1996 skidoo mx z 583

The Ski-Doo MX Z 583 screams passion. Its Ski-Doo yellow is bold, totally devoid of subtlety. Yet, this is a subtle snowmobile whose chassis and suspension exceed the capability of its powerplant. For now, the 580 is the biggest engine available in the MX Z line. You'll want more. That's the nature ofthis beast.

We can't remember riding a Ski-Doo, or any other sled for that matter,that truly made us wish for more power. This isn't a case of too littlepower, it's more a case of the sled's chassis and suspension being too good.Say what?

Consider that the 581cc Rotax twin delivers somewhere around 95 horsepower (our estimate). Consider that this same powerplant comes with Rotax's variable exhaust port modifiers (RAVE valves), which work to improve torque and horsepower at low revs. Consider that this same twin is liquid-cooled, is fed by dual40mm Mikuni carburetors, and has electronic ignition and power tuned exhaust. Now consider that this engine is known as a very strong, very solid performerin the Ski-Doo sports sled line. At 90-something horsepower, how can wethink that this sled felt under-powered?

Simple. The new SC-10 performance suspension and the new "S"series chassis let you push the engine performance beyond the maximum. On badly rutted trails, you can push this sled at throttle openings you wouldnever have considered on previous models. The high performance, cross-country rear suspension gives this sled an extremely controlled ride. In straight-ahead riding, the driver is in full control of the sled. The suspension gobblesup bumps. In hard cornering on rutted trails, the suspension travel absorbsbumps but also "settles" in for a stable trip through the turnswithout the fear of high siding, seeming common to the new longest travel suspension units. This sled hunkers down like a race machine to hold thedriver's line. And if you screw up by picking a bad line, this sled will forgive you and respond instantly and consistently to steering input. You can throw this sled around without fear. You can hang out and ride as hardas you want. Ski-Doo has created a solid performance sled that is extremelyrider friendly no matter how nasty you get with it.

After we test rode this sled in West Yellowstone, Montana earlier thisyear, we were amazed at how good it was. If you listen to the competition,the suspension shouldn't work well at all. After all, unlike some competitivemodels, the Ski-Doo's SC-10 Cross Country Rear Suspension doesn't communicatevia linkages from the front torque arm to the rear. We beg to differ - maybeSki Doo has the front arm communicating via cellular service. The high pressuregas shock in the front portion of the rear suspension reacts well to theinitial hit of a mogul or bump. Suspension response is passed on to therear shock, which uses a stiffer rising rate action to absorb the impactof the bump before dissipating it into the high pressure gas charge of theshock itself. The two shocks dance well together.

While this SC-10 design is conceptually based on the suspension firstseen in last year's Formula SL and fan-cooled models, the new high performance version is different in many ways. The limiter straps are attached to thefront of the slide rails, slipped over the top front shock brace and backto a common screw-adjusted bracket. Adjustments are made quickly and easilyby reaching into the suspension and turning a dial for more or less skipressure. The unit is constructed of higher quality materials with morebracing and bolstering in consideration of how hard Ski-Doo engineers figureyou'll ride the new MX Z.

You'll still find easy adjustment blocks on the rear spring arms to establish preload settings for rider weight. We found making a quick adjustment onthe preload made a significant impact in how well we liked or disliked theride. We suggest toying with these settings to maximize your ride. But otherthan that, we feel that it is one of the best rear suspensions for sportsriding in that it appears very user-friendly and not over-sensitive to set-up.It seems to be a virtual "set it and forget it" kind of suspension.We can't say that about all the other long travel suspensions.

We also need to compliment Ski-Doo on its Direct Shock Action front suspension.This trailing arm unit comes standard with a 41 inch center-to-center stanceand up to eight inches of HPG shock-assisted travel. Ski-Doo's front suspensionis evolving into one of the best. It is clean and simple, but dependingon the shock/spring setup that's used and the stiffness of the roll bar,it is suitable for smooth trail touring or slam-bang action. The skis arethe narrow metal design and come with carbide wear bars for better biteon the trail, especially in icy turns.

But the MX Z is more than a great new suspension. It has a terrific chassis.The evolution of the all-aluminum chassis has been subtle. This year's MXZ features a chassis design similar to last year's "Touring" styleunit. It is said to weigh less than the previous chassis design. For sure,the low carriage of the engine in the front bulk-head plays a key role inreducing the center of gravity and the light feeling in the front end. Thereis a direct correlation to handling. If you, as we did, hop aboard a Formulamodel with the slightly higher engine mounting, you'll be able to discernthe subtle difference in cornering and overall handling.

The seat is low-slung, but not as low as the Indy XCR series that putsyour knees in your jaw if you've got too much leg. Like the Indy XCR, you'llfind side padding that is greatly appreciated when hanging off the sledfor cornering. While the compact design of the new 10.6 gallon fuel tankis integrated into the seating area, we would like a little bit more paddingthere, especially for guy riders who aren't interested in becoming sopranos.

Like Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo has developed a nifty hydraulic brake that provides great stopping action with a light pull on the brake lever. This season,the new disc brake is standard on more and more models, including some ofthe upper bracket touring sleds.

With this combination of superior suspension and chassis design, we comeback to the drivetrain. The "cushion drive" TRA clutch is newthis season and designed to provide smoother performance while increasingdrive belt durability and longevity. You'll also notice that the TRA clutchhas machined sheaves and a windage plate to make it more efficient in deliveringthe 580's power to the 121 inch long track. With this efficiency comes therealization that the Rotax twin certainly isn't providing any less power.So why when we were riding the 580 were we hoping for more power? Probablybecause the new sled is so much smoother all-around in handling agilityand ride. We could enter turns faster and harder than ever before. And weknow that Ski-Doo's 670 twin would fit extremely well under the hood andwe figure that with all the changes made to the MX Z for 1996, the chassisand suspension could handle the power increase. Perhaps more power to thepeople in 1997?

For this season, we are satisfied overall with the MX Z 583. We willenjoy the vast improvement in sports handling and ride. We will accept thepower of the 580, but we will admit that this year's top MX model leavesus wanting more. This is the best Ski-Doo sports sled to date and we'renot happy. What's that all about?

1996 SKI-DOO MX Z 583
 Engine Type: 580.7cc Rotax® 583 with rotary valve, RAVE, liquid cooled twin
 Exhaust: Tuned pipe to spiral muffler
Clutching
Drive: Cushion drive TRAC with 3 ramps
Driven: Formula, cam, on countershaft
Suspension
Front: DSA with 8 inches of travel
 Rear: SC-10 with 10 inches of travel
Ski Stance: 41 Inches
Overall Height: 44.1 Inches
Overall Length:107.3 Inches
Fuel Capacity: 10.6 U.S. gallons
Offical Dry Weight: 469 Pounds
 Price US  $5,999.00
Key Features: Carbide runners, heated grips and throttle lever, speedometer,tach
Riding Impressions: The MX Z felt like a cross between a PolarisXCR and Arctic's ZR. I pounded this sled unmercifully and it never falteredonce! Dependable and predictable in the corners and moguls, with handlingand a suspension that is second to none.- Steve Ingram, test rider