When it comes to Arctic Cat snowmobiles, the large variety of terms can be confusing, especially for novice riders.
If you would like to find out the meaning of the most common terms related to Arctic Cat snowmobiles, you are in the right place.
For your convenience, we at PowerSportsGuide have compiled all of them into this post!
Arctic Cat Snowmobile Terminology [List]
- AC – Arctic Cat
- AMS – Arctic Mountain Suspension
- APV – Arctic Power Valves
- ARS – Arctic Race Suspension
- ATAC – Adjustable On-the-Fly Suspension (Formerly known as iACT)
- BDX – Black Diamond Xtreme
- CDI – Capacitive Discharge Ignition Module
- CFR – CrossFire R
- D-Drive (or DD) – Diamond Drive
- ECM – Electronic Control Module
- ECT – Exhaust Controlled Timing System
- ETT – Extra Travel Tunnel
- EXT – Exterminator
- F/A – Free Air Cooling
- HCR – Hill Climb Racer
- LXR – Luxury
- RR – Racing Replica
- SP – Sno Pro
- TSL – Torque Sensing Link
- ZL – Zulawski Light
- ZR – Zulawski Racing
- ZRT – Zulawski Racing Triple
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about these terms in detail!
Acronyms in Arctic Cat Snowmobile Names
What does the Arctic Cat EXT Stand for?
According to SnoWest, the Arctic Cat EXT stands for “Exterminator.” The Arctic Cat EXT and MOD series were considered the “hottest sleds” in the 1970s.
The manufacturers used thrilling model names like Polaris Trail Extreme (TX) or the Ski-Doo Track ‘n Trail (TNT). As an answer, Cat released the high-performance Arctic Cat Exterminator (EXT) in 1971.
What is an Arctic Cat Crossfire?
The Arctic Cat Crossfire (CF) family was a famous crossover line released in 2006. The first Crossfire sleds featured the advanced M-Series platform and borrowed the best parts from their mountain and trail counterparts.
They were very versatile sleds that did a good job on the trails and in powder.
What does the Arctic Cat CFR Stand for?
The Arctic Cat CFR stands for “CrossFire R.” This model was considered to be the “short track CF” as the sled came with a 128”x14”x1” track from the factory.
Therefore, it was recommended for trail rides and offered much higher speeds than the basic CF models.
What does the Arctic Cat XF Stand for?
Another famous Arctic Cat crossover series was the XF family built on the lightweight ProCross platform.
For the 2012 model year, the manufacturer revealed nine brand new XF crossover sleds, including the XF800, XF1100, and the XF1100 Turbo.
What does the Arctic Cat LXR stand for?
The LXR label on Arctic Cat snowmobiles stands for “Luxury.” The Arctic Cat LXR models are considered performance touring sleds, meaning they share the platform and engine with the trail performance line.
On the other hand, the “Luxury Package” typically offers many comfort features like adjustable seats, handlebar, and windshield.
They are also equipped with reverse and often have softer suspensions for plush rides. (However, specific LXR models share the same suspensions as the trail performance machines.)
What does the ZR Stand for in Arctic Cat Snowmobiles?
As reported by SnowTechMagazine, the ZR acronym in Artic Cat snowmobile names means “Zulawski Racing.”
This name comes from Dennis Zulawski, a talented engineer who designed the first A-arm suspension for Arctic Cat. Over the years, he contributed to several other innovations and worked for the company until the 2000s.
What does the Arctic Cat ZRT stand for?
The Arctic Cat ZRT means “Zulawski Racing Triple,” which were high-performance snowmobiles with three-cylinder engines.
The ZRT line had two models, the ZRT 600 and the ZRT 800; both sleds hit the market in 1995 and remained in production through 2002.
What does the Arctic Cat ZL stand for?
The Arctic Cat ZL stands for “Zuwalski Lite.” The ZL family was revealed in 1998 and was marketed until 2003.
What does the Arctic Cat RR Stand for?
Just like on many other powersport vehicles, on Arctic Cat snowmobiles, the RR stands for Race Replica.
These sleds are designed and marketed for performance-minded riders who want to become snocross racers for at least a couple of weekends!
What does the Arctic Cat HCR Stand for?
The Arctic Cat HCR is an acronym that means “Hill Climb Racer.” The Arctic Cat HCR family was manufactured from 2009 through 2017.
As the name suggests, these sleds offered outstanding climbing abilities even in stock condition.
One of the main competitors of HCRs was the Polaris RMK Assault introduced in 2009.
Arctic Cat Snowmobile Terms Explained
What does the Arctic Cat ETT Stand for?
The Arctic Cat ETT is an acronym for Extra Travel Tunnel. This unique kinked tunnel design offered more space for the track on sleds with a long-travel rear suspension.
This increased area provided room for the increased suspension travel without raising the seat position, which resulted in a lower center of gravity and better overall handling.
What does the Arctic Cat TSL Stand for?
Arctic Cat TSL stands for “Torque Sensing Link,” which is a fancy name for an advanced long-travel skid used on Cats around the Millennium.
This revolutionary rear suspension system used the torque generated by the track to compensate for the rear arm’s compression. This technology offered a quicker response during acceleration and more extended suspension travel regardless of speed.
The TSL skid came hand-in-hand with the Extra Travel Tunnel (ETT) on most sleds.
What does the Arctic Cat APV Stand for?
Arctic Cat APV, or Arctic Power Valves, is the name of the manufacturer’s variable exhaust power valves.
Like competitor brands (Ski-Doo: RAVE, Polaris: VES, Yamaha: YPVS) Arctic Cat also upgraded their 2-stroke engines with power valves. Thanks to this advanced technology, these engines offered more power and lower fuel consumption.
When did Arctic Cat Start Using Power Valves?
Although Yamaha had already introduced its YPVS system in 1983, Arctic Cat only started using power valves in 2001.
The first Cat snowmobiles with power valves were the 2001 ZR500, ZR600, and ZR800.
What does the Arctic Cat EFI Stand for?
On Arctic Cat snowmobiles, the acronym EFI means “Electronic Fuel Injection.”
This means these engines utilize innovative fuel injection systems instead of outdated carburetors. What’s more, Arctic Cat snowmobiles didn’t feature a regular EFI system.
Instead, the manufacturer developed a unique “batteryless” system. The Arctic Cat BEFI (batteryless electronic fuel injection) system was revolutionary as it didn’t require a battery.
This was a game-changer on mountain sleds, as a battery was an undesired extra weight on these machines. What’s more, early EFI systems were quite picky about battery voltage, which caused many headaches for mountain riders.
What Year did Arctic Cat Start EFI?
The first Arctic Cat EFI engine debuted in the 1997 ZR 580 EFI.
This innovative sled was powered by a liquid-cooled 580cc twin and utilized AWS IV front suspension and FasTrack Long Travel rear suspension.
What is the Arctic Cat ATAC?
The Arctic Cat ATAC is a revolutionary “On-The-Fly” electronic suspension that can be adjusted by pressing a button on the handlebar. This unique technology allows you to choose from stiff, medium, and soft settings or even lockout mode based on your needs and the terrain.
This means that if you want to set a new compression setting, you don’t have to stop and get off the machine. The ATAC system was formerly called iACT.
What is the Arctic Cat Diamond Drive?
The Arctic Cat Diamond Drive was basically an alternative chaincase that replaced the regular chain and sprockets with a unique “planetary gear set.”
This innovative system was more efficient and lighter than a regular chaincase and made it much easier to replace the tracks on the sleds.
What Year did Arctic Cat Come out with the Diamond Drive?
The Arctic Cat Diamond Drive was introduced in 2003 and was first available on the 2004 Arctic Cat ZR 900.
Although the D-Drive was a revolutionary idea, it was expensive to manufacture and harder to modify than a regular chaincase. What’s more, it was a pretty complex system, so it wasn’t easy to fix.
Finally, after many years of production Arctic Cat ceased the Diamond Drive in 2011.
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