grand touring 500 f
Amsnow
A ll of Ski-Doo's fan-cooled touring sleds moved over to the ZX platform this season. The Grand Touring 500 Fan is at the top end of 'Doo's budget-minded fan touring market segment, packing in a ton of new features and a lower-than-'01 pricetag.
The 500 Fan gets many of the comfort features of its higher-priced liquid-cooled cousins and some new value added features. For instance, the sled sports the electronic reverse system, sticky handgrips, vent screens, automotive-style mirrors and the shorty lever for the hydraulic brake, all like the deluxe models.
In addition, the 500 Fan tandem sled will have a bigger 300-Watt magneto and 25 Watt hand warmer coils. Last season, the sled cranked out 240 Watts and the warmers only drew 15 Watts.
With the ZX platform comes such performance and handling systems as the ADSA uneven length radius rod front suspension. Motion Control shocks dampen the travel on the 500 Fan, as they do on the luxury models. Steel skis, with the Proactive Control System anti-darting part installed, round out the front end.
Ski-Doo rolled out a revamped SC-10 LT rear suspension for the fanners. The front arm has been moved back and the attack angle of the track is reduced for smoother movement and improved top speed performance. Add in a change to a .88-inch lug, and there is a noticeable change in performance feel.
The ductwork has been remodeled to accommodate the new hood and bellypan design. According to Ski-Doo reps, the new ducts keep the engine as much as ten degrees cooler during operation. That translates into improved and consistent engine performance.
The new fan-cooled engines also have a new pipe and muffler setup. The exhaust package was designed to develop a broader, torquier powerband.
With all of the new features and parts from the luxury segment, Ski-Doo still managed to cut last year's price to $5,499 on its Grand Touring 500 Fan. Now that's a good value!