2018 SKI-DOO SHOT TECHNOLOGY

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There’s a ton of new stuff on display at Ski-Doo’s annual dealer show and new product unveil in Reno, Nevada. In fact I had the privilege of riding and experiencing the new stuff a week ago in Valcourt.

So here’s what stands out to me – SHOT. It’s Ski-Doo’s (and Rotax) proprietary, never-been-done-before battery-less, motor-less electric starting system, which is so unique it’s a little confounding and mind boggling all at once.

Think of this reality. The SHOT system provides functional (with a couple limitations) push button start for just 2 pounds of extra weight. There’s no heavy lead acid battery, starter motors and associated brackets, which currently weigh in at 20-22 pounds on an average Ski-Doo.

The SHOT system arrives as a “Summit-only” mountain model factory option (the system cannot be dealer added). The limitations – at this point in history – are as follows…

You must rope start your 850 E-TEC in the morning and give it 2 minutes to charge the 2 pound capacitor. After this initial charge, the capacitor will re-charge after each subsequent re-start in about 20 seconds. The system only works on E-TEC engines as they always start (when warm) in less than a half crankshaft rotation. The capacitor will hold it’s charge for 30-45 minutes after shutting the sled off. Essentially, mountain riders who do a lot of fiddling, digging, rolling and otherwise helping each other in a day’s riding will only rope their 850 once each day.

Why do I think the ground is shaking? My immediate question to the engineers at Ski-Doo was: “If the capacitor weighed 4 pounds could it maintain a charge all night and become the new way to start any E-TEC?”.

I’m sure this issue is on the minds of the brain trust at Ski-Doo, but can SHOT follow the same development path the very first RER system did when it first reversed a humble single cylinder Tundra way back in the 90’s?

If this technology – which uses the stator as the electric starter motor – can be honed and further developed, the day may not be far off when push button start weighs in at 2 pounds.

Think I’m crazy? When that first RER hit the ground I heard tons of comments how it wouldn’t work with a twin, a triple, with exhaust valves, with certain clutches and secondary’s and the list went on.

Now, RER and its licensed variants on Arctic Cat and Polaris sleds is standard across all 2 stroke models. Arguably 20-30 pound mechanical reverse gear systems are history – gone and forgotten.

These guys at Ski-Doo are pushing the boundaries of sno-mo-technology. Yes, the ground is shaking and there is most certainly more to come from this mysterious, revolutionary and effective starting system.

Mark Lester
Mark Lester
Mark Lester is Co-Publisher of SUPERTRAX Magazine and a regular Host on SNOWTRAX TV, which can be seen on Sportsman Channel across America and in Canada on OLN, Sportsman Channel Canada, Wild TV and REV TV and globally on our YouTube channel.

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