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SKI-DOO’S LINQ SYSTEM

Staff Report
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SKI-DOO’S LINQ SYSTEM

Supertrax had a chance to test out Ski-Doo’s LINQ attachment system on a couple of 2013 models recently and frankly, we are very impressed.

This setup enables riders to quickly attach and detach travel bags and even an auxiliary gas container, in seconds.

What really impresses us however, after thousands of miles riding with bags bungeed and strapped on the back of a sled, is the way LINQ allows whatever you’re carrying to be fully integrated into the sled – no flopping around, no bags getting loose as the miles accumulate and no matter how rough the trails are, everything stays glued on the sled without using bungee cords or extra straps.

The first thing you do is attach the LINQ base kit permanently to your sled. The 2013 Doos even provide a template on the rear of the tunnel for drilling the pre-perforated holes to attach the base kit.

It’s a complete no-brainer 5-minute installation and the small hoop-style brackets actually look cool once you’ve mounted them.

After these are on your sled, just select which LINQ bag or attachment you want to add and snap it in place.

The system holds and supports the LINQ gear so well it is virtually locked on your sled and the looped eyelets actually provide a great attachment place if you want to bungee on more of your own gear.

There are two semi-hardshell expandable bags available, short and medium length, both designed for sleds with tunnels 137-inches or longer.

If you have an older 137-inch Ski-Doo XP, you can even buy a LINQ decal kit you can use to make sure the base kit mounting holes are drilled in exactly the correct spot.

Based on our long list of travel bag horror stories accumulated over the years, we think this is the best system we’ve seen so far and it would be the first accessory we’d buy for our own sled before undertaking a long distance saddlebag trip.

ALL REMAINING CSRA RACES CANCELLED THIS SEASON

Press Release
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Unfortunately the record breaking hot temperatures have eliminated any chance of additional Snowcross racing events this season.

On behalf of the CSRA, I would like to thank you all for your tremendous support this past season, although we lost a few events due to mild weather conditions, the (8) CSRA sanctioned and co-sanctioned events that did take place, were all very successful with record spectator gate attendance.

Each of these events will be back next winter on our 2013 race schedule.

We hope to see you all at our 2012 Annual Awards banquet at Deerhurst Resort on April 28, 2012.

YAMAHA RACER WINS EAST COAST X-COUNTRY TITLE

Press Release
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Aboard his rapid FX Nytro RTX, Yamaha’s Erik Frigon scored his third consecutive cross country snowmobile race win in the Maine 100 in Greenville, Maine on Saturday, March 17.

Frigon led Scott Brownell on another FX Nytro RTX to the flag for a 1-2 Yamaha sweep in the Semi Pro class and in doing so, wrapped up his second career cross-country championship.

Adding luster for Yamaha over the weekend, FX Nytros grabbed a total of three podiums, including Brownell’s second-place finish in Semi Pro, a third-place finish for FX Nytro RTX-mounted Michael Ewaschuk in Sport 600 and another third for Bryce Murphy and his FX Nytro RTX in Sport 600 Improved.

Better still, Murphy led a trio of FX Nytros to the flag for a group 3-4-5 finish that also included Ewaschuk and Joshua May, both on FX Nytro RTXs.

Conditions at Moosehead Lake were ideal for the final east coast cross country race of the season, with good-quality snow and temperatures in the mid-30s at the start.

Frigon drew the 12th starting position in the time trial-format event, meaning that passing slower competitors would be crucial to putting down fast times during the three-lap event.

The course was 6.2 miles, mostly shoreline but also including some fast sections on the frozen lake surface, and detours across several small islands.

Fortunately, the varied nature of the terrain perfectly matched the versatility of the FX Nytro RTX, which combines horsepower, handing and durability into one dramatic performance package.

After catching the first pair of competitors along the twisting shoreline within minutes, Frigon pulled the trigger on the FX Nytro’s 1049cc four-stroke engine and rocketed past on the frozen lake.

He then went on to pass more sleds every lap until the finish, setting the lowest total elapsed time in the combined pro, semi-pro and amateur field.

At the flag, his nearest rival was Brownell on another FX Nytro, a scant 6.5 seconds behind after the 18.6 miles. So fast was Frigon that, even as a Semi Pro Improved competitor, he thoroughly trounced the entire Pro class, beating the fastest driver by more than 20 seconds.

“The FX Nytro is a combination of strengths including durability, power and handling,” Frigon said. “The complete package is awesome, but the torque and power of the motor really makes it effortless to pass.” Yamaha’s Eric Josephsen added, “This is the first time in three seasons that we’ve focused on the east-coast races, so this is a great result. Erik Frigon going three-for-three in event wins, and then being faster than all the Pros in the finale, totally proves the merits of the four-stroke FX Nytro. Congratulations to Erik and the whole team for the championship.”

Quebec: Simply Unforgettable

Vern Putzer
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Quebec: Simply Unforgettable

Undoubtedly one of the greatest aspects of snowmobiling is the sense of discovery.

The feeling you get when you come upon a place you’ve never traveled to before, a place that leaves you in awe and wonderment.

Gaspese is a place that leaves an unforgettable experience forever etched in your memory and a longing desire for everyone else that you share your story with to experience themselves.

This past February, SnowTrax Television’s AJ Lester and Supertrax Magazine’s John Arkwright travelled to Gaspese to set out on their very own adventure.

For John this was a repeat visit to one of his favorite places to ride. For AJ, this was his first, and as we learned later, definitely not his last visit to the region.

With over 6000 kilometers (3750 miles) of trails, the Quebec Maritime Region is a dream come true for snowmobile enthusiasts. From the shores of the sea to the heart of the forest you are treated to one of the most diverse and unique trail systems in the world. The adventure itself often becomes overwhelming with all the picturesque sights you take in.

Their journey started in Rimouski, where they picked up the rental sleds and headed south-east towards Saint-Octave-de-l’Avenir. Marked with rolling forest trails that eventually open up to the interior mountain range.

Guests are welcomed at the Village Grande Nature Chic-Chocs where riders passing through either stay for the night or where groups of riders base their day long adventures from during a week long stay.

For these two, their stay would only be for one night as their journey was towards the Bonaventure Island and legendary Perce Rock National Park.

After getting up early to witness the spectacular sunrise overtop the mountain ranges that everyone brags about, AJ and John set out for day two of their ride for Perce.

Riding towards the National Park, you are treated to more mountainous views of the Mont-Saint- Pierre Region. Rising and falling in elevation you eventually get to the point where the horizon stretches out forever across the Gulf of the Saint Lawrence and you know you have arrived.

Looking down from the high vantage point, you bare witness to the huge sheer rock formation on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula. Described by many as one of the natural wonders of the world, Percé Rock appears from a distance like a ship under sail.

Quebec is a place that leaves an unforgettable experience forever etched in your memory and a longing desire for everyone else that you share your story with to experience themselves.

With two days of remarkable trails, spectacular scenery and legendary Quebec hospitality their trip to Quebec was in a word – unforgettable!

To learn more about the riding in Quebec and to watch first hand AJ’s and John’s experience, watch episode 13 of SnowTrax Television and visit www.bonjourquebec.com/snowmobile.

Ride Impression: 2013 Arctic Cat XF CrossTour

Staff Report
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Ride Impression: 2013 Arctic Cat XF CrossTour

Last year’s highly successful intro of the 600 Switchback Adventure has caused a spin-off in the snowmobile industry and Arctic Cat is the first to respond to it.

The concept of a sled with a longer track (136-141-inches) and capacity to carry on-board gear in an integrated, reliable manner seems to be capturing the imaginations of new-sled buyers and it’s likely all about versatility.

Both the Adventure and the CrossTour give owners the advantage of off-trail capability and long distance touring prowess with the focus on gear stowage and maximum rider comfort.

The CrossTour offers a sturdy on-tunnel rack setup, really quite different from the Adventure’s hard surface, lined bags; a soft gear bag under the back of the seat and the possibility of adding a handlebar bag, a windshield bag and a zip-up goggle holder at the front.

Certainly, the rack design allows for more luggage storage or is just a great place to bungee extra travel gear.

With a warm, high windshield and a 141-inch track underneath, the CrossTour should be a nice place to do business on longer rides. There’s even a bolt-on optional 2-up seat you can add to the mix.

The new Cat is available powered by either the 1100 Turbo or Cat’s 800 2-stroke and uses the crossover XF’s very light non-coupled skid with an adjustable air shock at the rear.

Adjustment, using a gauge and air pump is fairly complex for most riders and is better left to a dealer to set up. This could be viewed as unfortunate, because the XF skidframe often needs to be tailored a few notches for different rider weights and riding styles to get maximum comfort.

The idea is for snowmobilers to get as much use out of one sled as possible and the versatility and multiplicity of uses of sleds like the CrossTour provides owners with a lot of options.

This fact could be the reason there’s an explosion in sales of longer tracked sleds the last couple of years. As prices continue to go up, riders want to get everything they can out of their purchase.

Both the Adventure and the CrossTour deliver the goods without compromising ride, handling or power.

Hibbert Suffers Internal Injuries

Press Release
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Monster Energy/Arctic Cat’s Tucker Hibbert suffered internal injuries after crashing in a downhill section at the ISOC Nielsen Enterprises Grand Finale Saturday evening in Lake Geneva, Wisc.

Hibbert walked off the track under his own power but after his abdominal pain gradually increased, he chose to check himself into an ER at a local hospital.

It was quickly determined he had a moderate laceration in his left kidney which caused internal bleeding along with bruising on his pancreas.

He was transferred to a trauma center in Milwaukee where he is currently being closely monitored by his doctors and nurses.

He is fully alert and received no head trauma from the crash. His doctors are optimistic by his improvements overnight and expect him to make a full recovery without surgical repairs.

Hibbert was scheduled to fly to Sweden tomorrow to compete in the Clash of Nations Super Snowcross event March 23-24. It would have been his final snocross event of the 2011/2012 season.

Stay connected to his Facebook and Twitter accounts for more updates.

UPDATE (Facebook 0318/12):

Tucker has made significant improvements in the past 12 hours. Everything is looking up but we will know more tomorrow morning. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the well wishes. Please keep them coming!

– Mandi & Tucker

SUPERTRAX GOES MOBILE

Supertrax Online
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SUPERTRAX GOES MOBILE

We’re proud to announce the SUPERTRAX website is now available for your phone and mobile device!

Now you can quickly browse through the amazing content available on the SUPERTRAX website in an easy to navigate, mobile-friendly layout wherever you have your phone.

For even quicker viewing, add the shortcut to your phone’s home screen by following these steps:

1. Launch SUPERTRAX in your mobile browser
2. Click the option button at the bottom of your iPhone screen (Its a box with an arrow jumping out of it)
3. Click “Add to Home Screen”

The icon will then show up on on your phone’s home screen giving you the fastest route to the latest snowmobiling news and info.

New content is being added to the website on a regular basis with loads of reviews of the 2013 models. Now no matter where you are, you can stay up to date on the latest from SUPERTRAX!

Simply use your mobile browser and visit supertraxmag.com/mobile!

Yamaha Wins Snowmobile Cross-Country Finale

Press Release
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Yamaha four-stroke snowmobiles wrapped up the 2012 cross-country racing season in winning style as Ross Erdman commanded the Pro finale aboard his FX Nytro RTX in the Warroad 75 in Warroad, Minn. on Sunday, March 11.

The victory, along with a fifth-place finish on Saturday, gave Erdman second overall in the Pro division. Teammate Ben Lindbom likewise earned second place in the Semi Pro championship after placing fourth on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 1,200 miles to the southwest in Wyoming, Cable Wilford raced to an impressive top-10 finish in the RMSHA Afton Hillclimb on Sunday.

It was the best hillclimb of the year for Wilford and the four-stroke FX Nytro MTX in this extraordinarily difficult competition.

The season-ending cross-country races were held at Minnesota’s enormous Lake of the Woods, with the 10.8-mile course a brutal test of sleds and riders.

Both Erdman and Lindbom excelled in Saturday’s event, leading the first lap in their respective classes before the rough course began favoring a longer-travel setup than the team had selected.

Dissatisfied with their top-five finishes for the day, they revised the suspension settings for Sunday’s contest, where Erdman simply excelled, rocketing his FX Nytro to the win.

Lindbom was equally impressive in his rookie cross-country finale before crashing out, fortunately without injury.

“This was a naturally rough course, like a motocross track frozen solid,” explained crew chief Brian Strawsell. “It all came down to Ross picking better lines.” Yamaha’s Eric Josephsen added, “I am so proud of this team – Brian did a great job getting the sleds ready, and Ross and Ben went out there and rode like champions.”

Over in Wyoming, the 15-gate RMSHA hillclimb was about a half mile long – but virtually straight up. In fact, Wilford described the course as “a half mile of pure vertical spookiness, chockfull of rocks and stumps.”

Just missing the qualifying cutoff for Sunday’s finals were Kody Malmborg in the Pro class, and cousin Kolton Malmborg in Semi Pro Stock 600, leaving Wilford as the only four-stroke pilot in his event.

With each rider getting just one try, Wilford threw himself at the mountain, throttling the FX Nytro up to the seventh gate, an impressive run up a nearly impossible mountain.

“The suspension gave me confidence and the engine gave me the torque I needed to crack the top 10,” he said. Josephsen added, “In just our second RMSHA event, we’ve already evolved the FX Nytro into a viable hillclimb machine, and I can’t wait for the World Championships in Jackson in two weeks!”

MORE 4-TEC THROTTLE LAG DEBATE

Motorhead Mark Lester
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Dear Motorhead:

For the most part I think the people at Supertrax do a fine job relaying information on current and upcoming models, however the one problem I do have and to be quite honest, am getting tired of hearing about, is this supposed “throttle lag” the Ski Doo 1200 suffers from.

My family currently owns (4) 1200 renegades ranging from 2009 to 2012, two of which have over 18000 miles on them, and we struggle to find this infamous throttle lag.

I personally own a 2011, which repeatedly runs toe to toe with any stock 800 without any hint of “throttle lag” from start to right up to 176 kph (on GPS).

It almost seems like someone there thought they felt something and now everyone there believes that its there. People on the trails constantly ask me how I like the machine and the very next question is, “What about the throttle lag?”

Everyone who rides it says the same thing, “Those people on Supertrax must be dreaming!” There is no hesitation whatsoever.

Line the 1200 with whatever sled you can find in your stable, gently hold your thumb on the fun button, launch the two, then email me back and tell ME that there’s a throttle lag issue.

Long story short, this is an issue for the fellows down at supertrax, not for the rest of us. I have yet in all my travels, and out of the thousands of great people we meet, been able to find even one who knows what you guys are talking about, let alone find one that feels it’s an issue.

Please clarify this impression and stop dwelling on it. I really believe it is damaging the reputation of an overall fantastic machine!

Matt

Matt!

Thanks for your email!

Thanks as well for the kind remarks regarding what we do.

Here’s the deal with the 1200 4-TEC throttle lag issue. After fielding literally dozens of comments regarding our stance on this it’s pretty much 50/50 with owners.

Many owners agree they don’t like the throttle lag, know it exists (some have experienced what we call the “broken taillight syndrome” from the initial hesitation off idle and then piling into a sled in front of them) while others have become accustomed to it and it doesn’t bother them.

We think the 1200 4-TEC engine is a super mill and the result of this torquey, powerful and lightweight mill being mounted in the XR chassis is a truly great snowmobile. Is it perfect? Nope.

Let’s say for example it rode poorly. Would all these people BBQ us for saying so? Yes, I suspect this would happen. BTW, it doesn’t ride poorly.

Here’s reality. As far as online forums and feedback goes there isn’t half the passion for any other brand demonstrated by owners than we see and hear from the Ski-Doo faithful. Simply put, most SD-ophiles think there’s nothing – zip, nada – wrong with their rides. This could have something to do with Ski-Doo’s enviable 40% market-share.

Let me put this another way. Have you heard about the “pop-can” effect on the lower A-Arm rear mounts on all XP’s? It is a much less maligned weakness of the chassis but it still does exist – as do problems with Polaris, Yamaha and Arctic Cat’s in a myriad of other areas.

When anyone speaks about the pop-can effect on XP’s those who have not experienced it scream foul while those who have agree. The bottom line? There is off idle throttle lag on not just the 1200 4-TEC, but the 600 ACE as well.

The intake runners on the 1200 are so long that the speed of the incoming air is slowed when the throttle is blipped toward engagement at low RPM. As RPM builds the speed of the intake air in the throttle body rises and the time it takes for the air to move down the long intake runner to the cylinder is increased dramatically and the lag disappears.

Will Ski-Doo address this trait in future 4-strokes? We suspect with some re-working of the body work so there’s more room on the back of any future engines they would absolutely want to put the throttle body closer to the cylinder head.

If this engine – as has been much rumored – receives some kind of boost (turbo or supercharger) then the issue will likely go away as well. In fact supercharging would cure the situation without moving anything related to the intake runner length.

Will there be a “Turbo 1200” or an “HO 1200” sometime in the future? My sense is Ski-Doo is very happy responding to the top speed, Hyper sled call from the competition with their 800 E-TEC – a formidable engine to say the least.

So, we stand where we are on 1200 throttle lag. It’s there and we can live with it. If we had a choice, we wouldn’t want it and in the future we think Ski-Doo will answer this issue as they do almost every other thing which we’ve seen and had issues with.

The company is extremely customer driven and performance focused. BTW – your statement about lining up and dragging other sleds doesn’t get to the issue of throttle lag. Of course the sled is quick when you whack it and we won’t argue it is highly competitive in the 130-140 HP class.

However, loading the sled on a tilt trailer or navigating a parking lot if you’re not familiar with the throttle response is a nuisance.

Before you get too fired up – remember this – we really like the sled and the engine – we just don’t like the lag.

Thanks,

Motorhead Mark

RIDE FIX FOR 2012 ARCTIC CAT PROCROSS

Staff Report
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RIDE FIX FOR 2012 ARCTIC CAT PROCROSS

If you found your 2012 ProCross Cat tended to “pack up” about two-thirds of the way through its suspension travel, we may have a fix for you.

We found this tendency ourselves and were a bit frustrated this winter trying to get the skid to use its full travel and take advantage of its shocks’ ability to dampen.

It actually felt like it was bottoming out all the time – a tendency we never experienced at all on the early 2012 Cat protos we rode a year ago.

This was especially noticeable on Sno-Pro models where there are no damping adjusters on the skid shocks and the calibration seems to be overly stiff anyway.

Our LXR press sled did the same “packing thing” but because the shocks are set to be more compliant, we could live with it much better. Still not as good as we knew it could be!

According to the Cat engineers, here’s the fix: Apparently, the 128-inch track on the Procross tends to be too tight. Since the track doesn’t have enough deflection when set at what would be normal adjustment other years, when it gets past the halfway point in its travel, the track goes way tight and resists movement through the rest of its travel.

If you’ve noticed this stiffness (almost like the sled is bottoming out – call it “soft bottoming”), you need to back off your adjusters so the track is hanging down 2-inches with 10 pounds pressure measured halfway down the rail.

Make sure you’ve set your pull scale from the center of the track, not the outside edge, when measuring deflection.

Apparently, a looser track allows the ProCross skid to deliver everything you paid for.

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