Staff Report

Ski-Doo’s XP chassis has gotten pretty much all the BRP press the last three years but many don’t realize the company introduced a workhorse chassis at the same time.

The XU (the ‘U’ is for utility) platform incorporated all the weight saving chassis design of the XP but focused on extreme durability plus load bearing, towing and deep-snow traction. The big issue is weight and, like almost every Ski-doo model the last couple of years, this one delivers top-of-class lightness.

The 2010 version of the Expedition is available with choices of 2-stroke and 4-stroke power. Tick the 1200cc 4-TEC 4-stroke option box and you get a single throttle body 4-stroke triple with 130 honest stallions.

Go for the 600 SDI 2-stroke and you’ll get about 115. Here’s where things get interesting. The 4-stroke tips the scales at 690 lbs. – very good weight for a 4-stroke utility sled, but the 600 weighs in at a featherweight (for this class) 630 lbs.

These weights are stunning considering the Expedition has a full 156 x 20 x 1.25-incher under it and is supposed to be targeted at pure utility applications. We’re not arguing about its utility designation here, believe us.

The 2-stroke version rides and handles so much like a good touring sled, we can’t help but boost it into the touring category. To further mess up the minds of its competition, the Expedition comes equipped with a sub-tranny, too.

Yes, you’re reading correctly: A sub-transmission with hi-lo, neutral and reverse, electric start and a mega-track underneath plus bunches of touring amenities. The touring goodies include passenger handwarmers, a modular seat with underseat storage, a slick rear rack – even handlebars with a mountain strap, 8-inch riser and j-hooks. Snocross, anyone?

We’re not sure why Ski-Doo opted to use the old SDI semi-direct injected mill instead of the newer tech 600E-TEC engine that is top-of-mind with the powersports world because of its mileage and efficiency.

Frankly, we were long term advocates of the SDI engine and if the E-TEC hadn’t been so good were ready to beg for its return. In this application, it runs strong and delivers ample power to make the riding experience a good one. We kinda like the 4-TEC here a bit more, but it depends on what you want – almost like Ski-Doo already thought of that.

Staff Report

You could argue Polaris has lagged a bit in delivering Utility-Touring models that actually quicken the pulse. Last year the utility-targeted WideTrak took a giant leap ahead when the perennial workhorse was completely redesigned and fitted with a stretched and widened IQ chassis. Power was supplied by the 80 horsepower, non-turbocharged Weber 4-stroke twin used in some Polaris touring models. Way better, but not heart-pumping… yet.

This year, Polaris added one of its most exciting engines to the mix. The new 600 WideTrak, featuring the company’s venerable 600 Cleanfire 2-stroke twin, demonstrates the full potential of this category with a lighter, more powerful engine encased in a purpose built but very competent chassis.

Yeah, it may not be the logger’s choice for hauling timber out of the bush. Truth is, this sled leans very heavily toward being the ultimate touring sled much more than being a worker bee. It even looks like a touring sled with its cool graphics and paint and svelte cowl design.

Looking further underneath you’ll see the 600 WideTrak features the obligatory 156 x 20 x 1.25 inch track but, in this case, the slide rails do not offer the articulating feature seen on the Yamaha and Arctic Cat.

Instead, Polaris has gone the less complicated, lighter route and simply has tipped the rails at the rear so less track is on the snow in hard packed conditions. This makes steering a bit easier and still allows 100 percent traction in powder. Weight is further shaved off by using a conventional 2-shock skidframe.

It seems like the designers have prioritized weight in this sled’s design and it delivers a comfortable touring mass of 697 lbs., dry. This weight puts it right in the hunt with a lot of 4-stroke pure tourers not equipped with a sub transmission or the extra pounds of a wider track and skidframe. The end result is a nimble handling utility-tourer that really sells the whole concept of taking these sleds out on the trails and using them as 2-uppers.

When we rode the 600 WideTrak we were impressed with its nimble handling and premium ride. With about 80-lbs. less weight over the skis than a 4-stroke, it really carves corners and there was nowhere we could find any compromises with the way it turns.

Because Polaris has decided to simplify the design, the whole weight thing is enhanced and then, there’s the engine. This sweet, fuelie 2-stroke twin delivers a solid 125 ponies and its clutches spool the power down to the snow so nicely it feels like velvet. We’ve always said a strong, responsive engine makes a sled feel like it’s lighter. This is absolutely the case here.

Although you’re perched higher than when seated on a touring sled and the wider stance is felt between your knees, this is a roomy, comfortable sled for both passengers and the windshield affords good visibility and plenty of warmth.

One fault we noticed was absent rear passenger hand heaters. It’s about the only touring amenity left off the list and, by the time it hits the showrooms, Polaris may have already added it.

Staff Report

If you compare the specifications for this 4-stroke utility Cat, you can’t help but notice its dimensional similarities to Yamaha’s Viking. Stand back and squint, though, and you’ll see it’s a completely different animal.

With the rider in position, the Bearcat XT pretty much looks like any good red-blooded touring sled. It’s a real tribute to Cat’s stylists that only on closer inspection do you begin to notice its extra length, height and wider tunnel.

Power is provided by the Z1’s naturally aspirated (EFI) 4-stroke twin but the Bearcat doesn’t use a sub transmission for the clutches to drive through. The engineers are relying on the big 1056cc twin’s ample torque output for heavy duty towing chores. For trail riders, the real bonus is the weight reduction when you lop off the heavy, cast gearbox required for low range.

Underneath, the Bearcat uses a time proven skidframe with some tricks you won’t find anywhere else. The 156-inch skid has fiberglass helper springs and a torque sensing link – both very helpful when the rider is applying power in deep snow with a load on.

The slide rails articulate at the rear for better bite going both forward and backwards in deep snow – a useful feature if you’re mired. If you don’t want the articulating feature, for instance, when purely trail riding, you can tighten the rear spring adjusters to eliminate the flip-up feature so you get straight rail suspension.

The rear seat and backrest setup on the Bearcat is very much a touring design. Its roomy, sculpted contours are downright posh and the amenities for a rear passenger are as good as any luxo-tourer on the market.

The big bonus is you can remove the passenger part of the seat, go solo and end up with a huge flat-bed cargo area for hauling your mother-in-law’s sofa or just stowing your whole group’s touring bags. The front part of the seat flips up to reveal even more space for secret goodies.

The Bearcat is built on a wider version of Cat’s rigid Twin Spar chassis and it integrates the double A-arm front end design with a big aluminum cage surrounding the engine and reaching up to the steering head.

The design isn’t a lot different than Cat’s F-series sleds and thus, the handling of this behemoth is very good. Believe us, you can trail ride this sled all day and never feel cheated in the corners.

The engine is a strong 123hp performer with good EFI throttle response and the Bearcat’s lower gearing enables it to be surprisingly spry in the midrange. We’ve gone on trail rides with a mixture of sport and touring sleds and found the Bearcat keeps up fine and its accurate handling and stellar ride soon endears it to even the most critical riders.

See, there’s another level of fun here. You can ride it… or spend all day impressing your friends winching and towing less capable sleds around. Weird, but entertaining.

Staff Report

Although its name qualifies it as a purely utilitarian snowmobile, until you’ve ridden it, you can’t appreciate how good the Viking performs as a snowmobile. It’s the grand-daddy of this new breed of Utility-Tourers and Yamaha deserves credit for being the first to deliver a utility sled with all the goods.

When we first rode the Viking Professional we couldn’t believe how fast it was and how well it handled. One of our staff riders recalls a dinner conversation with the engineer who was originally in charge of the project and he voiced his last minute doubts about “maybe making the sled too fast”. He was considering taking some of the power out of the prototype’s 1000cc 4-stroke and we violently disagreed.

We had just spent the afternoon riding some pretty hot 4-stroke Yamahas and we couldn’t help singling out the Viking. We loved it. Fortunately, when it came time to roll the assembly lines, Yamaha didn’t change it.

The 2009 version is pretty much a ditto of former models but, since the beginning, it really hasn’t needed much of a change. Its carbureted 4-stroke triple was pirated from the original RS Vector and provides the absolute best blend of torque and power for touring.

It uses a typical Yamaha CVT clutch setup but adds a sub-transmission with high, low, neutral and reverse. You may think low range is unnecessary… until it’s time to pull your buddy’s pickup out of the ditch or when you have to tow an injured sled for 20 miles. This is a feature most snowmobilers have had little experience using but believe us, it can be really, really handy sometimes.

Everything drives through a 156-inch long track and that track is 20-inches wide! Not only is this a huge shoe but it has 1.25-inch lugs – enough to surprise you with its bite. With this much track under it, you’d expect the Vike to be hard to steer, especially at low speeds. It actually gets down the trail incredibly well, even on hard packed surfaces.

Once underway, it takes a set and hunkers down like only a truly heavy snow vehicle can. There’s no such thing as twitchiness or darting; it tracks as firmly as an anvil on a foam mattress.

In deep snow the Vike floats up on top like a mountain sled and, as long as you keep the power going, its gi-normous track will dig you out and keep clawing to the surface. In bottomless stuff, it will get bogged down if you scrub off too much speed, but you’d be surprised how it can get through conditions some smaller sleds can’t.

Amazingly, there’s 11.5-inches of travel back there and its flip-up, articulating slide rail design guarantees plenty of track will always be on the snow, especially when you switch to reverse.

With huge underseat storage capacity, a jumbo cargo rack and room at the back of the seat for extra bags, you can load up big-time and carry an extra passenger, too. The Viking won’t even notice the extra weight.