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’06 Mach Z Comments

Question:

2006 Mach Z . No electric start. No 1 1/4 track. The best thing is that at 100 mph I go around my brother’s Apex GT.

If I could only start it and get a holeshot like the Yamaha he would have bought a Mach Z.

Jim Martin

Response:

Yeah, I know where you’re coming from. The Apex pulls good holeshots because 4-strokes make their biggest torque at low RPM – right off idle and up through the midrange. That’s what makes them feel so torquey all the time – because that’s here most people are riding.

Actually the Apex may produce a little less peak torque than the Mach. The 2-stroke Mach needs RPM to generate its biggest torque numbers.

Try this: Do a roll-on side by side at about 60 mph with the two sleds. The Mach Z will catapult away in this range – (and should, considering it’s making about 20 more horsepower).

The Mach’s ample torque from about 6000 RPM up easily overcomes the parasitic drag of the chassis and the friction of the track on the snow etc.

4-strokes tend to have a really broad, flat torque curve and 2-strokes torque curves tend to peak more sharply.

I’ve heard rumors about some starting problems with some Ski-Doo 1000s but don’t have an answer for you. Maybe this posting will stir up some discussion.

Have a safe winter.

Kent Lester

POLL RESULTS

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Our last poll asked you which is the best ultimate 1000. Out of 1,260 votes, the results were as follows:

38% – Ski-Doo Renegade (482 votes)
21% – Yamaha Apex (260 votes)
18% – Arctic Cat F1000 (221 votes)
16% – Yamaha Attak (202 votes)
08% – Crossfire 1000 (95 votes)

Scroll down and vote in our latest poll!

Question:

The late arriving snow this winter has caused me to:

1. Make no changes in my winter riding or sled purchase plans.
2. Wait until next year to make a new sled purchase.
3. Cancel an order I’d made for a new snowmobile.
4. Refurb my old sled in lieu of buying a new one.
5. Get out of the sport.

Polaris Freestyler Takes Silver & Gulla Takes 3rd

Press Release –

Aleksander Nordgaard Lands Record-Setting Backflip to Earn Silver

Polaris snowmobile freestyle rider Aleksander Nordgaard of Norway landed a record-setting backflip on his final jump and earned a silver medal with a second-place finish at the ESPN Winter X Games on Sunday night.

Nordgaard scored 93.66 points in the final in Aspen, Colorado, and was beaten by just 2 points by gold medalist Chris Burandt.

In X Games Snocross, four Polaris racers qualified for the 12-man final held on Saturday night, and TJ Gulla (Hentges Racing) finished third to earn an X Games bronze medal.

FREESTYLERS MAKE HISTORY

In the first-ever X Games Snowmobile Freestyle competition, two Polaris riders qualified for the four-man semi-final round. Nordgaard was joined in the semis by fellow Polaris rider Daniel Bodin, a 22 year old from Sweden.

Bodin had been the first alternate and was moved into the competition when other riders were injured. He took full advantage, scoring well in the preliminaries to reach the final four.

In the semi-finals, Nordgaard beat Bodin to advance, while Burandt, widely recognized as the world’s best freestyler, beat Heath Frisby.

Nordgaard rode first in the final round and launched his Polaris IQ sled off jumps into numerous backflips. On his final jump, he performed a final backflip and landed 106 feet from the ramp, a new world record distance.

Burandt followed and performed several outstanding tricks as well as multiple flips to earn the gold medal.

TJ GULLA TAKES THIRD IN SNOCROSS FINAL

Four Polaris racers – including three from Hentges Racing – qualified for the Winter X Games Snocross Final held Saturday, January 27.

Hentges Racing teammates T.J. Gulla, Levi LaVallee and Brett Bender made the final, as did Mike Schultz of Avalanche Racing.

In the final, Gulla was among the many racers who got caught up in thick traffic at the first corner. Several sleds ran close together through the first lap before Gulla broke clear. He made several passes to work his way up to third, allowing him to earn a spot on the podium and a bronze medal.

LaVallee, who won the silver medal last year, didn’t break clear of the traffic early enough to mount a challenge, he finished sixth. Schultz finished ninth and Bender finished 11th.

The snocross final was won by Tucker Hibbert, who earned the second X Games gold medal of his career.

Arctic Cat Rules Winter X

Press Release –

It was all Arctic Cat all the time at the 2007 Winter X Games. Held in Aspen, CO, January 25-28, Cat men dominated the snowmobile events at the annual action sports celebration.

In snocross, Team Green riders claimed three of the top four positions: Tucker Hibbert struck gold, Ryan Simons earned silver and Carl Schubitzke put in a powerful performance for fourth. But that wasn’t all. The next night, Chris Burandt won the inaugural Winter X Snowmobile Freestyle contest with a performance that included being the first competitor able to backflip his Sno Pro 92 feet over the huge gap.

It was obvious from the very first snocross practice that Arctic Cat would be a Winter X force. Both Hibbert and Simons laid down blazing times and then cruised to easy victories in their Round 1 heats, which transferred them directly to the final.

They were joined in the main by Schubitzke and Matt Piche, who qualified via Round 2. Schubitzke won his Round 2 qualifier after a pair of great passes, and Piche – racing with a broken middle finger on his right hand – made a late move in his moto for second place.

The Winter X final’s holeshot was quite a sight: Arctic Cats rocketed off the line and held the top four positions. Simons led, with Piche, Schubitzke and Hibbert behind him. Simons owned the point for the first four laps, but Hibbert eventually passed him.
The Cats of Hibbert, Simons and Schubitzke spent most of the race in the top three spots, and at the checkered it was Hibbert, Simons and Schubitzke in fourth.

“It was a great feeling sitting on the starting line knowing I had the best sled,” Hibbert said after collecting his second Winter X gold and sixth medal overall. “My Arctic Cat suspension worked so well in the bumps and I’m excited to see the Cats up front.”

“I’ve got a great team behind me and they had my machine running so fast,” said HJ Racing’s Simons, who is the only competitor to make each of the past three Winter X Snocross finals (he finished fifth in both ’05 and ’06).

In Snowmobile Freestyle, Chris Burandt laid down a slew of big tricks for the sport’s first Winter X Games gold. His runs were highlighted by a pair of backflips performed over a 90-foot gap.

“People might not be able to relate to what I do, but they can relate to riding a snowmobile,” Burandt said. “So if my Arctic Cat suspension can handle falling 40 feet out of the sky, just think how easily it can handle a rough trail.”

“Our equipment proved itself this week,” said Arctic Cat Race Manager Russ Ebert. “We’re fortunate to have such talented riders and support staff, and they put our vehicles to the test on this very challenging course. I was more than pleased with our engine and clutch performance; these components were spot-on and held up to the extreme conditions. To come away from Winter X with two golds and three medals is quite an accomplishment for the Arctic Cat team and I’m really proud of them.”

Snowsquall Warning for Barrie – Orillia – Midland

A report issued on TheWeatherNetwork.com

LOCAL SNOW SQUALLS TODAY AND TONIGHT. THIS IS A WARNING THAT SNOWSQUALLS ARE OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE IN COMBINATION WITH A SURFACE TROUGH WILL SWING ACROSS THE LOWER GREAT LAKES TODAY. THIS DISTURBANCE IS GENERATING SUFFICIENT LOW LEVEL LIFT AND INCREASING WINDS TO CREATE ORGANIZED FLURRIES AND SNOW SQUALLS TO THE LEE OF NORTHERN LAKE HURON AND GEORGIAN BAY.

THE MOST INTENSE SNOW SQUALL HAS BEEN AFFECTING THE PARRY SOUND AREA EARLY THIS MORNING AND GAVE A QUICK 19 CENTIMETRES OF SNOW. WINDS WILL OSCILLATE BETWEEN A NORTHWEST AND WESTERLY DIRECTION ALLOWING ANY SNOW SQUALLS TO SLOWLY SHIFT FROM ONE REGION TO ANOTHER.

THE PARRY SOUND SQUALL IS NOW MOVING AND THE SHIFTING WINDS SHOULD CARRY IT SOUTH ACROSS THE BRUCE PENINSULA AND THEN SOUTHEASTWARDS INTO THE BARRIE – ORILLIA – MIDLAND REGION THIS MORNING. IT SHOULD LINGER THERE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE WEAKENING AND RETREATING NORTH AGAIN TOWARDS EVENING.

SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AT ANY ONE LOCALE MAY BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED DUE TO THE SHIFTING BANDS. HOWEVER..SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 15 TO 20 CENTIMETRES ARE LIKELY TODAY IN A FEW LOCALES.

VISIBILITY WILL BE PARTICULARLY POOR IN THE HEART OF THE SNOW SQUALL WHERE SNOWFALL RATES OF 5 CENTIMETRES OR MORE PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE AND WINDS MAY CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING. TRAVELLERS SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION IN THE WARNED REGIONS TODAY INTO TONIGHT.

PLAN A GETAWAY TO THE OUTAOUAIS!

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Winterlude and its famous Ice Hogs!

Winterlude- From February 2 to 18, 2007, enjoy the 29th edition of the famous Winterlude! A one-of-a-kind family activity in the company of the Ice Hogs: ice sculptures, slides and snow structures, dog and horse sleds, entertainment. While you’re there, why not go ice-skating on a section of the longest skating rink in the world, the Rideau Canal!

Phone 1: 819-239-5000
Phone 2: 800-465-1867

Moonlight snowshoeing, port and chocolate!

Reservation Outaouais- Live an unforgettable experience: a guided excursion under the stars in Gatineau Park! Legends and story-telling will make your evening even more poetic and at the top of the mountain, savour port and chocolate! To finish off this amazing night, enjoy a delicious 5-course meal of regional cuisine at Restaurant L’Orée du bois.

Phone 1: 819-778-2222
Phone 2: 800-778-2222

For cross-country lovers

Canadian Ski Marathon- February 10 and 11, 2007, take part in an annual two-day run covering 160 km of picturesque landscapes, only accessible one weekend per year. The trek between Gatineau and Lachute, going through Montebello, consists of about 10 sections of approximately 15 km each. Whether you travel 12 km or the Marathon’s full 160 km, you’ll live an unforgettable adventure!

Phone 1: 819-770-6556
Phone 2: 877-770-6556

Keskinada Loppet

From February 16 to 18, 2007, participate in the Keskinada Loppet, the largest cross-country ski event in Canada! Held in the majestic Gatineau Park, the 29th edition will feature events for all, from beginners to experts, where close to 3 000 skiers of all age will meet and compete! Call 819-595-0114 for more information.

Visit outaouais-tourism.ca for more details.

Black Magic/Team Arctic Place High in Stallion 200

Press Release –

Black Magic Powersports/Team Arctic racers finish well at this past weekends United States Cross-Country Snowmobile Racing Association (USCC) Stallion 200 in Albertville, MN.

Racers Jim Wilson (#177 Pro), Nathan Potucek (#151 Pro), Arne Rantanen Jr. (#175 Pro), Jason Kangas (#24 Semi-Pro), Justin Morkin (#93 Juniors/Amateur), and Sara Larson (#6x 120 stock & mod) finish strong this weekend in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

The racing took place just outside the Twin Cities Metro Area on Pelican Lake near St. Michael, MN. Snow conditions continue to be a problem. Much of the race was held on the lake, with about 1.5 miles on land. Snow was sparse, but event organizers did an excellent job with available snow to create a fun course.

In the Pro Open class, riders Jim Wilson (#177) and Arne Rantanen Jr. (#175) both competed and placed well. The Open was a two day combined time event. After two days of racing Wilson (#177) finished in 4th place and Rantanen Jr. (#175) finished 5th.

In the Semi-Pro 600 Open class, Jason Kangas, the Goodridge MN racer, had another solid run. After two days of racing, Jason (#24) finished in the 2nd position, which should put him in the overall points lead with 4 events to go.

The Pro Stock 600 final was a two day combined time event as well. Racers completed 10 laps on Saturday and 15 laps on Sunday. Laps were about 6.5 miles long and it took the racers an average of 6 minutes per lap to complete.

The Black Magic Powersports racers posted some of the fastest speeds of all Cats on the lake throughout the weekend. At the end of 2 days of racing, Jim Wilson put his Arctic Cat F600 in the 3rd place position and Arne Rantanen Jr. put his F600 in the 7th spot. Nathan Potucek finished 12th despite a crash on Sunday that put him on the sideline with a concussion and a fractured collarbone.

The Semi-Pro 600 Stock class was also a 2-day event with racers completing 3 laps on Saturday and 8 laps on Sunday. Jason Kangas rode his #24 Arctic Cat to a 2nd place finish.

In the amateur ranks Black Magic Powersports/Team Arctic racers Sara Larson and Justin Morkin were competitive all weekend. Justin went home 1st in the Amateur Fan and 2nd in the Junior 14-17 class. Sara Larson took 2nd place in 120 stock. In the 120 Mod, Sara brought home the big iron with her 1st place finish on the Black Magic Powersports/Team Arctic 120.

February 10th and 11th are the dates of our next event. The Mille Lacs 300 is the second event of the Triple Crown Series. The entire Black Magic Powersports/Team Arctic race team will be attending the event and hope to place well and showcase their talents and the abilities of their Arctic Cat snowmobiles.

Letter to Mayor and City Councillors of Lindsay

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The following is an edited version of a letter forwarded to us that was addressed to the city of Lindsay, Ontario. This is typical of how powersports is negatively viewed by city officials…

Attention Mayor and Councillors:

I am writing to appeal to the council’s need for common sense. It is time to get our city moving forward again.

On the provincial snowmobile trail map there is a circle around the Town of Lindsay with an “X” thru it and a no snowmobiles sign. As a person who has grown up in this community it hurts personally, in fact I just spent a weekend hauling a large part of our store to PETERBOROUGH for the Kawartha Cup snowmobile races that used to be held in LINDSAY. What a surprise to see so many of our Lindsay customers spending their money in Peterborough. In fact every restaurant was full including a table of forty racers at Kelsey’s.

What does this have to do with allowing an ATV to travel on a certain road to rejoin and continue across the Trans Canada Trail? Plenty. If we keep closing off our communities to everything from the outside our city will shrivel up and die. We need new business and tourism and a forward thinking approach to deal with these issues.

Everyone is in complete agreement we cannot have ATV’s, snowmobiles, dirt bikes or anything else roaring around the streets of our city and atv owners will be the first to police themselves as the snowmobilers do.

Our business alone supports directly twenty families as full time staff plus tons of spin off for local suppliers. We pay big property taxes, support a ton of local charities and are expanding and reinvesting in our property using local builders of course. What would the rail line look like if ATV and snowmobile riders did not maintain it? I will bet a bicycle would not even be able to traverse it.

The negative “keep out” mentality has slowed progress in our city. From new businesses to hockey tournaments to people passing through on the Trent Canal, we have to do a better job of saying “Welcome to our City!”

The rest of the Canada is working to build a trail across the country but right now the City of Kawartha Lakes is the weakest link. Please start the ball rolling in the right direction.

Thank you!

Phil Hodgson

President
HB CYCLE

Renegade Plug Problem

Question:


I love my ’06 Renegade 600, but it keeps fowling plugs. I use the NGK BR9ecs at 10 bucks a shot its starting to “p” me off.

I try to repair my own sleds because I live in the bush far away from services and I like it.

My boys and I have an older Cat sled with the spirit 340cc engine, we have no spark. I have replaced the coil, CDI, checked all wiring, this one’s got me stumped, maybe you have an idea before i turn it into a flower pot.

Great magazine lots of helpfull stuff.

Cheers

Wayne

Response:

Thanks for your question!

You should have a dealer look at your SDI Renegade. There were some issues with plug fowling in 05 and 06 and there may be something available to help.

Have you looked at the “two way switch” on the throttle block of your older AC with no spark? This system cut the ignition when the throttle cable or carb slide(s) stuck.

If it is not adjusted properly (cable tension) it will stop any spark.

Thanks,

Mark “Motorhead” Lester

HIBBERT WINS GOLD AT WINTER X GAMES 11

Press Release –

Tucker Hibbert again proved he’s just as competitive on snow as on dirt, as he won his second Winter X Games Gold Medal, and sixth overall medal, at Buttermilk Mountain Saturday night. The Snocross event was part of Winter X Games 11.

Hibbert (No. 68 Monster Energy Drink/Arctic Cat) took the lead on the fifth circuit of the grueling 18-lap final, and ran away with the victory. Ryan Simons (No. 67 Speedwerx/Arctic Cat), who led the first five laps of the final, finished second, earning his first Winter X Games medal. TJ Gulla (No. 44 Pirtek/Polaris) collected his second Winter X Games Bronze Medal for his third-place effort.

Hibbert, a regular in AMA Supercross competition, returned to his Snocross roots this season, competing part time on the WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour. Though he had a slow start, the Goodridge, Minn. native, swept the most recent two rounds of the Tour’s Pro Stock class, held at Brainerd International Raceway earlier this month.

Hibbert failed to qualify for last year’s Winter X Games Snocross final and he credited his experience on the Tour this season for the victory.

“I think that made a huge difference,” said Hibbert. “We have some good races under our belts and really got things dialed in. The team just built me an awesome sled. I just put that confidence in the back of my head and rode like I needed to for 18 laps.”

The next race for the WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour is the Eastern National, scheduled for Feb. 10-11 at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y.