Mike travels to Franklin County, NY to ride the trails which meander through the fields, forests and foothills surrounding the Adirondack mountains.
There’s no question that winter tires on your truck provide a significant degree of safety when driving in winter. This season we’re running Hercules Avalanche TT winter tires on our work truck again because they’ve made a significant improvement to acceleration, stopping and cornering on snow or ice-covered roads.
These tires are designed specifically for your truck or cargo van to help you navigate winter’s most extreme conditions.
The zig zag circumferential grooves featured on the Avalanche TT hold snow in the tread to stay gripped to the road and the saw-tooth features of the Snow-Grabber Grooves provide critical traction when the roads are nasty. Furthermore, their thin gauge, full-depth siping create more biting edges to deliver maximum traction on snow and ice.
The traction provided by the Avalanche TT winter tires lets us feel confident that even on a steep grade we can accelerate from fully stopped and come to a complete stop without sliding through an intersection.
Driving in the winter means driving in less than optimal conditions and we can rest comfortably knowing that our Hercules Avalanche TT winter tires are going to grip the road even in the harshest conditions and help get us to our destination safely.
Visit HERCULESTIRES.COM for more information.
Motorhead Mark delivers another remarkably detailed overview of Ski-Doo’s 2023 Renegade X RS featuring the ROTAX 850 E-TEC engine and SMART-SHOX. Put the butter on the popcorn, crack open a Fresca, put your feet up and enjoy!
As the non-profit, volunteer-driven association that oversees organized snowmobile trails in Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is cautioning snowmobilers that the greater majority of its 30,000 kilometres of OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails are currently identified as being “Unavailable” to ride.
Most OFSC trails do not typically become Available to ride before mid-January, and although the recent unseasonal weather has impacted overall trail readiness, snowmobile clubs and their volunteers continue to work hard on making as many OFSC trails as possible Available to ride in the near future.
Only Ride Available Trails:
For safety week, the OFSC reminds snowmobilers to only ride Available or Limited Availability OFSC trails and avoid riding Unavailable trails at any time during the winter. Snowmobilers can easily find out where there are Available trails to ride by checking Trail Status 24/7 on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) or on the OFSC Go Snowmobiling App. Trail Status shows on the ITG as:
GREEN for Available: The identified route is accessible with the understanding that the trail will likely vary considerably in quality, attributes and terrain over its length.
YELLOW for Limited Availability: Access to the identified route is limited with marginal riding opportunities, so snowmobilers enter with the understanding that they should ride with extreme care and reduced speed.
RED for Unavailable: The identified route is not available at this time, with access prohibited, and entering any Unavailable trail on private property is trespassing.
Stay On The Trail:
The OFSC also reminds snowmobilers riding an Available OFSC trail throughout the winter, to always stay on the trail. OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails are planned, prepared and maintained for the use of responsible recreational snowmobilers who display valid Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permits on their sleds.
These snowmobile corridors are the smart choice for safety’s sake, and to avoid trespassing on private property or compromising the safety of landowners or their property.
Snowmobile incident stats indicate that entering an Unavailable trail, riding off-trail on roads, waterways or areas without trails is a very risky choice.
Ride Responsibly:
The OFSC encourages snowmobilers entering Available OFSC trails to always ride responsibly, with caution, care & control. OFSC trail riding, like many other outdoor activities, has inherent risks that may occur in an unpredictable and uncontrollable natural environment, often far from home.
So snowmobilers must take personal responsibility for their own safety by making prudent choices, practicing safe riding behaviours, and always being prepared for the unexpected.
“Safety is a shared responsibility, a reminder that we send to all snowmobilers every January,” said Ryan Eickmeier, OFSC CEO. “Safety week is an early season focal point to refresh ourselves on key safe riding principles to ensure everyone enjoys OFSC trails this winter.”
The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is a volunteer led, not for profit association that provides the voice for organized snowmobiling in Ontario. OFSC snowmobile trails managed by 200 community based, member clubs generate up to $3.3 billion in economic activity in the province each year.
In the second episode of the season, AJ and Vern set out for an epic winter adventure to the West Coast of Newfoundland. Over the course of their journey they explore endless miles in the deep snow backcountry, tour the scenic trails overlooking the Woody Point fiord, bust though deep pow and carve sweet lines during a cool sidebar ski day at Marble Mountain and devour delicious cuisine prepared by famous Newfoundland chefs.
AJ and Vern set out for an epic winter adventure to the West Coast of Newfoundland. Over the course of their journey they explore endless miles in the deep snow backcountry, tour the scenic trails overlooking the Woody Point fiord, bust though deep pow and carve sweet lines during a cool sidebar ski day at Marble Mountain and devour delicious cuisine prepared by famous Newfoundland chefs.
Luke AJ and Mark sit around the table and discuss the best places they’ve ridden in Quebec over the years comparing fun stories, beautiful scenery, great places to stay and of course the incomparable network of trail that wind throughout the entire province.
Then in TEST RIDE, Luke squeezes the throttle on the 2023 Polaris Indy Boost VR1 in the MATRYX chassis featuring the Patriot Boost engine and 129-inch skid frame.
Before the melt here I got to spend a couple days riding our production G-5 (serial# 00001!) MXZ Blizzard 850 and to say I’m impressed inadequately describes my feelings about this iteration of the popular MXZ genre.
Blizzard, IMO, has meant “value” in the past. In other words, low level standard equipment. However, the Blizz we have on the ground is more like the former Adrenaline package and borders on the MXZ-X of days gone by.
My observations are a result of three beautiful KYB compression adjustable, piggyback reservoir dampers up front and on the rear arm. These “EA 3” shocks closely mirror the way Fox QS-3’s work. There are just three compression settings – soft, medium and hard. That’s it, and I’m going to categorically say it is more than enough adjustability for over 90-percent of riders.
The days of 16 or 21 klicks on the compression side of the damping profile were overkill. Think about this: Three settings allow for the equivalent of click #7, #14 and #21. That’s a perfect spread of adjustment 95-percent of riders will be able to perceive on the first trial of a clicker change-up. If you can’t tell by now, I heartily recommend these shocks (as do we recommend Fox QS-3’s).
The fact the 2023 Blizz 850 is a Gen-5 speaks to Ski-Doo’s intention to keep this model iteration exactly where it is. It is predominantly an in-season ride for dealers to stock. Unfortunately (or fortunately), depending on how you look at it, supply chain problems have kept in-stock models from showing up at dealers this fall. In any case, there were lots of Blizzards Spring Checked.
As a side note, the Blizzard (which is only available as a 129) can also be had with Rotax’s silky smooth 600 E-TEC twin producing 125 ponies, however, there’s one caveat: The 600 is still wearing G-4 clothes. Maybe next year?
This is a fast snowmobile. It’s been a year or two since I’ve spent much time on a 129. It seems most of our trail-destined sleds all come with 137s now. This 850 Blizzard’s E-TEC 850 is rated at 165-hp and is ready and willing to take you to the C-Note in record time.
The bonus here is the feeling of flickability. The shorter track is perceptible over our Renegade 137 in circuitous terrain. I am pleased it is noticeable as many buyers are going for 137’s for their mogul bridging capabilities. What is not as widely spoken is the inherent enhanced corner carving of the 129 Blizz.
What about mogul bridging? For sure a 137 does skip across the top of bumps very effectively. However, let’s not forget that this 129 comes with those KYB klickers and a full-on industry leading rMotion skid.
One issue Ski-Doo has not run the flag up the pole with is the new G-5’s re-engineered engine mounting system. Why they’re not talking about it I do not understand. However, this new way to shoehorn the 850 into the G-5 is highly effective, all but eliminating the annoying idle RPM shakes the G-4 850 displayed since its intro in 2017.
Frankly, the G-5 platform produces an increased measure of tangible refinement as a result of the new mounting system.
Check out 2023 Ski Doo MXZ Blizzard Detailed Overview and you can hear my impressions and actually see how effective the new motor mounts are.
The Blizzard is back in full force and looks to be a significant player in the 129-inch 850 segment.
Helmets are undoubtedly the most critical accessory in snowmobiling. Many of us take their performance for granted, making buying decisions based on looks rather than safety, longevity and fit. With more rigorous testing standards and a broader understanding of what keeps us safe, companies are now designing better, more consistent protection. Last season FXR teamed up with 6D, which is a company founded on the sole principle of designing the best brain protection gear for action sports.
The ATR-2 helmet delivers on all the creature comforts while implementing optimum impact protection using their patented Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) system. The design reduces low, mid, and high-velocity impacts for both linear and angular accelerations.
When compared to its predecessor the ATR-1, the two main improvements are a shorter visor for better aerodynamics at high speed along with it being lighter making all day riding less strenuous.
Key Features and benefits of the ATR-2 Helmet are:
ODS SYSTEM:
SHELL:
DESIGN ELEMENTS:
For more information visit fxrracing.com
I’ve had the privilege of amassing considerable klickage this year in advance of and after Christmas. Unfortunately, it all came to a screeching halt the Thursday before New Year’s when the temps rose and the rain fell. Supertrax/SnowTrax World HQ is in a holding pattern in need of six inches of snow to get running again.
Enough trivia, we’ll get down to some technical verbosity on an impressive 2023 ride. The ride? It’s the Polaris MATRYX Indy SP 650 with a 137 sneaker out back. I felt like I never got enough time on our 650 Indy PR unit last season so I grabbed this unit as soon as Byers Equipment in Orillia, Ontario called me to pick the sled up.
First and foremost, I want to speak to the Patriot 650 SDI mill. This engine is heavily based on the 850 Patriot powerplant and as a result there is little, if any, weight saving going on here. However, in terms of efficiency there’s a lot going on.
Polaris’ tried and true Liberty 600 has been around for more than a decade and it shows it when compared to the new 650’s amazing fuel economy. We witnessed the claimed 15 percent improvement almost immediately.
Better than just a fuel economy jump was the reduced smoking with the 650. Most importantly is the improvement in overall performance. The 650 produces an arguable 135 to 140 HP. The reason we can’t be specific relates to Polaris’ ongoing reluctance to release HP numbers. From a comparison standpoint, the 650 will run almost ski-tip to ski-tip with the former 800 Liberty. Interesting.
Power here is abundant and just as impressive is the smoothness and refinement of the Patriot based 650. Engagement is ultra-smooth and drive-away is vibration free. The surge of thrust when feeding throttle to the engine is linear but noticeably stout. Once underway your right thumb feels more like an extension of your synapses. This righteous response can be mentally willed directly into the 650’s throttle bodies.
The P-95 clutching combo loves the torque curve of the 650 and it is so much less a screamer than the old 600 Liberty. When pulling away it’s all about a huge upshift, then RPMs settle into the meat of the power curve. One ride on a 650 and you’ll be convinced this is among the nicest spreads of power from any engine in the biz right now.
The MATRYX has already established itself as the handler in the industry. We find it to be the most intuitive corner carver among all the competition. Initial turn-in to about 15 degrees of handlebar input is linear and positive.
The sled begs you to go harder toward the apex with the promise the front end will bite progressively to the center of the turn. Once you’ve dropped the brake and completed your pivot, feed the 650 some throttle and feel the tail comfortably swing out and look for traction.
There’s no understeer or push. It’s up to you at this point to either keep opening the throttle or steer out of the controlled slide. I don’t know about you but I want a sled to handle this predictably when I’m facing a salad of twisty and challenging trails.
Ride quality here is good but not as good as it could be with a better set of compression adjustable dampers up front and on the rear arm. The SP has aluminum bodied, non-compression adjustable, non-reservoir IFP shocks. Of course, this would mean a higher MSRP and when it’s all said and done the 137-inch PRO CC skid does produce a comfortable and near bottomless ride.
So, if you think you want more damping control and a measure of added “plushness”, opt for a VR1 Indy MATRYX with Walker needles. Of course, you won’t be able to find an unsold VR1 so you might consider a set of aftermarket shocks.
After over 300 miles (500kms) on our SP 650 I am genuinely impressed. We’ll have more as the season progresses.
*Subscribing indicates consent to receive newsletter content to the provided email. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
SNOWTRAX has established itself as the most watched snowmobile TV series in North America.
Each season, the SNOWTRAX crew guides viewers through informative and entertaining content; revealing the inside scoop on the latest snowmobiles, accessories and riding destinations that make snowmobiling winter's greatest adventure sport.
SNOWTRAX can be viewed weekly during the winter season in Canada on City TV, Wild TV, REV TV and Sportsman Channel Canada and across America on Sportsman Channel.
© TRAX MEDIA INC 2022
