2019 Arctic Cat Alpha One Mountain Cat Review

If you're a fanatic regarding boondocking, being in the trees, well 2019 is the year for you. Especially on an Alpha 1 Articat. This is the Alpha 1 addition to the M8000 line. Originally it was codenamed Alpha Bravo. It is a single beam rear suspension mountain cat that is unique in every way that mountain riding is unique in and of itself. But you need to understand that this snowmobile takes aggressive riding to a complete different level. And meaning that that different level is how easy one can be aggressive. This snowmobile was six years in the making. Let me back up. The chassis, the rear suspension in this chassis was six years in the making. And for 2019 Articat has worked hard to make everything from ergonomics to ski to how the rider manages this snowmobile from every control up here all the way back to be precise for mountain riding. Beside me is also one of our test riders. This is senior test rider Kevin Allred and he's going to roll in some thoughts, some engineering. Thanks Matt. Nearly two decades of snowmobile test riding and I'd have to say this is the most out-of-the-box thinking that I've ever seen introduced on a new snowmobile. So from a rider standpoint there's several things I'd like to cover about how this single beam works. First thing it's a very efficient drive system. We have very large diameter drivers in the front and if you noticed we've got 10 inch rear idlers on the back. Now this is a 3.5 pitch track with three inch tall lugs. It's a power claw track. This system is very efficient. It puts a lot of power to the snow. Now this single beam allows this track to flex and move as it's going through the snow pack and what we found first of all this track is a very good track to start with but where this single beam allows it to twist and turn in the snow pack it's always hunting and searching for traction. Another fun factor on this snowmobile is the way it turns. It requires very little rider input to go up and carve and play and it goes through the trees it just turns so precisely. You combine this with how this track is always looking for traction. Earlier we was in incredibly deep snow and it just keeps going and then you go to turn. At one point I was going up a slight hill and I felt it starting to lose traction and I thought oh I'm going to be stuck. I just simply turned it and it just rolled right around and came out and I kept going. The more I ride this and the more I learn this chassis and I'm gonna say for me there has been a little bit of a riding curve on this chassis and it's not so much that you're reinventing how you're riding this snowmobile it's just that you have to learn it and then that way you can push it to its full potential and there's a lot of potential in this snowmobile and I don't even think I've tapped all of it yet. It's a different concept and as I first learned about it I had a lot of things that I imagined how it would react. I thought it'd be a handful on the trail and in certain conditions. I'd have to say that as I've been out on it now quite a bit it definitely is very easy to handle especially in the backcountry and through the trees. Another thing we don't want to forget about this 2019 and it's on all of the Arctic Cat mountain sleds is they've got a whole new handlebar system, new controls, new brake lever, new throttle. They're just a new kill switch. There's lots of nice features on these handlebars we don't want to overlook that. Now I know in the snowmobile world especially you mountain guys that brand loyalty runs pretty deep and I know that there's going to be some controversy and discussion about this single beam rear skid and rightfully so. Take a minute look at the videos read our full article on snowmobile.com and look into it. Now Arctic Cat has promised us that they're going to get a lot of this product out in dealers hands into their DSM hands so if you're interested in it you should have the opportunity to give it a ride. This is a product that deserves a good look.