Prepare for winter’s challenges with the Pro Point 4500W Gas-Powered Inverter Generator. Safeguard against power outages caused by snow and ice, ensuring your emergency preparedness plan is in check.
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The reliable single cylinder 224cc, 5 HP electric start 4-stroke engine produces 4500 starting watts and 3700 continuous running watts and runs for over 10 hours at 50% load when the 3.4-gallon (13 litres) tank is full.
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Equip yourself with the Pro Point 4500W Inverter Generator for a winter-ready power solution.
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Luke pushes the limits of the 2024 Polaris 650 INDY XCR 128, which embodies race-proven trail dominance, effortless control from the MATRYX platform, along with precision handling and trail-shredding power from the potent 650 Patriot engine.
The FXR X-CROSS PRO BOA BOOT is engineered to deliver unparalleled comfort, protection and performance in extreme cold conditions. With a host of innovative features, this boot is designed to elevate your outdoor snowmobiling experience.
The integration of the HydrX membrane ensures superior waterproofing, shielding your feet from moisture while allowing breathability, keeping you dry and comfortable during your ride. Its 2-piece form-fitting tongue construction optimizes fit, providing a snug and secure feel for maximum comfort, while also enhancing the overall positive fit of the boot.
Crafted with a keen focus on flexibility, stability and protection, the FXR X-Cross Pro Boa boot’s impressive construction is engineered to thrive in harsh winter conditions. It is rated to withstand temperatures as low as -40°C, supported by 600g insulation to ensure your feet stay warm in even the most frigid environments.
The fixed soft lining adds an extra layer of comfort while minimizing seams in sled-contact areas reducing potential irritation or discomfort during active use.
The incorporation of a 20mm thick EVA midsole sets this boot apart by offering maximum impact absorption and high-rebound cushioning. This not only enhances comfort but also aids in reducing fatigue, allowing you to stay on your feet longer without strain or discomfort.
Designed for optimal traction and stability, the FXR Aggressive tread with a concave footprint delivers exceptional grip in winter conditions. The toe and heel kick further enhance traction and stability, ensuring a secure footing on your running boards and on snowy or icy terrain.
Additionally, this boot features Achilles and calf cushion support, providing crucial reinforcement for these areas enhancing overall comfort and reducing fatigue during extended wear.
On your sled or off your sled, the FXR X-CROSS PRO BOA boot’s comprehensive list of features combine to create a premium snowmobile boot that maximizes performance, comfort, and durability, allowing you to ride confidently in harsh winter conditions while keeping your feet warm and dry.
For more information on this boot visit FXRRACING.COM
While there’s always the anticipation of some morsels of info on following year’s models in January, it’s rare to see a full-line, complete unveil of everything for the next season by any OEM this early in the year. This is uncharted waters for the industry and may have some long-term repercussions with the other OEMs.
Simply put, manufacturers like to be first out of the gate when it comes to unveiling next year’s sleds, but this comes with one major caveat. You can’t show your hand until your dealers’ showrooms are empty of current model year sleds. If you mess up this timing there’ll be a boatload of dealers screaming at their District Sales Managers that their current year product is now obsolete.
This is a complicated dance – most of the time. For Arctic Cat though, not so much. The company unveiled the all-new CATALYST platform over a year ago with one tell-tale feature missing. Everyone immediately knew the CATALYST would be carrying an 850-class engine in the very near future and here we are with the unveiling of the 858.
Let’s take a look at where this 165 horsepower, 2-stroke twin will show up in MY25 and explore some other interesting AC developments…
More Power
Some notable info on the 858 CATALYST comes in the form of an open admission that this engine met Arctic Cat’s engine design parameters of a full ten percent increase in peak horsepower!
Let’s do that math. I think it’s safe to say the former SDI 800 engine made between 150 and 160 ponies. If ten percent is spun off 150 horses then the new Stroker 858 is making 165 horsepower. If the ten percent is a result of starting with 160, then the 858 is making slightly more than 165. We’ll let you know what happens when we take a WOT run with the 858 down Kevlar Lake.
It’s Really All About CATALYST and the 858
The 858 was designed to be mounted in only the CATALYST. Yeah, we know, this year the CATALYST comes with the current 600 DSI engine. Truth is, the brain trust at Arctic Cat had to adapt the 600 to fit in this new platform. The 600 is actually mounted higher in the chassis than the 858. We look for a 600-class engine based on the 858’s architecture to arrive sometime in the future.
Based on our impressions after riding the 600, the new CATALYST feels light in the twisties and well balanced in the whoops. We already know the new 858 engine is within ounces of the 600’s weight so these handling impressions should hold true with the 858’s additional power.
Here’s the lineup…
The ZR for 2025 comes in three forms. The base line ZR is available with the 858 or the 600 DSI twin. Next is the ZR Sno Pro with the above two engine options, and finally the ZR with ATAC adjustable on-the-fly shocks. All three versions can be had with 129 or 137 X 1.25 lug RipSaw tracks. These models have many more unique and desirable features you can read about in the full AC release.
The CATALYST ZR R-XC also returns for MY25, now available with both the 600 DSI and 858 C-TEC2 engines featuring Fox QS3R shocks up front and the SLIDE-ACTION rear suspension features a Fox 1.5 QS3 on the front skid shock and a 2.0 QS3R on the rear. This sled’s only available as a 137 and boasts the 1.35 Cobra track.
It needs to be noted there’s also a ProCross-based ZR powered by a 1049cc, 135 horsepower class 4-stroke triple available with a 129 or 137 X 1.25 inch RipSaw. This is an important addition to the AC lineup for MY 2025. Arctic Cat needs 4-strokes and this is a good one.
The Thundercat returns for 2025 in the ProCross chassis powered by a 200-horsepower class turbocharged and intercooled 4-stroke engine offered standard with EPS and ATAC.
Back to CATALYST Models
The CATALYST based 2025 RIOT is available with either the 600 DSI or the Stroker 858 and is offered in three trim levels: Base, SnoPro or with ATAC. The RIOT utilizes an Arctic Cat X-Over “Cross Action” rear skid inside a 146-inch, 1.75-lug or a 146-inch 1.35 lug sneaker. It is worth mentioning all CATALYST models for 2025 use AC’s exclusive belt drive final drive system.
Cat also offers a RIOT built on the ProCross platform using the 998cc turbocharged and intercooled 200 HP class 4-stroke triple.
Steep and Deep CATALYST
The base M Alpha One and the M Alpha One SnoPro are available with either the 600 DSI or the 858 Stroker. Track choices for both the M models wrap around Arctic Cat’s proprietary single beam “Alpha One” skid in 146, 154 and 165 lengths using 2.6 or 3.0 lug options. There is also the M Mountain Cat in 2 iterations with only one engine choice – 858 power – the Mountain Cat and the Mountain Cat with ATAC. It appears at this writing both versions come with Arctic Cat’s G-8 Digital Display and both feature the Alpha One single-beam rear suspension.
That’s a quick run through the 2025 AC lineup paying specific attention to where the CATALYST with 858 power will be in play. We’ll bring you more info on AC’s 2025 lineup in the coming weeks. For now, take satisfaction in being among the very first people to see a full-on, next-year-introduction earlier than ever before!
A big question these days is how to get new people into the sport.
It’s a genuine fact that most new snowmobilers come into the sport on the seat of someone else’s sled. Maybe they had a weekend excursion with a snowmobiling friend or got to sample what it was like to ride groomed trails or to cruise through frozen powder in the heart of winter on a borrowed or rented snowmobile. That’s why it’s such a good thing to introduce new friends to the sport.
According to stats, many new riders buy used as their first sled. There’s an equal number, however, who shop for an ideal brand new starter sled.
The challenge the industry faces is offering entry-level models that will scoop up their attention before they buy from another competitor. Usually, when a new-sled purchase is made, the customer tends to stay with that brand and that dealer for a long time.
Over the years, many supposed entry-level sleds offered have been underpowered and under-equipped, stunningly boring models that haven’t brought much of a result in the sales department, anyway. Probably the biggest error is assuming that new riders only want to buy new if the sled is cheap.
Frankly, our experience has been that when a new rider gets the bug, they’re willing to spend fairly decent dollars to get into the sport. What they really want is enough power to keep up with their new riding buds and a sled with enough equipment they’ll not be bored or disappointed by it for a few years.
This doesn’t mean a first year owner is going to buy the fastest hypersled or the most radical climber or something that requires years of experience to master.
The balance seems to be sufficient power blended with reliability and a long enough list of equipment to keep the rider comfortable.
Ski-Doo’s in-season 2024 MXZ Adrenaline offers maximum performance, great ride from the best rear suspension in the biz and a very good list of amenities starting at around $13 grand US ($13,399 US/$16,549 CA) with optional 129 and 137-inch track lengths and available with either the ROTAX 600R or 850 E-TEC engines.
We can pretty much guarantee, if you recommend this sled to any newbie to the sport, they will not be disappointed.
AJ shares his opinions on the 2024 Arctic Cat ZR 600 CATALYST with ATAC after having spent some time aboard this sled in this comprehensive evaluation.
On the 2023 season’s finale of SNOWTRAX we forgot to upload…
AJ evaluates Ski-Doo’s 2023 Expedition SE featuring the 130 horsepower class 900 ACE turbocharged engine showcasing its functionality as a luxury sport utility snowmobile.
Then it’s that time of year again when the SnowTrax crew tally the score cards and cast their votes for the snowmobile models they think are most deserving of sled of the year title. Passions run high as the fellas hotly debate the top 3 contenders and then select this season’s SnowTrax Real World Sled of Year recipient.
Then Luke reviews the 2023 Lynx XTERRAIN RE featuring the 850 ETEC engine highlighting its unrivaled crossover performance for the most hardcore adventure snowmobilers.
Outdoor Covers Canada sells a wide variety of high-quality and affordable powersports covers designed to protect your expensive toys and give you peace of mind when you’re not using them. Outdoor Covers Canada has the perfect cover to protect your snowmobile, ATV/UTV, watercraft or virtually any other valued item you need to store outside.
Nanook Powersport Covers are made from heavy-duty 600 denier polyester with a special inner coating that efficiently repels inclement weather conditions and its double-stitched seams and reinforced stress points make these covers strong enough to withstand frequent transport and wind conditions.
Better yet, the cover shapes are specifically designed for a proper fit for your snowmobile, with features such as a snug elastic hem, air vents for moisture escape, soft front liner, zippered gas tank hatch access and rear reflectors.
Venture Sport Covers are made of marine grade fabric with superior solution dyed polyester and a special inner treatment to protect your sled better than standard outdoor fabrics which allows for breathability to avoid trapped moisture. This high-quality material is fade resistant and sun tolerant and are equipped with various securing features and provide maximum all-season outdoor protection for your machine.
Advantage Protective Covers are made with a lightweight but strong polyester fabric and treated with a water-resistant coating. This is an ideal protective indoor cover or short-term/overnight outdoor cover. The Advantage cover is perfect for protecting from dust, rain, snow, pollution, bird droppings and pesky tree sap.
So which 2024 model Polaris sled in our fleet this season am I most excited about getting some seat-time aboard? Of course the answer must be the new 2024 Indy VR 1 Boost, Right? Wrong and here’s why.
I put a whole season of riding on a 2023 Indy VR1 Boost last season and my opinions of that sled, along with Luke’s and AJ’s, are well documented on this site and on our YouTube channel. So, while I’m still excited to ride the improved 2024 Boost, it is not my number one pick for evaluation once we get some snow here at the Supertrax/SnowTrax World Headquarters!
THE NEW INDY XC PROSTAR S4
So, why would I be excited to ride an arguably 90-95 horsepower 4-stroke sled? Simple answer is I’ve only ridden an S4-powered Indy in Northern Minnesota two years ago and in West Yellowstone last spring at 6600 feet and I’m itching to rack up some serious trail riding miles on this sled on our home turf.
Just the exhaust note this sled produced when we unloaded it from the trailer got all of us sitting up and paying attention. This new mill is based on the Pro Star 1000cc, 270/450 firing, twin cam, twin cylinder EFI engine used to power numerous Polaris Ranger and RZR offroad vehicles. In short, it produces a sweet, “Harley-esque” exhaust cadence that causes gear heads to unnecessarily whack the throttle repeatedly. Go figure.
I’m even more intrigued by this sled’s nicely integrated profile from all angles. The insertion of the ProStar engine required virtually no re-jiggering of the quick-on/quick-off Polaris three-piece frontal bodywork. In essence, the only way to discern an S4 among a group of Indy MATRYX snowmobiles is to read the graphics.
Here’s where a confounding observation will be discussed. Strangely – and I do mean “strangely”, the ProStar twin appears by all our measurements to be almost 60 pounds heavier than a G5 Ski-Doo powered by the ROTAX ACE 900 triple cylinder engine. Does this extra poundage make a measurable difference to how the S4 performs and handles? No and yes.
Considering our limited exposure to the new Indy S4 I have to say this sled performed really well both at sea level and at Yellowstone’s 6600 foot altitude. Obviously, the ProStar’s power was noticeably diminished at altitude (as are all non-turbo engines). The brief ride I had almost two years ago at sea level impressed me with the spread of power the S4 delivered.
From a handling perspective I have only one gripe. Polaris has elected to deliver all MATRYX S4’s with dual runner skags. Why, you ask? Apparently, Polaris feels the target buyer for this sled and engine combo will more likely be a big mile cruiser than a ditch banger from Grygla, Minnesota.
Okay, the logic is sound, but last time I checked Polaris is about industry-leading handling and these skags “numb-up” the Indy XC S4 in an effort to reduce darting and lighten steering effort.
We’re going to throw a set of Woody’s 6-inchers on ours and see what the highly discerning cadre of riders around our office think is the best carbide set up for twisty, trail-riding forays.
I will say this, the MATRYX Indy XC platform has the best ergonomic package in the biz and this 4-stroke powered variant benefits from this platform’s rider-centric layout. The flat top seat narrows to dirt bike width at the gas tank juncture and feels positively correct for sitting, standing and transitioning between both postures and the Pro CC long front torque arm rear suspension is so near to the best set-up in the biz delivering coupled rear arm response and pleasant throttle-induced weight transfer.
We’ll report with more impressions of this sled soon so, stay tuned!
After the arrival and relatively quick retirement of the four cylinder Vmax-4 in the early 1990’s Yamaha doubled down on its next attempt at a true lake-honing, unapologetic Hyper Sled. This time the company was dealing with a new, in-house chassis featuring a trailing arm IFS and a double coupled skidframe. This new “Pro Action” chassis was a great platform on which to launch an all-out, no-holds-barred rocket ship.
Preceding (and living after) the 98/99 SRX 600 – was the SRX 700. The 600 SRX was only a set of de-bored cylinders away from its sibling, the 700 SRX. The basic SRX engine package was the same as the reed valve inducted powerplant used in the Vmax 700 SX triple. The 600 SRX got triple pipes, power valves and a trio of 33mm Mikuni TM series, rack mounted flat slide carbs. The net result is widely accepted as 120 to 125 HP and an indicated 100-plus MPH top end down Kevlar Lake.
SRX always meant lake shredding velocity. However, it had been almost 20 years since Yamaha had hung the moniker on a snowmobile. For the faithful, the stakes were high. Particularly confounding was the absolute dominance (at that time) of the SRX 700. This sled landed with a thunderous impact on the radar run, lake racing snowmobile cognoscenti. The SRX 600? Not so much.
First year SRX 600’s came with a flawed crankshaft – not a small issue – and as a result all 98 SRX 600’s received a new crank early that season. Surprisingly, sales of the 600 SRX did not impress the braintrust at Yamaha and as a result the sled was only offered for two model years, 1998 and 99.
Even though for a 600 class sled the SRX was legitimately potent, the target audience for a no-holds-barred lake weapon is the guy who goes to the top drawer – not one shelf down. Essentially, if you’re going to show up Saturday morning on Kevlar Lake, you come with the biggest gun in the closet or stay home.
Here’s another baffling reality of the 600 SRX. Even though it came with Yamaha’s new trailing arm, equal length radius rod IFS and a full-on double coupled skid, Yamaha elected to shorten up the suspension’s available travel in an effort to improve max lake velocity by lowering the chassis and flattening the arc of the track as it travels around the rear suspension skid. Both are great moves for improving top end, however, the improvement comes at a pretty substantial cost. Namely, ride compliance. Both SRX models were not known for trail riding comfort.
There was an upside to the SRX 600’s lowering and that was exceptional handling on smooth, twisty trails. Suffice it to say lowering the center of gravity on the SRX 600 made for heroic runs through the corners.
The SRX 600 story lives on today with this sled being among a handful of exceptionally desirable snowmobiles. No hardcore Yama-Guru would consider his or her collection of vintage sleds complete without a copy of the very limited production and, as a result, very rare, 98 and/or 99 SRX 600.
