Luke gets his chance to get up close and personal with the 2020 Polaris TITAN Adventure to show you all the details.
From the first day there were 4-strokes in the snowmobile business, naysayers have used the same argument: “They’re too heavy”!
It’s true, 4-strokes have had a distinct weight disadvantage compared to 2-strokes but there have been other endearing factors for snowmobilers, not the least of which is the incredible power output you can gain by turbocharging them. Until now everyone has pretty much believed it was a problem that would never be solved.
There’s been a recent technology breakthrough, however, that may go a long way to changing the rules when it comes to the 4-stroke weight argument.
Engineers in Britain and Europe have developed a new 4-stroke cylinder head that is lighter and more compact than what current overhead valve and overhead cam engines use. Look it up online under “Freevalve” or “CamCon”.
The technology is referred to as Intelligent Valve Actuation and it eliminates the need for a timing belt or chain and associated pulleys or gears.
The deck height of an IVA engine is considerably lower because there’s no longer need for valve lifters or valve springs and no longitudinal camshaft sits atop the cylinder head.
Also, because the above-mentioned drive gear for a cam is gone, the engine is shorter.
Instead of the above valve and drive paraphernalia, there’s an electronic module sitting where a conventional cylinder head would be. Inside, all the valve timing is digitally controlled (there are still valves controlled by individual tiny cams for each cylinder in the module) and each cylinder can control valve “moments” separately.
The result is better fuel efficiency, up to 30-percent lower emissions and – wait for it – more power and torque.
The best news for snowmobilers is a significant weight reduction – 30 to 40 lbs. (15-20 kg) in a conventional 2000cc 4-cylinder engine. We’re thinking a 900 or 1000cc 4-stroke triple could come in about 20-lbs lighter.
This would definitely put a 4-stroke much closer to a same-displacement 2-stroke weight-wise and maybe change a lot of thinking in the business.
The inventors are still working with details and testing but the prospects are extremely strong this tech will appear on automobiles in the near future. Oh, and BTW, IVA works really well with turbocharging.
Luke pays a visit to the MBRP booth at Hay Days this season to check out the latest exhausts available for your sled this year.
AJ pays a visit to our friends at FXR Racing to have a look at an all-new PRO FISH lineup of clothing launching this year.
Luke met up with Arctic Cat’s Factory Sponsored Rider, Dave McClure at the Fox Shocks booth at Hay Days this year to learn all about his new fully customized Speedwerx Alpha One sled that Dave feels puts out between 210 and 220 horsepower.
I’ve been a touring rider for a long time, typically racking up more than 6,000 miles a season visiting a multitude of destinations. By trial and error, I’ve learned a lot about planning a trip and here are some of my best tips…
Snowmobile touring is not the same as spending time on your local trails with family and friends or even going on a long day ride with your buds. Snowmobile touring typically involves visiting a distant and unfamiliar destination, saddlebagging it from location to location over multiple days. At its best, snowmobile touring can be an incredible experience. At its worst, it can be a living hell. And good planning can be the difference.
PLANNING APPROACHES
I’ve found two approaches to planning. One, is to pick a destination and then make whatever plans are necessary to do a successful tour there. This works best for experienced touring riders. Two, is to determine first how many days you are able to ride and when, and then pick a destination that fits your availability. Frankly, number two is a better choice for most snowmobilers because you control your planning according to what best suits your schedule. Whereas a locked-in destination tends to control your planning and may limit your scheduling flexibility.
GET THE TIMING RIGHT
So I’m going with approach number two for this article. I advise getting started early with your planning, preferably well before Christmas. The first question to answer is: How much time do you have and when do you have it? Your destination choices are very different for a four-day weekend or a ten-day vacation.
The “when” is also important, because many destinations deliver their most reliable riding conditions in February (also tends to be the most crowded), while others are at their prime in March. Meanwhile, January tends to be more of a crapshoot for early conditions and definitely can be the coldest riding month.
Whichever time I choose, my preference is to build in an extra day if possible. This allows for an unexpected layover due to a winter storm, sled breakdown or simply to do some extra exploring of a particularly appealing place.
COMPANIONS MAKE IT OR BREAK IT
The second question to answer is: Who is going? The planning for your snowmobile tour varies considerably depending on whether it’s a family, couples’ or a guys’ ride. Also, what everyone’s expectations are and how experienced each rider is with touring. Remember, what your ride group is able to do will be determined to a large extent by the limited capability of any snowmobiler with less experience or ability.
So the “who is going” answer plays a major role in deciding how far to trailer to a destination, daily ride distances, number of pit stops each day, style of accommodations and the overall compatibility of participants. Deciding the “who” before Christmas makes it easier to complete all of your other planning.
Whatever your choice of riding companions, I recommend an absolute maximum of eight sleds. Four to six is more ideal, with an even number of riders for room sharing. Anything more than eight sleds presents extra logistical issues, such as longer to gas up every time, to get served at restaurants, and to get everyone started in the morning and after every stop.
If you have too many participants or riders with varying riding abilities, don’t count on riding as far each day. This may affect your destination decision and certainly your daily routing.
INSIST ON RELIABLE MACHINERY
There’s another huge determinant in deciding who’s going: Is each rider’s sled capable of doing the tour? As much as every sled may be able to complete local rides at home, a snowmobile on tour has to be in good enough condition to make the entire trip without incident.
Certainly there’s no guarantee even with new sleds, but why take the chance of all your best laid plans going down the dumper because someone’s sled is too old, always requires tinkering after each day’s ride, or is simply not well enough maintained? Another consideration is that even if a sled is in great shape, is it capable of keeping up with the others?
Along the same lines, you also want to ensure that towing and trailering won’t be a problem for any participants. So before confirming riders, verify there’s enough equipment in good working order for everyone to share the driving there and back safely and on time. Also, make sure each rider has the legalities in order well in advance, such as any necessary trail permits, sled and vehicle registration or insurance papers, and passports if required.
PICK A SUITABLE DESTINATION
Note that up until this point, you’ve decided how long, when and who, but not where. So why not make your destination a group choice? But don’t be lured into choosing one just because a rider really pushes to go there or everyone’s heard how popular it is. Instead, pick one that takes as little time as possible to drive to, offers a good staging location, has enough different trails and towns for the number of days you want to ride, and that has sufficient amenities and services available on route to satisfy everyone in your riding group.
So for example, a hardcore riding crew might choose a more remote region with greater distances between occasional towns. They might also be more willing to trailer many more hours to get there.
Meanwhile, a couples’ group might lean toward a more populated area that’s closer with numerous trailside towns and more choices for eating, accommodations and nightlife. Both are great choices if they fit your schedule and group expectations.
In either case, it’s important to select a destination that is more likely to have good snow and trail conditions during the time you’ve chosen to visit. But given the variable winters we’ve had recently, the destination decision may not be able to get finalized until early January. By this time, it’s more likely you’ll have better information available about how the winter’s shaping up in various regions to assist you with deciding where to go.
HEDGE YOUR DESTINATION BETS
Today, my inclination is to narrow the destinations down to three possibilities prior to Christmas, and then choose one and a back-up in early January. With my primary choice, I’d plan my staging location, tour route and book snowmobile friendly places to stay from those who advertise on trail maps and in snowmobile magazines.
I always reserve my lodgings ahead. This not only ensures I have a place for all of my group to stay, but also that it’s my first choice, with safe sled parking, on-site restaurant, fuel nearby and direct trail access.
For my back up location, I’d do all of the above except book the lodgings, so it’s ready to go if I need to make a switch closer to the planned start date. If you do have to make changes, please have the courtesy to cancel any previously booked accommodations right away.
Hopefully, the tips and advice in this article will help you plan a successful tour. But I’ve only been able to skim the surface with the space available, and so haven’t said enough about such considerations as actual route planning, choosing a staging location and nightly lodging, what to bring on tour or how to handle emergencies. But I guess that’s good fodder for future articles!
While in attendance at Hay Days 2019 we caught up with a quick Q&A session with Polaris Expert Rider – Chris Burandt about the all-new 2020 Polaris KHAOS.
September 23, 2019 (Mississauga, ON) – Ontario’s Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney addressed over 200 members of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs at their annual meeting in Mississauga on Friday, committing to long-term, sustainable funding of $500,000 annually to support Ontario’s snowmobiling industry. Minister Mulroney also reiterated the government’s support for online snowmobile driver training and permit vouchers, streamlining processes and cutting red tape.
“On behalf of our clubs, thousands of volunteers, and more than 100,000 snowmobilers who come from near and far to enjoy over 30,000kms of trails each winter, I want to thank Minister Mulroney and the Government of Ontario for their incredible support of the snowmobiling industry. With an annual economic impact of up to $3.3 billion in Ontario, this announcement provides a model for how industry and government can work in partnership to deliver world-class experiences. A multi-year funding agreement affords us the ability to plan our infrastructure renewal well into the future, a key pillar in ensuring our long-term sustainability” said OFSC Chief Executive Officer Ryan J. Eickmeier.
In addition to the long-term funding, Minister Mulroney announced that online driver training would be available in October and that Ontarians would soon be able to purchase gifts cards and redeem them for a permit, locking in the permit price at the time of gift card purchase.
“The OFSC has listened to its members and is happy to deliver on these two important initiatives,” Eickmeier said. “I thank the Minister as well as Ministry of Transportation officials who have worked closely with us for over a year on developing the online course and gift cards. The launch of the online driver training course will open up our sport to a whole new generation of Ontarians, and the new permit gift card is unquestionably a welcome and convenient option that directly benefits consumers.”
Further details on the online training course and permit vouchers will be available shortly.
For further info, please contact: Andrew Walasek 705-739-7669 x251 awalasek@ofsc.on.ca
We’ve noted with interest that for MY2020 Yamaha has gone to 137-inch tracks on its whole product line.
Arctic Cat has followed suit and most of its high performance 2020 offerings have the longer track too.
It seems like only yesterday we were talking about the demise of the 120-121-incher and now that the rest of the industry (Ski-Doo & Polaris) have pretty much gone to 129-inch track lengths, the market seems to be saying: “We want an even longer track”! What’s this all about?
Here’s what we think is going on: Snowmobile sales are highly driven by consumer demand. What that means is, if a certain track length isn’t being requested by potential purchasers as much and dealer unsold inventories are building up with sleds built with certain features (or without them), it’s only a short matter of time before the OEM says: “Less people want this, so why should we be offering it”?
Such is the case with the 137 track. If customers are coming into dealers, walking past 129-inch models and requesting the dealer sell them a 137-incher, it doesn’t take long for the manufacturer to see how the order volumes at dealer shows are moving skyward for the longer track and going down for the 129. Supply-demand!
Here’s another reason. Have you noticed sleds are getting more expensive? It looks like today’s buyers shelling out big coin, want sleds that can do more than one thing. Trail riders want the ability to go off-trail once in a while.
They may not want to commit to a full-on powder sled (the way most Crossovers have gone the last few years) but at least want the option to get into the deep and not get stuck. 1
37-inch sleds are extremely competent in the foothills and can shred pow quite decently because of the new-age weight savings and 1.5-plus inch track depths these sleds offer these days.
Yep, it’s about supply-demand and about versatility. Now that the handling is so good on 137s, there’s a huge upside to ponying up for the extra cost of the longer track. We also think the resale on these sleds is going to be much better than on shorter tracked ones.
AJ gives a quick run through of the latest Timbersled products while in attendance at Hay Days 2019.
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