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SKI-DOO ANSWERED the prayers of 4-stroke lovers with the extended track 1200 4-TEC Renegade in 2010. BUT, there are always those who are not totally happy. We heard many hard-core Doo-heads asking for more power, more snazz, more storage and a better off-trail 4-stroke. So we decided to make one!
Function FirstAmSnow teamed up with Straightline Performance for this project and with access to everything in its Forest Lake, Minn., shop, it was the perfect place to assemble this masterpiece. Because we wanted our more muscle-bound sled to be practical and functional we started with some pieces any stock 1200 Renegade owner should buy to get the most from this sled.
A slightly taller and adjustable 4 to 5.5-inch Rox riser was added so that we could have an easier time standing up for off-trail excursions. These risers allow you to clamp to a stock 7/8-inch diameter bar or remove the reducers and clamp to a 11/8-inch bar. We also got a windshield pack and a rear tunnel bag from Skinz Protective gear because storage was basically nil on the stock sled. Skinz also provided us with a "gripper" seat wrap that was perfect as it wasn't so sticky that you couldn't move around on it, but wasn't so slippery that you felt like you were going to fly off the back when you grabbed a handful of throttle.
For wide-open off-trail and deep powder use, a Frogskinz 4-piece XR nose vent kit was installed for increased airflow to cool the engine. USI also stepped up and sent us a pair of its X2 Triple Threat stage one skis as well. These have a removable/adjustable tail fin system in them for use in changing conditions, or if you just want more or less ski-bite on the trail, or more turning ability off-trail.
Also, if you are doing any amount of icy trail or lake riding, traction products are a good idea. We didn't get too crazy with the number of Woodys Grand Master studs that we installed, just the minimum 96 count. We figured 96 was plenty for a sled that we would mostly be using off-trail. We also added Woody's 6-inch Trailblazer carbide runners to the USI skis.
Arvin Meritor, or Ryde FX chipped in with a set of its famous Air 2.0 front shocks. These shocks are known for a plush feel with good anti-bottoming characteristics.
Mod TimeIt wouldn't be a project sled if we didn't add some mods under the hood! This year we added a Straightline Performance ceramic coated header and lightweight muffler. SPI says the header gains 10-11 hp at 8,300-8,500 rpm and the muffler sheds 16 lbs. and adds 1-2 hp. To most efficiently harness the extra ponies we were putting out, a TEAM hollow jackshaft and TEAM-tied secondary clutch kit were added. This kit from SPI comes with a helix, a drive and a driven spring, 2 TRA ramps and an adjustable pin kit. SPI also tuned the clutching and added an Ultimax XS Carlisle belt.
We also wanted our project sled to turn some heads, or more accurately, snap the necks of all those snowmobile gawkers at the local watering hole. So, we had Blown Concepts of Plymouth, Minn., put together a killer graphics package.
We also gave Wahl Brothers a call and they sent us some blingtastic billet rear wheels and 4 billet idler wheels. Carbon Sled Parts also got in on the action and we installed some of the firm's lightweight handguards and a carbon fiber windshield. Finally, the boys at SPI put in some extra hours and polished the entire tunnel.
Total build time for the sled was about 16 hours and when we put it on the dyno we saw 152 horses. That's an increase of approximately 20 hp over stock. We also put this sled on the scale after all the work had been done and all the additions put on and found it weighed just more than 600 lbs. totally full of fluids. That's not too bad for an extended track 4-stroke.
Not surprisingly, in our Real World acceleration tests this sled completed the 1/4-mile the quickest of any of our stock sleds. It also beat the modified Cat 1000 we had on hand, running the 1/4-mile in an impressive elapsed time of just 12.61 seconds.
Fast and good looking, a hot combo!