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Low cost is good! But high value can be even better, especially when it comes at a modest price. So, if you want 100+ horses, just how much does your money buy?
For 2008 you have at least four strong choices, including the new Ski-Doo TNT, Yamaha's new Vector, Polaris' repackaged Shift and Arctic Cat's holdover, the F6, which was new last season.
If this is entry level, well, life is good!
TNT is DYNOmite!There's more than a weight story here, although that's a big piece of the performance puzzle. Ski-Doo has been pounding home the fact that its TNT has broken the 400-lb. barrier, officially tripping the scales at 399 lbs.
But that's just the start. The new styling sets TNT apart from other low-cost liquid-coolers. It's edgy and crisp. Your buddies will notice you've got the hot new sled.
Plus, it's hard to beat this new TNT, unless maybe you upgrade to an MXZ Adrenaline 600, which adds the proven 600 H.O. SDI engine and a medium-height windshield to give you more wind protection.
Yet, TNT's high-strung 500SS is really a tried and proven 600 twin that puts out about 105 horsepower, although we suspect a tad more. It dumps in a quick burst of power with a light throttle pull to help the TNT bust out of turns. Power-to-weight (along with that quick throttle) is the key. With over 100 horses and minimal weight, the TNT delivers an explosive 0.263 horsepower per pound. That's not in the same league as Ski-Doo's 165-horse Mach Z at 0.30 horsepower per pound, but it's not bad for a low cost sled.
Naturally the TNT feels a lot more limber. We tossed it around out West in testing last March and couldn't chase the grins away. It's not just the weight and power though, it's the handling too. We felt the strength of the new chassis. Ski-Doo's troops refined it more with new REV-XP front suspension and SC-5 rear suspension with aluminum HPG take-apart shocks all the way around.
The suspension and shocks have lighter and slightly longer A-arms, and Doo's excellent Pilot 5.7 dual-runner skis too. The TNT is a corner-carving beast. I never had any dart problems with these skis and the geometry on the XP creates possibly the easiest turning, most responsive sled I've ever ridden.
Clutching is quick too, giving the TNT good pop from a stop. Ski-Doo moved the jackshaft and secondary clutch so it is over and just slightly back from the primary, and the QRS roller secondary was also redesigned. Legroom was boosted with the changes and rider positioning was changed for the better.
Just a tad lower than handling on my rating scale, is TNT's ride. It's OK in the whoops and when zipping through wide winding turns, but there are softer rides you could opt for, such as those of Cat's F6 and Polaris' Shift. If you're a Minnesota ditchbanger, those might be a better choice.
Yet, I like how the Doo's new lighter weight 15x120 track digs in even with its small 1-inch lugs on hard pack. Traction is good.
Riding position is excellent on the REV-XP. I didn't have any trouble with the earlier REV, but tall guys all praise this one because you can sit back a bit and keep your legs at more of a 90-degree angle, avoiding some nasty knee thumps if you're pounding the trails. I also like the thinner, racier seat that comes on the TNT. Moving around is more than half the fun here. Older riders might prefer the standard seat, which again comes on the Trail MXZ.
New analog gauges, including an electric fuel gauge and tach, look great, and we all liked the j-hook bars and handguards to displace the wind. However, I'd rather have the mid-height windshield that's standard on the Trail version and the Adrenaline.
Thankfully, electronic reverse comes standard on TNT, and electric start is an option which we'd certainly do.
2008 Ski-Doo MXZ TNTEngine: 500SS, 2-stroke, 105 hp
Exhaust: Single tuned pipe
Front Susp.: REV-XP
Rear Susp.: SC-5
Ski Stance: 47 in.
Track: 15x120x1.0
Fuel Tank: 10.6 gal.
Weight: 399 lbs.
2008 MSRP: $7,649 US/$10,099 CA
What's your Vector?Out with the old, in with the new.
Gone is the old Vector chassis with its low-rider seating position that puts your arms up high and your tush down low. We'll admit to finding the seating position a little less than optimum on the previous Vector, but now in the Deltabox II chassis, this Vector is much improved for a full day on the trails. The new sled's bars are 6 inches forward of the old position and 4 inches higher. You sit, as in most newer sleds, with your legs at 90-degree angles. Not content to stop there, Yamaha adds wider handlebars that give you better leverage and hooks with great grip.
Compared with the others in this group, there's a heavier feel overall, which can add some push in turns, but can also help smooth out some trails.
Smoothness is aided by Vector's taller, softer seat, which is particularly good on long rides and thumpy trails. It's easy to move around on and get into a standing position too. This seat and the Cat F Series seats are my favorites in this class and I also like the storage in back, handy for water bottles, maps, tools and granola bars.
Yamaha's Mono Shock RA rear suspension also helps the ride. It's adjustable, so you can tune it to suit your stature or the trail's surface. Turn a dial on the tunnel's left side and you can firm or soften the ride. Vector offers 11.5 inches of rear travel too.
HPG front shocks that are fairly fade resistant also help the nose take moguls. I didn't bottom this one out during our Western tests and some of the trails were in fact crummy.
For folks who liked the Apex last season, but didn't want to pay the premium for its 150-horse engine, or simply don't need that many ponies, Vector is a good answer. With its carbed 3-cylinder Genesis 120, Vector has enough power to keep you spraying snow through the turns all winter. That power is delivered in a smooth, long powerband so you have oomph from the start through a long run across the lake. Recent dyno tests by our Tech Editor Olav Aaen put the engine's power at 122 horses.
Vector has become a good all-round sled, comfortable and powerful. Plus, it's a 4-stroke, so you'll be spending less on gasoline and oil long-term, and this is a long-term buy!
2008 Yamaha RS VectorEngine: Genesis 120, 973cc, 4-stroke, 122 hp
Exhaust: Rear exit
Front Susp.: Independent double-wishbone
Rear Susp.: Mono Shock RA
Ski Stance: 42.7 in.
Track: 15x121x1.25
Fuel Tank: 10 gal.
Weight: 557 lbs.
2008 MSRP: $9,299 US
Holy Shift!You know there are going to be jokes all year about the name, but none of the competitors will laugh off the IQ Shift. That's because Polaris has produced a solid 120-horse trail buster for just $6,999 US/$8,999 CA. So, a fair amount of value seekers are gonna look and, we suspect, buy at this price. The Shift is a real bargain!
In reality this is a 600 H.O. IQ for a grand less than last year. But, it's a slightly more basic model than last year's 600, with no tachometer, a different track and an all-black paint job, ready for owners to customize at will. Sounds like fun!
The best news is Shift still features the high-revving 599cc Liberty that has been a real pleaser the past couple seasons. The carbureted liquid-cooled twin boasts 119 horses at 8,200 rpm, according to
AmSnow dyno tests. Throttle response is particularly snappy.
Making the sled even more attractive is its projected weight of 466 lbs., down about 10 from the 600 IQ, mainly due to lighter spindles and a 15x121 track with 0.91-inch lugs instead of the more standard 1-inchers.
Of course value and power don't matter if you're riding a donkey. Polaris sees to it that you're not. The Shift has the same IQ front and rear suspension that delivers a stout ride and performance. Our trail banging has proven this suspension works best in the small stutters that plague many Midwest trails. This is where the RydeFX MPV shocks, up front, surprisingly seem to excel. There's certainly more thump to the rump over larger bumps, but still you could ride this quite awhile without tiring. If you can afford to upgrade, jump to the Fox Zero Comps that come standard on 600 IQ LX and Turbo LX.
Handling on the Shift is much improved too, but still feels the heaviest of the four sleds. Polaris keeps tweaking the IQ's steering and it's much more responsive for '08. The engineers trimmed spindle weight a pound and reduced steering effort 15%. I think it's more like 13.8%, but what's a percent or so? What's important is that it's a noticeable difference.
Polaris also cut out the radiator, instead using cooling extrusions inside the tunnel. This reduces weight and strengthens the chassis. More importantly, it cuts ice and snow buildup under the sled to keep weight down as you ride. Our tests were in warm conditions, so long-term rides will have to test this theory more.
Ride comfort is pretty good here. The mid-level winged windshield provides decent wind protection. There are straight handlebars, without Rider Select (remember this is a price-point sled) and a new moderately soft Freestyle seat that is narrower at the front. It helps you move on the sled in order to push it into corners a little harder. Aggressive riders will like it.
Running boards are moderate in width, but I found the footwells a tad tight for my boots.
Polaris is thinking a lot of folks just want a solid, good riding sled that they can doctor up to suit their riding styles and tastes. Such riders can add premium shocks, tachometer, thumb warmer, special seats, chromed windshields, etc. If value is atop your shopping list, Shift should be too.
2008 Polaris IQ ShiftEngine: Liberty 599cc, 2-stroke, 119 hp
Exhaust: SC VES, Single
Front Susp.: IQ
Rear Susp.: IQ
Ski Stance: 42.5 in.
Track: 15x121x0.91
Fuel Tank: 11.7 gal.
Weight: 466 lbs.
2008 MSRP: $6,999 US/$8,999 CA
Cat scratch feverLast season Arctic Cat scratched our 120-horse itch with its new F6 on the nimble Twin Spar chassis. We still enjoy this sled and its one-size-fits-all capabilities.
But first question, Why the F6 instead of the F5 in this comparison?
Simple enough, we felt its power-to-weight performance put it more on a par with the other sleds here. Not to mention two of the other sleds also have roughly 120 horses.
So lets start with that capable 599cc 2-stroke engine. It's plenty gutsy, and it delivers decent pop from a standing start. Plus, Cat continues to have one of the easiest throttle pulls, making all-day rides a touch more enjoyable.
We like the primo ride and light, easy feel the F6 displays as you swoosh through loose snow and wind your way along the trails. It has less steering effort than even the new Ski-Doo. Helping the Cat is a system where the steering post is mounted into roller bearings. What we'd like to see though are better skis to help the Cat claw better into hard pack in turns, instead of tending to skate sideways through the corners.
Still, Cat's slide action rear suspension helps smooth out the trails and keep the sled flat in chattery turns and stutters. Cat adds new machined rails in back to cut weight and boost strength. Likewise, up front, Cat forged the spindles and shock towers to aid rigidity. A revamped swaybar system, with new mounting points, helps keep cornering flat.
We'll hope to get some more test time on the F Series to let you know just how much these small changes have helped. Plus, Cat tells us all its sleds are shedding a few pounds this year, although no official weights were available at press time.
We also like the F Series sleds' adjustability, even though that adds to the price. Cat's Infinite Rider Positioning system (LX and SnoPro models) allows you to adjust the handlebars and seat, plus its footrests can be shifted to three positions. This makes the sled comfortable for short or tall test riders. Anything that cuts whining is good!
Of course you can get much of the same from the F5 with its 499cc 2-stroke that creates roughly 105 horses. And as Jerry Bassett, our Founding Editor, says, if your ego can handle riding a 500, then you can save about $1,300 bucks (US) by going with an F5. Even upgrading to the more adjustable F5 LXR you're $700 to the good vs. a base F6. That's your call and your budget!
2008 Arctic Cat F6Engine: Suzuki 599cc, 2-stroke, 120 hp
Exhaust: APV w/tuned pipe, pipe sensor & canister
Front Susp.: AWS-VII double-wishbone A-arms
Rear Susp.: Slide action frame w/coupling blocks
Ski Stance: 43 in.
Track: 15x128x1.0
Fuel Tank: 12.6 gal.
Weight: NA
2008 MSRP: $8,699 US/$10,999 CA
Final wordNumbers tell much of the story here because all of these sleds are fun to ride, most of the time.
The TNT excels in power-to-weight, which makes it the most fun for exiting turns and it's so easy to handle you can ride all day without tiring. It's my choice, but if you're more desirous of a cushioned ride, the Cat and Polaris deliver the best. And the Shift gives you the most power per dollar.
Meanwhile, Yamaha's new Vector is a nice blend of comfort, quality and power, and ultimately should prove the most economical because of its 4-stroke powerplant which has a longer life-span and is more efficient.
POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO| Sled, Horsepower | Weight | Power-to-Weight Ratio |
| SKI-DOO TNT, 105 | 399 | 0.263 HP PER LB. |
| POLARIS SHIFT, 119 | 466 | 0.255 |
| ARCTIC CAT F6, 120 | 498* | 0.240 |
| YAMAHA VECTOR, 122 | 557 | 0.219 |
*only 2007 weight available