I am TJ Leach, XC Snowmobile Racing in New England. Native to Maine, I started racing in 2016. I ride trails primarily, and some backcountry. This channel is to provide some insight into my life around snowmobiling, from riding, training and snowmobile maintenance. Thanks for checking out my channel!
MTB enthusiast should check out my other channel, TJ Leach MTB, where I post off season footage from enduro racing and riding.
I don’t know if that pickle would even start and if it did they wouldn’t think you’re racing, it would just look like a casual stroll down the ditch😂🤣😂🤣
Very much enjoyed your comments on the 600 137 machine. I’m 82 years old and never thought I would buy another machine. Called a dealer at the end of December just killing time was told they had 137 available due to a cancelation and was told if was there the next morning when they opened it was mine if I wanted it I went looked and bought. Only got 360 miles on it because of the lack of snow. Loved it Handled great. Thanks again for your review
@@tjleach_214 we had a 137 for snow drag season. Due to no snow at start my dealer let us cancel and take a 146. These 600s are another f7 in its day 🏆🏆. Making the 800’s 😭. Nice racing 🚀
Great video!! Lots of different angles with good interviews too. I got my fix for speed just watching the POV races without having to take any risk. Ha! Nice views from the 360 GoPro. Congrats for taking the top spot in the stock class. Good thing you sent it to the moon on that one run with Caleb on the Catalyst. Very entertaining.
@@maxdout6262he was already 20 sled lengths behind, the cat is underpowered, we were 6 mph slower on top end on ice races. That's impossible to make any time up on ice with that lack of speed!!
I do! Noticeably less fatigue while riding, and changing lines is very easy. This sled requires a lot less energy to ride. A big selling point for trail and mountain riders.
Awesome. I test drove 2-600's and 2-858's in Pittsburg. I couldn't believe how easy the steering was. I commented how easy it was to maneuver on the trail. I ordered a ZR858 137 ATAC. Can't wait to get it.
@@maxdout6262 awesome! I’m excited for you, I’d recommend some C&APro XPT skis for that 858, will noticeably improve handling and not impact steer effort 👍
2025 orders can include the G8 display, I am sure there will be an update feature for the 2024 models. Also, it’s a race sled so that doesn’t really matter.
I have not, that’s a long trip for me coming from Maine. One day I will get out there to race, but we are working hard to put together a solid race series here in New England.
Think it’s awesome idea running pro 600 at 1:00 instead at end of day. When i raced most spectators were gone before we finished. Pulling 64 gram weights in my fathers catalysts seem to be good but not enough time to really say much more than that. When USCC first came to the east i was there in tug hill NY.They brought DJ Ekra who was probably the fastest XC racer of the time. Raced a lot of SX before that with many wins and championships but was my first XC race. I actually had the fastest lap of the day in whatever class i ran before the pro 600. Can’t remember now the class started running pro open after anyway in the pro 600 i started 6. Back then it was all timed we didn’t start together track was so brutal shortened race to 60 laps. Started 6 pro 600 came through the pack finished second on my 2010 F6 sno pro. DG was in sight but ran out of laps . Second race was Greenville Maine i held DJ off for a while but ended up tipping F6 on side in a turn. After he kept pulling away i just didn’t have the top speed to catch him. Those 2 races was only time i ran with a west racer and kept up there very fast like u mentioned. Went to I 500 in 2011 on my new cat racer. Was doing well but with the - 40 degree temperature in the morning i over dressed started sweating then got roosted with slush from another racer. It was over after that got hypothermia had to call it. Anyway get ur hole-shots figured out some top end speeds u will get to the top. My greatest skill was never giving up motivation and determination. Raced until 2017 after racing with carpal tunnel in both hands since 2015 had to get surgery. Surgery went well but got staff infection from surgery then it was a downward spiral after that with more illness and bad luck. But I still think about racing every day the greatest thing iv ever done. Im old now at 45 and overweight but still want to try racing again. Lot of work i solute u and anyone thats out there racing people dont know the work it takes. Congratulations on ur season keep working hard u will be a winner. Also ur a very good speaker enjoy watching ur videos.
Great video, great explanation of the weekend! Great job!! You get your holeshots figured out, things will really be heating up out there!!! Great job!!
SLP straight line powder pro or Mohawk is better than C&A my experience and option iv had both no comparison. The C&A is way to aggressive great for SX racing off trail but XC they will give u more fatigue in my 15 years of race experience thats my opinion of course. Trail riding the SLP straight lines or powder pro’s i own both unbelievable. One day id love to try sly dog skies in the urban camo look cool but idk how well they work. I have a 2010 Z1 turbo with straight line skies duel runner and there absolutely amazing on the Z1. With duel runners u would swear Z1 has power steering and bite in turns is never lacking. My last few years racing pro XC i had very severe painful carpal tunnel both hands. I always ran C&A but my arms were killing me it was just awful. I went to cats racer page saw the slp powder pros so decided to try them out. Omg what a difference sled still bites hard with way less effort. Did the skies eliminate my carpel tunnel pain no but was much better than with C&A skies. As of now i swear by the SLP skies till i maybe try something different like sly dog maybe. Pretty sure slp lighter than the C&A ski. Have powder pro’s on my 2017 ZR 6000r XC the straight line on my Z1 turbo. My father has cats and doo’s. He bought a used 19 850 doo few years ago had C&A on it. Again steering effort was hard otherwise they worked great. But my father is old he wants easy steering something that doesn’t wear him out. He put SLP Mohawks on doo what a difference. Less steering effort still bites just as good as the C&A did and actually just made sled that much better. I rode his 850 a lot this season while i was doing mods on my sleds was very impressed once again with SLP ski. Some people love the C&A ski i was one of them till i tried the slp ski. In my opinion there is no comparison i recommend anyone to try them before i hear im full of shit lol!! Next ski will be sly dog because i just like to know how they work. One thing i don’t like about slp is the steal saddle after couple years start to rust. That being said the saddle does have 2 runner mount options. U can actually tune handling in with the saddle to less or more aggressive. I get absolutely no darting with the SLP ski either. Run duel runners on the Z1 single shaper bar on my race sled.
@@tjleach_214 i was one of the best at one time liked C&A till didn’t like them. Raced cats for 15 years SX and XC here in the east. Many wins and championships won pro open and stock in 2014 with USCC east. Been riding sleds since I could walk im now 45 years old. I do know a thing or two but like I mentioned its a opinion and my opinion. Iv had both skies on same sleds and i like the SLP much better. If u have never tried them then u might just be missing out. Took me years to try another ski besides the C&A wish I wasn’t so stubborn and tried something new earlier in my race career because i know i could of done even better. Specially 100 mile XC races less effort to save energy would of been a big advantage. In SX id still pick the C&A over anything else probably but have not tried anything else SX racing either but believe C&A probably the best in loose snow conditions. U say the best racers use them and a lot do. But for one thing not everyone is a racer I know for trail riding C&A definitely isn’t the best ski. My opinion is not best for XC pro anyway maybe in a short race like pro open or sport classed the extra bite might be a advantage. My last 3 XC race sleds were my 15-17 ZR600r XC’s. Had C&A on all of them because thats all i ever had or knew. But when i noticed how hard the steering was after riding my father’s XF 6000 i started to wonder if skies were to aggressive. That and my carpal tunnel was just getting worse so i had to try something new and i did. My 17 handled better wasn’t as tippy definitely was a lot easier on my arms. I know its hard to try something new sometimes because it was for me. If i never had the carpal tunnel issue probably wouldn’t of myself. I even bought a hand planer to cut some of the keel off the C&A ski it helped but not enough for me still to aggressive on my 17. Im a mechanic fabricator engine builder sleds bikes ATV’s cars whatever. Always looking for a edge on anything i own for me C&A just wasn’t my favorite ski. Every one is different and have different riding styles and opinions. One thing iv learned over the years is not to trust anyone about much of anything. Listen yes but that doesn’t mean everyone is wrong either. Have to try things for myself to really know what good or works for me. If u haven’t tried SLP skies then ur opinion really doesn’t matter to me. If i have tried them then i do value ur opinion. But don’t mean ill agree either because like i mentioned people have different tastes and opinions. Not gonna say something is the best because thats what everyone uses. Like saying Ski doo is the best because thats what most people buy lol!! Ski doo is a great sled though but i like my cats.
SLP straight line powder pro or Mohawk is better than C&A my experience and option iv had both no comparison. The C&A is way to aggressive great for SX racing but XC they will give u more fatigue in my 15 years of race experience thats my opinion of course. Trail riding the SLP straight lines or powder pro’s i own both unbelievable. One day id love to try sly dog skies in the urban camo look cool but idk how well they work. I have a 2010 Z1 turbo with straight line skies duel runner and there absolutely amazing on the Z1. With duel runners u would swear Z1 has power steering and bite in turns is never lacking. My last few years racing pro XC i had very bad carpal tunnel. I always ran C&A but my arms were killing me it was awful. I went to cats racer page saw the slp powder pros so decided to try them out. Omg what a difference sled still bites hard with way less effort. Did the skies eliminate my carpel tunnel pain no but was much better than with C&A skies. As of now i swear by the SLP skies till i maybe try something different like sly dog maybe. Pretty sure slp lighter than the C&A ski. Have powder pro’s on my 2017 ZR 6000r XC the straight line on my Z1 turbo. My father has cats and doo’s. He bought a used 19 850 doo few years ago had C&A on it. Again steering effort was hard otherwise they worked great. But my father is old he wants easy steering something that doesn’t wear him out. He put SLP Mohawks on doo what a difference. Less steering effort still bites just as good as the C&A did and actually just made sled that much better. I rode his 850 a lot this season while i was doing mods on my sleds was very impressed once again with SLP ski. Some people love the C&A ski i was one of them till i tried the slp ski. In my opinion there is no comparison i recommend anyone to try them before i hear im full of shit lol!! Next ski will be sly dog because i just like to know how they work. One thing i don’t like about slp is the steal saddle after couple years start to rust. That being said the saddle does have 2 runner mount options. U can actually tune handling in with the saddle to less or more aggressive. I get absolutely no darting with the SLP ski either. Run duel runners on the Z1 single shaper bar on my race sled.
Nice to hear the 137 is playful and easy to flick around. Sounds like Cat engineered the Catalyst for a 137 track length. I have a procross in 129 and 137. It is much better in everything except ride quality in 129 length, like it was designed for a 129.
@@tjleach_214 I was at 105 with mine yesterday, I'm really not a big fan of the belt drive because there no other gearing options. Them polaris's are really fast!!
I fucking hate that low gearing, rhe sleds get lower geared and worse on gas it seams like. My 12 etec 800 gets over 200 miles a tank. I can just tell by the rpm yours will not.
@@bingchery it’s actually not even anything to do with pressure, it’s the precise injection system, like a diesel almost. The 850 etec usually does slightly better than the 600s just because they go down the trail better (model depending)
