skidoo takes aim at younger crowd with freestyle
Amsnow
Ski-Doo has announced a new, lighter weight, 30-horsepower sled, the Freestyle, in an effort to capture the younger rider, especially those into extreme outdoor sports, such as snowboarding.
Ski-Doo (like others in the industry) is concerned that the snowmobile market has been shrinking for several years, both due to lousy snow and competition from other sports and activities. For instance, snowmobile sales were at 239,000 units seven years ago, but roughly 157,500 last year.
Company officials point out that during that same period the average age of snowmobilers has climbed from 37 to 44 years of age. Only 9% of sled sales are to folks 24 or younger, while that group makes up 36% of the population. They note too that an average sled now costs $7,315 while an average motocross bike is just $4,300 and that market is exploding.
Things are out of whack!
Ski-Doo's solution is the Freestyle, a snub-nosed black, silver and orange sled that weights 370 pounds, or about 40 pounds less than its already lightweight MXZ fan sled. The fun new sled, which handles more like a Go-Kart or dirt bike, will cost less than $4,000 (US) or $5,000 (Canadian), bringing the cost of entry down to a more affordable level.
Is Freestyle a toy?
No way! It's just lighter, leaner and a lot less dough. It rides on the new RF chassis that's a REV derivative, so it features a rider-forward rising position, pyramidal frame and A-arm front suspension. Under the hood is a 300cc Rotax single-cylinder fan-cooled engine that creates 30 horsepower - about the same as a motocross CRF250.
Not enough? Au contraire!
A quick (and I mean speedy) ride around a Ski-Doo test course in Quebec proved the Freestyle can blast through the moguls, jump with the best of them and buzz through a corner like a frenetic bumblebee. Ski-Doo engineers say that 30 hp translates to about 50 mph. That's fast enough for trail riding or off-trail tricks!
The assembled magazine experts suggested dealers sell Freestyles in pairs because people are going to enjoy bashing around the north 40 on these with their friends and family.
From a functional standpoint Freestyle has much of what anyone, especially a newcomer, would want. It features good ergonomics with a smaller seat to accommodate younger riders and women, again stretching the potential market.
But there's also Ski-Doo's excellent SC-4 rear suspension underneath, a hydraulic brake, under-seat storage, twin headlights and a narrow, 32-inch, ski stance to juice the maneuverability. Electric start will be available as an option, but reverse is standard on Freestyle.
"Rejuvenation is something we need to do for our sport, and this will do it," said Francois Tremblay, BRP's director of marketing. BRP makes Ski-Doo snowmobiles.