Can Arctic Cat Build Enough?

First of all, Arctic Cat is building 2026 snowmobile models and has already completed an early-order program. The goal is to fulfill all the early orders, then the stocking orders, and finally build enough units to satisfy a substantial number of returning and new dealers.

Will Arctic Cat be able to produce this many sleds and get them into showrooms this fall? The answer is yes…with a caveat. This plan’s success will be determined by Arctic Cat’s suppliers and vendors. Vendors are very happy that Cat is back, but because of supply chain logistics, the goal for 2026 might be a bit lofty.

For instance, traditionally snowmobile OEMs nail down the number of engines needed for the next model year to give engine suppliers almost a year to produce the ordered engines. This year the timeline is tight. However, the domestic engines Arctic Cat builds may not be as much of a challenge.

Here’s what we believe is happening and will continue over the next year. Obviously Arctic Cat will be building Arctic Cat snowmobile still powered by Yamaha engines and Cat’s proprietary domestic engines. We think it’s safe to say that alongside its 2-stroke-powered models, Arctic Cat will continue to offer Thundercats powered by Yamaha’s 998 Genesis turbocharged triple. Also look for at least one model – but maybe more – powered by Yamaha’s 1049cc naturally aspirated 4-stroke triple. To be clear – Cat is not building sleds for Yamaha.

Strong Leadership

One thing that cannot be underestimated is the skill, talent and raw determination of Brad Darling – now CEO and President of both Arctic Cat and Argo. By the sheer power of will and intensely focused direction, Darling has done what many said was impossible and if Darling says there will be enough 2026 sleds to cover orders, we would be hard pressed to question his word.

There are others at the Thief River Falls production facility who are not only incredibly talented but are just as deeply dedicated to seeing Arctic Cat’s successful return. These players bleed green.

Rationalizing Products and Brands

In offroad, look for Argo to do what it has been doing for 50 years – continuing to be the world leader in amphibious Xtreme Terrain Vehicles (XTVs), which include Argo’s 6- and 8-wheel XTVs and the amazing Sasquatch amphibious vehicle. A growing line-up of Arctic Cat ATVs and side-x-side vehicles will be offered immediately.

A looming question revolves around the relationship with Bass Pro Shops and what that will look like moving forward. Bass Pro Shops carries Tracker offroad vehicles in many of its consumer stores across North America and Tracker ATVs and side-x-sides are manufactured by Arctic Cat.

The actual number of Tracker units sold by Bass Pro Shops is not public knowledge at this time. Suffice it to say Arctic Cat will be or may already be in deep discussions with Bass Pro Shops.

Furthermore, with an increasing number of Argo dealers also becoming Arctic Cat dealers and an increasing number of Arctic Cat dealers also becoming Argo dealers, we think it is unlikely there will continue to be Argo-branded ATVs and side-x-sides in the future as it would needlessly create brand confusion.

Cat Is Back

As you can imagine, things are moving fast at Arctic Cat these days and credit goes to the top-level leadership and acquisition team led by Brad Darling that has revived one of the powersports industry’s most iconic brands. We look forward to reporting on new products, a growing dealer network, Arctic Cat’s future racing plans, and more.

Stay tuned!

Snowmobiling relies on a self-funded, interconnected network of trails crisscrossing the North American snowbelt, which costs millions and millions of dollars to open and maintain every winter and provide billions of dollars of economic impact in thousands of places across North America. The contributions made to the industry branded snowmobile dealers and their OEMs cannot be understated. Simply put – we need Arctic Cat and its dealer network to be fully involved.

The good news is this; Arctic Cat was purchased by an investment group led by CEO and President of ODG Argo, Brad Darling. The writing was on the wall last fall when Textron, owner of Arctic Cat up until this past Tuesday, announced a pause in production of Arctic Cat products. There’s no way that was going to work. This time in history was absolutely pivotal for Arctic Cat. Thankfully, the team of visionaries Brad Darling put together had both the savvy and the finances to make this deal happen and bring the iconic Arctic Cat brand back to life.

I want to make something crystal clear here. Brad Darling is a man of integrity whose word is his bond. He bleeds green and has done so since his early teenage years. I can tell you with 100% boiler plate assurance Darling’s leadership of this week’s acquisition was driven by his passion for Arctic Cat.

Unfortunately, a somewhat unexplainable deal made about four years ago saw Textron cancel an enormous number of lifelong, exceptional Arctic Cat snowmobile, ATV and side-x-side dealers. We expect some of them to come back on board and that Arctic Cat will mobilize its sales force and likely leverage Argo’s sales team to get its dealer network shored up and ready for the next sales season.

Consider what this means for a jillion Arctic Cat owners who have tens of thousands invested in their Arctic Cats. Owners need not fear they will be able to get parts and service for their beloved sleds. Snowmobile clubs will welcome back Arctic Cat dealers with open arms as these volunteers depend on dealers to help with fundraisers and equipment to support local trail systems.

No doubt a legion of greenies wants to hear what the future of the CATALYST platform will look like in the short and long term. We got an overview of the 2026 snowmobile model line-up this week complete with some innovative updates to current models alongside a few new models that will get Cat enthusiasts fired up and excited for the snow to start flying.

We also expect to see the development of a domestic-built 650-class 2-stroke and an updated rear suspension alongside continued refinements to the CATALYST platform using the new 858 2-stroke.

We also anticipate hearing from Roger Skime, the man behind Arctic Cat snowmobiles going back to the late 50’s and 60’s and who was, for years, its Vice President of Engineering. Roger is a genuine icon and an unwavering proponent of Arctic Cat. He’s a straight shooter and one of the most important people in the snowmobile business because he’s done it all, seen it all and knows the sport of snowmobiling and specifically Arctic Cat snowmobiles better than anyone I know.

Over the next days and weeks, we anticipate much more information becoming available and we’ll continue to get you the straight goods on everything going forward. Stay tuned!

Simply put, manufacturers like to be first out of the gate when it comes to unveiling next year’s sleds, but this comes with one major caveat. You can’t show your hand until your dealers’ showrooms are empty of current model year sleds. If you mess up this timing there’ll be a boatload of dealers screaming at their District Sales Managers that their current year product is now obsolete.

This is a complicated dance – most of the time. For Arctic Cat though, not so much. The company unveiled the all-new CATALYST platform over a year ago with one tell-tale feature missing. Everyone immediately knew the CATALYST would be carrying an 850-class engine in the very near future and here we are with the unveiling of the 858.

Let’s take a look at where this 165 horsepower, 2-stroke twin will show up in MY25 and explore some other interesting AC developments…

More Power

Some notable info on the 858 CATALYST comes in the form of an open admission that this engine met Arctic Cat’s engine design parameters of a full ten percent increase in peak horsepower!

Let’s do that math. I think it’s safe to say the former SDI 800 engine made between 150 and 160 ponies. If ten percent is spun off 150 horses then the new Stroker 858 is making 165 horsepower. If the ten percent is a result of starting with 160, then the 858 is making slightly more than 165. We’ll let you know what happens when we take a WOT run with the 858 down Kevlar Lake.

It’s Really All About CATALYST and the 858

The 858 was designed to be mounted in only the CATALYST. Yeah, we know, this year the CATALYST comes with the current 600 DSI engine. Truth is, the brain trust at Arctic Cat had to adapt the 600 to fit in this new platform. The 600 is actually mounted higher in the chassis than the 858. We look for a 600-class engine based on the 858’s architecture to arrive sometime in the future.

Based on our impressions after riding the 600, the new CATALYST feels light in the twisties and well balanced in the whoops. We already know the new 858 engine is within ounces of the 600’s weight so these handling impressions should hold true with the 858’s additional power.

Here’s the lineup…

The ZR for 2025 comes in three forms. The base line ZR is available with the 858 or the 600 DSI twin. Next is the ZR Sno Pro with the above two engine options, and finally the ZR with ATAC adjustable on-the-fly shocks. All three versions can be had with 129 or 137 X 1.25 lug RipSaw tracks. These models have many more unique and desirable features you can read about in the full AC release.

The CATALYST ZR R-XC also returns for MY25, now available with both the 600 DSI and 858 C-TEC2 engines featuring Fox QS3R shocks up front and the SLIDE-ACTION rear suspension features a Fox 1.5 QS3 on the front skid shock and a 2.0 QS3R on the rear. This sled’s only available as a 137 and boasts the 1.35 Cobra track.

It needs to be noted there’s also a ProCross-based ZR powered by a 1049cc, 135 horsepower class 4-stroke triple available with a 129 or 137 X 1.25 inch RipSaw. This is an important addition to the AC lineup for MY 2025. Arctic Cat needs 4-strokes and this is a good one.

The Thundercat returns for 2025 in the ProCross chassis powered by a 200-horsepower class turbocharged and intercooled 4-stroke engine offered standard with EPS and ATAC.

Back to CATALYST Models

The CATALYST based 2025 RIOT is available with either the 600 DSI or the Stroker 858 and is offered in three trim levels: Base, SnoPro or with ATAC. The RIOT utilizes an Arctic Cat X-Over “Cross Action” rear skid inside a 146-inch, 1.75-lug or a 146-inch 1.35 lug sneaker. It is worth mentioning all CATALYST models for 2025 use AC’s exclusive belt drive final drive system.

Cat also offers a RIOT built on the ProCross platform using the 998cc turbocharged and intercooled 200 HP class 4-stroke triple.

Steep and Deep CATALYST

The base M Alpha One and the M Alpha One SnoPro are available with either the 600 DSI or the 858 Stroker. Track choices for both the M models wrap around Arctic Cat’s proprietary single beam “Alpha One” skid in 146, 154 and 165 lengths using 2.6 or 3.0 lug options. There is also the M Mountain Cat in 2 iterations with only one engine choice – 858 power – the Mountain Cat and the Mountain Cat with ATAC. It appears at this writing both versions come with Arctic Cat’s G-8 Digital Display and both feature the Alpha One single-beam rear suspension.

That’s a quick run through the 2025 AC lineup paying specific attention to where the CATALYST with 858 power will be in play. We’ll bring you more info on AC’s 2025 lineup in the coming weeks. For now, take satisfaction in being among the very first people to see a full-on, next-year-introduction earlier than ever before!

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There’s absolutely no doubt there’s a lot of love for the brand – and that attitude is completely justified.

Cat has been dealing out winners lately and sleds like the Mountain Cat line and the RIOT Series have proven to be way more than just competitive. The newest 800 2-stroke using Semi-Direct Injection is both clean and surprisingly powerful. The 4-stroke 9000 series is… well… pretty darn incredible!

Then there’s the Blast line-up. Cat has covered some serious bases here with both pricing and enough variations to cover a lot of the gaps in the marketplace.

It looks like the company is on a roll – at least with what it’s offering product-wise.

Suddenly, there’s a weird decision in a lawsuit that stifles Cat from selling the majority of its sleds in Canada. Arctic Cat had already been to US court on this and had gotten an “all-clear” on selling there. You’ve no doubt read all about it – especially if you happen to be an Arctic Cat buff.

So where does the company go from here?

We think Arctic Cat has had a new chassis design in the works for several years. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the company could see the writing on the wall that its spar design (for lack of a better term, pyramidal design) was under legal attack from the competition and in fact had been undergoing court challenges for a considerable time.

Knowing how snowmobile engineers react, we’re absolutely positive there have been numerous Cat prototypes being tested without the spar design, likely since the middle of the previous decade.

Is it possible to build a decent snowmobile chassis without using pyramidal structure? Just ask yourself if the Polaris Indy works as good as a Ski-Doo G4. Most who have ridden both, feel it works better.

From a handling perspective, Polaris snowmobiles have been the leader for several years – and that doesn’t just mean better than Ski-Doo; it also means Cat.

The fact is, the pyramidal design may not be the ultimate way to design a snowmobile platform. Not sure about that, but it’s worth considering – and the Polaris design seems to be proving it.

What we’re saying is this: Here’s an excellent opportunity for Cat to introduce a new way to build a snowmobile. Knowing many of Cat’s engineers personally, I’ll guarantee they aren’t just throwing up their arms in frustration and saying it can’t be done!

The fact is, it likely already has been done – and the company’s marketing department has simply been waiting for the right time to introduce a new and more legally acceptable Arctic Cat platform.

That timing may have been moved forward but you can be sure those chassis geniuses in Thief River Falls have been on it a long time!

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