We get a snow-mo sneak peak of what is to come from model year 2018, including the Ski-Doo G4 Renegade XRS and the return of Yamaha’s SnoScoot.
SKI-DOO XRS HARDCORES CAN BE HAPPY NOW!
One of the biggest complaints we heard from died-in-the-wool Ski-Doo fanatics last year was that the newly-introduced G4 850 wasn’t available in the XRS package.
It meant if you wanted the good shocks and maximum track options you had to stick with the MX-Z XRS 800 in the XS platform for another year. Wah, wah!
MY2018 brings a new G4-based XRS with all the jam those hardcores have been asking for.
Available in both 129 (MX-Z) and 137-inch (Renegade) track lengths, the new XRS series brings an amazingly striking color combo of yellow, silver and black besides a second all-black scheme with the black having a more subdued complimentary nose band across the hood – a styling cue we personally wish the G4 would lose.
Both look awesome, however, and leave absolutely no doubt this is Ski-Doo’s premium performance model.
You can choose between an Ice-Ripper XT semi-studded track or a RipSaw, with 1.25-inch lugs in both track lengths or an optional 1.6 Cobra.
Frankly, we feel XRS riders would really benefit from the 1.6 option because this sled makes some serious power and both stopping and acceleration traction is at a minimum without aftermarket traction products installed on a 1.25.
One interesting change this year is a switch to Pro 36mm rebound adjustable front shocks compared to the usual 40mm units on XRS Ski-Doos of the recent past.
Although the compression and rebound adjustable piggyback gas shocks up front are very sophisticated and offer extreme performance, they may lack the “mental horsepower” appeal of the bigger units.
You have to give consideration to the fact, with the XRS being calibrated for the masses, there are few riders who will experience fade or damping limitations (bottoming) from these smaller diameter KYBs.
As it is, buyers are getting premium performance with less weight – a sensible and valuable trade-off – and there are still big 40s in the rMotion out back.
This is false (ref: BRP REMOTE COUPLING BLOCK ADJUSTER). This does not change it from an coupled skid to an uncoupled.
You cannot change a coupled skid by adjusting rear stops to make it uncoupled. Parts need to be physically changed to do that.
You need to reword your article as it’s misleading.
Brad Ratch
Hey Brad!
Sit up and pay strict attention to how the remote coupler adjuster works. It will allow the rider to use his or her pre-determined rear coupling setting (located on the drop link pivot) in any of the four positions or – this is where you’re confused – no coupling at all as it swivels the rear coupler stops on the rail extrusion completely out of the way – which means no, zip, nada coupling.
So, the system allows for either a predetermined coupling moment of #1 thru #4 or no coupling. We think it’s pretty cool.
Thanks,
Motorhead Mark
See original comment and response from Ski-Doo…
We get a snow-mo sneak peak of what is to come from model year 2018, including the Polaris Titan and Arctic Cat’s new C-TEC2 800 Engine as well as Arctic Cat’s ZR200.
Luke rides a 2017 Arctic Cat XF 8000 Cross Country. And for those who want to push the limit off-trail, check out the C&A Pro XCS Skis.
Monster Energy / Arctic Cat / Ram Truck’s Tucker Hibbert finished third in the 2016/2017 ISOC National Snocross Pro Open Championship with a solid weekend of racing at the Ram Truck Grand Finale National in Lake Geneva, Wisc.
The three-day event capped off another remarkable season for the 10-time champion.
Hibbert’s victory in front of a packed crowd Saturday night was the highlight of his weekend. With a second place start in the 14-rider, 10-lap final, he was in good position but, ultimately, strategy played a major factor in the race.
On lap six, the leader took the joker lane (an extended section of the track each rider was required to take once during the race), opening the door for Hibbert to take control of the race.
He took full advantage of the opportunity, laying down fast lap after fast lap to pull a comfortable lead over second place. He waited until the final lap to take the joker lane and secured the victory.
Recapping Hibbert’s 17th Pro National season, he tallied a series-high seven Pro Open final wins, 11 podiums and 14 top-five finishes. In the process, he added another career milestone to his record by winning his 125th Pro National race at the Eastern National in New York.
Stay up-to-date with Hibbert’s summer racing plans by visiting tucker-hibbert.com.
In a flurry of racing activity, Ski-Doo racers took five National Snocross Championships at the ISOC season finale in Lake Geneva, Wis. this weekend. Aki Pihlaja led the way in the Pro Lite class, with championships clinched by Hunter Patenaude in Sport, Kurt Bauerly in Pro-Am +30 and Jordan Lebel in Junior 10-13 and Transition 8-12.
Racing at the renowned Grand Geneva Resort always provides some great action and a few surprises, but Pihlaja and Patenaude made sure to leave their marks by winning their final races of the year in dominating fashion. Bauerly and Lebel were consistently and in the hunt with each hitting the podium to cement their points championships. Surprise came for Tim Tremblay as he suffered a mechanical issue on Friday while leading the Pro Open final with two laps to go, losing a sizable points lead he couldn’t overcome the rest of the weekend. It was Tremblay’s the third runner-up finish in season points in as many years for the 2012 champion.
In Pro Open action, Lincoln Lemieux wrapped up the year strongly by never finishing less than fourth on the weekend; Elias Ishoel collected a podium and Adam Renheim placed 4th in one final.
Pihlaja had everyone’s attention in Pro Lite, but Max Taillefer made his presence felt by running strong both days and finishing second in the weekend’s first final.
Hunter Patenaude wanted to leave little doubt about who was going to be champion in the always rough-and-tumble Sport class and did so by winning both finals at Lake Geneva in dominating fashion. Fellow X-Team racer Camryn Anderson was in the mix for most of the year and finished third in the overall points race.
Danny Poirier made the last weekend of full-time racing in his career worthwhile by winning one of the Pro AM +30 finals and qualifying for both Pro Lite races. Paul Bauerly collected the other Pro AM +30 checkered flag – right in front of his brother Kurt, who won the championship. (A little reminder there’s always next year..)
Arctic Cat has wasted no time getting its new 800 DSI mill in as many models as possible.
Certainly, Cat’s new mountain sleds on the fresh Ascender platform will benefit greatly from the new 800’s quick spool-up and excellent throttle response.
Trail sleds like the 129 and 137-inch ZR 8000s act completely different with the slot-injected 800 under the hood, too.
We’ve ridden them and the level of smoothness and responsiveness is unlike any other big-inch Cat ever.
We were surprised to learn that Arctic Cat has included the new engine in several other models for MY2018.
Usually there’s a lag in introducing a new engine all across the model line-up and new intros are limited to the most popular models only. Case in point is Ski-Doo’s 2017 intro of the G4 with a brand new 850.
However, Cat has included the new 800 C-TEC2 in every model that had an 800 in 2017. At first you’d be thinking: Why wouldn’t they do that – after all it’s just a swap-over from the former 800 to a new one, right?
Honestly, it’s not that simple. Because of the new engine’s different power characteristics, every model needs to be calibrated to match its output.
This involves clutching, gearing and distinctive fuel mapping differences for altitude sleds, powder-specific riding and trail use. It’s a huge undertaking and something most snowmobilers take for granted.
Here are some of the models equipped with the new DSI 800: The XF8000 High Country and HC Limited ES, CrossTrek 8000, Cross Country 8000, ZR 8000RR Series plus all the aforementioned 8000 129 and 137-inch models and the M-sleds for a total of 13 specific upgrades to the new engine.
This commitment to change pretty much leaves the old Suzuki-built 800 in the memory banks.
The Nielsen Enterprises Grand Finale in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is always a special race for the entire snocross community.
Over the years the event has been particularly good to the Judnick Motorsports team serving as the backdrop to several big wins, season championships and the opportunity to meet some of our biggest and best fans in the party atmosphere that follows a long winter of hard-fought competition.
The 2017 AMSOIL Championship series finale will go down as one for the ages, as once again the team experienced many of those great scenarios and much more.
Ross Martin opened the weekend with a fifth place finish in an intense Pro Open main event, one of three rounds that would determine the series champion in that class. Jake Angove followed on Saturday, winning the Pro Lite main event in dominating fashion.
It was Angove’s third win in last three weekends of racing, in which he has become one of the elite riders in the class consistently winning qualifying rounds and finishing at or near the top of the podium.
Nick Lorenz made another stellar run through the pack on Saturday finishing in the fourth spot. Lorenz turned the tables on Sunday and after going 2-1 in his heat races, jumped to the front of the class final right from the start, pressuring point leader Aki Pihlaja for the lead and nearly making the pass in the final corner coming to the checkered flag.
Lorenz finished second, capping an outstanding rookie season in which he matured each week, learned from mistakes and capitalized on every opportunity.
Jake Angove qualified 1-2 on Sunday and after a rare mid-pack start finished in fifth place. Angove ended the season second overall in the championship eating away at the points gap down the home stretch. Lorenz finished right behind him in third, signaling a bright future for our “All-American Racers.”
On Sunday morning following Pro Open practice, Ross Martin unexpectedly made the decision to withdraw from the race and announce his retirement from snocross in front of his hometown fans. Martin has been a part of the Judnick Motorsports family for 14 seasons and this was an emotional turn of events for all of us.
During his run, Ross built a legacy in the sport that places him among the top three riders of all time, including three Pro Open Championships, three Pro Lite Championships, ninety eight Pro podiums, thirty four Pro wins and five X-Games Medals.
We will have more from Ross in the coming weeks but it has been a great ride for the 837!
Just when we thought every possible ounce of emotion had been pulled from our souls, Judnick Motorsports had the incredible honor of being recognized as the 2017 ISOC Team of the Year at the series banquet on Sunday night.
This is our 20th year of competing in professional snocross and words can’t describe how much we appreciate the sacrifice and efforts of the family, friends, riders, crew members, sponsors and fans who have been behind us along the way.
Racing is a labor of passion with high risks and no guarantee of any rewards, but in good times and bad, it is the people who make it all worthwhile and for that we say thank you!
Seems I may need to clarify a couple comments I made on this site and in this season’s SUPERTRAX International Magazines.
One thing we try to be careful about around here is outright absolute proclamations of superior top speed. It’s not that we don’t make those proclamations – we definitely do. However we try to ensure we’ve got some boilerplate, firsthand data derived from early testing here at SUPERTRAX World HQ to back up our assertions.
This season we had early, and abundant snow thanks to Lake Huron, Georgian Bay and a strong and steady flow of northwest winds. Those two bodies of water stayed mostly open well into January so as a result where we are located – in the lea of Huron and Georgian Bay – pretty much gets regular and copious quantities of the white stuff whenever the wind blows.
This lake effect snow covers the central portion of the Province of Ontario and actually blows right into Quebec. It means many areas may not be seeing much snow as a result of a dearth of storm systems racing across North America. While we don’t rely on those systems – in the same way Michigan’s Upper Peninsula gets lake effect – so does Ontario.
My purpose here is not a lesson in meteorology. However some background is necessary to make my clarification – the subject of this article. Due to of magazine lead times, the pressure is always on for us to include our initial impressions of the most profiled new sleds every winter.
The internet’s immediacy has helped us with this however we still have tens of thousands of you who want our opinions and conclusions to be recorded in Supertrax – in time to reach you before the end of the season. This requires early season riding and comparison – something we love to do.
This season we were riding daily in early December – in amazing snow by the middle of the month – by Christmas it just kept piling up and up. We needed to be able to hone a few lakes on hard-pack to get some sense of what sleds were the ones to beat at WOT.
Inasmuch as we were on the lakes early here’s where it got tricky. There was so much snow falling – literally daily at World HQ – that we could not get a firm read on what sleds – specifically the new Turbo’s from Yamaha and Arctic Cat and the new 850 Ski-Doo – were fastest past the C-Note.
Try as we might it wasn’t until mid winter where the conditions where right and when the Yamaha and AC turbos staked their claim by being able to confidently wind them out and eclipse 125mph (200 km/h) on hard pack.
So my comments about not declaring an outright Lake Champion earlier created some angst – particularly with the Yamaha faithful. Here’s what we now know. The Sidewinder (and the AC 9000) are most often the fastest sleds down the lake and past the C-Note.
Their claimed 180 HP (cough) output which actually feels a little understated at that number – trumpsSki-Doo’s 165 HP and rolls the ‘Winder to near heroic top end digits. It would appear that on most days the fastest sled down Kevlar Lake in 2016/17 is the Yama-turbo.
BTW, we really appreciated the few who made it clear we are being paid by Ski-Doo to not give the fastest title to Yamaha. As much as we love juicy conspiracy theories we were actually making sure the unquantified-at-sea-level-sled, which on paper sounded like it would be the fastest down the lake in MY 2017, was precisely that.
And it is.
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