COMPARISON / 2025 MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOOTOUT
Arctic Cat ZR 600 ATAC Lynx Rave RE 600R Polaris 650 Indy SP Ski-Doo MXZ Adrenaline 600R Yamaha SRViper L-TX GT
2025 ARCTIC CAT
ZR 600 ATAC 137
Arctic Cat stirred up all sorts of buzz and interest a year ago when the first Catalyst chassis sleds started making their way into dealerships . The lightweight new chassis was only available in its first year with a 600-class engine , though , which was a disappointment to some power-driven folks . But many Cat fans we know ordered one anyway . Some figured they ’ d check out the new chassis for a season and then “ flip ” it for a sled with whatever higher-output engine was coming in 2025 .
Enthusiasm for winter was at its peak for ditch pickle loyalists when they took ownership of their new steeds last fall and waited for snow . And then waited some more … and then some more . Pretty much every snow lover in North America was disappointed with what we were served last season , but new Catalyst owners were downright devasted .
So now for 2025 , new ZR 858 models are available in the Catalyst chassis and are creating their own buzz . And there are also plenty of very low- or no-mile 600-class 2024 models available in the market .
Did that make 2025 ZR 600 models dead-on-arrival at dealerships ?
What ’ s New ?
Well , they shouldn ’ t be , because the new touch-screen gauge that Cat is bringing for the new season is well worth checking out .
The new G8 display takes Arctic Cat from a very distant fourth place in interactive gauges to challenging for first . With its bright display , classy layout and easy-to-read fonts and numbers , at a glance it ’ s a truly massive improvement over that sub-par two-screen horizontal gauge found on ATAC models in the past .
Then , once you start digging into the functionality , personalization , on-screen mapping , diagnostic capabilities , group ride abilities and more , the G8 package gets even more impressive . It reacts quickly to commands and ties into a cell phone for more functions . The Polaris 7s appears to still be ahead of all brands when it comes to the completeness of its trail mapping , but otherwise this new G8 is hard to beat .
That G8 gauge is standard equipment on ATAC models ( which also drove up their price ) but it can be added as an accessory to other models .
Otherwise , the ZR 600 ATAC is back with the second-year Catalyst layout and zippy Cat 600 twin that feeds power through ADAPT clutching and then a final belt drive . Fox iQS3 shocks in the widely space dual A-arm front and Slide-Action rear suspensions are controlled at the handlebar . Our 137-inch model had a coupled skid frame ; the 129-inch model with the same name is uncoupled .
On The Trail
After a brown winter back home , we were excited to get reacquainted with the ZR 600 ATAC when we arrived at Rode Reports . The previous winter we made all sorts of great memories on the pre-production machines we tested up north and out west , and thereafter we took one home for more testing in what was then a long riding season in the spring of 2023 .
One of our few complaints about those pre-pro 2024 models we rode , though , was the amount of noise that came back toward the rider . We were eager to see if that had been muted .
A push on the handlebar-mounted starter button offered little evidence either way . It idled with the usual Arctic Cat raspiness and awaited a rider ’ s orders . But after leaving the initial staging area and finding the first long straightaway , the answer was revealed : Yes , some of that rough edge had been sanded off the engine ’ s exhaust and intake noise .
Power delivery was quick and efficient , allowing the engine to make the most of its limited displacement . Only the Polaris 650 could run away from it on long pulls .
Unchanged was the lightweight and tiny feel of the Catalyst chassis . We know some taller / bigger riders are going to miss the ProCross chassis ’ big , roomy cockpit . But every time we get on a Catalyst now we feel like we ’ re more poised to attack the trails from a proper perch .
Sitting and leaning through turns or standing when raging through choppy bumps , the rider can feel that there ’ s less mass beneath and in front of them . Catalyst sleds also feel
2025 Arctic Cat ZR 600 ATAC 137
Engine : 599cc , liquid-cooled , semi-direct-injected two-stroke twin Bore x stroke : 82 x 66.2mm Chassis : Catalyst L x W x H ( inches ): 126 x 48-49 x 47 Claimed dry weight ( lbs ): N / A Ski stance ( inches ): 41.5-42.5 ( adjustable ) Front suspension , travel , shocks : AWS 42 double wishbone , 8.2 inches , Fox 1.5 Zero iQS3 shocks Rear suspension , travel , shocks : SlideAction , 13.5 inches , Arctic Cat IFP 1.5 center shock and Fox 2.0 Zero iQS3 rear Track : 15- by 137- by 1.25-inch RipSaw II Fuel capacity : 10.4 gallons MSRP : $ 16,899
26 / NOVEMBER 2024 / SNOWGOER . COM