Another Year, Another Battle! These Guys Think They’re Right. What Do You Think?

WINNER: SKI-DOO MX-ZX 600

This is a tough class to judge because there are four contenders here and all of them are super-good. The Polaris Indy XC, Cat’s 6000 Limited and Yamaha’s totally redone 2020 Viper are all worthy of consideration. Each delivers great trail power, fuel economy and above-average grunt for trail riding.

That being said, I will attempt to define what a trail rider wants and needs.

First, I have to give kudos to Ski-Doo for offering the very best skidframe ride in this class. rMotion is still the standard by which every other snowmobile suspension is judged and it feels like no matter what shock package you choose, it outperforms everything else.

The X-package 600 I’ve chosen with running board adjusters for both shock damping and spring preload is so top-drawer I can hardly contain myself!

Second, there’s a huge trend toward 137-inch tracks for trail sleds but I’ve chosen the MX-Z with a 129 as my fave for trails. The 8-inch shorter sneaker allows the MX-Z to pivot faster, without push or understeer, and there’s no compromise in ride quality.

Third, the 600 E-TEC: What an awesome engine! As difficult as it is to diss the other 125 to 130-hp engines in this category, this version of the 2-year-old revised Rotax 600 stands alone delivering incredible gas mileage and performance while killing everyone else for EPA stats.

In my informed and pretty much-always accurate opinion, on a cold, crisp day with hundreds of miles ahead of you, this is the sled you want to be sitting on.

– Mark

RUNNER-UP: POLARIS INDY 600 XC 137

Another Year, Another Battle! These Guys Think They’re Right. What Do You Think?

WINNER: 850 INDY SWITCHBACK ASSAULT 144

No wonder I’m always right, Kent. The Indy Switchback 144 has been the benchmark in the X-over segment since the sled was first introduced with an 800 Liberty. Our insightful readers are in full agreement with my enlightenment surrounding this important segment.

What’s at the root of this amazing dual-purpose, capable trail, capable off- trail ride? It’s about balance. Everyone in this biz wants to claim it has the best 50/50 X-over every year… then they build two crossover sleds to satisfy their customers.

The drill seems to be this: Build a 75/25 trail biased X-over for wannabes and a 75/25 off-trail one for hardcores. All the while Polaris keeps building the Switchback Assault 144 that hits a homerun for this segment with one sled powered by three different engines, an 850, 800 and a 600.

We have a pretty diverse group of pilots here at Supertrax/SnowTrax Top Secret World HQ who ride thousands of klicks every winter.

I rely on their expert opinions when things get as complex as they are in the crossover segment. If Kent would simply settle down and resource these assets he too could share in my enlightenment. He doesn’t. The riders here all agree the 144 SB Assault is the only true 50/50 ride.

If a day’s trail riding lies ahead, this sled’s near-perfect handling will keep you at the front of your pack. If a day of boondocking in untramped pow is in order, the Assault can lead the way. If this sounds like there’s no downside to the Switchback Assault, you would be correct.

Now available with Polaris’ superb 850 Liberty, the equation just got stronger. Limitless off-trail power and competitive on-trail squeeze. It’s all you need in one package, Kent.

– Mark

RUNNER-UP: ARCTIC CAT RIOT 8000

Another Year, Another Battle! These Guys Think They’re Right. What Do You Think?

WINNER: INDY XCR 129 850

Well sno-mo-friends – not including Kent – there’s been precious few new sleds hit the snow this decade that have rung the bell louder than the new Indy XC platform and, in particular, the 2020 Indy XCR 850.

Let’s get right down to the nitty-gritty here (Kent: That means, “let’s be honest”). The XCR moniker is legitimately iconic with a rich racing image and a performance aura that reaches way, way back.

The new Indy XCR 129 with 850 power is poised to continue this rich heritage. If you’re wondering about straight up and down the lake performance, this sled hauls the mail and does it with finesse. No windshield vibes, no cowl shake and an unrepentant top end surge that runs the digi-display past 100-per in a blink.

All this sounds good, and it is, however there’s way more for the discerning buyer of an XCR 850. The suspension is downright telepathic.

After setting up the premium Walker Evans to suit your individual style, you’ll be clearing approaches and shredding ditches like a Polaris factory cross-country racer. This sled is delivered to the market with the capability to run hard and fast on ungroomed surfaces.

If this was all the Indy XCR was about, everything would be cool. But it’s not. The handling prowess of the AXYS chassis is not one of, not maybe, but the best handling platform in the industry.

The variable castor response of the XC’s IFS is predictably strong mid-turn and like a synapse-icle (Kent, I’ve created a clever word play here for your benefit) extension of your body on corner exit.

If you had the insight to Snow Check an 850 Indy XCR you could have ordered it with the sport’s only in-dash GPS system and digital display covering all critical functions. This 7-inch screen is the benchmark in the biz for readable and complete information acquisition. BTW, Polaris now lists a 1.25 Ice Ripper as an option for Snow Checkers.

Clearly the Indy 850 XCR is worthy of this award – and so with great pleasure we knight the new Indy XCR 850 as this year’s Best Ultimate Performance 2-stroke.

– Mark

RUNNER-UP: 850 SKI-DOO RENEGADE X-RS 137