The Development of The Arctic Cat BLAST

[@Megarobotsquadron]

As a guy who hasn't had a snowmobile since the 90's, this seriously appeals to me

[@JB101inc]

I love these kinds of retrospective deep dives on stuff that we don't get to see... keep it up!

[@snowtrax]

Thanks! Will do!

[@MrBigbennybang]

9.33 of great info MARK and STT great job,great video...

[@thatalaskaguy]

I love the concept and look of the Blast but I still can’t justify the cost over an EVO. Plus, none were even available to look at in person in showrooms last year so that didn’t help. This video helped me to understand why it retails for a lot more money than the EVO but honestly, many of the features they claim are nonnegotiable to not offer also don’t entice me into buying one. I don’t care about e-start or EFI, or a counterbalancer. I wish they offered a less expensive model with the 570 fan motor. I’d look really hard at buying one of those.

[@Ted_Stryker]

Making these sleds more versatile and appealing to experienced riders, as well as newcomers, is exactly the right choice. Arctic Cat has always done well with entry level sleds and it certainly looks like they've done their homework with this one. The use of a single cylinder mill may be a bit of a risk, but if they have indeed fixed the issues, I think it'll do just fine and, in the end, I'd rather they went that route than something fan cooled.

[@pajamatime5750]

I agree going away from fan cooled is a nice touch.... A couple pistons would be nicer though. And a sway bar. The addition of a sway bar can’t add that much to the MSRP of the sled.... Otherwise it’s a decent sled for its intention!

[@Ted_Stryker]

@@pajamatime5750Yes. I feel the same about the sway bar as well.

[@comradeeverclear4063]

Lmao when has Cat ever been good at anything?

[@Ted_Stryker]

@@comradeeverclear4063 Fools can never seem to help but show you who they are. They love one liners and they always start every one with a big laugh. But, the only funny part is, no one else cares.

[@KTMsoldier1988]

@@comradeeverclear4063 the past 2 decades Arctic Cat has Dominated Snocross and Hillclimb Racing!

[@nomoremr.niceguy4778]

A for effort. C for price. Entry level gets beat by used market. See prices on good older sleds going up. Great video. The Blast gauge package leaves me cold. I’m admittedly a Cat guy but last few years have benched me. Can anyone explain to me what the heck happened to the ZR 3000 that looks like a really good idea but they made it only one or two years and it was gone.

[@ericbunkers8147]

Nice breakdown Mark, thanks!

[@lucasfromdavalley]

Now imagine the yamaha version with the phazer 500 twin cylinder 4 stroke, lightweight, 80hp, single rail, burns virtually no gas, and tons of torque.

[@sylvainlaurence1554]

With the Blast body for sure.

[@williamchristianson9473]

nice review Thanks

[@richardkoehler9917]

This is the deal on the blast it's about half price then the full size sleds. Most trails you really can't go any faster on the average is between 35 to 55 miles and hour to have a safe ride depending on conditions .So for some one just getting into the sport or just saving a lot of cash this will be a perfect sled . I think handle bars and thumb warmer switches and the dimmer switch should be on the handle bars for safety reasons.

[@doobyboy21]

These Arctic Cats are so tempting ! I always look forward for your reviews ! Thank you !

[@angelofdeathmichael673]

I don't know why but I what one. I had 340cc to 800cc sleds in my life. Every single sled I did have was always fun. This one looks like it would definitely fall in the category of a fun it regardless of the size of the motor and if they're gearing it towards youth I'm a big kid I'm 39 years old and I Just Want to Have Fun.

[@owenking3668]

Love the yamaha sidewinder le

[@moose5.9]

Not the biggest AC fan but these are pretty damn cool

[@minnesota4169]

You guys should do a video covering the new switchback xc compared to the assault. I would like to see the differences, and know more about the FOX QS3’s

[@snowtrax]

Love this idea! Stay tuned.

[@SnowmobileHomeMovies]

Great video again guys, enjoying this type of content. I love the idea of the Blast, and that 400cc single is the best choice on the market for an entry level sled. I think reusing the "same old" chassis was a terrible mistake, but hopefully it will attract buyers. I think it's still way too heavy to be interesting. Compromises like no sway bar? Horrible. A basic safety and handling necessity, just left out. That's a head-shaker. Entry-level sleds should not leave out basic necessities, it doesn't build the brand, it just makes new riders dislike snowmobiling.

[@chevycorcoran6271]

These would be the only artic cats I would own

[@retakes8910]

Nice vid

[@86dieselman]

They need to increase production in order to get them into the dealers and They need to greatly reduce the price. The mismanagement of AC under Textron is painful to watch.

[@NLopezzz]

Not sure how they can say these are light weight. The blast M weighs more than my Polaris 850 Khaos with 1/3 the power. How is this better for a smaller rider?

[@gregsmith3410]

Love the venom colors .. maybe they'll get production numbers up . demand was there... supply wasn't..!!

[@oldwrench4213]

Are you a dealer? My understanding is dealers still have units on the floor.

[@PaulO-ew3hd]

What’s the range on full tank?

[@guyincognito1431]

Driven very carefully you'll hit 200 miles. Ridden hard youll be out at 140 miles. Lt version.

[@kencampbell4719]

Literally the yahamha venom pretty much

[@pajamatime5750]

Haha yeah. Cats building them for Yamaha....

[@trevorchadwick5479]

That's because arctic cat designed it, built it, and put the venom decal on it for yamahaha

[@oldwrench4213]

Textron will be the demise of Arctic Cat. The Blast is way overpriced for what it is intended to be.

[@motorsportfilms4771]

Not anymore you can get one for 7k now

[@oldwrench4213]

@@motorsportfilms4771 still over priced. The correct pricing is more like 4500 usd.

[@trevorchadwick5479]

@@oldwrench4213 are you on crack. Its a liquid cooled, EFI, with exhaust valves, pipe temp sensor, digital gauge, electric start, reverse etc.. more hp, less weight than a fanner

[@oldwrench4213]

@@trevorchadwick5479 No. Try looking at the cost of an entry sled based on entry level. They are all overpriced.

[@trevorchadwick2977]

@@oldwrench4213 You are totally out of touch with what things cost, and what the public expects/demands.. Cheap Chinese POS machines can't be priced as low as $4500

[@mikeskidmore6754]

A Modern Yamaha Enticer 250 300 340 .. ect.. I guess a single Cylinder saves cost..

[@jasonshawaga3413]

I think its an amazing sled! Still decent power, but the price should be far far less.

[@MrJeffyb69]

415 lbs dry?? Not that great for a 65 hp single cylinder 2 stroke! Lets see for comparison- 2003 F7 430 lbs ( we all know it was 150+ HP) , 2003 F5 420 lbs ( 100+ HP) 2008 Ski Doo MXZ 600 sport 399 lbs( 110 HP) and just another if you do the math 2014 El Tigre ( non electric start)- 509 lbs "wet" ( 125 HP) if you subtract the fuel capacity, oil, coolant, etc.. its around 415 Lbs or so dry! I was expecting around 380 lbs for the Blast ZR and M :-(

[@marknewman8609]

My thoughts exactly! A dry weight Polaris rmk 850 is like 419

[@NLopezzz]

I was expecting 300 lbs

[@billywentela9564]

No way your numbers are correct

[@guyincognito1431]

The ZR is 372 dry and the LT is 412 dry: source- me weighing them. When I say dry I mean pdi is complete but fluids have not been filled yet.

[@manaze]

Oh how I WISH they offered this thing without the weight penalty of electric start.

[@Cyrus747]

So is this a yamaha or an arctic cat??

[@oldwrench4213]

Both. The Blast is an Arctic Cat model. The Venom SX is a Yamaha model. Both are identical except for colors.

[@wasupfool5692]

Its an Arctic cat 100% Yamaha sells it as the venom. But it has a Arctic cat motor and was built by cat

[@trevorchadwick5479]

Yamahaha doesn't build sleds

[@anthonycazares2979]

this is what I’ve been saying Polaris needs to make. a half size sled.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

400 CC single 65 HP seems my Father 1976 Yamaha Exciter fan cooled twin was only about 55 HP stock .. to 65HP should get up and go ..

[@wasupfool5692]

Tops out at 70 mph, you would think 65hp would hit at least 80

[@mikeskidmore6754]

@@wasupfool5692 My dad's ported and cluthced 1976 Exciter on a hard pack road read 97 MPH .. very light sled 116" track .. My Neighbor had the same sled one year newer .. and he said his would do 120 MPH I race him and blew him away .. He was reading Kilomters per hour.. I also raced a 1975 Yamaha GPX.. I was an 100# kid .. that GPX blew my dooors off I was really surpised.. If I can recall seems a '76 SRX 440 was 100 HP .. I always wanted one never even road one.. My 2006 Yamaha Attack speedometer read 129 MPH on the Dreamometer was 116 MPH on GPS... My Dad;s Yamaha got very light on the skis too much wind going under the tunnel

[@Smackvttv]

Should have just put a 15” track on all of them

[@Smackvttv]

In all the clips of the guy jumping it looks like it bottoms out every time

[@mikeskidmore6754]

There sure are a few youth sized Motorcycles ..

[@actionsportster7686]

Pricing them over $9K out the door isn't going to help them sell when it's possible to get a hold-over sled with more power and higher quality components for the same price. Couple that with the fact that the first year models were not properly clutched from the factory, causing a lot of these sleds to throw a detonation code which shut the motor down and NO WARRANTY ON THE ENGINES and you have the makings of a lemon. Hope AC and Yamaha do the right thing with this sled for 2022 or it's going to go the way of the snoscoot and snosport of the late 80's/early 90's. You would hope they would have learned a lesson from that experience.

[@comradeeverclear4063]

Is it called the Blast because it explodes or catches on fire?

[@ML-lg4ky]

$8,495.

[@kencampbell4719]

I guess that is considered cheap in snowmobile world lol

[@ericduchesne807]

Blast .... customers should be given a pair of snowshoes to have fun in the snow when engine parts are back order as they are now .... 😡😡😡

[@roller_47]

Not a good option when for just a few hundred dollars more you can get your choice of the Ski-Doo 600 EFI Sport models. If these were in that $6,500 range they would be a far more appealing snowmobile.

[@oldwrench4213]

More like 4500 dollar range. Sled is considerably overpriced. A good Ski Doo Ace 600 can be purchased used for similar price with far greater value to the customer.

[@trevorchadwick5479]

@@oldwrench4213 used prices vs new... that's just plain stupid... the new doo 600 has the same hp, but costs more, and weights more

[@CaseyA.]

So it weighs the same amount as a full size Polaris pro rmk but only has one cylinder. That’s a hard no

[@qapsukalek]

These are blowing over revving fuel injectors stuck wide open and over priced

[@qapsukalek]

I dont own one but i read it on the Internet you should try reading on forums

[@Shawn_Magara]

@@edwardabrahamiii3742 yeah Edward, it's on the internet so it's true!

[@Shawn_Magara]

@@edwardabrahamiii3742 sorry Edward I'm being sarcastic haha, I'm with you. If you didn't experience it, don't preach it

[@383cutlass8]

The fix is more clutch weights they need to be loaded more on mid range. Go to a trust worthy dealer and have them fixed.

[@crodles]

I abselutly hate dry weight... like just sa the real world number, cause who tf is using a dry weight on the trail

[@wasupfool5692]

Best to go by dry weight because if they went by wet weight someone would stick a smaller gas tank on there to keep weight down. Like the tiny fuel tank that was on the Nitro

[@crodles]

@@wasupfool5692 i kinda get that, but atleast have a standard on how much fuel wet weight is then i guess idk, like dry weight says notging to me,

[@haroldhaggman4285]

Its a yamaha

[@Mike_from_Canmore]

Been out of the sport for years. Poking around at todays offerings and everything is so grossly overpriced. 10 grand for an entry level machine? Lol, get real. Not an everymans hobby anymore I guess.

[@tarivard]

Over Priced for what it is.

[@otahu26]

There's NO WAY these sleds are worth as much as they are suggesting. You can buy all the Parts and assemble the sled yourself and coat you a couple grand less. I know it's a bit extreme. But it shows the True value of the sleds.. They need to come down in New Price! ESP with Charging as much as a new car. Snowmobiles are Wheel bearings and Plastic and a bits of Aluminum and Do not last as long as Your Toyota Yaris! They're no different then Snowmobiles from 20 years ago! 4000 to 6000 miles and needing new engines is not bringing in the new buyers. We're a much more educated public and demanding more value and reliability for our money. I'd pay 7500 for a new one. NOT MORE!! And the ZR 8000 at 16 000.. Not a CHANCE! 12 grand maybe..

[@snowtrax]

Thanks for sharing. I'll leave that negotiation to you and your dealer.

[@hitemup6455]

The Doo. and Poo. Are way better choices !

[@hawki5120]

Then go buy one.

[@michellemelanson357]

what does poo have except for motor issues year after year