Motorhead Mark rekindles all his fond memories of Arctic Cat’s iconic lake racer with his review of the 2019 Thundercat ZR9000 137.
The SnowTrax crew evaluates a line up of 800 class 137-inch track sleds to see which is the most dominant in the 2019 season. We narrow the line up down to the 2019 Polaris XCR Switchback 850, 2019 Arctic Cat ZR 8000 RR 137 and 2019 Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS 850.
In the Trail Tech shop, AJ finishes off winterizing our Can-Am Outlander (as seen in the closing episode of Dirt Trax 2018) by installing a Can-Am Apache Backcountry Track System. With the KIMPEX CLICK-N-GO Snow Plow already installed, AJ heads to the powder to put this vehicle to the test.
And Luke reviews the highly anticipated and rebooted 2019 Yamaha Sidewinder SRX.
This unique and ingenious ramp is extremely easy to use and will have your sled loaded in the back of your pick-up in a matter of seconds without the need of any assistance whatsoever.
Simply drive your snowmobile onto the ramp then pick up the back of the ramp and push the ramp into the back of the truck bed.
The ramp sits on 6-inch caster wheel rollers which allows you to easily slide the ramp forward whether the ramp is loaded or empty.
This is a high-grade aluminum ramp and is easily maneuverable thanks to its super-glide, super-pro2 sliders.
The DGRP Rollable Easy-Load Ramp is made to accommodate your ATV as well. The bolt-on, removable winch bracket will alleviate the stress some riders may have riding their sled or quad onto the ramp and into their truck.
The winch allows you to slowly and safely winch your ATV up to the top of the ramp without fear of rolling backwards or spinning the tires.
Visit DGRP.ca
What is it about using retro names that sells snowmobiles? We recently wrote a story about the unbelievable hook the name “SRX” has created for Yamaha this year. If you look back, every OEM has utilized a “blast from the past” name with curious success over the past few years.
There’s the Ski-Doo Blizzard and TNT: Great names, but the originals were certainly not very noteworthy. I owned a TNT back in the 70s and frankly, it was a piece of junk that I had to leave running all day because, if I shut it off, I’d never get it started again. The new TNT – a great snowmobile – is certainly not reminiscent of the old original one in any way.
Same with the original Blizzard from the ’80s: That one ate drivebelts like they were potato chips. The new one: Tugboat reliable.
Cat still uses the Thundercat moniker – and it’s been a legend ever since it came out in the 1990s. Always at the top for power and usually pretty reliable in its original form, the T-Cat name makes sense that shoppers would still remember its cache and gravitate to it.
Then there’s the El-Tigre. That name goes back to the late 70’s and it was a good sled both then and up until Cat stopped using the name this year.
A side note here: Our Opinion: If Cat had made the El-Tigre truly identifiable and technically unique in its last rendition, and had not just offered a different paint and sticker job to define it, it probably would have sold even better. Maybe it will return in a future decade.
Polaris revived the XCR nameplate based on the fact most XCRs from the past were strong, memorable performers. Still true today.
The Indy name – probably the strongest brand ever created in snowmobiling – has returned and just like the original, does not disappoint in any way. Maybe Polaris will revive the name “XLT” sometime, too – because that one was a winner, for sure.
It’s interesting how snowmobilers gravitate to the past, though. Those fossilized memories of great rides from the days of yore still hold an abstract attraction to us. Some were great sleds and some were less than great. However, it looks like the retro formula really works. Oh yeah, remember the Ski-Doo Formula? Pretty good sled.
Vote daily at https://www.supertraxmag.com/NATS and win awesome prizes!!
In collaboration with Ski-Doo, we’re on the search again to find North America’s Top Snowmobiler and we need your help!
Review the current group of contestants. Watch their videos; check out their photos and vote for the snowmobiler who you think should move onto the next round of earning the coveted title of North America’s Top Snowmobiler!
Each round we will be giving away prizes from Woody’s, Superclamp, XPS Lubricants and Ski-Doo Accessories to lucky voters such as yourself. Vote daily and vote often because every time you vote, you’ll be entered to WIN!
The more you vote the better your chances to win these great prizes so continue to vote daily and help us find North America’s Top Snowmobiler!
Check out the 2019 Ski-Doo sleds at http://www.skidoo.com
Learn more about CKMP at https://www.carlkuster.com
#skidoo #thatskidoofeeling #CKMP
Mark goes through all the major details you want to know with this up close, behind the scenes look at the 2019 Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS 900 ACE.
Fertile, MN (January 10, 2019) – Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, has played host to snocross for more than a quarter century and, with its location near the metro areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul, is perhaps the premier event on the snocross calendar. Unseasonably warm temperatures, huge crowds and a talent-filled rider lineup made this year’s event one to remember.
Logan Christian has been fighting to gain ground on his competitors in the eilte Pro class. In Friday’s final he cracked the Top 5 in what was a fast-paced, intense weekend in the top class.
“Canterbury was good, and it was good to get back in the Top 5,” Christian said. “I came back Saturday and saw a line on the parade lap I really liked, it had a sketchy triple in the rhythm section but I was pretty sure I could land it. I went for it and it bit me. The track was so wet that traction was hit or miss all weekend.”
Jacob Yurk transferred to Friday night’s Pro Lite final through the LCQ, then finished 15th in the main. Saturday was better for Yurk as far as qualifying, with 4-2 finishes in heats paving his way to the front row. But it was another 15th for the young rider, who says despite the results, it was a great weekend.
“My riding is coming around,” Yurk said. “We just need to get our starts working so we can get out front right away. We’re looking forward to Deadwood and making that happen.”
Anson Scheele has already landed podium finishes for the team in the Sport class, but Canterbury was a tough go for the young rider. He finished 12th on Friday and didn’t make it through heats on Saturday. Canterbury usually draws a huge field of Sport riders making it tough to work through the ranks to the final.
Christian Brothers Racing gave away a CBR Team Jacket on Friday and Saturday to two lucky youths. Winners were drawn randomly from the Arctic Cat ZR 200 snowmobile entries. In addition to the jackets at every event, race fans also have the chance to enter to win an Arctic Cat ZR 200 snowmobile. The giveaway is open to fans 12 years old and younger and they must be signed up by a legal parent or guardian. Only one entry will be allowed for each eligible fan per event. The winner will be drawn Saturday, March 16, 2019 at the ACS Lake Geneva Grand Finale in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and need not be present to win.
Next up for Christian Brothers Racing snocross team is the U.S. Air Force Snocross National January 25-26 in Deadwood, South Dakota. For more information on Christian Brothers Racing visit www.christianbrosracing.com. Follow Christian Brothers Racing on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
Our braided, stainless brake lines are coated with a durable PVC clear coat and are longer than stock. If you are raising your bars 3″ over stock or more, you will most likely need an extended length brake line. Length = 50″
Extended Length Brake Line for Ski Doo Gen4 Chassis- suggested retail $45.00.
We’re not going to beat around the bushes with this one. Polaris is on a roll with the intro of the new Indy XC platform and the arrival of its impressive Patriot 850 engine.
Naturally, a company that is showing sufficient fire in its gut to take on the way-out-front industry leader, Ski-Doo, with both a potent 850 mill and a credible challenge to the benchmark rMotion rear suspension, requires us to postulate what might be next on the Polaris product agenda.
Here are some observations: The cost to tool a new 4-stroke snowmobile engine is formidable – maybe too high for Polaris at the current share of market it possesses. However, Polaris literally owns the off-road biz with a share that’s rumored to be in excess of 50-percent. Stay with us – this gets interesting.
The Pure Sport high performance SxS marketplace has been on a three year escalation of power beginning with normally aspirated 4-stroke twins (Polaris) and triples (Can-Am and Yamaha). Two years ago the gloves came off and Polaris added a turbocharger to its ProStar engine line-up and pushed power to the high 160 pony level from a one litre twin. Can-Am has boosted its Maverick SxS to the mid-170 level using a triple, too.
Forgive us for dealing in speculation (it’s what we do) but it would seem Polaris Offroad may need to invest in another pure Sport SxS 4-stroke engine platform (ideally a triple) to ensure it continues to dominate this profitable sales segment.
Ka-ching! Are the lights going on? Polaris’ snowmobile division needs to be in the 4-stroke biz – right now. According to some sources, a twin cylinder 4-stroke won’t cut it in a snowmobile application where WOT runs are the norm and 130-hp is where Polaris needs to enter the 4 stroke biz. If the off-road division needs a new triple, then two plus two equals, you got it – 4-stroke snowmobile power!
Will this logical possibility become reality? Polaris currently has the chassis and accoutrements to mount a serious challenge in the 2-stroke marketplace in MY 2019.
For MY 2020 it would be perfect timing (wouldn’t it?) for the re-emergence of the XLT – only this time it might be an extra light 4-stroke triple that changes the rules. Stay tuned!
Following countless Trail Tech segments featuring a wide variety of MBRP Powersports products over the years on both SnowTrax and Dirt Trax, AJ heads to MBRP’s home base for the first time ever to get an inside look at the build process of the all-new Polaris Patriot 850 engine.
*Subscribing indicates consent to receive newsletter content to the provided email. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
SNOWTRAX has established itself as the most watched snowmobile TV series in North America.
Each season, the SNOWTRAX crew guides viewers through informative and entertaining content; revealing the inside scoop on the latest snowmobiles, accessories and riding destinations that make snowmobiling winter's greatest adventure sport.
SNOWTRAX can be viewed weekly during the winter season in Canada on City TV, Wild TV, REV TV and Sportsman Channel Canada and across America on Sportsman Channel.
© TRAX MEDIA INC 2022
