skidoo still on the gas

AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com

Valcourt, Quebec - Ski-Doo drops another bomb (make that two) on the competition this spring. On this, the 50th year of Ski-Doo snowmobile production, BRP unveils two new engines for 2009. Welcome the Rotax 600 H.O. E-TEC 2-stroke and the 4-TEC 1200 4-stroke.

These incredible new engines are unveiled only a year after Ski-Doo first dropped its super-lightweight REV-XP ordinance on the snowmobile market.

BRP also plays with the XP body and makes some variations; these meddlings culminate the REV-XR and REV-XU bodies for the new 4-stroke engine and utility segments.

Ski-Doo's not letting anyone pass it this year with new sleds or technology, and it may be starting to put some distance between itself and much of the competition.

E-TEC is everywhere
The highly efficient E-TEC, announced in mid-January, is already proving Ski-Doo's claims about it to be true. If you're any kind of an outdoors person you've probably heard of E-TEC before as the hugely popular outboard motor made by Evinrude, a BRP subsidiary. Evinrude has been using this 2-stroke technology for 4+ years, so it's no big surprise that this technology showed up as a Rotax 600 H.O. E-TEC.

The new 600 E-TEC will be available in several platforms for 2009, including the MXZ TNT, MXZ Adrenaline and spring-only MXZ X sleds, MXZ Renegade and spring X model, Summit Everest 146-inch and longer spring-only Summit X 154-incher, as well as the GSX and GTX Limited models. That's pretty much across the line!

For sled buyers, the good news is that we've now spent plenty of time on the E-TEC 600, and we're just as impressed as when we first received the press release. Engagement is smooth, throttle pull is easy, so is pulling the cord, and there is absolutely no old-style 2-stroke smoke.

At the press launch in Ontario, we stood next to a "smoke test" as it was performed between the Cat F6, Polaris Dragon 600, Yamaha Nytro and the Ski-Doo E-TEC 600. We were shocked at the difference. There was so little exhaust from the E-TEC that it almost looked as though it wasn't running! This thing is quiet too!

We are floored at how clean the E-TEC engine appears to be. Ski-Doo's claim of 15% better fuel economy than its old 600 H.O. (21 mpg US and 25 mpg CA vs. 17.5 mpg US and 22 mpg CA) seems consistent with our early tests.

At WOT (wide open throttle) Ski-Doo reps tell us that E-TEC will use close to the same amount of fuel as the SDI, however it's at normal cruising speeds where E-TEC really makes is mpg gains.

After testing the E-TEC on the trails, we like what we're seeing, mpg numbers in the high teens, and even at the back of a group of more than 8 sleds, you can't smell any exhaust. For weight watchers, E-TEC only adds about 16 lbs. to the sled too! Its whole bottom end is the same as the 600 SDI.

What else can this engine do?

It has a built-in break-in period that lasts about 6 hours, has an auto-fogging summerization feature, 3-year or 6,200-mile (10,000 km) spark plug warranty and is said to be able to go about 1,149 miles (1,850 km) before oil needs to be added. (Although after talking to several Ski-Doo reps, 800 miles will probably be more common.)

Precision E-TEC injectors are the heart of the fuel cooled engine's running quality, but a rigorously tested high-tech liquid cooled ECM and oil systems are also crucial to its performance. Also, Ski-Doo's 3-D RAVE exhaust valves aid in the run quality.

Stay tuned to www.AmSnow.com and watch future AmSnow issues for more info on this engine, including in-depth discussions of the fuel injectors in this Direct-Injection engine as well as emissions and other systems.

Rotax 4-TEC, and XR body
As if that weren't enough, Ski-Doo's other big deal is a new Rotax-developed 4-TEC 1200 engine. This Electronic-Fuel-Injected in-line 1170cc triple is said to crank out 130 hp at 7,750 rpm and is aimed right at the heart of the 4-stroke market.

Fuel economy is rated at 18.3 mpg, 22 kpg for our Canadian friends. With a 10.6-gallon tank to be used with the new 4-TEC, the range should be huge!

4-TEC will be available in the new REV-XP based REV-XR body for the MXZ TNT and spring MXZ X package, the MXZ Renegade and Renegade X, GSX and GTX Limited Editions.

The 1200 4-TEC comes in the new XR body package with a newly designed wider hood and glossy finish on the panels. Ski-Doo claims the wider body gives the performance 4-stroke models a "more refined" look and that it better deflects windflow and obviously was needed to house the bigger engine.

Initial rides on the MXZ 4-TEC showed it had less transfer, less unnerving throttle response and steadier drive-ability at low speeds than some 4-strokes on the market. However, final clutching, exhaust note, suspension calibration and all around sled tweaking were not complete. Engagement is said to be at just 2,800 rpm, but it didn't seem right for the engine. However, it did drive easily at low speeds. Simply having a strong 4-stroke option in the lightweight REV-XP line will help Ski-Doo snag some buyers for the yellow side.

Here's the kicker: the new 1200 MXZ weighs only 499 lbs.! That makes it the lightest performance 4-stroke in the 130-horse class! It's got HPG take-apart aluminum shocks too so it should take the bumps easily. It seemed solid on our early rides.

The snowmobile has a new mechanical reverse that has an easy-pull lever on the right side of the cowling and it worked easily every time we used it. Clutched with the TRA IV system and plenty of torque, this counterbalanced 4-stroke should have long legs. The MXZ TNT 4-TEC comes with handlebar hooks, and a larger windshield is standard, making this a rock-and-roll snowmobile that's warm and looks sophisticated.

GTX and Expedition upgraded
Although we don't have room here to tell you everything that Ski-Doo will have for 2009, there is also an almost entirely new GTX SE and an Expedition TUV. The GTX SE, in the XR body, will have the 4-TEC as an engine option, tilt steering, Air Spring rear suspension, new 5.7 Straight Line skis that are wide/square/single keel and less aggressive than on the performance snowmobiles.

The Expedition TUV 600 H.O. SDI comes in the new REV-XU platform. The XU is the second REV-XP platform variation this year, a new utility package. The TUV comes with new styling, is 84 lbs. lighter than the old Yeti II platform with the 600 H.O. SDI engine, has more leg room, better handling and great deep snow flotation.

Ski-Doo factoids
• Ski-Doo has changed to a heavier duty compound belt for its 800R machines for 2009.
• Watch for a 50th anniversary limited edition sled for 2009. We hear about 1000 are scheduled to be built with 750 being MXZ X 600 E-TEC machines and the remaining 250 to be Summit 800Rs for the mountain riders.
• Ski-Doo is offering new oil for its E-TEC snowmobiles. The new XPS Blend also can be used in its SDI machines and should not cost any more than the current oil.
• The new shift-on-the-fly motion control-VR, air-spring rear suspension in the GTX SE has 5 settings, from soft to hard, and can be changed with both riders aboard at the touch of a button. We tried it while riding 2-up and the system worked well!
• On the GSX models there is a push-button electronic activation feature for the mechanical reverse that allows you to engage reverse with one finger. There is a stepper motor at the top of the chaincase that activates the mechanical reverse.
• What is Silent Track Technology? A thin strip of extra rubber (see pic above) is molded into the inside of where the track makes contact with the wheels on the new GTX. This cuts track noise 3-4 decibels.
• Spring-only X-sleds from Ski-Doo include the MXZ X 600 E-TEC, 4-TEC, 800R, Renegade X 600 E-TEC, 4-TEC and 800R, Summit X 600 E-TEC 154-inch, 800R 154-inch and 800R 163-inch.