OSM 36.5

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POLARIS MORE POWER PLEASE

VOL 36 • SPRING • $ 5.95

YAMAHA JUST RIDE SKI-DOO NEW CHASSIS. NEW TECH ARCTIC CAT A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

DISPLAY UNTIL AUG 31, 2022

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BOOST Swarmy throttles up the mountain on the Polaris Pro RMK Boost Rider: Tyler Swarm Location: Island Park, Idaho

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POLARIS 2023 MORE POWER PLEASE. FACTORY BOOST AND BIG BORE

YAMAHA 2023

ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD

DRIFTS INDUSTRY NEWS

48 58 22 24

SKI-DOO & LYNX 2023 NEW CHASSIS. NEW TECH AND MORE

ARCTIC CAT 2023

ALL THE INTEL AND LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

WORD SEARCH SUDOKU

POLARIS.COM

WORLD’S MOST CAPABLE CROSSOVERS

WORK HARD. HAVE FUN. REPEAT. We know our riders do both. And we’re not going to let anyone down on either front. What good is a sled that does work, but is boring to ride? It’s not very good at all. You know what’s worse? One that is boring to ride and isn’t capable of doing anything more than getting off the trailer. That’s why we build two of the most capable crossover sleds in the business. The new Matryx based Voyageur and the TITAN. Built to haul heavy loads, handle deep snow hill climbing and hard work out in the backcountry. And in true Polaris fashion... they do it with a high-performance attitude.

On trail, off trail, hauling or hauling. By yourself or with buddies. We’ve got sleds that’ll change the way you see work or play.

See the new 2022 Voyageur and TITAN at your local Dealer, hauling, two-upping or having fun.

©2021 Polaris Industries Inc. Photographed using highly skilled professional operators under controlled conditions. Polaris recommends that all riders take a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride.

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT 1-888-661-7469 President & Publisher: Richard Kehoe Copy Editor: Rick Bloye Art Director: Darryl Aspin

Trail Users

Production Manager: Tendra Crossman

Using a right-of-way? For everyone’s safety:

Director of Sales & Marketing: Andrew McEwan

• • • • •

Respect landowners No camping or fires Keep to edges of right-of-way Report deep ruts, damaged signs or unusual activity Contact us at: 1-855-458-6715 public_awareness@tcenergy.com

Advertising Sales: 1-888-661-7469

Coordinator: Jake Hudson Administrative Assistant: Sarah Day Photographers: Todd Williams, Rob Alford, Emily Wicklund, Taylor Batch, James Wicken, Rob Alford, Richard Kehoe, Tendra Crossman, Maria Sandberg, Shelby Mahon, Chris Burandt, Brian Caswell, Levi LaVallee, Kristen LaVallee, Museum of Ingenuity J. Armand Bombardier Archives, Mike Duffy, Andrew McEwan, Brent Geerlings Contributing Writers: Mark Boncher, Jeff Steenbakkers, Jason Kawczynski, Levi LaVallee, Chris Burandt, Tyler Swarm, Darren Desautels, Maria Sandberg, Rob Alford, Jordan Hammack, Richard Kehoe, Mike Duffy, Andrew McEwan, Brent Geerlings, Jake Hudson Subscriptions: 1-888-661-7469 or info@osmmag.com OSM is published six times a year by OSM Publishing Ltd. Office address and undelivered copies and change of address notice is: 27083 Kennedy Road, Willow Beach, ON L0E 1S0, Canada. Telephone (905) 722-6766. Printed in Canada by: Trade Secrets • Copyright 2022 OSM Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Subscription rates for magazine (includes Trail Map Atlas) $19.00 per year, $29.00 for 2 years. $37.00 for 3 years.

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

drifts

Richard Kehoe

ANOTHER SEASON IN THE BOOKS

he 2022 season was a great couple of months with a snowy winter and like so many of us, we were able to get back to many of our favourite destination places that we missed last year. Living in Ontario I have been fortunate to have ridden the extensive trail system all over the province and this season. And I was able to spend even more time riding in the province than I have in the last decade. Many of us don’t have to trailer far or at all, with the vast OFSC trail system spanning so far. For me living an hour north of Toronto I have a lot of access to the trails from my backyard, and I appreciate them. One of my favorite rides this year was a throw back from when I was a kid. For three days I was able to re-explore the Haliburton Highlands with no “real” itinerary. Travelling around this area was stress free, almost calming with the beautiful scenery and reliable trails. Fuel, accommodations, and food are all widely available and it’s easy to navigate the trails with many loops. The Highlands has been a go to place for so many as its close to major populations and almost always has good snow accumulation. The snowmobile atmosphere is one of the best

POWER IN THE PIPES

in Canada with the fast-paced lakes and portages, the great trails, a seemingly endless amounts of welcoming towns with services. Not to mention that you’re able to snowmobile through Algonquin Park and of course ride to the wolves at the Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve. On this type of ride, I always look for the local gem. The stuff you share with others when talking about the area. It’s the smaller aspects of a trip that you found or tripped over that might not be on the map, but that give you destinations you’ll want to share or travel back to. On this trip I was able to find a few while we were filling our sleds with fuel. The Highlands has no shortage of these with their local restaurants, resorts, breweries, and businesses. At the southern edge of Algonquin Park in the town of Harcourt the South Algonquin Country Store is a coffee shop/ LCBO/grocery/hardware and fuel station all-in-one. Here you will find an extensive offering of coffee from far and wide with many different styles that makes a place like Starbucks envious. There’s a barista there that can draw a complement from the most snobbish coffee connoisseur. It was such an experience that I can’t wait to visit again. On this trip we also tripped on the legendary loaded cheese bread from the Eagle Lake Country Market. This bread is so good that it even has a hint of bacon and could easily be classified as the best bread in Canada. If you can, my recommendation is to buy at least two as it will not all make it home. When deciding on your various rides next year, maybe you should look at re-exploring an area close to you like the Highlands is to me. If you haven’t been there for a while a lot has probably changed and you never know what you will find. Until next time, enjoy the summer, the warmth and we’ll see you again this fall at a Toronto Snowmobile show.

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

news SKINZ LEFT 01 NO IN THE GAME

Sadly, the Skinz Protective Gear Company announced that after twenty years in operation that they will be permanently closing their doors. Skinz Protective Gear was manufacturing handguards, hoods, various pads, A-arms, bumpers and running boards as well as many other products and most importantly all in the USA. This is yet another blow to domestic manufacturing… Skinz’s manufacturing equipment is going to be auctioned off.

CAN-AM’S ON 02 BACK TWO WHEELS

Almost 50 years after Can-AM first started manufacturing twowheel motorcycles the company has reintroduced an all-electric line-up and are expected to hit the market in 2024. You don’t have to be a fortune teller or a palm reader to see the trend that BRP will be announcing more and more electric vehicles across all their product lines in the very near feature.

03 CROWNED

AGAIN – ALL RISE FOR KING HERF

After eight rounds Cor Powersports race series came to an end with Zach Herfindahl winning both Pro Open and Pro Factory 600 classes, Bo Bunke won Semi-Pro Improved, and Evan Peppel became the Semi-Pro Factory 600 champ. Craig Ritzinger was declared the Pro Factory Vet champion and Lydia Sobeck rounded out the pro classes with her championship in Pro Factory Women.

04 SNOWMOBILES RACING AGAIN

AT SPIRIT MOUNTAIN

For decades Spirt Mountain in Duluth, Minnesota has hosted the Snocross snowmobile racing season opener. And for the last few years it hasn’t felt right for the racing community not to have had a race to see flying high over Lake Superior. Cor Powersports was welcomed to host a cross-country race high above the bay in 2022 and it didn’t disappoint. Both Pro Open and Pro Factory 6 races featured flat out racing for 15 laps. Zach Herfinadahl won both classes with times of, 1:04.33 (Open) and 1:07:50 (600) on his Arctic Cat with Marshall Busse’s Polaris sitting in the bridesmaid position in both classes. Semi Pro races were 12 laps with Parker Krumm winning Pro 600 Improved on his Ski-Doo and Jesse Hallstrom getting the win in Factory 600 aboard his Arctic Cat. We’re hoping that racing will return again to Duluth in 2023.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

news

05 WESTERN

POWERSPORTS PARENT COMPANY IN ACQUISITION MODE

Shortly after purchasing WPS, Arrowhead Engineering has now acquired Best4Forst. Best4Forst specializes in forestry gear, products and tools. This acquisition will fit well within Arrowhead Engineering’s portfolio that specializes with products in powersports, automotive, heavy-duty trucks, outdoor power equipment.

08 SNOWMOBILER TRAVELS 1700KMS BUCKET LIST TRIP

Forty-four-year-old Neco Towtongie snowmobiled 1,700 kilometres from Yellowknife NWT to Arviat Nunavut in just seven days. Two of which were in a Blizzard. Towtongie packed his sleigh with two of everything just in case of a breakdown or an emergency, his sleigh also included 265 litres of fuel. Of the 265 litres he only used 208 litres plus the additional 38 litres of fuel that he started with in his snowmobile tank. On average his fuel consumption was 14.124 L/100KM.

06 SNOWMOBILE

FATALITIES DROP IN ONTARIO

According to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), they have only investigated thirteen fatalities in Ontario from Snowmobile related accidents over the winter of 2022. At this same time last year there were fifteen, these numbers are significantly down from 2016 and 2017 when there were 27 fatalities. The OPP says that the major contributing factors to these numbers include speed, alcohol and the driver’s ability. Nearly forty percent of these deaths happen on or close to frozen bodies of water.

MORE 07 NO POLARIS

LOVE TO RUSSIA

Recently Polaris decided to suspend snowmobile and off-road products being shipped to Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. We are not sure when exports will resume at this time.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

WORLD’S 09 LARGEST SNOWMOBILE & ATV SHOW IS BACK..

Powersports enthusiasts across North America were glad to hear The 35th annual Toronto Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show, proudly presented by AMSOIL announced there dates earlier this month for 2022 – Back for this fall, the show will take place October 21-23, 2022 at the International Centre. Coupons are now available on-line and advanced discount tickets are now on sale. Mark your calendars now, we did. www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

news

POLARIS EV IS COMING

Seems that Polaris is well on their way to releasing an electric snowmobile. Polaris has shown a variety of photos of different electric test vehicles which includes snowmobiles. Is there a need for Polaris to deliver an electric snowmobile? We’d say yes, there is an appetite and open wallets since their newly released electric Ranger XP Kinetic side-by-side (claimed to be the most powerful UTV gas or electric on the market) sold out in a matter of hours from its launch. More to come on this however their strategic partnership with ZERO Motorcycles was very well planned out.

KELLY SHIRES BREAST CANCER SNOW RUN RAISES OVER $375,000

Even though this was the second year of a virtual event KSBC Snow Run was able to raise over $375,000 with Dorothy Creighton leading all fund raisers with an incredible $26,000. Next Year KSBC will be back to their usual in person event February 3-5, 2023 hosted at Hidden Valley Resort, Huntsville, Ontario. www.breastcancersnowrun.org

11 CSRA

CROWNS MCCOY PRO OPEN CHAMP ONCE AGAIN

With a full race schedule and six stops in different cities, the CSRA had a successful series for 2022. For the second time in as many years Taylor McCoy aboard his Ski-Doo captured the CSRA Pro Open championship. Ski-Doo racers in general had a very successful series claiming all pro championships in 2022. Deckland Henshaw captured Pro Lite, Francois Turgeon won the championship in Pro AM Vet and Dakota Karkoulas took the Pro AM Women Championship home. CSRA’s UTV classes had Gren Called winning the points title aboard his Kawasaki in the UTV 1000cc Production, and Ken Avann becoming the 1000cc Turbo champ with his Polaris RZR Turbo.

13 BRP

EXPANDS MANITOU PONTOON WORKFORCE

In an era that North America is always trying to expand its manufacturing, BRP answered the bell. BRP’s Manitou Pontoon plant in St. Johns, Michigan expanded its workforce to almost 200 good jobs. The Lansing Economic Area Partnership helped BRP with the expansion with performance workforce training credits and grants.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

ALWAYS READY FOR A SNOW DAY. THE 2021 FORD F-150

When conditions are rough, when you need something tough, smart, capable and productive you can rely on the 2021 F-150 to help get you where you’re going. Equipped with a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body^ and an available 3.5L PowerBoost™ Full Hybrid V6 Engine that will take you and your toys to your destination. Once you’re there, you can wield up to a massive 7.2kW of exportable power with available Pro Power Onboard™. So, when you need to plug in and power up, the Ford F-150 has got you covered.

^6000-series aluminum alloy ©2021 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: Professional driver. Closed course. Always consult the owner’s manual before off-road driving, know your terrain and trail difficulty, and use appropriate safety gear. Ford is committed to the preservation of the environment and treading lightly.

news

SLEDS – 1000 14 2 MILES - 24 HOURS

The second annual 1000 Mile Challenge took place again in New Brunswick and saw Rudi Fowler and Sam Charters ride 1,058 aboard their 2016 and ’17 Arctic Cat ZR 8000s all for charity. Their goal is simple, raise as much money as possible with their snowmobiles and send as many kids as possible to summer camp. www.1000milechallenge.ca

VP RACING 15 FUELS ANNOUNCES TRANSITION TO TECH

VP Racing Fuels, producer of performance fuels, lubricants and additives, recently announced that it is leaving the racing and automotive product industry, changing the company name, and shifting focus to the technology sector. VP will discontinue production and sales of its current product lines and begin producing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for the metaverse under the name of VP Tech, Inc. NFT price points will vary.

MOONBIKE RAISING PRICE

Touted as the world’s first electric Snowbike, the MoonBike will be $400 more as a direct result of the rising costs of components, materials and logistics. The price of the all-electric 42KM/H MoonBike is now $8,900.

RACERS 17 SKI-DOO OLSTAD AND

AKLESTAD WIN IRON DOG

Nick Olstad and Tyler Akelstad were the first to finish the 2,645 miles of the Iron Dog race in a time of 53 hours, 27 minutes and 21 seconds aboard their 2022 MXZ X-RS 600 snowmobiles. This was the second time in three years Olstad and Aklestad placed first in the gruelling race. “I’ll say without a doubt that was the roughest Iron Dog I’ve ever done,” Aklestad told reports after crossing the Wasilla finish. With the victory, Aklestad now has three wins under his belt while Olstad now has 5 Iron Dog titles to his name. It also marks the third consecutive year Ski-Doo riders have claimed the checkered flag in the race with the Aklestad-Olstad duo also winning in 2020. Brad George and Robert Schachle took the win in 2021.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

news

ARCTIC CAT UP 18 TEAMS WITH NISSAN

Parent company of Arctic Cat, Textron has teamed up with Nissan to manufacturer NASA’s next Lunar Terrain Vehicle. Nissan is said to be bringing its knowledge of design and innovation, with autonomous driving to the new electric rover. While Textron will be responsible to create a chassis with suspension that can handle terrain on the moon. Question is, “Will this partnership grow into something more?” Time will tell.

19 TAIGA

BEGINS ROAD TO DELIVERING

It feels like it has been a long time coming, but Taiga Motors Corp., has started to deliver their Nomad snowmobiles to customers. Taiga CEO Sam Bruneau, had this to say about the recent news, “The delivery of our Nomad snowmobile is the realization of a seven-year vision to provide riders an electric snowmobile that does not compromise performance while preserving the environment.” No confirmation yet on delivery dates for their EKKO mountain or their ATLAS crossover snowmobiles.

WORLD 20 NEW RECORD - 2125

MILES IN 24 HOURS

Willie Ewing from Baudette, Minnesota set a new world record traveling 2,125 miles on his 2022 Arctic Cat Thundercat in only 24 hours on Lake of the Woods. When asked why he chose a Thundercat the answer was simple, “Reliability, comfort of the ride and speed.” Ewing figure he had to average at least 100 MPH to surpass the old record (which he did). All the money raised to set his world record went to give children the opportunity to attend bible camps. www.1day4kids.com

21 SNOWMOBILERS MAKE A

DIFFERENCE - $41K RAISED FOR EASTER SEALS KIDS Late this winter sixty-seven snowmobilers snowmobiled from Algoma Rod & Gun to Searchmont, Ontario and back travelling over 140 kilometres. The group raised a total of $41,396.42 which will go towards items such as wheelchairs and walkers and will also help offer kids the excitement of experiencing a fully accessible Easter Seals Camp.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

Sudbury’s Best Motel Accomodations

HOPING TO WIN A HARLEY?

The Pink Ribbon Riders have announced their latest prize that they will be Two Night Accommodations i raffling off September 27, 2022. If you want to support the Pink Ribbon Riders Two Night Accommodations TwoSudbury Night in Accommodat now is a great time to purchase a ticket to win a 2022 Harley Davidson Fat Boy Sudbury Sudbury 114 FLFBS which has a retail value of $21,549. Tickets are limited to 2500 and are offered at $30 each or two for $50. www.pinkribbonriders.com

23 POLARIS

EXPANDS IN ROSSEAU

Right on the D111 Trail

ü Snowmobile C & D trail access to the door. ü Snowmobile C &paved D trail&access the door. ü Large fully secureto parking lot accommodates large ü Snowmobile C & D trailmany access to ü Large fully paved ü & secure parking lot accommodates many large trailers. Gas station, Restaurant and Tim Horton’s access offlot theaccommod trails fro ü Large fully paved & secure parking Polaris is expanding their robotic paint application system in Roseau, ü Gas station, Restaurant and Tim Horton’s access off the close trails by from motel. üü Royal Distributing off trail. access Gas station, Restaurant and Timthe Horton’s Minnesota, with a new 28,000 square foot building expansion. This new ü Royal Distributing close by off theRates trail. and Park ‘n’ Ride Packages. ü Special Snowmobile ü Royal Distributing close by off th ü Special Rates and Park ‘n’ Ride Packages. expansion will have a new robotic liquid paint system which will support both Snowmobile ü Visit www.MoonlightInn.ca or call 1-800-424-0321 for accomm ü Special Snowmobile Rates and Park ‘n’ ü Visit www.MoonlightInn.ca or call 1-800-424-0321 for accommodation information. snowmobiles and off-road vehicles. ü Visit www.MoonlightInn.ca or call 1-800-424-03 information. *Reservation is required & subject to availability between: December 22, 2014 to Marc information. *Reservation is required & subject to availability between: December 22, 2014 to March 1, 2015.

Free continental breakfast Room includes: fridge, microwave, coffee maker

extended stay kitchenettes

*Accommodations include one guest room and breakfast for two people for two nigh is two required & subject availability between: Decemb *Accommodations include one guest room and*Reservation breakfast for people for twotonights. *Accommodations include one guest room and breakfast for two

Royal Distributing close-by off the trail Special Rates & Park ‘n’ Ride Packages

1-800-424-0321 www.moonlightinn.ca ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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www.shopcytgear.ca www.cytnorth.ca TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 36 • ISSUE 5

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e ry 2-strok of a facto e o, s g a a le s n re o seaso ince the in sled tw a ta c n ri u e o m m turbo ss North A ghts of ders acro ou flatland ri g at the th . Why n ti n saliva e ine e h b c a e v m a il h oke tra tr -s on 2 o rb o c ht tu ere mm a lightweig y not, or what if, w h w . can’t they, d discussion points an questions

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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2023 has truly given a gift to the speed demons who just couldn’t break the habit of wearing 2-stroke cologne home after a day enjoying the trails. Thanks to our friends in Roseau, Minnesota their dreams have finally become a reality. Now you can have your choice of a armstretching Patriot 850 Boost for any segment of riding you choose! That’s not enough for you? Don’t worry, they didn’t stop there! With a sense of equal opportunities for all, the mountain riders and 4-stroke fuel economists are also getting their gifts as well. There are no less than TWO new motors coming out, in addition to the industry-changing sea level turbo.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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IT’S HARD TO SAY NO TO YOUR ITCHY THROTTLE THUMB WHEN YOU ARE RIDING THE POLARIS KHAOS WITH BOOST!

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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Turbos for everyone! Bringing back the extremely popular Patriot Boost RMK (that sold out in roughly 3 days last year), you now have a plethora of new options to choose from to feed your boost addiction. Mountain riders can choose from the Pro RMK and the RMK Khaos in 155”,163” and 165” track lengths. Crossover riders get the coveted Matryx Assault 146” and trails can choose from either a 129” or 137” VR1. Naysayers all around will sure to be asking, “Why do you need something like that for low elevations” but the answer many will give is “Why NOT?” In any Polaris you choose, you are going to start with 10% more power than a standard naturally aspirated 850 at sea level and that percentage goes up with the elevation. That equates to about 3-5% more power every 1000ft closer to the clouds that you ride, all factors being equal. So, most riders will effectively see a larger than 10% power increase in most of their riding areas sans maybe those who ride exclusively on the Hudson Bay. Run it simply on 91 octane or better pump fuel and the Polaris SmartBoost Combustion Control System offers up to 9 pounds of boost when the elevation demands it. As we have mentioned before, the 850 motor was designed from day one with the turbo in mind, so this is nothing like an aftermarket bolt on. You can count on a complete engineered package that will give you reliable performance backed by a factory warranty. This isn’t just a motor that will take you to speeds that can surpass Doc Brown’s DeLorean, they do a lot more. This motor

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

has been so exquisitely tuned to perfection and provides superior fun factor at any speed. Expect to find smooth power delivery and quiet operation, no terrible bodily sounds but with power for days whether it be off the line, at cruising speeds and top end. You get a factory setup and no cheater tweaks, so this sled will respond to you by standing its skis in the air at any point that you request. Cruising along at trail speeds, just grab a handful of throttle and hang on. Please be safe, no need to look behind you to see if your buddy is still chasing to pass you, because he is NOT (unless he is on a turbo of his own). We can firmly attest the sled handles the same as their naturally aspirated counterparts. The turbo package adds only a nominal amount of weight, but in comparison boasts nearly a 100 pounds less than a stock 4-stroke turbo equivalent. Stealthy and envious onlookers at pitstops will be able to identify you with the Sinister Amber LED headlight accents that are the exclusive trademark look of the Patriot Boost and 9R lineup. Unfortunately, these gems don’t come very cheap so you may want to secure your lotto tickets or hope for grandma’s inheritance come next December when the new snow check turbos arrive.

MODEL YEAR 2023 BRINGS A FEW NEW TWEAKS ON VARIOUS MODELS AS WELL AS AN ENTIRE LINEUP FULL OF COOL COLOUR CHANGES.

A QUICK LEG OUT, CARVE, THEN HIT OF THE FUNLEVER AND THE NEWEST POLARIS MOUNTAIN SLEDS ARE BACK UP THE HILL.

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Free Breath’n Fun No turbo needed? Not a problem! Polaris has you covered with plenty of options for trails and beyond. The ease of riding any Matryx chassis sled is no longer a secret, and Polaris spread Matryx love to everyone this season. With the dramatic increase in trail traffic this season, most every owner of a new ’23 will be able to confidently dodge the countless newbie riders on these narrow and comfortable modern machines. All snow check and most in season models will now ride solely on the Matryx chassis as the only remnants of the Axyz chassis will be found only within the entry level and youth lineup, most powered by the 550 fan motor. The Polaris flagship for the trails, the Indy VR1 returns mostly unchanged with a few minor updates. Now all models come standard with 7S display, WER Velocity shock package and have new color options for full customization. Select from either a 129” or 137” track length both being available with three lug configurations of the 1.25 Ice Ripper XT, 1.35” Cobra or our personal favorite the 1.5 Storm. The #1 OSM rider chosen sled from 2022, the race inspired Matryx Indy XCR returns again… and at a nice price point too as it has the less tricked out gauge. Due to the difference in track pitch it comes only with the ever so different 128” or 136” track lengths as compared to the rest of the trail models, and in track choices of 1.25”ice ripper, or the 1.35” and 1.6” Cobra. Assault models return as well in both 650 and 850 Patriot motor choices with the standard snow check

package of Walker Evans Velocity shocks and four different lug options from 1.35” to 2” on this 146” chassis. Somewhat to our disappointment this sled is again only fitted with the non-adjustable trail width 42.5” front end. However, you will find a new mid-width front end that is available on the SKS, that could have been a very nice option for this iconic crossover. Choosing a mid-level XC trim package will give you the options between the Indy 129 or 136” with available motors in both the 650 or 850 Patriot, as well as the new S4 4-stroke. Also returning is the Switchback XC 146 with only options for the 650 and 850 motors. All XC models come standard with the proven performance of the Fox QS3 shock package The SP value line trim comes with a ton of new updates for 2023. Not only do you now get the latest Matryx chassis across the spectrum, but a lot of other goodies are now standard as well like smart warmers and LED headlights. All models come with IFP shocks and the 650 Patriot motor as the only option, and the 600 Cleanfire offered last season is now officially phased out. A new Switchback SP also includes all of the aforementioned options and gives you a 146” crossover length in a value package, saving over $1k versus the similarly equipped in season XC package released last season.

The Indy Adventure also returns but adds the option of the S4 motor. For those looking for an easy ride that you can take a passenger along, the all-new Indy Adventure X2 features a 1+1 suspension setting, dual runner carbides and removable seat that can be quickly changed around to accommodate a passenger when needed. However, the X2 will only be available equipped with the 650 Patriot or S4 motor and unfortunately not an option with the 850 as is a choice with the standard Adventure. Both the Adventure and Adventure X2 will have the option to order the 7S display as well for those necessary GPS guided “Adventure” trips.

MATRYX INDY XCR IS BACK AND JUST AS FAST, WITH AS MUCH BUMP-CRUSHING FUN AS LAST YEAR. ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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New ProStar S4 4-Stroke Polaris joins the smokeless crowd with their all new S4 motor. This parallel twin may look surprisingly familiar to the dirt riders and it should as it’s based on ProStar 1000 motor powering the Polaris ATV/UTV lineup. Sharing most of the top end design, this motor differs with a dry sump oil system to let the engine mount lower in the chassis. With millions of these ProStar motors produced throughout the years in various styles by Polaris, their proven reliability is sure to carry over into snowmobiles. Featuring 1000cc of displacement and a power range somewhere around 90hp, they won’t be the fastest on the trail but tuned for great overall performance and excellent fuel economy. It also features an electronic throttle control that delivers precise control with little discernable difference in operation than a traditional cable throttle. As with many other E.T.C. motors, it also comes pre-configured with three drive modes, Eco, Standard and Sport. Easily changed at your fingertips on the fly, for whatever mood you find yourself in. This S4 is available in the Indy XC, Adventure, Voyager, Nordic Pro and Titan.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

BACK AGAIN IN 650CC ONLY IS THE SKS WITH ITS PERFECT SIZE 146 CROSSOVER TRACK FOR PLENTY OF OFF-TRAIL AND EXTREMELY FUN ON-TRAIL EXCITEMENT.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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THIS YEAR IS A ROWDY 9R VERSION OF THE KHAOS WILL BE AT THE TOP OF THE NATURALLY ASPIRATED SLED WORLD.

Mucho Mountain Options All the popular favorites return with their specifically descriptive names as well as the new SKS 146. Choose from six core models in 2023, with sub-configurations of various motors and tracks to give you a whopping 26 different options that can tackle the deepest terrain. All in-season offerings will be only the 650 and 850 motors, where Patriot Boost and 9R can be secured via pre-order within the Pro RMK/ Khaos Slash models. No more is there a choice for the Axyz platform anywhere here as all of the full size mountain lineup transitions exclusively to Matryx. New for ’23, the Khaos now comes with Patriot Boost and 9R motor options as well as the standard 850 returning from 2022. The 9R Khaos will only be offered in a 146” length where the 850 and Patriot boost will TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

be in a 155”, 163” and 165” track lengths. The Khaos and Pro RMK Slash models will now be available in-season in all track lengths as the standard Pro RMK is now only offered in a 155”… however now has the 650 Patriot as an extra option. The somewhat newcomer to the mountain lineup, Matryx 650 SKS is dubbed the crossover of a crossover. With characteristics between a Switchback and mountain sled, it boasts good deep snow capabilities with superior on-trail performance. Its 39-41” adjustable front suspension finally offers a mid-width front end between the trail/crossover lineup and the RMK/Khaos 36-38”. Standard options also include a 146” x 2” crossover track, LED lighting and smart warmers, but only with the Pro CC rear suspension and IFP shock package.

NEW FOR ’23, THE KHAOS NOW COMES WITH PATRIOT BOOST AND 9R MOTOR OPTIONS AS WELL AS THE STANDARD 850 RETURNING FROM 2022.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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Patriot 9R Big Bore! You will need to find something different next season to pass the time in your garage modding your new sled while waiting for the snow to fall. Polaris has done the work for you with the factory big bore 900cc Patriot Engine. All the mods needed to squeeze that last bit of power from a stock engine come pre-configured for your ease and fun. Offering an estimated 7% increase in horsepower and 12% increase in torque at any elevation versus a standard 850 this fast revving naturally aspirated beast will give you near Patriot Boost power at sea level in a slightly lighter weight package. Its low inertia design features a lightweight crank and flywheel paired with the P22 clutch, which provides you with a very snappy package. Only available on the Pro RMK and Khaos Slash models for 2023.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

AVAILABLE IN BOTH THE PRO RMK AND KHAOS SLASH, THE 9R BIG BORE IS A FACTORY MOD SLED THAT RIVALS ANYTHING YOU’LL SEE AT JACKSON HOLE.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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Cool Air Kid!

Budget seekers and youth riders have a lot of options to choose from with the extensive lineup of entry level sleds still offered in 2023, that fit in nearly every riding segment. Youth and beginner riders have the classic trailing arm 120 Indy, the Evo 121” and Evo RMK 144”. Segment buyers can choose from the Indy Sport for trails, Switchback Sport for crossover use, 550 Voyager for work/utility and Indy Adventure for 2-up fun! All these sleds will share the same 550 fan motor with its proven durability mounted to the AXYZ platform and priced extremely reasonably for what you get in any package.

EVO RMK 144

Snowcheck and Dealer Stock (will you be able to get one?) All New Bling

After you have solidified your choice of rides the options don’t stop there. Check out the enormous number of new accessories that are available for customizing your ride. Auxiliary lights deliver 2000 Lumens of extra shine and are mounted on both sides of the stock headlight. These aux lights feature two options of light dispersion, flood for wider visibility and punch for farther down the trail lighting. New Lock and Ride compatible Flex waterproof roll-up bags finally keep everything dry, plus there are built in foam knee pad options, waterproof dash storage, and more!

For ’23, the window of opportunity to secure your new sled was much shorter this year, to be exactly only25 days. This of course is to head off any supply chain issues and delayed deliveries that we saw across the board from all the OEM’s and pretty much every other manufactured product imaginable in any market. While most, if not all, of the 2022’s have been delivered by the time of reading, this was offset by eliminating a huge allotment of the typical dealer stock units. This season Polaris hopes to return the in-season impulse buying feature for those customers that had no intention of buying a sled until they stopped at their local dealer for a jug of oil and leave with a brand new machine off the showroom floor. Thus, the long ride home creating the correct excuse to their spouse as to why they HAD to get it. ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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likely read up now, you have maha lineup on the 2023 Ya arch, as M te la released in last of the e th as w Yamaha their to s preview big four OEM for d pe ) had ho y (including us ly displayan M s. ed sl new possib king release, with a groundbrea assis loaded ch lt ui -b se ne pa eze Ja ue w ing a ne eaks to sq atures and tw fe g w in ne ad tic le s ris futu a clas t e power out of out even mor , we did not ge ly te na tu or nf U . a. or ot ah m m 4-stroke m Santa Ya e asked for fro everything w

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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hat said, Yamaha still has all their existing four motor choices and continue the chassis partnership with Textron as they have been doing for quite a few years now. These days, buyers expect dramatic changes to chassis, motors, graphics and so on seemingly every year, but that’s not always reasonable or the best business approach. Yamaha’s business model has been basically to offer a simpler lineup of sleds, but with industry leading reliability and longevity. If you ask any Yamaha die-hard why they purchased their new sled, they will all likely offer you the same response “Because they just don’t break”, and that still holds very true today. Yamaha owners often have more time to actually ride and

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

enjoy themselves because on a mile-permile basis, they are spending less time wrenching. Also, by keeping a simpler product line with respect to everything from the chassis to motors, every part put on these sleds has been rigorously tested by the Yamaha engineers to ensure quality. So, while you might not get any industry changing technology this year, you will also not become an OEM Guinea Pig of beta testing during the season… after spending $20k on a new machine. With Yamaha you can count on basically zero issues during the riding season. Yamaha (like anyone else in the last year) was not totally immune from supply chain issues that hampered timely delivery of all the pre-order sleds across the entire industry last year. However, by running

MODEL YEAR 2023 BRINGS A FEW NEW TWEAKS ON VARIOUS MODELS AS WELL AS AN ENTIRE LINEUP FULL OF COOL COLOUR CHANGES. without a ton of major changes in 2023, they hope to deliver as promised and maybe even early, as noted in their preorder process by the fall of ’22!

re o t S y o T My 347 Cranston Crescent, Midland, ON L4R 4K6 705.526.2248 • www.factoryrecreation.com ® TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates.

CUSTOM CHASSIS • SUSPENSIONS • DRIVE SPROCKETS GEARS & CHAINS • FUEL SYSTEMS CLUTCHING • BRAKING • TRACTION PRODUCTS

WAHLRACING.COM | 218.782.2295 ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 36 • ISSUE 5

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SNOW CHECK/ PRE-ORDERING WILL BE VERY LIMITED THIS YEAR BOTH IN QUANTITIES AVAILABLE AND THE TIMEFRAME AND WE BELIEVE IS CERTAINLY DUE TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

THE SRX RETURNS FOR 2023, NOW WITH POWER-STEERING AND IN THE ALL BLUE TRIM WITH STRYKE SINGLE-KEEL SKIS.

On With the New

Model year 2023 brings a few new tweaks on various models as well as an entire lineup full of cool color changes. The flagship lake racing Sidewinder SRX returns, and diehard Yamaha owners will rejoice in it sporting the classic Yamaha Blue color scheme. It’s not quite the classic royal blue offered in 2021, but a slightly bolder color of blue with a glossy tint to it. Across the chassis there are matching highlights from the slide rails, tunnel, and skis, so it’s certainly a lot of blue, but the pictures certainly don’t do it any justice, it really pops on the snow and is a great looker. Last year’s throwback red, white and gold was one that riders either loved or hated. While I personally really liked bringing back the 1977 SRX to the modern age, I think many like STV’s

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

Host Jeff Steenbakkers will be happy to see SRX blue again. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention that this sled is now equipped standard with electronic power assisted steering…yes! This isn’t new to the Yamaha lineup as they had it on select GT touring models with it in 2022, but we were certainly left scratching our heads as to why the SRX didn’t get this before. None-the-less, it’s here now for your enjoyment. With this addition, the SRX is certainly in contention for the best trail sled of 2023. Without EPS it was still a great sled, but this is just something that completes the entire package. Plus, if you add some 9-inch carbides and a pile full of studs, there won’t be many that will keep up on the trails. Adding to the EPS lineup, the new

Sidewinder L-TX LE is fully equipped with power steering. This is another great choice for an aggressive trail machine from Yamaha. In model year 2022, only the GT touring models offered power steering options. Snow Check/pre-ordering will be very limited this year both in quantities available and the timeframe, and we believe this certainly due to the supply chain issues. By the time you read this, your options will be very limited. But if you did get your chance to order one of these new 2023’s, you will be happy to find that Yamaha has offered a three-year warranty on all 4-stroke models (besides the Snoscoot). Unfortunately, none of the 2-stroke sleds (like Mountain Max or Venom) will have the three-year warranty.

38 THE TRAIL STARTS HERE NEW AND USED INVENTORY SERVICE, PARTS & ACCESSORIES HWY 47 & Douglas Rd. Uxbridge, ON 905-852-5884

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 36 • ISSUE 5

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Turbo Trail and Crossovers

We love simple choices, and Yamaha has made it a bit easier to select your machine this year. Their lineup consists of basically two models; the SRX and L-TX lines with multiple submodels. All trail models across the board will sit on the 137” chassis with no other options for a shorter length, except for the smaller ¾ sized Venom 121” on its mid-sized chassis. The LTX lineup will all have a 42-inch ski stance with Stryke single keel skis, the 15”x 1.25” Ripsaw II track, and a choice of two shock packages. Those shocks are either the Monotube AlumHP on the L-TX SE or Fox QS3 on the remainder of the L-TX lineup. Motor choices are simple as well; all with come with the big power delivery of the 200+ HP 998cc turbo 4-stroke EFI motor! Well, that is except for the Viper L-TX which is now the only naturallyaspirated 4-stroke in the adult lineup. In the past two years, the Viper has proven to be a surprisingly good selling machine, especially to the ‘new rider’ segment. At right around 130hp, there are plenty of ponies for anyone, let alone a newbie. But the novice riders like the warranty, reliability,

THE VAST MAJORITY OF YAMAHA SLEDS ARE IN 137 AND 146-INCH LENGTHS, AND ALL THE TRAIL SLEDS GET A NICE SIZED STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN BACK.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

ease of maintenance and everything else you get with a Yamaha 4stroke sled. For the crossover riders, two choices return this season within the X-TX platform. Even though these two sleds share the same name, they really are dramatically different for tailored riding styles. For a true crossover lover, the X-TX SE is your choice with a narrower 40-inch ski stance and a deep snow capable 15”x 146”x 2” Camso Challenger track. Up front you get the Yamaha Mountain ski, which has become one of our favorites for its predictable on-trail behavior and highly commendable off-trail flotation capabilities. This sled can really fit the needs of riders that commonly traverse across different elevations, with its consistent horsepower delivery and no clutching adjustment needed. The more trail-oriented X-TX LE happens to be our second favorite “trail” sled in the 2023 lineup (only to the SRX). Sure, it’s plenty capable of getting you where you need to go off trail with the longer track length, the standard Fox IQS shock package, (that is only available on this LE and the SRX) and its standard deeper lug 1.6 Cobra track. It’s really a perfectly balanced trail machine too, and sure to be a very popular sled for really anyone, on-trail and off-trail.

Mountains

Yamaha brings back the 2-stroke lineup again that launched to much rejoicing in 2021. Picking your choice again here is simple, and you’d better love the colour blue as the entire mountain lineup becomes coordinated in only team Yamaha Blue for the upcoming season. The Mountain Max is available in three different platforms, differing just slightly between each other. All models will share the single beam rear suspension (shared with Arctic Cat and known as the Alpha One in that brands labeling system). These sleds lead the pack with sidehill maneuverability, a 36” ski stance, Fox QS3 shock package and two different track lengths. The LE 165 is equipped only with the 15”x 3” Power Claw track. The LE 154 standard will be only in the 15”x 2.6” Power Claw and the LE 154 SL (Super Lite) gets the 15”x 3” track less the electric start and battery for those that are looking for a lighter weight package to offset those few extra pounds they put on over the holidays. Last but not least, the SX Venom Mountain returns for the youth and beginner deep snow riders in 2023. It shares the same the single pivot - single beam rear skid as the Mountain Max but with a 15”x 146”x 2” track and a slightly wider, yet still narrow 38” ski stance. And of course, the 400cc single cylinder powerplant.

THE SIDEWINDER LTX-GT IS A GREAT TOUR/TRAIL SLED AND NOW COMES IN A STUNNING ‘MATTE TITAN’ AND BLACK COLOR SCHEME.

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Yamaha EPS (Electronic Power Steering)

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING IS NOW AVAILABLE ON EVEN MORE MODELS FROM YAMAHA INCLUDING THE SRX, LTX-LE, AND LTX-GT.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

The big news for trail riders is the expansion of Yamaha’s Electronic Power Steering system, available on four select Yamaha models for 2023. The all-new in 2022 system is a design claimed to be based on ATV technology - but with tweaks specifically for your favorite Yamaha snow machine. It works by utilizing a magnetic torque sensor to measure steering input based on torsion of the steering post from both the handlebar response and ski resistance. It also incorporates the engine RPM and vehicle speed into the control module to adjust for its variable assistance, which gives you more power at slow speeds, and tapers down to completely free steering at high speeds. This delivers truly consistent turning ability, no matter how fast or slow you are moving. This isn’t a new concept by Yamaha as they have had in years past, starting on the 2011 Vector and Apex models, but it is a completely new design that claims to have shed three pounds off from the previous generation of EPS. Even with the reduction in weight of this new generation, it still adds a few pounds to the sled, but when equipped makes it feel like you are on the lightest machine around. It’s truly unbelievable how well it works when paired with a turbo 4-stroke.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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Out with the old….Utility and youth

2023 brings a big change as Yamaha will phase out all of the Japanese built utility and two up models. Gone are the VK540 twin, the VK Professional II and the RS Venture TF, which all were in older chassis. 2-Stroke utility options come with a choice of motors, starting with the 400cc single cylinder Transporter Lite that is offered in a single rider or two up version on a platform that is essentially a longer track SX Venom. If you need more power, pick the Transporter 800, which descends from the Mountain Max with the 800cc twin but with a wider ski stance and slightly smaller 15”x153”x2.25” track. With the elimination of the VK Pro and RS Venture, the only 4-stroke utility-ish model is the Sidewinder S-TX, which is really more of 2-up touring, not the wide track workhorses that were offered by Yamaha in the past. We will tell you though, the S-TX GT is an amazing Swiss-army knife of a sled with power steering, additional storage/fuel capacity, and tons of warming from dual hand warmers, seats, and a big windshield. Plus, you can go Mach 3 and scare the hell out of your significant other in the 2-up seat behind you… I’d pay lots for that opportunity! For the younger generation, Yamaha’s lineup and plan to help beginner riders transition to a full-size sled is perfectly laid out, so those parents can purchase something for the perfect fit for any age or size. For those real little guys and girls, the SRX 120R is back in Team Yamaha blue. The older kids get the Snoscoot 200 ES that gives you two choices of colors with the Yamaha Blue, or the more eye-catching Mint-Red-Black (new for 2023). The Venom 400 will the bridge gap between youth and full size adult sleds.

What is the 5-year plan? We are hoping Yamaha continues to sell a pile of snowmobiles! But we also hope to see some more unique innovation. We feel that with the proliferation in sales in the outdoor recreation markets, and snowmobiling in particular, Yamaha is ripe to jump back into the chassis and motor game with two feet. For now, your guesses are as good as ours, but either way it aint gonna happen until at least 2024. Keep those fingers crossed blueshirt guys!

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

YAMAHA STAYED COMMITTED TO THE MOUNTAIN SEGMENT AND THE MOUNTAIN MAX LINE, AS WELL AS THE VENOM LINE ARE WHERE YOU CAN FIND 2-STROKES IN THE YAMAHA LINE.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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rt! The folks in Valcou ats off to the t manuc od anners, pr engineers, pl at Skis lk fo e any mor agers, and m kitchen e ve to bring th d. The Doo did not ha di ey th 2023, but ar ye el od m sink for on top, just ho is already w r re tu ac uf man forward with eps pushing relentlessly ke uncements. cool new anno

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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for

this year, the list includes a new Gen5 chassis on the trail and mountain segments, a new ¾-sized sled that is a much better step-up machine than those they have toyed with in the past, the comeback of a true, smaller youth sled, tons of awesome new tech from lighting to shocks to clutching to cooling to screens, proliferation of the turbo line, and a lot more. Not to mention all the interesting items to talk about on the Scandinavian Lynx line-up of BRP manufactured snow machines. It is a great time to be a snowmobiler and a Ski-Doo enthusiast!

THE NEW GEN5 CHASSIS MADE ITS WAY INTO SEVERAL SEGMENTS THIS YEAR INCLUDING THE FREERIDE AND SUMMIT MOUNTAIN SLEDS.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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JUST 50 MINS NORTH OF TORONTO

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 36 • ISSUE 5

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Gen5 is Here!

Ski-Doo has put out a new chassis at a blistering pace compared with the competition, and the newest Gen5 Rev chassis is now available. If people are keeping track, that is a new chassis roughly every 5 years since the initial Rev came out in 2003. The first Rev revolutionized snowmobiles to become more rider-forward and less like sitting on your old college futon all day, trying to hold up 20-pound weights in front of you. The XP was the next great advancement and quite a big step up, especially in the suspension and ride. Then came the XS/XM chassis which some argue was not that great of a leap forward in comparison, but the Gen4 was by all means another huge jump in technology. Now we have the Gen5 and initial rides have proved positive, even if the unique looking design has already raised eyebrows with online warriors. So where can I get the Gen5? Well, it is only being offered in the trail models and the mountain models. That means that MXZ/Renegade, and Summit/Freeride sleds can all be had in the new trimmings. The Backcountry crossovers, Expedition, Grand Touring, Skandic, and Tundra (touring and utility) sleds will not be available with the new chassis. If you are someone who keeps track of new model rollouts, and we do, this is not the first time Ski-Doo (and other manufacturers) have picked the trail and mountain sled segments to be the ‘first year chassis’ machines. It’s not a bad strategy, but of course there will be plenty of folks, especially in the crossover/Backcountry department, who will be disap-

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

pointed. No worries though, we’re sure it’s coming, and Ski-Doo brought out so many new things this year that there is no lack of options. The first thing you notice on the new Summit mountain machines is the sculpted panels and the headlights. The machine is up to 16 pounds lighter (depending on the exact model) and 3-inches narrower. That makes it as narrow as 34-inches (Expert and Neo only) as far as ski stance goes, and that tight width allows for easy side-hills and you can scoot through plenty of close trees and obstacles. All the bodywork is also packed in tighter around the powerplant, and there are narrower boards. From a rider standpoint, this means less ‘paneling out’ on sidehills and more room to move around. The new LED headlights on the Summit are without a lens, so it looks quite unique, and gives incredible length and width as far as available visibility. The trail Gen5 sleds have the same lights, but with a lens. There

A MASSIVE NEW 10.25 INCH TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAY ON SEVERAL OF THE GEN5 SLEDS, AND A FLAT-FACING DISPLAY ON THE OFF-TRAIL SLEDS ARE UNMISTAKABLY COOL.

THE SUMMITS (AND FREERIDE IS IN THE NEW CHASSIS) HAVE SO MUCH NEW ON THEM THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO MENTION EVERYTHING IN JUST AN OVERVIEW. are 4 LED modules in these lights, and Ski-Doo says they are three times brighter, with more than 4800 lumens… the bottom line is you can see farther and with better clarity at night. It is interesting that on the Summit sleds on low-beam, only one of the two sides of lights comes on. We would say that the main ‘test bed’ is the mountain segment. Many of the newest tech and advancements in the Gen5

UNIQUE LED LIGHTS ON THE GEN5 MOUNTAIN SLEDS COME WITHOUT LENS’ ON THEM WHEREAS THE NEW LED LIGHTS ON THE TRAIL SLEDS HAVE A LENS.

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EXTREMELY NARROW AND SCULPTED PANELS, PLUS A TOTALLY NEW LOOK ON THE SUMMIT SLEDS MAKE THEM EASY TO SPOT ON THE HILLS, AND EASY TO RIDE IN THE DEEP POWDER.

chassis show up here. In addition to the aforementioned bodywork and narrowing, there are new Pilot DS4 skis with a new keel and design. Plus, a lightweight tunnel with a new cooling/radiator and thinner material with a 4-pound lighter Powdermax X 3-inch Flexedge track underneath as well. More new tech includes the quickremoval drive shaft and the panels are unique and even narrower on the Summit (1-inch narrower on throttle side, 2-inches on brake side). The rear suspension also gets some upgrades as well as the tMotion X, with a new longer front arm and location for the rear arm, you can really pick the skis up at just the flick of the throttle. The tMotion X is also 3 pounds lighter and provides greater suspension travel. The spare belt holder is now behind the seat, and there is a big flat-facing, glove-friendly console (easier to see standing up) with a new storage area (glove box) in front of the console as well. There’s even a new adjustable brake lever (tool-less adjustability on Summit Expert and Freeride) and an improved adjustable limiter strap system on the new Expert! The Summits (and Freeride is in the new chassis) have so much new on them that it is difficult to mention everything in just an overview. However, the 34-inch super narrow ski-stance is the tightest in the industry on the Expert (36-inches on sleds like the Freeride) and the enclosed CVT system, with separate panel for ease of belt change, is the only one of its kind. It pulls much more cold air, and one of the reasons the spare belt is TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

now behind the seat is because this new system is so compact. The quick-removal driveshaft also means no longer having to open the chaincase to remove the drive-axle. Track changes should be much easier! A couple of more big changes to all Gen5 sleds include a new quieter, efficient, and better cooling CVT system with a new clutch cover, plus a new 4th engine mount for vibration, and better CVT alignment for belt life. Ski-Doo says there is a 20% improvement on CVT alignment/variation. This is on both the Summit and trail sleds. The cold air intake (on the panel) is also part of the changes with a new cold air duct and acoustic paneling inside. The exhaust side also gets similar acoustic paneling inside. There’s a cool new oil fill system as well! Did we mention you can still get the turboed 850 2-stroke motor? Yes, and it has been revised to give even more power to 10,000 feet at roughly 180 hp. As far as new suspension components go, the trail sleds (including the new in-season Blizzard, which is basically an X-RS but in season) get new KYB Pro Ea-3 shocks. Similar to the Fox QS3 shocks on many other sleds from different OEMs, these KYB shocks have 3-positions for compression adjustment. It takes the guesswork out of things for the vast majority of riders who believe they really need to be snocross racers, when they are actually just semi-aggressive trail riders. Even former racers, like many of our test riders, enjoy the ease of use without giving up any capacity. Speaking of the new Blizzard, this 129inch trail sled replaces the TNT and X packages and is available all season. The MXZ X-RS is still an option for spring buyers too, and has a 1.5 Ripsaw track standard, taller 90mm fixed handlebars, and the big 10.25-inch touchscreen display as an option (note, this screen is huge and has a ton of vehicle monitoring GPS, Bluetooth, apps, etc.). Trail Gen5 sleds get a new handlebar control module too. Plus, there are bigger KYB Pro 40R EA-3 (3-position adj.) shocks and rail reinforcements on the X-RS. The Gen5 trail options breakdown as 5 sleds, the Renegade X-RS, Renegade X, Renegade Adrenaline, MXZ X-RS and Blizzard.

EVEN FORMER RACERS, LIKE MANY OF OUR TEST RIDERS, ENJOY THE EASE OF USE WITHOUT GIVING UP ANY CAPACITY. SPEAKING OF THE NEW BLIZZARD, THIS 129-INCH TRAIL SLED REPLACES THE TNT AND X PACKAGES AND IS AVAILABLE ALL SEASON.

850 E-Tec Turbo R Changes There are a multitude of changes on the newest 850 2-stroke turbo from BRP. A short list includes an updated cylinder head with more plug cooling, injectors, CVT and chain reinforcements, new airbox and ECU, more boost from sea level up with 1.5 to 6.5 psi, and more. Will we see more sea level boosted 2-strokes in other forms from Ski-Doo in the future? Magic 8 ball says, very likely. In short, it’s a beast, but ya gotta keep up with the Jones’s (I.E. Polaris).

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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THE NEW MXZ X-RS GOT THE NEW CHASSIS THIS YEAR AS WELL AND IS RACE READY WITH ALL THE SHOCK UPGRADES AND REINFORCEMENTS YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM THIS TOP OF THE LINE BIG MOGUL SLED.

And the Ski-Doo kids rejoice! As if there wasn’t enough new from SkiDoo, the all new MXZ and Summit Neo sleds are going to make a lot of kids and young teenagers very happy next winter. I even ordered one for my son from my local friends at Robs Performance! These are mid-sized machines (3/4 the overall dimension of a regular trail/mountain sled) that won’t break the bank. Riding them is easy, fun, and predictable. The other 3 OEMs were already playing in this market segment with the Blast, Venom, and EVO, so it made sense for Ski-Doo to have an offering as well. In testing, these sleds were extremely capable, and plenty of fun for adults. They would make for a great sled for new riders, or even to have as a second sled for friends to ride. The front end is very stable, and not tippy on the trail. This is important because younger riders need to be given confidence, and many of the smaller powered sleds in this category in the past were not as predictable as these. In the trails, the MXZ Neo and Neo+ are the options and the off-trail options are the Summit Neo and Summit Neo+. A Rotax 600cc EFI motor puts out 40 hp in the standard Neo and 55 hp in the Neo+. All the sleds have smaller seats,

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narrower and smaller diameter bars that are lower, a different throttle lever, and a low ride height. The MXZ is a 120 x 14 x 1.0-inch Cobra track or a 120 x 15 x 1.25 Ripsaw on the Plus. The Summit is a 146 x 14 x 1.6-inch flexedge or a 146 x 15 x 1.75 Hurricane track. You get full size Pilot 5.7 or Pilot DS2 skis and either a 39- or 34-inch ski stance, depending on MXZ or Summit choices. The rear suspension is a single-shock design, and with the Plus version you get KYB HPG front shocks. The Plus also comes with handguards, and a mountain grab bar on the Summit. The best thing about these sleds is that they come in at under $7,000 US / $8,000 CA, and it’s only $800 more for the Plus versions. That is extremely affordable for a new sled, with warranty, of any kind! As well, it’s something that is truly capable for young riders to use worry-free for many years. Even while testing at altitude, the MXZ Neo+ saw just over 60mph on the speedo, so at sea level you will be able to keep up with almost any sled in the group.

EVEN THE SKANDIC AND EXPEDITION RECEIVED NEW OPTIONS. THERE IS A NEW EXPEDITION LE, SKANDIC LE, AND SKANDIC SE.

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But wait, there’s more! You would think Ski-Doo was done by now, but if you were upset that the Mach Z is not available, then stay calm. The launch mode is available in the Renegade X and X-RS with the 900 ACE Turbo R models. These are still in the Gen4 wider 4-stroke bodies, but speed demons will be happier with more choices. Even the Skandic and Expedition received new options. There is a new Expedition LE, Skandic LE, and Skandic SE. These new sleds get options of either

a 20- or 24-inch-wide track (yes, 24-inches wide), plus Ice-cobra track options and several other upgrades. Finally, Ski-Doo brought back sleds for the youngest of riders! There is now a 120 and 200 MXZ, and these are basically the same sleds that are offered from Yamaha and Cat, but with different windshields and hoods. Still, it is great to see OEMs collaborating so that every tiny brand enthusiast can be like their moms and dads.

Full Summit lineup in the Gen5 Chassis If you are wondering about all the sleds available in the deep snow segment from Ski-Doo, here is a quick snapshot. You can get the standard Summit SP and more loaded Edge in season, and the Summit X, Summit X with Expert package, and the Freeride during the spring-only buying period.

THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF 4-STROKES IN SKI-DOO’S LINEUP THIS YEAR AS WELL INCLUDING THE TURBO WHICH HAS OBVIOUS PANEL DISTINCTIONS AND AN OVERALL WIDER LOOK. TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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Lynx puts another paw forward! If you happened to be under a rock for the last year and a half, BRP’s Scandinavian brand of snowmobiles is available here in North America now. This is the second year that Lynx has been sold in the US and Canada, and they have plenty to talk about for 2023. The Rave aggressive big bump trail sled and the Boondocker offtrail sled in several lengths were both available last year. For 2023, the lineup morphed as well. The Rave is pretty much unchanged and has a 137 x 16 x 1.5-inch ice-ripper track, 850 Etec motor, and new rail reinforcements, but is basically the same. The big news is the addition of the Xterrain crossover sled and the Shredder deep snow mountain sleds. Let’s start with the Xterrain which comes in two trims; the RE, and the Brutal. The RE is a 146 x 16 x 2.0 length track and has either choice of the 850 motor or the 900 Ace Turbo R motor. It has the Lynx PPS3 rear suspension which is made for transfer and bumps. Lynx dubs it has a ‘high mileage’ trip type sled, but that’s

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not really what most people will use it for. More of a beefy crossover, the 2-iunch lug gives you lots of off-trail capability, and the high quality KYB 46 HLCR Kashima coated shocks are pretty much the best of the best. This is a machine originally made for insane off-trail races like the Iron Dog, or Caines Quest. With an uncoupled long travel suspension, you really need to ride this thing in pretty gnarly conditions to get all it was made for out of it. Notable Xterrain features include a 5.5-inch riser and mountain grab bar, Blade XC on-off trail skis, a wide 42.2-inch stance, reinforced rails and tough Explorer front and rear bumpers. The Xterrain Brutal is again more offtrail focused. It has a ‘utilitytype’ 20 x 154 x 2.4-inch track on it and Blade DS+ skis. You can literally go anywhere with this massive pawprint in the snow! On trail she REALLY hooks up too, so be mindful when grabbing a handful of throttle. Most wide-tracks have a manual gearbox, and there is not

THE XTERRAIN BRUTAL IS AGAIN MORE OFF-TRAIL FOCUSED.

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one on this sled. It is easy to use, but not for the faint of heart to ride. The rails are tipped for better trail riding handling, and KYB 46 Kashima coated shocks in back and KYB 36 shocks in front make it just as tough in the big bumps as the aforementioned Lynx sleds. It has a narrower ski stance too of just 39-inches. The Brutal gets the 850 motor with an air radiator and fan to keep it cool. Remember, this is a 20-inch-wide sled. Last, but definitely not least is the Shredder line of deep snow sleds from Lynx. There are 2 levels to choose from, the DS or the RE. Both are in the new ‘Radien’ chassis which is basically the Gen5 Ski-Doo Summit Expert chassis, so almost everything mentioned earlier will apply here, with a few little changes. You will notice slight design differences like the LED lights (there are 3 on the Shredder versus 2 on the Summit), and Blade DS skis and PPS2 DS+ rear suspension, but all the slimmer body panels, running boards, 10.25-inch display adjustable brake lever, TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

and more are basically the same. The DS comes in 15 x 154 x 2.5 (and 3.0) lug tracks, plus a 165 x 3.0 track. The 2.5 is set for sea level as well. Between the Radien design and PPS2 new suspension, this sled is 20 pounds lighter than a similar Boondocker from last year. Engine options are the 850 and 850 turbo. The Shredder RE is the main focus of the deep snow line of Lynx sleds. You get the PPS2 DS+ rear suspension again with KYB 46 Kashima coated shocks and an HLCR one in the rear. The Front shocks are the new KYB 36 CR Kashima coated 3-position compression adjustable shock. Two track options are available, a 146 x 15 x 2.5 or a 154 x 15 x 3.0 inch.

Like most of the Lynx sleds, there are things like rail reinforcements, but this has a narrower 36-inch ski stance to get you even more maneuverability. Like the DS, it comes with either an 850 or 850 Turbo motor. ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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half is more than looking good ! ng ni Cat is win the battle then the sleds wn all We broke do w s, as a fun ne ok lo simply by e day on g in st te le hi perspective w Cat all winner was er ov e Th . ar , and es this ye lin , rs lo ct. Best co fa a ’s at th m d an snow olook like real above all, they ly, there isn’t a ton nate biles! Unfortu gy this year and technolo al et m w ne of lls, but you Thief River Fa coming out of be the case not going to can bet that’s for long!

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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had a chance to sit down with the brass at Arctic Cat / Textron on a couple of occasions this year, and the ripples that all the OEMs were dealing with were laid out. I think anyone who ordered a 2022 was elated when they finally got their sled this year, because for a while, nobody knew what was going to happen with the supply chain. Makers like BRP were shuttered (or at least severely hamstringed) in Canada for long periods of time with stricter lockdowns than in the States. OEMs like Cat and Polaris struggled for parts, especially with items such as shocks, and dealt with the worldwide crisis of computer chips. Everything from the vinyl for the stickers to the resin in the skis was tough to get… let alone finding workers to build sleds to fill a much larger demand than we have seen in many snowmobiler’s lifetimes. To say the least, it has been a perfect storm. Weathering that storm had consequences, and even as I write this, there are still some that have not received their sleds… or if they did, they often did not get what they paid for, as sleds from various OEMs were shipped with downgraded gauges, not shipped complete, or consumers dealt with an array of other stop-gap measures. Cat arguably got hit the hardest as they have been ramping up for a new chassis announcement (more on that later). But we felt it important to convey these sentiments in this article, as there are many good reasons why there is not a ton of new things in the Cat line this year. But there are still plenty of awesome new 2023 sleds coming down the line very soon from Arctic, both for preseason order (April 19 – May 3) and in-season models.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

ARCTIC MOUNTAIN SLEDS ARE AS CAPABLE AS EVER, WITH SIGNATURE DEFINING LINES, BUMPERS, HEADLIGHTS, AND MORE.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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POLARIS.COM

RIDE COMMAND BY POLARIS

STAY ON THE TRAIL. STAY IN THE KNOW. Do your part to keep snowmobile trails and riding areas open by only riding where you should. RIDE COMMAND partners with local trail clubs and associations to maintain and share the latest trail information. 3 WAYS TO CONNECT RIDE COMMAND technology is built into select sleds and you can access it on your favorite device. 7S DISPLAY WITH RIDE COMMAND Available on the all-new Matryx platform, the 7S Display features touch screen technology with integrated RIDE COMMAND GPS. RIDE COMMAND APP Bring RIDE COMMAND on the go on your smartphone or tablet with the free app. RIDE COMMAND WEBSITE Download and utilize the most up to date RIDE COMMAND data, plan your rides, and manage all of your tracks, waypoints, and more. You can even follow ride groups from home if you can’t make the trip! ©2021 Polaris Industries Inc. Polaris recommends that all riders take a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride.

POL_MY22-RideCommand-HP-Ad-OSM-Keyline.indd 1

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

11/18/21 3:16 PM

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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What’s new in 2023

Probably the biggest announcement for 2023 from Cat is the new Riot 9000. This is a crossover sled, powered by the Yamaha-built C-TEC 4, 998cc, 4-stroke 9000 Series DOHC Turbo Triple, fuelinjected motor that has 200+ ponies. This has the more on/off trail oriented, uncoupled Cross-Action rear suspension and standard ARS II front suspension. The best part of this big crossover is that it comes with standard Electronic Power Steering (EPS) with variable assist. Like the Thundercat (as well as all Cat sleds with this motor in 2023), this same system cancels out additional rider fatigue by making inputs to the bars much easier in turns, bumps, and even off-trail maneuvers. When going slower and making quick movements, the EPS ramps up, but as you go faster, and make less severe movements, it tapers down. In addition, the new Riot 9000 has the ATAC, easily manipulated suspension with Fox Zero IQS shocks. Compression damping can quickly be changed on-the-fly, just like it was on several Cat sleds last year. Positions are soft, medium, and hard, as well as two rider configurable custom options. Power transmission comes through the Adapt primary and secondary clutching system, and is transferred to the snow via your choice of 15 x 146 x 1.35- or 1.6-inch tracks. You also get the adjustable 41.5 – 43.5 ski stance on the new Riot 9000. Plush comforts include a heated seat, 12V outlet, goggle holder in front of the steering post, handguards, push-button start/reverse, and more!

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

Another very interesting new model for 2023 is the ZR 6000 R-XC. Available as a spring-buy only sled, this is basically a cross-country race sled that anyone can buy. This 599cc C-TEC 2 twin cylinder powered sled with 125+ hp is made for the aggressive trail riders who just might moonlight as crosscountry racers. The most obvious difference in this sled is the seat. It is cut down in front to make it almost feel like you are ‘saddled’ into the sled and has a race grip covering so there is no chance at sliding around or getting tossed back on the machine. It helps keep the rider low and fast for cornering and take-offs, plus decreases arm fatigue when constantly trying to pull yourself closer to the bars in hard acceleration events. The ZR 6000 R-XC has 7-position rear coupling in the skid (this is a new-to-consumers rear suspension) so you can really fine tune your transfer. There is also a race brake caliper and pads which give you added stopping

THE ATAC SUSPENSION WITH TOGGLE ON THE FLY SHOCK SETTING OPTIONS UTILIZE FOX ZERO IQS SHOCKS AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE NEW RIOT 9000.

MORE NEW TWEAKS WERE MADE TO THE BLAST ¾ SIZED SLED SEGMENT AT ARCTIC CAT TOO! power, longevity and a lightweight brake disc. It comes with the ADAPT clutching system like all Cat trail sleds that affords longer and more even belt wear. In addition, it has a wider 43.25 ski stance which comes from it using the ARS-RXC race suspension in the front end. Bump absorption comes from Fox 1.5-inch diameter Zero QS3R Kashima coated racing shocks, and there is a 4-wheel rear axle, as opposed to the 3-wheel version on other trail sleds. Track is a 15 x 129 x 1.25-inch Ripsaw, and a low 5.5-inch-high race windshield, plus the option of manual or push-button electric start.

THE RIOT IS STILL THE MAIN CROSSOVER UNIT FROM CAT, AND THE 8000 AND 9000 HAVE THE CROSSOVER DUAL RAIL SUSPENSION AND THE X MODEL HAS THE ALPHA ONE SINGLE BEAM REAR SKID.

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GPS for Cat Provided by Garmin

Cat is partnering with Garmin to offer a new Base Tread GPS unit. It is water and shock resistant, glove friendly, has satellite imagery, trail nav and connectivity. This accessory will mount just below the standard gauge, and gives Cat similar competitiveness with the offerings in the gauges on the Polaris and Ski-Doo sleds, albeit not integrated… yet. More new tweaks were made to the Blast ¾ sized sled segment at Arctic Cat too! Not to be left behind by the new SkiDoo smaller sled announcements, Cat made changes to the ZR that include new twin tube shock calibration and a hi-low setting on the handlebar heaters. The Blast M 4000 LTD gets Fox Float 3 ski shocks and a rear suspension shock as well. This upgrade is complimented by basically a 36-inch ski stance (35.5 – 37.5”) and it has the Alpha one 146-inch mono-rail rear suspension in it with 15 x 146 x 2.0-inch Challenger track. That makes six Blast models in the lineup, four ZR full size trail models, three Riot crossover models (not including track options), two full-size mountain sleds (not including track sizes), plus the Norseman X utility model, and the 120 and 200 youth sleds. That’s quite the line-up! Also, a quiet point that we know is not new is that the LED lights come on the vast majority of machines and is very much appreciated.

Mountain Machines

Not much changes here to the lineup, but both the M8000 Hardcore and the M800 Mountain Cat Alpha One are still in the Ascender platform, and have the same optional track lengths. We are especially excited to have 146-inch lengths in both these sleds as options. Many enthusiasts ride both trail and mountains, and the 146 with a 2.6-inch lug track is a great sled to be able to do both low elevation off-trail in the Midwest/East, and be somewhat more trailable, and also be competent in the mountains. Track lengths include a 146, 154, and 165 in all the mountain sleds. Lug length is either a 2.6 or 3.0.

The two main differences between the Hardcore and the Mountain Cat continue to be the ATAC, and some reinforcements on the tougher Hardcore. Both have the Alpha One rear skid and the Hardcore has the standard Fox 1.5 Zero QS3 coil-over shocks, whereas the Mountain cat has the ATAC with Fox Float 3 IQSL shocks. The Blast M 4000 and Blast M4000 LTD are both available as well, and both have 146-inch skids with a 2.0-inch lug Challenger track. Differences were mentioned earlier, but these are pretty awesome little rippers for kids learning how to do their first side-hills, and to be able to follow mom and dad and their friends into the backcountry.

THERE ARE MOST OF THE ¾-SIZED BLAST MODELS THAN EVER THIS YEAR, IF YOU WANT TO RIDE 2-UP, 1-UP TRAILS, MOUNTAINS, OR ON AND OFF TRAILS. THERE IS A BLAST MODEL FOR YOU!

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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Simplified trail line-up is appreciated In a world where everything seems to be harder to make sense of, Cat made it easier in their trail line-up to make your decision. You will notice that the ZR RR and Limited are no longer in the lineup. The R-XC discussed earlier has replaced the RR, and the Limited is now basically an option on the ZR 8000, and you can order it with the ATAC adjustable on the fly suspension. The ZR 6000 is only available with standard Fox Zero QS3 shocks up front, and a 2.0 diameter one in the rear of the skid. No ATAC is available on this machine. One of the best trail sleds on the snow is available again this year from Cat, and that would be the Thundercat 9000. This sled has power steering, the ATAC adjustable on the fly shocks, and the ADAPT clutching. It is basically unchanged for 2023, other than the colors. The Blast ZR trail and XR touring models also return this year with BNG (bold new graphics) and the aforementioned bar warmers and shock. The XR has a wider 39.5 – 40.5 ski stance to make it more suitable and stable for the two-up touring segment it really falls in.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

WE HAVE SEEN A REALLY BIG SHARING OF TECHNOLOGY BETWEEN BOTH THE CROSSOVER AND UTILITY SEGMENTS IN RECENT YEARS. YOU CAN’T BEAT THE SPEED, AND COMFORTABILITY OF THE THUNDERCAT. IT IS A TRAIL SLED WITH TRUE LAKE-RACING HYPERSLED ROOTS.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

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and same adjustable ski stance, clutching, etc. I will say that both are very good little crossovers for a myriad of conditions, and more desirable to me as a parent.

When’s the new chassis coming?

Crossovers and Utility sleds with claws We have seen a really big sharing of technology between both the crossover and utility segments in recent years. It’s on display at Cat as well as the other OEMs. What used to be just a utility sled is no longer looked at that way and vice-versa. The Riot 8000, Riot X 8000, and new Riot 9000 are the flagships as far as crossovers go for Arctic, and the first two are unchanged for 2023… save new color-ways, and the 8000 X is still in the Ascender mountain platform. You also get an array of shock choices on the Riot 8000 machines from IFP, to Zero QS3, to ATAC. We really enjoyed the new Riot X 9000, which is really just the Yamaha XTX-LE, but also has the added electronic power steering this year. We have spent a lot of time on the similar Yamaha sleds, and it’s true that this sled works extremely well on trail and in some off-trail forays as well. The cross-action rear suspension on the Riot is also a true overachiever and the best all-around skid in Cat’s line. The Norseman X is truly the utility/crossover we discussed that

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

many people could use for both a crossover and a utility sled. With a big 15 x 153 x 2.25 lug track on it, and power from the 800 C-TEC 2 motor, you have a machine that can ‘haul the mail’ or haul actual lumber. Plus, a big 13.7-gallon gas tank gives you lots of range. It would be a perfect sled for someone who lives where we often ride in the Algoma region of northern Ontario. It is also the same as the 2022 model. I am a little confused as to why there is both a Blast LT (supposed to be utility) and a Blast XR (supposed to be crossover), because other than the rack in back and larger shield on the LT, there is no difference other than colors. It seems to me this could just be one sled with options. Both have the same 15 x 146 x 1.6 track

No doubt this is what everyone is asking, and the greenmachine faithful are begging for it! Short answer is, don’t worry something is coming. Unfortunately, our journalistic powers do not include time travel or we could answer that question more definitively. We can tell you that we’ve been privy to high level discussions, but we aren’t allowed to leak too much. Otherwise, we could lose our first born. I think it bears highlighting several of the most pertinent questions we get on a daily basis about what Arctic Cat is going to bring to market. Will it have a new engine? Well, considering how long it has been since Cat has had a new engine, you can do the math. Will it be an 850? My question back would be, do you see a bunch of other 850’s out there? How much will it weigh? Ah, the proverbial ‘lightweight’ question… again, if you look at what other OEMs are doing, then I think you can be assured it won’t weigh ‘more’. Will just the mountain segment folks get it first or all segments? If we were betting, knowing again how long it has been since a totally new chassis has come from Cat, that most of the line-up will get the new chassis when it does come to market. Can I see photos? No, and stop asking.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

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THE TRAIL STARTS HERE

(705) 790-7267 amcfarlane@ontsnow.com

3 Douglas Road, Uxbridge, ON (905) 852-5884 uxbridgemotorsports.com

www.ontsnow.com

PRESENTED BY

Right on the D111 trail, free continental breakfast, Royal Distributing close by, special rates & park’n’ride packages, rooms include fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and we offer extended stay kitchenettes.

atvworldmag.com

350 Moonlight Ave Sudbury, ON, P3B3W3 PH: 1-800-424-0321 www.moonlightinn.ca

OSMMAG.COM

ATVWORLDMAG.COM

SNOWMOBILERTV.COM

NEW BRUNSWICK

ONTARIO

1450 Vanier Blvd. Bathurst, NB E2A 4H7 Toll Free: 1-800-898-9292 Office: (506) 548-3335 • Fax: (506) 548-9769 thehost@nbnet.nb.ca • www.atlantichost.com Known to all sledders as the place to stay in Bathurst. Located on Trail #19, or take exit #310 on Rte 11. Loading ramps, indoor sled parking, heated repair bays. Fuel on-site. Excellent accommodations, excellent restaurants, pub-style lounge, heated indoor pool, sauna and whirlpool. And did we mention we’re the only hotel in New Brunswick located directly on NBFSC trails?

118 Mission Road, Wawa, Ontario P0S1K0 Tel: 705-856-2278 • Fax: 705-856-2171 Toll Free: 800-561-2278 Email: wawamoto@shawbiz.ca Website: www.wawamotorinn.com Your Superior Vacation Experience featuring 50 main building rooms, 20 cozy log rooms and 18 rustic Chalets with fireplaces. All main building rooms are 100% smokefree. Enjoy fine dining in the Fireside Dining Room; home of the largest fireplace in the North. Easily accessible to snow trails and ample parking.

Bathurst Atlantic Host Hotel

243685 66

atvworldmag.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • 2022

Wawa . ONTARIO MAP 11 Wawa Motor Inn

Nearby

538

ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION AND BE SEEN BY THOUSANDS OF SNOWMOBILE ENTHUSIASTS CALL 1-888-661-7469 TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2022

POLARIS.COM

THE ULTIMATE CROSSOVER FAMILY

LIKE TO RIDE EVERYWHERE? MEET YOUR PERFECT SLED. If you want one sled that can truly do it all, you want a Switchback. Our engineers ride everywhere, because our riders do. Ride in an area that’s on trail only? No problem. The Switchback has the trail manners of an INDY. Ride where you can get off trail? Perfect. The Switchback is built by the same crew that built the world’s best mountain sled... the RMK. We built the Switchback and it’s become the legendary 50/50 crossover family. New for 2023, the SnowCheck exclusive Switchback Assault is available with the world’s most powerful OEM

2-stroke turbo, the Patriot Boost, 650 or 850 Patriot engines and the IGX 146 rear suspension with its proven on and off-trail handling.

See the new 2023 Matryx Switchbacks at your local Dealer, on the trail or running powerlines.

©2022 Polaris Industries Inc. Photographed using highly skilled professional operators under controlled conditions. Polaris recommends that all riders take a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride.

OSM 36.5

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