the longtrack snowmobile invasion

AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com

Each year we put the newest crop of crossover sleds through their paces, and each year we're more impressed. Why the heck doesn't everybody own one? Crossovers, or long-tracks if you will, are comfortable riding the groomed trail, picking their way through tight trees off-trail or screaming up a mountainside in deep powder.

This year we decided to spoil ourselves and picked our four favorite 2008 extended track sleds to test side-by-side for several days out West. This crop has nearly all the trail talent of their shorter tracked brethren and can boondock their way alongside most big mountain sleds.

Which sled do we think is the best? Hint: it was in our Best of the Best picks in the Buyers Guide, but you can just keep reading.

Ski-Doo Renegade is GRRRR8!
Well, you probably guessed it, but my favorite crossover is Ski-Doo's new MXZ Renegade 800R. At only 445 lbs. dry, the Renegade is not even in the same universe as the rest of the crossover market. As far as lightweight maneuverability goes, the next closest sleds in this category are the Crossfire 800 SP at about 495 lbs. and the Switchback Dragon 700, which teeters on the 500-lb. mark.

OK, we all know that Ski-Doo has nullified any weight complaints, but what else makes this sled the best of the best in this category? For crossover folks, ease of maneuverability is key. You can rip this one down the trail, or lay it over on its side off-trail and carve through big powder.

A rider has extreme flexibility in his or her positioning on the Renegade. The tank is sculpted and easy to slide across, the bars are tall and hooked, footwells are grippy with superb snow removal and simply stomping hard on a footboard and dropping a shoulder to the corresponding side will get this entire machine to flow with the rider in the desired direction.

Renegade also corners the best in this class. We were seriously asking ourselves several times if we were on a short track when we were testing the new Renegade. New aluminum spindles keep the excellent Pilot 5.7 skis on track, with the help of a variable castor and a falling rate link type sway bar to hold the machine flat in the corners.

Finally, the Renegade 800R has more power than its competition. Nearly 156 ponies barrel out of this engine and are directed along by the proven TRA III primary clutch and the new QRS roller secondary clutch that was moved forward and over the tunnel to provide more legroom. Weight was lost everywhere in the new XP chassis from the hood to the 8-tooth drivers. In the driveline alone, 8 lbs. were shed with the help of magnesium parts and system simplification.

The engine is also vertically suspended in the chassis instead of mounted and tilted forward as in many other designs. This makes it more stable, helps centralize the mass and cuts down on belt flex. Impressed? So were we and that's why this is our Best of the Best crossover. Our only complaint is that the suspension isn't as adjustable as some others in this class.

Ski-Doo MXZ Renegade 800R
Engine: 800R PowerTEK liquid twin 2-stroke
HP: 155.7
Exhaust: Single tuned pipe
Ski Stance: 47 in.
Front Susp.: REV-XP w/HPG shocks
Rear Susp.: SC-5 w/HPG front and rear shocks
Track: 16x137x1.25 in.
Fuel Tank: 10.6 gal.
Dry Weight: 445 lbs.
Price: $9,949 US/$12,599 CA

Arctic Cat Crossfire Sno Pro 800
So what if it isn't in a brand new chassis? Who cares if the engine isn't 150+ hp? If it works well, don't screw with it! That's my attitude regarding the Crossfire. 2008 is the third full model year for this hybrid Mountain/Firecat chassis that now can hold the 5, 6, 8 and 1000cc mills.

The first time I rode a Crossfire was as a late release for 2005 - with the original 700cc powerplant - several winter's back just outside Thief River Falls, Minn. I've been a fan of this sled ever since. That's not to say that the Crossfire Sno Pro is immune to hiccups, and it has its fair share of updates for 2008, but all in all it has proved itself for 3 winters with relatively few problems.

In 2007, I was happy to hear that an APV valved 800 with 48mm throttle bodies would replace the void left by the discontinued EFI 700, but when we observed only 3.6 more horsepower from the 8 last year (Dynoport's independent dyno test for AmSnow), I was a little less excited. However, torque and fuel consumption have been dialed in extremely well for '08 and the new 8 only weighs 10 lbs. more dry than the 7. Sequential firing of the 800's twin sparkplug design, in theory, means more complete fuel combustion at lower rpm, leading to better fuel economy.

So, if the engine isn't quite the racy ripper the 700 was, and the sled is beginning to be the veteran chassis in its class, why is the Crossfire any good? First, the FasTrack Long-Travel rear suspension system can take just about anything you throw at it. With lightweight aluminum IFP shocks and torque sensing rear link arm, you can land snocross style jumps and bridge through mogul fields easily.

Second, is the chassis. The integrated mountain (M-series) and trail chassis (old Firecat series) is a great balance of strength, light weight, simplicity and rider positioning for on-trail and ungroomed fun.

Third, is the ACT drive planetary gearbox with push-button mechanical reverse. Cat's ACT system simplifies the driveline, replacing jackshaft, chaincase and all its innards with a CNC-machined gear system. Subtracting these parts allows the drive to be placed lower in the machine for a better center of balance, a driveshaft mounted brake and rotor and more.

Finally, for off-trail fun, the ergos of the Crossfire work well. Big snow removal holes in the footboards mean snow never builds up, and integrated heat exchangers in the new board edge rolls were designed for more traction and cooling. New spindles are lighter and sharpen turning, and the handlebar positioning and seating arrangement make for easy sitting to standing transitions. The only drawback on the ergos is that you bang your knees on the sides of the cowling a lot.

Arctic Cat Crossfire Sno Pro 800
Engine: Suzuki 794cc EFI liquid twin 2-stroke
HP: 143.7
Exhaust: APV w/tuned pipe, pipe sensor and canister
Ski Stance: 42-44 in. adjustable
Front Susp.: AWS VII double-wishbone A-arms w/Fox Float shocks & sway bar
Rear Susp.: FasTrack Long Travel System slide-rail, adjustable torsion springs, 2-in. dia. (IFP) rear arm shock, torque sensing link rear arm, aluminum IFP shocks.
Track: 15x136x1.25 in.
Fuel Tank: 12.2 gal.
Dry Weight: 495 lbs. ('07 weight)
Price: $10,499 US/$13,299 CA

Yamaha Apex LTX GT
I liken this sled to a Cadillac coupe with the powerful Northstar V-8. While it's a quality, refined, no-expense spared machine, it also has the heart of a street-racer in it. At $12,499 US, this limited build sled is two grand more than the others here and several hundred dollars more expensive than the only other 2008 1000cc crossover - the 163+ hp Cat Crossfire 1000 Sno Pro.

However, you get your money's worth with the LTX. Last year this model was known as the Attak GT, and the big changes for this year are in the suspension and the obvious 40th Anniversary graphics package. The mono shock rear suspension has been bashed by some critics as not being aggressive enough and bottoming too regularly. Yamaha addressed these concerns by altering the spring and valving calibration to improve anti-bottoming. The Ohlins electronic rear shock is still standard issue, but this year front shocks, formerly HPG piggyback clickers, are replaced with Ohlins dual clicker shocks that click-adjust both compression and rebound.

Also, to address grip warmer issues, wattage to the heaters was increased from the original amount, and now the warmers go all the way to the end of the bars. We especially appreciate the tall seat, great for a sitting position; this is by far the most comfortable sitting crossover. Plus, Yamaha gives you all the bling you could want, including a DC outlet for your electronic gadgets, electric start, standard reverse, easy to use hood and panel releases and more.

Most impressive on the heavier LTX is the parallel 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, fuel-injected, 149-hp Genesis engine that rests under the hood. This engine's clutch engagement happens at a smooth 3,300-3,700 rpm and winds out at a tall 10,250-10,750 rpm. We can't say enough about this engine! It's the most reliable, longest lasting, coolest sounding powerplant in the industry.

Unfortunately, because the LTX is slightly heavier than the rest of this pack, it doesn't fare quite as well once you get into deep snow. Its backend has a tendency to sink, instead of floating easily atop the powder. That's the trade-off for getting the reliable engineering loaded into this sled.

Yamaha Apex LTX GT
Engine: 998cc Genesis 150, 4-stroke liquid
HP: 149.8
Exhaust: Dual rear 4-2-1-2
Ski Stance: 42.7 in.
Front Susp.: Independent double-wishbone w/Ohlins 40mm dual clicker HPG shocks
Rear Susp.: Ohlins Mono Shock EC 136 w/Ohlins 46mm electronic compression and clicker rebound adjustability
Track: 15x136x1.25 in. RipSaw
Fuel Tank: 10 gal.
Dry Weight: 577.6 lbs. (official Yamaha tech data)
Price: $12,499 US

Polaris Switchback Dragon 700
We had a standard 2008 Switchback 700 prototype for the last several months of last season (see AmSnow First Ride, Nov. '07), so we've had plenty of time on this chassis. The main changes between the Dragon and the standard issue Switchback are the addition of RydeFX 2.0 shocks up front and the addition of a RydeFX compression adjustable piggyback shock as the rear track shock instead of the Fox PS5. This year, all Switchbacks also come with a 136-inch track in place of the former 144-inch track.

The Dragon gets the BNG (bold new graphics) treatment with all red dragon-looking attire and chrome-looking windshield. There's also a taller 5.25-inch riser and hooked bars with a mountain strap on the Dragon.

Like I said in my earlier review, I think this sled does just about everything well. If it particularly shines in one area, it's the suspension. At full throttle, this long-track with upgraded RydeFX shock package can tackle any terrain.

We covered the nitrogen-charged, dual-rate, springless twin-chambered front shocks extensively in our November '07 issue, so I won't go into much detail here. The gas shocks basically work in three separate stages: an initial low spring rate for plush handling in the first 1.5 inches of stroke, a stiffer second gas-pressure-activated spring rate up to 4 inches into the shock stroke and a final inch of shock stroke where gas pressure quickly increases for anti-bottoming.

If this sled were an 800, which we suspect it will be eventually, I'd be even happier, but its power falls short of the 800s here and it's heavy for only being a 700. However, Polaris is definitely on the comeback as far as ride and handling go, and their new 800 motor would work extremely well here.

Polaris Dragon 700
Engine: 700cc Cleanfire liquid twin 2-stroke
HP: 135.8
Exhaust: SC VES Single
Ski Stance: 42.5 in.
Front Susp.: IQ w/RydeFX Air 2.0 shocks
Rear Susp.: IQ w/RydeFX HPG IFP front shock and RydeFX comp. adj. remote res. rear shock
Track: 15x136x1.25 in. RipSaw
Fuel Tank: 11.7 gal.
Dry Weight: 498 lbs.
Price: $9,999 US/$12,999 CA

Lasting impressions
An edgy yellow crossover sled that weighs 445 lbs. and has 155 horses? Incredible! Yamaha has beefed up its rear suspension to be more than adequate for the larger riders who tend to gravitate toward this sled category. Arctic Cat has a reliable chassis with a newly mapped EFI motor ready to take on the big snow. Polaris has finally gotten back in the saddle and has arguably the best big bump sled in this class.

Any of these sleds will make you giddy, but Ski-Doo takes the cake this year.

Power-to-Weight Ratios*
Ski-Doo MXZ Renegade 800R: .350 hp/lb.
Arctic Cat Crossfire 800: .290 hp/lb.
Polaris Switchback 700 Dragon: .273 hp/lb.
Yamaha Apex LTX: .259 hp/lb.

* Independent AmSnow/Dynoport tested hp numbers used with manufacturer dry weights. Cat ratio uses '07 weights, as '08 weights still are unavailable.