midsize performance

Ski-Doo Rev 600 HO
Grins: Sweet power plant.
Groans: Riders couldn't connect with new ride posture.

History will show that the Rev will be a sled people have an opinion about. There will be those who say it's the best thing to happen on snow. And there will be those who will say it was uncomfortable and should have never happened. Our crew was split between the two camps, with more critics than fans. However, all agreed that what Ski-Doo has done with the chassis and rider position is a very positive thing in general.

With the goal of centralizing as much mass around the central pivot point as possible, Ski-Doo's design team put some drastic changes into play. For starters, they shifted the traditional ZX rider position up by an inch and forward nearly a foot. The result is that the large mass of the driver is very close to that center point for much better balance and lighter handling. It also changes the way a driver sits on the sled.

It's much more ATV-like than sled-like, with bent knees and a slightly forward upper body cant. This allows the driver to stand quickly, or more accurately, it allows the sled to drop out from beneath the rider's butt in a rough section, with minimal effort. This also lets the sled absorb shocks without transmitting them to your spine.

Our test crew rated the rear suspension second to the Firecat in handling and comfort. "The rear suspension doesn't have to be dialed in great, since the riding position involves a rider's legs as a suspension component," said Bassett. "It's a nice design element."
The down side of the new rider position is that you don't have a lot of options for moving around on long cruises. "I found that prolonged riding in the forward position, with my feet directly under me, my knees and legs got tired and I would find myself trying to find a different riding position," commented Test Rider Doug Erickson. "It is difficult to change riding positions on the Rev."

Up front, Ski-Doo's new RAS double A-arm suspension is sweet in rough trails and ditches. It soaks up the nasty holes and moguls as well as a Cat. But, our gang found that the spindle has too much camber change through its travel, resulting in the skis rolling in the corners. Normally, this wouldn't be so bad. But Ski-Doo's Precision plastic ski has two runners on the outer edges. When the ski rolls on a high speed sweeper, there's a spot where neither carbide is in charge and the sled gets a little confused. Once you know it's there you can prepare for it, but at a brisk 80 mph, it's a little unnerving to have the nose pushing suddenly.

The new 600 HO powerplant is a sweetheart in this sled. Built on the 700 and 800 big block, the new 600 HO was dyno tested at 119 horsepower. The engine shares the large eight-petal reed cage with the bigger-bore mills, as well as Nicasil plating on the cylinder walls.

"The Rev 600 HO screamed," commented Kepner. "I think that was probably the strongest feeling 600 motor I've ridden. It was really impressive on the tight trail as well as on the long straightaways. It made great power and it was pretty quiet. I thought the 800 Rev was louder, with the standard 800 twin engine in it."

Aside from the quirky seating position, our crew liked the Rev's other ergonomic features. The windshield worked well to deflect wind and snow over the tops of their helmets. There are small side vanes on the body that also work to deflect coldness around the driver's legs.

The runningboard traction on the Rev is a nice solution. Instead of being added afterward to the tunnel, they are zig-zag cutouts, with the flap bent up slightly. They don't add weight, and they allow snow to escape back to the trail.

One feature we didn't get to play with is the adjustable handlebar position. A couple of bolts loosen on the steering column to allow it to pivot forward or rearward. Ski-Doo reps say it only takes about ten minutes and can be done on the trail, if you're swapping machines around to different people.

Ski-Doo makes tuning the front suspension very easy. The shock bodies are scribed with numbered index lines, so once you get a setup figured out, you can put it on at any time on any sled. Learn your preload number and you'll be a happy camper.

Overall, the Rev is a polarizer- a person either likes it or doesn't. Our cantankerous test crew wasn't able to form a consensus on it. Those who liked it, really thought it was something special. Those who didn't, didn't. It came in third in our overall composite scoring.

SLED TECH
Beavertail
The articulated rear portion of the Rev's tunnel started as a visual design feature. However, Ski-Doo engineering quickly found that it routed snow up into the tunnel area, over the heat exchangers. The extra snow coming up along the track allowed them to downsize the sled's exchangers and reduce weight.

The beavertail also helps the rest of your group see better as they follow by restricting snowdust from going airborne.
The new engine is actually built on the 700/800 Series 3 platform. This allows a heavier crankshaft to be used. It also accommodates a longer 73mm stroke. The standard 600 twin's stroke measures 65.8mm.

600 HO Engine
The 600 HO is the first Rotax 600 motor to use Nicasil plated cylinders. The Nicasil helps manage heat dissipation, which keeps performance consistent and durability high. The port timing has been modified to fit the new cylinder dimensions and meet performance parameters.

The new big block 600 also uses the same eight-petal reed cage as the 700 and 800 engines for higher airflow to the engine. A new pipe was built to allow the new engine to exhale.