2012 Mountain 4-Stroke Snowmobiles comparison test

WE’LL TAKE OURS WITH A SIDE-ORDER OF BOOST, PLEASE!

By Stephen W Clark

Published: September 20, 2011

Naturally aspirated versions of the Yamaha Nytro MTX and Arctic Cat M 1100 carve up some fresh powder.

With Arctic Cat launching two new 4- stroke mountain snowmobiles Yamaha’s position as the sole maker of 4-stroke mountain machines is officially over.

Yamaha pretty much pioneered 4-stroke snowmobile technology and for a decade has been the only player in the 4-stroke mountain segment. Every other manufacturer has 4-stroke engines in their line, but all have been hesitant to put these 4-stroke engines into a mountain chassis. Ski-Doo recently flirted with putting its 4-TEC into a mountain sled, but pulled the plug at the last minute.

Finally, for 2012, buyers looking for a 4-stroke mountain sled will have options. After years of struggling to figure out exactly where to slot Yamahas into comparison tests we’re excited to compare a new M 1100 against a Nytro MTX.
The spec sheets for the naturally aspirated Yamaha Nytro MTX and Arctic Cat M 1100 are evenly matched. Both feature lightweight rider forward chassis with long tracks, the motors produce similar power, but are different in configuration. Yamaha’s Nytro has a 1050cc triple and Cat’s M 1100 has a parallel twin 1100cc motor.

The comparison between these two sleds gets even more interesting as they are both available with boost. Cat offers a factory turbo version of the M 1100 and Yamaha distributes Nytro turbo and supercharger kits through its dealers via its accessory division.

Both OEM’s boosted and naturally aspirated sleds were available for us to test last March out West. Naturally, given the choice, we gravitated toward the boosted models.

Arctic Cat M 1100 Turbo

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Photo by Stephen W Clark

Arctic Cat’s M 1100 Turbo rides in the all new lightweight ProClimb chassis.

Cat dropped both the lesser horsepower 4-stroke 1100 naturally aspirated model as well as the big turbo version into the all-new lightweight triangulated aluminum ProClimb chassis that is common to all 2012 Cat mountain sleds. This 1100cc fuel-injected twin powerplant has been around for a few years, but previously was available only in trail and touring models. For 2012 the naturally aspirated M 1100 replaces the M6 2-stroke.

What we were most interested in though was the more powerful engine in the new ProClimb chassis, the 182-horse twin 1100 4-stroke turbo. We know it will fly. At AmSnow’s Super Sled Shootout a few years back it hit a record-breaking 9.006 seconds in the ¼-mile at 142 mph, in a stock 2010 Z1 Turbo. Plus this IS the most powerful production snowmobile engine available, so it was the M 1100 turbo that we wanted to ride.

Previously we had ridden machines powered by this engine and had loved its grunt. However, this motor had never been available in a chassis set up specifically for mountain riding. So the prospect of this monster in a good handling mountain chassis had us real curious.

On Day One of our weeklong test in West Yellowstone we spent the day in deep snow on an M 1100 Turbo and a couple of boosted Nytro’s. Not surprisingly the 182-hp M 1100 Turbo initially impressed us with its incredible power. The M 1100 has only a tiny lag on the bottom end and once the turbo spools up to provide the engine with boost it pulls extremely hard.

The feeling when the boost kicks in is incredible and we found ourselves mashing the throttle as much as possible just so we could experience its arm-pulling acceleration.

In deep snow we had no problems on the M 1100 Turbo, the power and long track allowed it to get atop the snow and we could maneuver easily. But as with any big sled, weight really becomes a factor when the snow is hard. When snow isn’t soft enough to let you sink a ski in to help initiate a sidehill, the difference in weight with heavier 4-strokes, can tire you out more quickly than, say, a Cat 2-stroke 800.

The M 1100 Turbo features a horizontal steering post that helps the handlebars pivot so that the inside handlebar end pivots downward in corners whereas the M 800 Sno Pro features a vertical steering post that makes the handlebars pivot flat. In our opinion the horizontal steering post system is more suited to trail riding than for mountain climbing.

On the trail, the way the inside bar drops is nice as it allows the rider to lean into the turns and get more weight over the inside ski to keep the machine cornering flat. However, when sidehilling you lose some leverage compared to the vertical steering post. We hear rumors that Arctic Cat is going to offer an accessory vertical steering post for the ProClimb M-Series. If such a kit becomes available we would highly recommend it to mountain riders who intend to sidehill regularly.

Yamaha Nytro MTX Boosted

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Stephen W Clark

The boosted Yamaha Nytro MTX has awesome power whether using the turbo or supercharger for more ponies.

For years we’ve said that the best way to ride a Nytro in steep and deep terrain is with boost, so we were stoked last fall to hear that Yamaha was going to be selling accessory turbo and supercharger kits for its Nytro. We were even more excited when we arrived at West Yellowstone to find Yamaha had brought several of these boosted monsters for us to test!

It is important to clarify that Yamaha does not actually build a boosted Nytro at the factory, but through Yamaha’s parts and accessories division it sells a supercharger and a turbo kit. Mountain Performance builds the supercharger kit and Push Turbo built the turbo kit we tested (although the turbo vendor changed to MPI as well for 2012, see sidebar); both kits are intended for installation at a Yamaha dealership.

Using either the turbo or supercharger will give Nytro a 45-horse boost, making total output about 180 hp. The turbo has a little lag on the bottom end, but pulls extremely hard on the top end, whereas the supercharger provides a lot of low- to mid-range power with less top-end power than the turbo. Both of these kits make a huge difference to the way the Nytro works in the mountains. In stock form you have to pick your lines carefully on the Nytro so as not to get stuck, but with the boost and extra horsepower, a whole new realm of terrain is accessible.

The Yamaha Nytro MTX for 2012 remains basically the same as in previous years. Aside from the Yamaha distributed turbo and supercharger kits the only noticeable performance difference is a new MT9 ski and an optional 162-inch Ascent track. The wider ski is 1.8 lbs. lighter than the previous model and offers improved trail handling. However, for off-trail riding we prefer the former ski’s handling. The Ascent track has a different lug pattern and improves lift, flotation and traction in deep snow. With the supercharger or turbo installed we prefer the 162-inch Nytro over the 153 version as the extra length helps with climbing and cuts down on wheelies.

Conclusion
We have said it before, but will say it again, a turbo on a 4-stroke mountain snowmobile is like icing on a cake. 4-strokes are extremely durable and reliable and good on gas. However, without boost both the Yamaha and Cat aren’t nearly as much fun in the mountains because it’s easy to find terrain that exceeds the capabilities of the naturally-aspirated models.

Once you boost these 4-strokes though, they are in a league of their own! Sure, they are still a bit heavy, but the horsepower more than makes up for the added weight. Nothing compares to the power of a 4-stroke snowmobile with boost and both of these machines are great fun to ride.

While still heavier than a 2-stroke 800 the added power equates to a sled that climbs higher than a stock 800. Compared to an 800 you sacrifice some maneuverability as high-horse 4-strokes are better suited to “point and shoot” than technical riding. But point either of these boosted 4-strokes up steep straight pulls and they will storm to the top all day long.

While both the turbo-equipped Nytro and M 1100 offered comparable performance they felt quite a bit different. The Arctic Cat’s power was a tad smoother than the Yamaha, which likes to wheelie. We attribute the different feel to the fact the Yamaha sports an “aftermarket” kit and the Cat has a more conservatively engineered factory turbo. So comparing the aftermarket boosted Nytro MTX with the M 1100 Turbo isn’t exactly comparing apples to apples.

Speaking of aftermarket, we know there is a lot of potential for more power from the M 1100 Turbo by adding electronic tuning. Aftermarket shops such as D&D Racing and Speedwerx have been working steadily on the Z1 turbos to make them 250+ horsepower machines with little more than the addition of a fuel controller. With the aftermarket getting more power out of the 1100 Turbo with just a plug-in electronic box, this sled will be pretty tough to beat and definitely be the weapon of choice among riders looking for big power.

The M 1100 and Nytro are very closely matched machines. Comparing the naturally aspirated models and then the boosted models, each set produces similar horsepower. Both also have similar chassis geometry, steering systems and air shocks. All the die-hard 4-stroke riders have got to be excited that the 4-stroke mountain class just doubled in size and one has to wonder how much longer it will be until Polaris and Ski-Doo offer 4-strokes in their capable mountain chassis.

Naturally Aspirated
In naturally aspirated form both the Nytro and M 1100 are much milder and appeal to a completely different market segment. Riders looking for low maintenance, electric start, good fuel economy and no injector oil will be drawn to either of these machines.

We asked Arctic Cat why it had discontinued the M6 2-stroke and their engineers told us that the M 1100 is better suited to customers like rental fleets that had been buying M6s. Between the two naturally aspirated machines, the Yamaha triple seems to have the power advantage over the Arctic Cat.