muscle on the mountain
Amsnow
Ski-Doo Summit
It may look like last year's Summit, but it is not. This Summit is as new as Polaris' RMKs. For '02, the Summit targets the trail as well as the mountain.
Increased trail manners come by way of a wider ski stance; compliments of a new center offset ski; adjustable spindles (37- or 39-inch spindle-to-spindle stance); longer radius rods; a slightly longer traveling front end; and re-valved front and rear HPG shocks. Spring rates on the rear skid have also changed.
Ski-Doo's new center offset ski is similar in concept to Polaris' Sidehiller ski, but different in execution. For instance, it has a triple-leveled keel, which is unlike Polaris'. The skis track on outside edge runners. This too is unlike Polaris. With the runners on the outside edge, the Summits run a 41-inch runner-to-runner or a 43-inch runner-to-runner stance by repositioning the spindles.
The tunnel on the Summits is tipped up at the bulkhead, to allow increased deep snow flotation and greater room for the deep-lugged track to unload its snow. The tipped up tunnel allows the rear skid to travel a slightly longer distance. Ski-Doo also reduced the track's approach angle by almost half, from 30-degrees to just over 17-degrees. Additionally, vertical suspension travel has been increased two inches
The Summits come with wider boards stamped with opened convexed grips.
On the post, the Summit has a 80 mm block under the bar and j-hooks on each end. This gives riders greater leverage when tweaking the sled's nose right or left, or when hitting the moguls in a stand up position.
On the motor side, Bombardier refined the DPM, allowing the motor to be efficient and torque building.
On the unusual side, Ski-Doo added as an option, a one-pound electronic reverse kit called Rotax Electronic Reverse (RER). And, get this, a storage rack on the tunnel's rear end. Haul that fuel jug there, bud.
When riding the new blue 800 Summit HMX 151, the bar, boards and skis make the Summit remarkably stable on the trails and exceptionally mannered in the deep. In fact, this writer/rider over rode the Summit. Meaning, out of habit, I applied too much muscle when boondocking and carving. Flicking the nose here and there in a stand up position is effortless. The '02 Summit is easier to maneuver than the '01, and that is phenomenal. How can mountain riding get any easier? Yet the Summit never showed signs of being tipsy Miss on the trails.
The motor is simply responsive and strong when the throttle is squashed. Torque and horsepower are there. After years of building Summits, Ski-Doo continues to refine its mountain sleds making the deep-powder picture easier to paint.
The '02 Summits will make superb mountain riders out of sloppy mountain riders. Its forgiveness to rider weirdness is first class.
Prediction: loyalists will stay, reverse will be appreciated and the ski topic will infuse café's.