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SnowTrax Television 2018 – Episode 9 Sneak Peek

SnowTrax TV
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SnowTrax Television 2018 – Episode 9 Sneak Peek

Coming up this week on SnowTrax Television:

Luke and AJ are feeling nostalgic as they reflect on some of their personal favorite travel adventures over the years here at SnowTrax.

AJ’s in the TRAIL TECH shop showcasing some cool products and gear to add to your riding experience including Up North Technologies Pro Series Universal LinQ Adapter Bracket and Pro Series Helmet Hang’R, LinQ Fuel Caddie, 509 Kingpin Ignite Goggles, Safedriving’s Skisaver and BITEHARDER Polytune Suspension Rings.

Then in TEST RIDE, Luke reviews the biggest and baddest Summit in Ski-Doo’s lineup – the 2018 Ski-Doo Summit X 850 175.

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SKI-DOO G4 SKI TEST

Mark Lester
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SKI-DOO G4 SKI TEST

There’s been scuttle surrounding handling traits of Ski-Doo’s now familiar G-4 chassis in both 129 and 137 inch track lengths.

The discussion involves whether the popular Pilot TS (Tunable Ski) handles differently on a G-4 than an XS or a G-4 equipped with non-adjustable Pilot 5.7’s.

In an effort to quantify this discussion I did as I always do and went for a spin on a 129 G-4 850 with TS skis and a ride on the same trails with the limited-build G-4 600R with 5.7’s. I was able to quickly conclude the G-4 likes the 5.7’s more than the TS boards.

This is an interesting conclusion given any XS Ski-Doo equipped with TS skis handles – IMO – superbly as you dial in the amount of carbide you need for the trail conditions of the day.

The G-4 feels like it is dipping and ducking in some cornering situations depending on the way you set up the TS carbides – specifically how much carbide is emerging from the ski-bottom.

We can best describe the feel of the TS skis on a G-4 in the twisties as “segmenting” a corner. There is a moment of strong oversteer on initial turn-in followed by a reflexive backing out of the input to counter the strong over-steer sensation.

As the pilot attempts to continue the turn, this is countered again with another dose of reflexive handlebar turn-in, which nets a strong over-steer sensation. The process when pushing hard at speed becomes a bit dippy and ducky.

For the record the 5.7’s do not display this trait and turn-in predictably with a balanced measure of initial turn-in followed by an easy to control transition from under steer (slight push) to over steer (progressive bite). This is pretty much the steering response most riders are familiar with and generally find easy to control.

So along comes Rob Wrightman with a set of his very slick Split Rail Skis and custom spindles for the G-4. Rob wants me to try them on a G-4 and see how they affect the handling of the chassis in the same conditions as I rode the 600 and the 850.

Rob informs me G-4 steering geometry is set up from the factory to allow for approximately 30 degress of turning arc right and left while the former XS chassis would allow up to 45 degrees of arc. I’m not sure this has anything to do with this discussion – but I included it anyway.

Testing on the same trails as the 5.7’s and TS skis left me pleasantly surprised. The Split Rails turn-in so progressively it almost felt like there was a power assist going on.

This is impressive considering the Split Rails have two six inch carbides per ski. The feel at the bars was ultra precise – but with gentle feedback when dialing in more or less turning angle.

The sled stayed laser level, composed, without a hint of inside ski lift even when cranking the bars at the apex of exceptionally tight corners.

Split Rails are legendary for erasing darting. They simply are unaffected by track lines in the trail surface. They are the hands down best anti-darting skis in the industry.

The handling precision of the Split Rails is a good match to the relatively aggressive geometry of the G-4 double A-arm RAS IFS. These skis are not cheap, however they do everything they promise and are a great addition to the G-4.

WHY IT’S A NEW ARCTIC CAT

Mark Lester
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WHY IT’S A NEW ARCTIC CAT

The news of the sale of Arctic Cat Inc. to Textron and the subsequent dissolving of Arctic Cat Inc. as a stand alone corporation sent shock waves through the industry earlier this year.

Everyone felt the ground shake and wondered just exactly what it meant for the future of the iconic brand. So here’s my thumbnail sketch of the events and some insight into what’s happening.

First and foremost everyone needs to get this straight: By early 2017 Arctic Cat as a publicly traded corporation was in peril. An almost amazing combination of outlandish events left the company strapped for cash.

More amazing was this reality: About 30 months previous and for decades before, the company had not relied solely on bank borrowing to operate. According to sources, the company’s leadership never wanted to be in the position it was in 1984 when Arctic Cat ran out of money and went under.

However, unbelievably, just a few short months before the sale to Textron occurred, Arctic Cat burned through its longstanding $120 million in cash reserves and ran up another $80 million in debt. That $200 million spending spree made the company vulnerable to a take-over.

Enter Textron. Personally, I think Textron has been given a pretty rough ride by some in the industry.

The idea Textron’s acquisition was some kind of corporate raid on Arctic Cat is not the least bit accurate. In fact, Arctic Cat, according to sources, was teetering on the brink of financial demise. Textron literally saved the brand from what could have been a piecemeal sell-off and the end of what we know as Arctic Cat. That is not going to happen with Textron owning Arctic Cat.

Okay, I’ll say this: Textron may not have used the best judgment when it immediately removed the Arctic Cat name from the off-road vehicles Arctic Cat had developed and marketed. This move generated more negative scuttle in the short term than was necessary.

However, I think the backlash served to bring Textron up to speed in a hurry to the reality of just how much pride there is in this iconic American brand.

Do we believe in Textron’s commitment to the Arctic Cat brand remaining on the snowmobiles the company produces? Yes.

In fact, emphatically. It takes the intelligence of a chipmunk to understand how important the name Arctic Cat is to snowmobilers and dealers. There’s tons of equity in the Arctic Cat name and Textron will stand by its word. Any fiddling with the “Arctic Cat Snowmobiles” brand would create a backlash no amount of ‘splainin’ could justify.

Besides, is Textron better recognized in the snowbelts of North America and Europe as a snowmobile brand than Arctic Cat? Nope.

Textron is definitely in for the long haul with its purchase of Arctic Cat. How do I know this? If it was going to shampoo and Armor-All the company to prep it for sale, Textron certainly wouldn’t have rebranded the off-road division’s products as Textron ATVs and SxSs.

Another reason I believe Textron is sincerely committed to building Arctic Cat snowmobiles into an even stronger brand is the reported price it paid for the company. Sources say the number was around $250 million with another $40 million in executive pay-outs when they cleaned house.
While this is a formidable number by itself, why not pump cash into this new acquisition? Textron is a $15 billion company with the money and resources Arctic Cat needs to stay on track financially.

I’ll take this opportunity to welcome Textron into this incredibly crazy industry, the snowmobile business.

This is the only industry where consumers spend inordinately large sums of money every year so they can go out in the dead cold of winter and ride thousands of miles.

In this case being crazy is pretty good.

Full REVIEW: 2018 Arctic Cat M 8000 Sno Pro 153

SnowTrax TV
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Full REVIEW: 2018 Arctic Cat M 8000 Sno Pro 153

Luke is in the mountains evaluating the 2018 Arctic Cat M 8000 Sno Pro 153.

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REACH FOR THE SUMMIT CONTEST WINNER!

Supertrax Online
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REACH FOR THE SUMMIT CONTEST WINNER!

Congratulations to Elliot Siewert from Wisconsin for being the lucky person drawn from over 15,000 entries to win our Reach for the Summit Sweepstakes powered by Ski-Doo.

Elliot will be joining AJ and Luke Lester on an all expenses paid mountain riding adventure to CKMP where he’ll hang out and rub shoulders with Carl Kuster, Rob Alford and Tony Jenkins.

In addition to the spectacular riding that awaits him in Sicamous, BC, Elliot will also star alongside AJ and Luke in a feature story on SnowTrax Television and be the focus of an article in Supertrax Magazine.

Look for updates on Elliot’s ultimate Ski-Doo mountain riding adventure this March.

Thank you to everyone that participated and look forward to more amazing adventures and prizes we’ll be giving away in the future!

FXR’s Leadership in Snowmobile Performance and Safety

SnowTrax TV
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FXR’s Leadership in Snowmobile Performance and Safety

We take a look at FXR Racing Inc. and how they have emerged as a dominant brand within the snowmobile industry over the past decade. Then, we get a look at FXR’s involvement in the Snocross circuit including a tour of their Mobile Medical Centre fully staffed and equipped with the latest medical technology to assess and assist injured racers and get them back on the track.

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KIMPEX Performance Skis Install

SnowTrax TV
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KIMPEX Performance Skis Install

AJ is back in the Trail Tech shop as he reviews a new line performance skis from of Kimpex on our 2018 Polaris Switchback XCR project sled.

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900 ACE TURBO

Mark Lester
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900 ACE TURBO

I had the privledge of being amongst a small group of snowmobile media shuffled to Rotax in Austria this past October to witness two special launches.

You already know about the G4 600R. The very first 600 engines for the new G4 rolled down the line at Rotax while we were there. The other all-new engine launched that day was the topic of this report – the ACE 900 Turbo.

While at Rotax I learned a lot of interesting stuff about in-house technology the company has pioneered and uses specifically for powersport’s engines. I discovered Rotax invested in its very own turbo charging technology building some of the sweetest, tiniest, most sophisticated exhaust driven turbos in the world.

For sure BRP is using a lot of turbochargers these days. The turbo in the new Maverick side-x-side uses a very similar platform (the ACE 900) for its turbocharged engine which produces an arguable 175 HP. Hang on and don’t go anywhere with that info just yet.

Sea-Doo watercraft now extensively use turbo chargers departing from the former use of superchargers on the 1500 watercraft triple. With all three of BRP’s high profile divisions using turbocharged Rotax power, they correctly identified the opportunity for higher quality, increased profitability along with assured supply and designed their own proprietary line of turbochargers. Frankly, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if these Rotax turbo units ended up on some exotic, low volume European super cars.

The investment in manufacturing turbochargers had to be huge and with the compact, high performance design of these turbos there has to be opportunities for the company to be an OEM supplier to other motorized markets.

The new turbo ACE 900 is not simply a turbo and intercooler screwed onto a 90 (now 95) HP ACE triple. The engine has received a complete refreshing including rods and pistons and tweaks to the cooling and oiling system as well.

The engine produces a healthy 150 HP and displays no turbo-lag whatsoever. Yes, the engine is very similar to the Maverick turbo engine and yes, the Maverick is producing arguably 25 more ponies.

So, yes, one has to expect the output of this all new sno-mo-turbo will likely move upward in subsequent model years which actually means the aftermarket will have adjustable waste gates for the new 900 ACE turbo about 20 minutes after they get their hands on a copy. Nuff said.

Luke is the only one around our camp who has ridden the Turbo-ACE as of this writing, however we are expecting the arrival of a Limited Build in the next few days. When we do you can expect a complete walk-around with the sled.

MEET THE NEW ROTAX 900 ACE TURBO

Supertrax Online
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MEET THE NEW ROTAX 900 ACE TURBO

Here’s a cool video showing how the new ROTAX 900 ACE Turbo engine works.

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Tucker Hibbert extends points lead at challenging Eastern Snocross National

Supertrax Online
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Tucker Hibbert extends points lead at challenging Eastern Snocross National

February 19, 2018 – Tucker Hibbert extended his points lead in the ISOC National Snocross Championship at the Eastern National in Salamanca, NY. Hibbert was untouchable in qualifying and with points being awarded for qualifying rounds, he racked up valuable points despite going 13-2 in the final events.

In Friday night’s final, after winning both qualifiers, Hibbert lined-up on the far outside due to ISOC’s pro start rule which requires riders to take their pick in an inverted order based off their results earned in qualifying races. To avoid getting pushed off the track in the tight left first turn, he grabbed the brakes and slotted to the back of the 15-rider field. He made passes quick and on lap seven of 22, moved into seventh. Two laps later, he misjudged the speed and position of another rider and put himself in a line that caused him to get partially landed on. Hibbert was unharmed but the incident left his throttle cable broken. Unable to continue racing, he exited the track and was scored 13th based on the number of laps he completed.

Saturday night, Hibbert was once again the number qualifier for the final event. Instead of starting on far outside of the front row, he opted to start from the back row with the goal of being in a safer position through the first turn. He got through the first turn clean then ran into a rider who was stopped at the top of the first jump, leaving him in last place. With minor damage to his right ski and a-arm, he charged forward. Lap eight of 22, he moved into eighth place. With a 14-second deficit to make up on the leader, he clicked off fast lap after fast lap and with two laps to go, passed Logan Christian for second place. Hibbert kept the pressure on to the end to finish 1.3 seconds behind race winner Kody Kamm.

Next up for Hibbert is the Michigan National this weekend in Mt. Pleasant. The 10-time champion now holds a 61-point lead in the 2018 points championship. For more information on Hibbert and his schedule, visit tucker-hibbert.com.

Tucker Hibbert – #68 Monster Energy / Arctic Cat / Ram Truck
Friday night recap:
“The race didn’t go quite as planned after getting a bad start. It took me a few laps to get into a groove and make forward progress. Once I did that, I started feeling a lot better and charging towards the front. It fell apart about halfway through the race when I was trying to make a pass on a rider. I thought he went over the inside berm to the outside and at the last second I realized he was still on the inside berm and I had drove basically underneath him. At the last second, I saw and heard his sled and I was able to lean back and get my right hand off the handle bar before his track caught my bars. I was lucky to not get hurt but unfortunately the mistake took me out of the race with a broken throttle cable. I was definitely bummed to be sitting on the sidelines when I wanted to be charging to the front.”

Saturday night recap:
“We [the team] tried to figure out the best scenario for the starting line and the first turn to avoid getting taken out and improve our chance of a better start. We decided to go to the back row. I feel like it was right decision but unfortunately I got tangled with another rider right out of the first turn. It didn’t work out and I had to come from last place. I didn’t really get a good look at where Kamm was until I was in third place and had passed Logan for second. I was focused on not making mistakes and charging hard. I got real close. I was feeling like I could get the win, especially if Kamm made a mistake. I have won a lot of races like this in the past so I knew I could do it but came up a little short of getting it done.”

Overall thoughts on the weekend:
“I’m excited about the championship and where we’re at with that. Obviously extending the points lead each weekend is awesome and that’s a goal for us but, for me, winning races is where it’s at, so it’s a little frustrating. It’s unfortunate that it’s so challenging to race for final wins after winning all the qualifiers and being so fast. We’re staying focused on our season goals which are to win every time we’re on the track and to win the championship.”

Tucker Hibbert – Eastern National Results
Friday, February 16 – Pro Round 9
Round 1 Qualifying: 1st
Round 2 Qualifying: 1st
FINAL: 13th
Saturday, February 17 – Pro Round 10
Round 1 Qualifying: 1st
Round 2 Qualifying: 1st
FINAL: 2nd

CBS Sports Network Broadcast 
Eastern Snocross National Day 1: Sunday, February 25 – 11:00 am ET
Eastern Snocross National Day 2: Sunday, March 4 – 11:00 am ET

Remaining 2017/2018 ISOC National Snocross Events
Mt. Pleasant, MI // February 23-24, 2018
Dubuque, IA // March 9-10, 2018
Lake Geneva, WI // March 16-17, 2018

About Tucker Hibbert
Tucker Hibbert, 33, entered his first race at the age of eight and today stands as the most decorated snowmobile snocross racer in history. He’s a two-time FIM World Snowcross champion, 14-time X Games medalist and 10-time national snocross champion. Now in his 18th professional season, he holds 134 Pro National victories. For more information on Hibbert, visit tucker-hibbert.com.

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    SNOWTRAX has established itself as the most watched snowmobile TV series in North America.
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