being that deep though. *I think I remember seeing the rear running/brake light wiring in that channel. *I know I have seen the sno-pro with deep lugs & studs. *Maybe one of the 2002 Sno Pro owners could give us the scoupe? http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif