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What would you like to see for future improvement in the Ski-Doo mountain lineup?

Driver said:
Gen5 is already most slim sled on the market. Its 9cm (~3,5") narrower than matryx.

My personal wish list
-Narrow tunnel to fit 15" track
-New secondary, easier to work with so you dont have solid drive shaft
-New front suspension, spindles and ski for improved handling
-Tank should end where seat ends
-Relocating battery for 10" screen
-Larger glove box as stock
Click to expand...

Just to comment on the width, it depends on where you measure! At the panels, yes it is very narrow as far as panels go, but on the running boards witch is the part of the snowmobile that has the most contact with the snow, it still is to wide.
Just to get the numbers right, a Gen5 Summit is 30,43" at the running boards, a Polaris RMK is 29"

The Freeride with its 15" track is a step in the right direction and i hope to see a narrow tunnel not to far in to the future(y)
Lynx is on its second year in 2024, going all in on 15" track and i can not see a reason for lynx not to narrow up the tunnel soon, and Ski-doo to follow sooner than later.
 
Dworek said:
Just to comment on the width, it depends on where you measure! At the panels, yes it is very narrow as far as panels go, but on the running boards witch is the part of the snowmobile that has the most contact with the snow, it still is to wide.
Just to get the numbers right, a Gen5 Summit is 30,43" at the running boards, a Polaris RMK is 29"

The Freeride with its 15" track is a step in the right direction and i hope to see a narrow tunnel not to far in to the future(y)
Lynx is on its second year in 2024, going all in on 15" track and i can not see a reason for lynx not to narrow up the tunnel soon, and Ski-doo to follow sooner than later.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt you will see the tunnel being narrowed at all. That would mean a total redesign of the whole chassis, no way will doo make a whole new sled to accommodate a 15W when not alot of DOO rider actually want a 15w
The 16” wide track is a performer and is a nice improvement to do to a lynx.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jcjc1 said:
what is "way more" than needed? are you saying manufacturers are cramming more stuff in there just because? these machines i'm sure we can all agree, are fairly heavy and yet pretty fragile. i'm trying to think of what could be streamlined on a mountain sled so that it's "way" less in size and weight to the current, typical configuration but i can't think of anything significant without costing a fortune.
Click to expand...
Does a 16" wide track make it more durable than a 15" wide? Does the wider tunnel to fit a 16" track make it more durable? Maybe 14" wide ends up being the sweet spot width? Can aluminum A-Arms be made lighter than steel and still be as strong enough? Although Polaris Arms are a bit weak they have shown that cost is not the problem. Is a heavy cover over the clutches needed for cooling or could the clutches be efficient enough to keep their cool? Do we really need hand guards? Do the mufflers really need to be near 15 lbs? Do we really need chain drives these days? Belt drives are much lighter. Do we need to be carrying snow flaps just to keep these sleds cool? My Polaris needs no flap, it can be designed to run cooler. Can rails be made so no extra braces are needed to stop them bending? Do we need the heavy steel springs on the shocks and in clutches? Air or titanium springs should be a factory option. Yes some of these cost more but if we can get the weight down then the track length can come down too as these things would float. If the sleds were much lighter then maybe a 600 or 650 would perform equally to a 850? Or a turbo may not be necessary. Definately it would use less fuel so maybe carrying less fuel would be an option?

I am sure some will say this is crazy talk but even one point gained here goes in the right direction.

I am talking about a sled that is the weight of a snowbike but the performance and ergonomics of premium mountain sled.
 
Easy items that could be implemented (I rode a 23 expert turbo and 23 expert NA all season):
  • Better valving on all shocks. IMO freeride shocks are not needed for most everyone. There is much better valving to be had in the expert shocks. 23 expert center shock is stiff as a board (I could hardly compress it before valving) and contributes heavily to the extra ski lift/wheelie Ski-Doo still has. The front end is also fairly squirrely from a shock stand point. Increasing overall compliance and high speed damping and big bump/jump absorption on all 4 shocks changes the sled.
  • At a minimum give the option to order the 15" wide track. The 16" may work better for some people with wet/heavier snow. But I do not think 16" is the universal answer and in my testing, I still prefer a 15" wide with different lug geometry that is better for dry sugar snow.
  • Inline spindle geometry. I have never understood the ski bolt mounting location being out in front. I believe this contributed largely to the ds4 twitch. I devoted this season to riding the experts completely stock, however, I normally go with the ZRP SBB spindle and much prefer that.
  • Fix the drive shaft. I think they could design the drive shaft to still be quick swap without taking the chaincase apart by accessing a bolt in the shaft with a socket on an extension from the brake side for shaft retainer like the TKI system. The bolt can be made to be captured so it wont fall into the drive shaft.
  • Belt drive.
Things that are a little further out but still reasonable in my book:
  • I would like Doo to give the option to tilt the steering post forward 1". This adds adjustability to the consumer without forcing anyone to go one way or another. I like going one inch forward to put elbows a little more forward and get them up a bit. When you look at media of someone riding a ski-doo, especially hillclimbers, elbows are always tucked way in by their sides. I also believe going forward would make it easier to get your head up a little. With lower riser going sidehill to downhill I feel a little hunched over and have to work hard to look up more/ helmet hits my hood/avy bag.
  • Redesign the ski. Go a different direction closer to an SLP ski or a gripper. The huge keel on the ds skis have never given me confidence for EVERY condition.
  • Move screen battery forward into the cockpit.
  • The big screen could be moved forward and tilted up some.
  • A removable secondary.
Larger items:
  • Fuel tank that carries the fuel further forward
  • Narrow tunnel for 15 wide track
  • Continue overall weight reduction. Hood, can, etc.
  • Lightweight rotating assembly. P-Drive is fairly heavy. 900 range motor on lightweight internals.
 
Teth-Air said:
Does a 16" wide track make it more durable than a 15" wide? Does the wider tunnel to fit a 16" track make it more durable? Maybe 14" wide ends up being the sweet spot width? Can aluminum A-Arms be made lighter than steel and still be as strong enough? Although Polaris Arms are a bit weak they have shown that cost is not the problem. Is a heavy cover over the clutches needed for cooling or could the clutches be efficient enough to keep their cool? Do we really need hand guards? Do the mufflers really need to be near 15 lbs? Do we really need chain drives these days? Belt drives are much lighter. Do we need to be carrying snow flaps just to keep these sleds cool? My Polaris needs no flap, it can be designed to run cooler. Can rails be made so no extra braces are needed to stop them bending? Do we need the heavy steel springs on the shocks and in clutches? Air or titanium springs should be a factory option. Yes some of these cost more but if we can get the weight down then the track length can come down too as these things would float. If the sleds were much lighter then maybe a 600 or 650 would perform equally to a 850? Or a turbo may not be necessary. Definately it would use less fuel so maybe carrying less fuel would be an option?

I am sure some will say this is crazy talk but even one point gained here goes in the right direction.

I am talking about a sled that is the weight of a snowbike but the performance and ergonomics of premium mountain sled.
Click to expand...
the biggest complaint regarding sleds is cost i'm guessing followed by weight. all the things you mention are interesting and possible but it's going to add too much to the new sled price so then the question becomes, how much are you willing to pay? these things cost in terms of R&D, logistics, etc and that's going to cause the new sled price complaining to eclipse the current level which of course goes along with the demands for constant improvement. can't have both.
doo lightened the sleds for '23 and i've seen a few broken running boards where the rear attaches to the tunnel. last years and previous were much more stout in that area. i've got smaller coolant capacity and smaller radiator on my G5 to save weight and my sled runs hotter than my other ones did in the same marginal conditions. no thanks, i'd prefer the extra coupla pounds and peace of mind.
stronger rails probably means more metal and thus more weight.
titanium springs would be cool but we're all gonna pay for the development of that even if they're an option-that's just how it goes.
handguards-would be the first thing i'd take off as they're frooty but i don't ride trees because i am and will likely always be too spastic so yeah, lose those and save a little weight and money.
belt drive-chain drives are more efficient but that may be negated by lower weight/rotating mass of a belt drive. i've seen too many posts though with broken belts although that's an easy fix but the belts aren't cheap. this year notwithstanding, you rarely if ever hear of broken chains. so for me, a belt drive isn't a slam-dunk.
a sled weighing as much as a snowbike would be amazing but will never happen at a price point to sell enough of them.
i'd also question the logic of why anybody concerned with weight and cost went ahead and bought the unsat large gauge w/ associated battery. it was known before it's release that it was lacking the two things people wanted most--buddy tracking and GPS. i know that was another 1200 bones or so and what's the weight of that setup?
 
Last edited:
All 20 matryx in the area all over heat on the trail when it sets up. I never been over 140 on my gen5, matryx over heat 3 time In 12 km. Only matryx that runs cool is the 146 with the long cooler.
 
damx said:
All 20 matryx in the area all over heat on the trail when it sets up. I never been over 140 on my gen5, matryx over heat 3 time In 12 km. Only matryx that runs cool is the 146 with the long cooler.
Click to expand...
My Matryx 165 runs cooler than my buddy's 175 g5 turbo. He needs to add the flap and I don't. That said, my wife could heat up any sled the way she rides so a lot can be the way the sled is ridden. I hear the Polaris Boost runs warmer than the NA version but I won't know that for sure until mine shows up in November.
 
Teth-Air said:
My Matryx 165 runs cooler than my buddy's 175 g5 turbo. He needs to add the flap and I don't. That said, my wife could heat up any sled the way she rides so a lot can be the way the sled is ridden. I hear the Polaris Boost runs warmer than the NA version but I won't know that for sure until mine shows up in November.
Click to expand...
My friend got a 155 matrix and it consistently causes issues getting up the trail with overheating. Our ski doo's don't have the same issue he does, Not sure why he rides the same way
 
Bobsledder said:
My friend got a 155 matrix and it consistently causes issues getting up the trail with overheating. Our ski doo's don't have the same issue he does, Not sure why he rides the same way
Click to expand...
Something is wrong with it then because they all have the same tunnel length, just different tail pieces. Maybe low on coolant. Mine is a slash and no problem.
 
All the matryx i ride with or have owned, all run hot on the setup snow to get to the mountains. Iv had my boost overheat 4 time in 10km on multiple occasions.
 
damx said:
All the matryx i ride with or have owned, all run hot on the setup snow to get to the mountains. Iv had my boost overheat 4 time in 10km on multiple occasions.
Click to expand...

Same experience in our group. The Poos need a removable snow flap to help with cooling on the hardpack days.
 
turboless terry said:
What do you want me to answer?
Click to expand...
What is the best oil?
How should I set my belt deflection?
How tight should my chain be?
How high should my bars be?
How often should I change my chain case fluid?
How often should I change my sliders?
How much weight can I carry in my tunnel bag?
How do I keep ice from freezing up in my tunnel?
Why do Doo tracks not last?
How come the front of Doos look so ugly?
Why doesn't Doo make a better accessory glove box?
Why is the 10.25 gauge such a fail?
Why can't Doo come up with one ski that works on their Summits (we're on the DS4 now)?
When will Doo replace their lousy secondary stock rollers?
Why doesn't Doo make post-forward stock?
Why doesn't Doo make heavy duty air intakes stock?

That's it for round one.
 
Last edited:
NHRoadking said:
What is the best oil?
How should I set my belt deflection?
How tight should my chain be?
How high should my bars be?
How often should I change my chain case fluid?
How often should I change my sliders?
How much weight can I carry in my tunnel bag?
How do I keep ice from freezing up in my tunnel?
Why do Doo tracks not last?
How come the front of Doos look so ugly?
Why doesn't Doo make a better accessory glove box?
Why is the 10.25 gauge such a fail?
Why can't Doo come up with one ski that works on their Summits (we're on the DS4 now)?
When will Doo replace their lousy secondary stock rollers?
Why doesn't Doo make post-froward stock?
Why doesn't Doo make heavy duty air intakes stock?

That's it for round one.
Click to expand...
1.haha
2. https://www.youtube.com/@iBackshift/videos
3. no one seems to know with the new, elastic chains
7. dunno but in the quest for less weight, doo uses thinner metal now for the tunnel
9. my group has had no issues with tracks but we also don't go as fast as possible on hard pack
10. i like the front end now but didn't at first
11. they need to improve on the latch mech but if they make the glove box too big for more stuff, people will complain about how heavy their sled is
12. good question but if you still bought it w/o doing due diligence on how much it was lacking then...
14. agreed
15. prolly cuz there doesn't seem to be demand.
16. excellent question
 
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