Ski-Doo released its 2025 snowmobile lineup on Tuesday, February 20. We were on-site for the media showroom, and had the opportunity to ride both the 2025 mountain line in Idaho earlier in February and ride the updated trail and crossover models the day befor the launch in Quebec, Canada.
After spending days with the Ski-Doo engineering team and ambassadors, we were ready to open things up to you for any questions you may have had during the launch. We'll add to this continually, so keep checking back for updates. Here goes nothing.
QUESTION
Rack steering is a steering system derived from race sleds and is currently also featured on many Ski-Doo trail and crossover sleds. Rack steering will come on the Freeride for 2025, but not the Summit models.
The bottom of the steering post on a rack steering system adds a second pivot and joint to the base of the steering post for more steering leverage and mechanical advantage. That reduces feedback from bumps to the chassis and to the rider, and allows the front of the sled to track better through bumps. Non-rack systems found on the 2025 Summits connects both steering tie rods to the pitman arm on the base of the steering post. Non-rack is lighter, which is why it's used on the deep snow sleds typically. Handling is better and effort is reduced with rack steering, but with an added pound of weight.
QUESTION
Boost levels on the 2025 850 E-Tec Turbo R remain the same. Ski-Doo engineers did share their internal dyno results with us, where they tested their engines as well as Polaris and Arctic Cat engines. Here's what the engines produce on a dyno, according to Ski-Doo:
- 180 horsepower – Ski-Doo 850 E-Tec Turbo R
- 171 horsepower – Polaris 850 Patriot Boost
- 166 horsepower – Polaris Patriot 9R
- 165 horsepower – Ski-Doo 850 E-Tec natrually-aspirated
QUESTION
We asked Ski-Doo engineers if the rack steering system could be installed on another model or older model G5 and they said yes, you can do that. The bulkhead is the same regardless of the steering assembly on the sled, so it is possible to retrofit the rack steering system to, say, a 2024 Freeride.
QUESTION
The old driver sprocket (lower image, left) was designed along with the 2017 Gen4 platform. All 2025 deep snow sleds will get the new driver (upper image, and lower image, right), which reduces vibration. The driver sprockets are also now available separately from the drive shaft. The new drivers allow for the track to run looser than previously without ratcheting.