AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com
Power train beefs upThe power train also has been beefed up to handle the extra power. Clutch parts are now forged, and the roller arms are made from steel. A Mitsubishi top cog belt transfers the power via variable angle sheaves.
Ski-Doo says it chose the Mitsubishi belt over the usual American brands because the Japanese company had shown a more aggressive attitude in developing a belt strong enough for the big twin power.
The chain is a stronger and more efficient HY-VO design with pivoting plates instead of pins and it won't stretch from use. So sure are Ski-Doo engineers about this that they've left out the chain tensioner. Stopping power comes via a large "wave design" disc mounted outside the chain case - this location makes it readily serviceable. The huge single expansion chamber exits into a large silencer and the intake is a generous 2-stage 20-liter design.
With ample amounts of sound-dampening foam placed strategically under the hood, this is a very quiet and pleasant sounding machine. We may take this for granted, but a twin of this size is probably one of the hardest combinations to effectively quiet down and must have taken a considerable effort from the engineering department.
With the lower stance and longer chassis, this machine is a delight at normal trail speeds. If you try to go aggressively through the bumps it's obviously not quite as agile as a REV and naturally feels a little slower on the steering. But when you hit a nice long stretch, this machine shows its "lake runner" Mach Z heritage. It's fast, smooth, arrow straight and stable at top speed, with an added fun factor we didn't have with those older heavier triples.