Ping Pong
18/12/2004, 13h17
http://www.maximumsled.com/maximumsled/snowmobile/articles_layout.asp?articleid=611&zoneid=3
Maximum Sled Review: 2005 Arctic Cat Z 570 LX
Fun, Fast, Furious Fan.
12/14/2004
SLED REVIEWS
Shane Zeppelin
an cooled sleds are fun. If you and your riding buddies all had fan cooled sleds, you would probably have more fun in the ditches and banging drifts than you’d expect. I grew up riding fan and free-air cooled sleds and for the most part, I could ride in a much wider range of snow conditions with one. Fan cooled engines don’t have to rely on getting snow onto the heat exchangers to keep the motor temp down. You could ride in a light dusting of snow, enough to keep the slides lubed, and have a good time. Granted, liquids have more power, but fans are just plain fun.
Arctic Cat offers four fan motors; a 120, 370, 440 and 570. Each one has its place, but the 570 in the Z-chassis makes a great drift-buster. The Z-chassis has a familiar feel and familiar handling and gets its roots from the famed ZR line of sleds. Fitted with the AWS V wishbone front suspension and hydraulic twin-tube shocks and sway bar, the Z 570 LX handles like a mini-cruiser. Equipped with electric start, reverse and mirrors, the Z 570 LX has creature comforts that make it an easy sled to ride.
Arctic Cat’s 570 fan motor is a fan-cooled powerhouse. Equipped with 34mm Mikuni round-slide carbs and a single exhaust, the stated horsepower is at 70, which is plenty to have fun with. You won’t win any races against even the smallest current-build liquid, but it will hold its own. While the Z 570 is a fan cooled sled, it is a little on the heavy side weighing it at 497 lbs. Give the up the LX amenities and you’ll save 35 lbs.
Looking at the rest of the sled, the Z 570 LX is Z-chassis old school with the single headlight round-styled hood and larger (but warmer) windshield with the seat to match. The handlebars include the right/left warmer switches and typical Cat styled throttle lever and hydraulic brakes. There are two gauges on the sled; a speedometer and a gas gauge, but there is a hole for a tach as an option.
When it comes to skis, Arctic Cat uses plastic, even on the entry of entry models, unlike some of the competition. The Z 570 LX has the Cat blow-molded plastic ski, which is better than any steel ski out there and compliments an entry-sled real well. The rear suspension is Arctic’s long travel FasTrack with standard twin-tube shocks and typical skid adjustments for good bump dampening. This suspension is wrapped in a 121x15x.85 track and has adequate grip overall, compared to the power output of the motor, but we like bigger lug tracks and would like to see at least a 1-incher on this model. Color choices are two; red and black and the all-too familiar Arctic Cat green and black.
Overall, the Z 570 LX is a great not-so-entry level fan-cooled model that anyone could have fun with. Unfortunately the Z-chassis is getting dated and I would like to see the next generation fan-cooled Arctic Cat sled come in an F-chassis and in a more “boy-racer” option with racing shocks and taller seat and handlebars. For now, however, the Z 570 LX is the best option Arctic Cat offers in the fan class, and not a bad option by any means.
Maximum Sled Review: 2005 Arctic Cat Z 570 LX
Fun, Fast, Furious Fan.
12/14/2004
SLED REVIEWS
Shane Zeppelin
an cooled sleds are fun. If you and your riding buddies all had fan cooled sleds, you would probably have more fun in the ditches and banging drifts than you’d expect. I grew up riding fan and free-air cooled sleds and for the most part, I could ride in a much wider range of snow conditions with one. Fan cooled engines don’t have to rely on getting snow onto the heat exchangers to keep the motor temp down. You could ride in a light dusting of snow, enough to keep the slides lubed, and have a good time. Granted, liquids have more power, but fans are just plain fun.
Arctic Cat offers four fan motors; a 120, 370, 440 and 570. Each one has its place, but the 570 in the Z-chassis makes a great drift-buster. The Z-chassis has a familiar feel and familiar handling and gets its roots from the famed ZR line of sleds. Fitted with the AWS V wishbone front suspension and hydraulic twin-tube shocks and sway bar, the Z 570 LX handles like a mini-cruiser. Equipped with electric start, reverse and mirrors, the Z 570 LX has creature comforts that make it an easy sled to ride.
Arctic Cat’s 570 fan motor is a fan-cooled powerhouse. Equipped with 34mm Mikuni round-slide carbs and a single exhaust, the stated horsepower is at 70, which is plenty to have fun with. You won’t win any races against even the smallest current-build liquid, but it will hold its own. While the Z 570 is a fan cooled sled, it is a little on the heavy side weighing it at 497 lbs. Give the up the LX amenities and you’ll save 35 lbs.
Looking at the rest of the sled, the Z 570 LX is Z-chassis old school with the single headlight round-styled hood and larger (but warmer) windshield with the seat to match. The handlebars include the right/left warmer switches and typical Cat styled throttle lever and hydraulic brakes. There are two gauges on the sled; a speedometer and a gas gauge, but there is a hole for a tach as an option.
When it comes to skis, Arctic Cat uses plastic, even on the entry of entry models, unlike some of the competition. The Z 570 LX has the Cat blow-molded plastic ski, which is better than any steel ski out there and compliments an entry-sled real well. The rear suspension is Arctic’s long travel FasTrack with standard twin-tube shocks and typical skid adjustments for good bump dampening. This suspension is wrapped in a 121x15x.85 track and has adequate grip overall, compared to the power output of the motor, but we like bigger lug tracks and would like to see at least a 1-incher on this model. Color choices are two; red and black and the all-too familiar Arctic Cat green and black.
Overall, the Z 570 LX is a great not-so-entry level fan-cooled model that anyone could have fun with. Unfortunately the Z-chassis is getting dated and I would like to see the next generation fan-cooled Arctic Cat sled come in an F-chassis and in a more “boy-racer” option with racing shocks and taller seat and handlebars. For now, however, the Z 570 LX is the best option Arctic Cat offers in the fan class, and not a bad option by any means.