Okay, somebody’s a little bit nuts up there in Valcourt.

Think about this: A full blown utility sled that has the capability to smoke some of the best trail sleds out there.

This is what happens when engineer’s imaginations are allowed to run wild.

Seriously, this is a crazy exciting snowmobile and one we think is on target to be a huge hit in Europe and areas of North America where trails are not as plentiful and deep snow riding is the vogue.

Powered only by a Rotax 800 E-TEC (yes, that’s right – no other engine options are available), the E-Extreme with its SC-SU articulated rear end with gi-bungous dimensions (a 154 x 20 x 1.75 inch track!), double A-arm front end, KYB Pro 36 aluminum gas shocks front and rear and wide, easy floating Pilot DS 2 skis, is an imposing snowmobile.

Naturally, this sled will go almost anywhere off-trail but is it ever a blast to ride it on-trail! Handling is surprisingly decent and its ride is flat-out excellent.

Weight? Don’t even mention it. Although, come to think of it, Ski-doo’s 2016 product guide does indicate the Extreme comes with “lightweight” aluminum handlebars.

Glad to hear that; we wouldn’t want those bulky steel ones adding unnecessary mass.

Certainly a niche snowmobile, the Expedition Extreme is a well executed experiment and just may open new market opportunities for Ski-Doo.

As it is, we’re wondering if a snocross version might be available soon. Come to think of it, there are cross-country races where this sled would actually be a strong choice.

Ski-Doo has completely jacked the enthusiasm surrounding a product category that was losing its sizzle.

Which one? The GSX has been eliminated from the product list this year and replaced with a very appealing and much more macho 137-inch sled called the Renegade Enduro.

This sled’s personality is designed to mirror Paris-Dakar cross-country motorcycles with gear-carrying capacity, maximum suspension capability and extreme performance.

The Enduro features nearly all the same goodies you used to get with the GSX but it now has four engine options: 600 and 800 E-TEC, 900 ACE and 1170cc 4-TEC with iTC.

Bodywork is all REV-XS with the extra wind protection of a mid-height windshield and its heated glovebox behind the windscreen. The Enduro also comes standard with a 1.25-inch x 137 Ice Ripper XT track.

Rear suspension is 137 rMotion with on-the-fly adjustable Air Ride while RAS 2 with HPG Plus aluminum-bodied gassers using Pilot TS adjustable skis are used on the front end. Electric start and reverse are standard on all variations of the Enduro.

This is an exciting new model this year and its paint and graphics give it plenty of sizzle.

Its performance in all categories is exceptional and our test pilots agreed the Enduro was one of the most impressive 2016 Ski-Doos we had the opportunity to ride.

If you’ve been around Ski-Doos a couple of decades, you’ll remember the Blizzard monicker with warm and fuzzy vibes.

For 2016 Ski-Doo has revived the nameplate with a menu of new-for-2016 features.

The Blizzard is available with choices of 600 and 800cc E-TEC 2-strokes and 900 ACE and 1170cc 4-TEC 4-stroke triples.

All Blizzards, regardless of whether they’re 2-stroke or 4-stroke powered use the XS bodywork but the 1170 has its own unique side fenders to accommodate the 4-TEC’s larger muffler.

The 4-TEC uses iTC (intelligent throttle control) and we were very pleased with its performance and riding manners when we rode it a few weeks ago.

Also included in the Blizzard model list is the new factory-studded 129-inch Ice-Ripper XT (1.25-inches) track wrapped around a fully coupled rMotion skid.

Rebuildable HPG-Plus non-reservoir gas shocks are used front and rear.

Handling is very good, not only because of RAS 2 but also because of the new Pilot TS adjustable skis included with the Blizzard.

Electric start and reverse are standard issue on all Blizzards.

As usual, Ski-Doo has brought a giant fly-swatter to the beehive and has introduced some blockbuster new-tech for MY2016.

Here’s an overview of some of the new additions:

New Pilot TS Adjustable Skis:

Okay, think of a set of skis with a knob control located just ahead of the spindle that allows you to drop the ski’s “blade” deeper into the snow so you can match different riding conditions.

There’s a dial “gauge” on the ski’s control device so you can tell how deep the sled’s carbide blade is penetrating the surface and you merely twist the knob to adjust handling for ice, hardpacked snow and powder.

This is such a simple, quick method to tune your ride, we can’t imagine why someone didn’t think of it sooner. Incidentally, TS stands for “Tuneable Ski”.

129-inch Tracks For Many MX-Z Models:

We got a hint Ski-Doo may be moving to 128 or 129-inch tracks on its MX-Z when we saw the 2015 late-build Iron Dog MX-Z a few weeks before we rode the 2016 model line-up.

This year, all TNTs and MX-Z Sports stay at 120-inches but the early-order X-Series goes to 129 along with the MX-Z XRS.

We sampled these sleds with the slightly longer track length and are glad to report there is no discernible handling compromise but a much better versatility factor as the sled gains more floatation and gets more traction both on-trail and off, not to mention better braking.

Our favorite trail combos are the MX-Z models with the longer track and the new TS adjustable skis.

Intelligent Throttle Control for the 4-TEC:

If you’re familiar with the 600 and 900 ACE 4-strokes you know how Ski-Doo’s 3-mode iTC works.

The same technology has been applied to the 1170 triple and it makes a big difference in operator control.

Formerly, the throttle was edgy on this engine and iTC simply smoothes out the sled’s off-idle throttle tip-in performance so virtually anyone, experienced or non-experienced can enjoy this engine’s power.

This drive-by-wire tech uses Sport, Normal and ECO modes operated at the turn of a switch and the throttle flipper can be turned around backwards on the handlebar so you can use your index finger to pull the trigger.

BTW: We tested this set-up in ECO and found the sled was still surprisingly fast, although throttle engagement was much softer than Sport or Normal mode.

146-inches for Renegade Backcountry and X:

Ski-Doo’s most serious off-trail targeted crossover, the 2016 Backcountry, gets a 146-inch uncoupled tMotion skid and choices of 16-wide Cobra meat (1.6) or a PowderMax (2.0).

These sleds use the mountain-targeted FlexEdge track but keep their trail-oriented wider ski-stance.

Grand Touring Gets New Bodywork:

All Grand Touring models (and any sled that formerly used the XR bodywork) will use the XS based body shell with newly-styled side panels and a much slimmer, more aerodynamic look.

The Grand Touring also receives the RAS 2 front end upgrade and the SE will come with Pilot TS adjustable skis and iTC on its 4-TEC powerplant.

So, you bought a new sled last year or a couple of years ago and you can’t find a new one anywhere or maybe, you just love the one you’ve got.

However, it’s not perfect and you’d like to increase its performance a bit. What’s the best investment you can make?

There are few routes you can go and you don’t have to spend a fortune to improve your sled’s performance. Here are a few places you can put your dough and it will make a noticeable difference:

TRACTION:

You can stud your sled’s track and the extra traction will make it haul out of the hole and even get you up past 60-mph a lot faster than a sled without them. If you do the work yourself, for about $200 you can make your sled feel and perform completely different.

ALSO TRACTION:

You can upgrade to a deeper lugged track or even a lighter and deeper track for about 500 to 600 bucks. True, you’ll pay more if you don’t install it yourself but an increase in track depth by ½-inch can make your sled feel and perform completely different.

CLUTCHING:

Installing a clutch kit is a great way to gain acceleration performance and driveline efficiency and doesn’t necessarily have to make your sled feel like a snocross racer with stoccatto engagement.

EPI, TEAM and Dalton are great places to shop and you’ll be surprised what $500.00 will get you in performance. You can get tons of free advice from these guys and we suggest letting your dealer do the install if this is not in your comfort zone.

SHOCKS:

If your current ride doesn’t offer much adjustability beyond preload settings and you’ve ridden in excess of 5000 miles, you’ll feel like you’ve got a brand new sled when you install a set of dialed-in compression adjustable gas or gas cell shocks.

You don’t have to go nuts here either with the most expensive dampers on the market. Some steel bodied units are priced really reasonably and can do nearly as good a job as shocks costing double.

We suggest you switch up your skid’s rear arm shock first, see if you like the difference and then go to front shocks. If it isn’t worn out, replace your skidframe’s front arm shock last. Make sure you buy adjustability.