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Meet Mr. NastyOtherwise known as the 2005 Ski-Doo Mach Z 1000, Mr. Nasty is as close to being an instant "classic" snowmobile as you're going to see. You need an introduction to the '05 Mach Z like the one we had in Quebec this past January. Dark room, draped and silhouetted snowmobile, hushed and almost reverent tones of introduction. And then the unveiling. Mr. Nasty sat low to the floor.
Stealth fighter, black with charcoal accents. Roguishly handsome in a broad-shouldered way, designed to create more excitement than a six-pack of Viagara. The Mach Z is viscerally visual. It has "attitude" written all over it. And then you look at the spec sheet.
An all-new evolutionary platform carries the REV beyond ditchbanging and sedate trail riding. The new RT platform is unique to the all-new one-liter, two-cylinder, two-stroke Rotax. This sled is designed to run as hot as it looks. One hundred sixty-five horsepower is claimed for this all-new Mach Z muscle sled. Rotax is the muscle builder. Ski-Doo is the weight trainer.
Basically you get a lot of power (165 hp) in a sled that weighs less than the older CK-based Mach (claimed 519 pounds dry weight). There's much more to this package than meets the eye. Once you open the hood you come upon the clever packaging of the Rotax' electronics factory. Virtually all the key electronics are located on a ready access panel by the engine. No more hunting for electronic gear. Nice move, Ski-Doo!
Properly referred to as the Rotax 2-TEC 1000, the 998cc clean-burning twin is compliant with existing 2006 EPA regulations. That comes partially through an all-new, semi-direct injection system with dual 52mm throttle bodies that use two injectors per cylinder. A smaller injector provides the fuel at low engine revs; then the second, larger, injector kicks in to stuff fuel into the cylinders for maximum power. The small injector is used because it is easier to calibrate for smooth, idle characteristics.
The overall bore and stroke is 88mm by 82mm on this counter-balanced twin. Unlike the new Yamaha triple that uses a counter shaft, Ski-Doo's 2-TEC 1000 affects engine balancing via a pair of asymmetrical gears that run off each end of the crankshaft. Ski-Doo feels that this is a lighter weight method that counters engine vibration well.
Inside the engine you'll find wide transfer porting, Nikasil-lined cylinder walls, separate cylinder head domes for servicing and replacement ease, and a new generation, electronically activated RAVE valve system for controlling both primary and secondary exhaust ports. This all means that the engine's computer is fully in charge of controlling both gains in overall performance as well as maintaining peak emissions performance.
Ski-Doo is immensely proud of this new twin, feeling that, while it isn't a triple, its performance should make former Mach Z triple owners forget that old model.