2023 Blast further extends dominance over the Kids Mountain Category with the LTD

[Escmanaze]

I'm super pumped to see the Blast M LTD get a skinnier front end and air shocks!!!! How awesome!!!

The Blast already held a pretty significant lead over the Evo and Neo for the category of a Mountain sled that tries to fill the gap between a snoscoot/zr200 and the Polaris 650 146. Now they have even further lead in the category with the introduction of the LTD. The narrow front end and a premium shock package is so awesome!! Shocks are lightweight - awesome!! Shocks are easy to adjust for riders of different weights - awesome!!! Shocks have a progressive profile for awesome performance in small bumps as well as big hits - awesome!!!!

This drastically reduces the list of things that should to be done to the blast to make it a really awesome sled for the average 10 year old, plus or minus a few years, depending on the exact kid.

1. Add a bumper
2. Get lighter clutch weights for elevation
3. gear down
4. Better Boards

I wish I could reward Arctic Cat right now this season with a sale of this thing, but unfortunately, my oldest boy has already outgrown it and my middle girl isn't quite ready for it yet for another year or two. I'll be praying they keep offering it for another year or two so I can get it for her when she is done with the scoot.

 

[Reeb]

I bought Pin'd EMX boards for mine. Haven't installed yet but can't wait.
Shocks were the first thing I upgraded, and the best upgrade so far. Definitely needed from factory.

my kids like the 38" front end, we do a lot of trail riding to get to the meadows and mountains and they don't seem to notice a difference with the BX skis versus a narrower front end.

I like the white Blast tho, definitely the sled that should have been released. I do understand using up parts and the need to flush the inventory tho.

It looks like whomever buys one will be ahead of the game compared to us that bought the past two years. That's good news in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Escmanaze]

I bought Pin'd EMX boards for mine. Haven't installed yet but can't wait.
Shocks were the first thing I upgraded, and the best upgrade so far. Definitely needed from factory.

my kids like the 38" front end, we do a lot of trail riding to get to the meadows and mountains and they don't seem to notice a difference with the BX skis versus a narrower front end.

I like the white Blast tho, definitely the sled that should have been released. I do understand using up parts and the need to flush the inventory tho.

It looks like whomever buys one will be ahead of the game compared to us that bought the past two years. That's good news in the grand scheme of things.

Very cool update Reeb. Would love to keep hearing your reports.

So you seem like the kind of guy who would know what he is doing to try to get some lighter weights into the primary clutch to make up for elevation. Some rumors are reporting pretty good gains there. Do you have any experience there? I also feel like a gear down could go a really long way toward making it feel more powerful where it matters and then less powerful where you want it to be less powerful (at high speeds).

 

[Pinchecharlie]

I'd like to hear about the gear down? Does it help let the track spin faster at first ? I have a 21 and it needs shocks , raise the tunnel mod, clutching lol. So let's see the price point on the 23!

 

[Reeb]

Very cool update Reeb. Would love to keep hearing your reports.

So you seem like the kind of guy who would know what he is doing to try to get some lighter weights into the primary clutch to make up for elevation. Some rumors are reporting pretty good gains there. Do you have any experience there? I also feel like a gear down could go a really long way toward making it feel more powerful where it matters and then less powerful where you want it to be less powerful (at high speeds).

Somewhat yes. We ride primarily under 7000ft so I only had to drill small holes in the pucks to get my RPM's proper. a shim under the spring helped matters as well. I think the weak link is the clutching as a few engineers and aftermarket companies I've talked to have mentioned a threshold of how much power these clutches can effectively transfer to the track.

I've thought about gearing down but I'm also looking for a used BD for it as well so I haven't gotten too far ahead of myself there. However you're right, power delivery flattens right out so gearing down will help no doubt. I've also being thinking of swapping tracks to a more aggressive 2.6 when the time comes for that as well.

I have a new 6post primary waiting to go on it, I'm just debating on secondary clutch/jackshaft route. Not too stoked to go with a Team Tied but if I want to keep reverse I may have to bite the bullet and go that route. I just cleared out all of my helixes and such from my Polaris time and don't really want to start buying helixes($$$$) again.

These things are so low in compression tho, it's a wonder they run. Squish is unrealistic as well. For a trapper running year old 85 octane I can see why they would do this, but for us, running at elevation and using good fuel, it makes no sense. A simple run to the machine shop and having them cut the head to my specs really woke it up. D&D header and an SLP power valve on the airbox helps tremendously as well.
With a freer flowing pipe and maybe even more intake ideas there is no reason these shouldn't hit 75-80hp without much work.
Jaws and SLP are both working on pipes and I'll buy the first to come out. I don't think I'll big bore afterall, however when I decide to do a top end, I'll spend the money and get the cylinder ported and re-nic'd.

If I can get 80-85hp when all is said and done, I think it'll be the ticket for my kids to grow into without having to jump into a 600/650 right away.

With that being said, I'm first in line for a 600 class Alpha 146 with good shocks if Cat decides to build one for '24.

 

[Pinchecharlie]

M6000 is in the list for 23...

 

[Reeb]

M6000 is in the list for 23...

It’s not going to be built from what my rep told me after his trip to TRF a few weeks back. It’s on press releases etc but it’s the first model to be clipped if they experience any sort of delays like this winter.

Time will tell!


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[Pinchecharlie]

Just for fun, what is the compression ratio stock and what was it when you where done? Would you be willing to share the specs? I allways wondered why you can not mill this stuff same as car parts. Just a simple take .010-× ammount off the mating surface or are you changing the combustion chamber? Iam un familiar with two stroke stuff and just assume the same things apply. Piston dome , combustion chamber yada yada. I see a kit with higher compression but if you can do simple machining why not?

 

[hansenmac]

i think if you just milled the head it would raise compression but the chamber would get smaller in circumference than the bore. you would have to reshape the dome shape to widen out the part closest to the jug so you have a nice hemispherical shape. that is the impression ive been under but ive never done it.

 

[Reeb]

Just for fun, what is the compression ratio stock and what was it when you where done? Would you be willing to share the specs? I allways wondered why you can not mill this stuff same as car parts. Just a simple take .010-× ammount off the mating surface or are you changing the combustion chamber? Iam un familiar with two stroke stuff and just assume the same things apply. Piston dome , combustion chamber yada yada. I see a kit with higher compression but if you can do simple machining why not?

You have to work around the squish you want to run versus what you have. Once you have that figured out, then you can alter the dome shape back to stock specs so not to disrupt anything other than squish and therefore compression.


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[SLDHVN]

Anyone get their blasts yet? Dealer told me they may be in sometime in August

 

[Escmanaze]

Anyone get their blasts yet? Dealer told me they may be in sometime in August

That would be really great to see. After all the delays last year, it would be great to see a few coming out early.

 

[tswan]

Is there a big difference from the 21 blast to a 23?

 

[Escmanaze]

Is there a big difference from the 21 blast to a 23?

Only if you get the LTD.

 

[windsock]

So far we love our M4000 for our then 9 and now 10 year old. Only had 3 rides on it in the Spring and it seems this Blast fits smaller riders really nice. The 400 isn't so crazy that it will take off like a rocket yet has enough power to get that track a little umph out of a hole. Really looking forward to what it can do for 2022-2023. Will likely put newbie adults on it for trail rides, no problem

 

[windsock]

We've really liked this Arctic Cat Blast. Here is another report. We got it used with 1000+ miles Spring of 2022. No problems with it and maybe 300-400 more miles (not sure). We are mostly at 8000-10500 with most playing up high Colorado. No problems on trail at all. I dont' know what max speed is maybe 40-45, 50 on ice but on a trail with broken up powder maybe 30? But it is a blast (yes hate to use that word) to ride on a powder trail as an adult. Just bank from side to side to down the trail to keep the momentum hitting powder . Wife has enjoyed it too. Not enough power that a 8-11 year old is going to pin it and hit a tree in 5 seconds. Safety comes to my mind. It can ride in the deep powder if there is a bit of a base under 12+ inches of powder. It sits up nice on the snow. Carvable for an adult (harder than a doo or poo) but now our 10 yr son is starting to carve it and figure out the counter steer on an off camber hill or to side hill. A pleasure to see. Reverse needs a bit of time to find the timing. When the button is hit it might take 2 or 3 times with the engine cutting off and trying to find the perfect spot to put the engine into reverse. Our son has used the reverse A TON. Electric start is a must for a kiddo, can't believe the starter is holding up under all the stopping and starting. When crossing marginal lakes with possible slush I'll ride this sled and switch my child to a my doo turbo so that if we hit something he can simply power out. I feel with myself pinning the throttle constantly across the lakes and staying in other's tracks I am safe. Only downside is if it gets really buried in a powder hole on hill or in the flats there isn't enough power for 400 engine and clutch to spin the track. We have to dig out the track or roll it over to get out of a bad stuck.
The video starts with my wife Sarah on her brand new Matryx Kahos and then our son decides to come on through.