Snowmobile Innovation in the past decade

[Crnr2Crnr]

1 minute ago, Tommcat said:

they're terrible

As an expert in the pig heavy 4S world.... Why? 

I'm utterly amazed how often I see people suggest them in the actr'tard group.  Can't imagine jacking up the front of the skid, taking ski spring pressure off just to bolt angle iron to my skis?

[Deephaven]

12 hours ago, Bontz said:

Seeing this post in another thread ... how does BRP's automatic fogging feature work?  I mean, I get that it over oils everything when pushing the button, but how does the 2-stroke oil coat everything and stick like fogging oil?  Or is it really just a gimmick?

Sure it doesn't last as long and I wouldn't have put this as a feature in a snowmobile thread...but for a boat, I dig it.  I winterized mine 4 times this year as we kept getting a nice bout of weather to go out in.  Pretty sure that most people with modern two strokes don't even fog and some 2 stroke oil is surely better than that.  

[Jerry 976]

1 hour ago, Bontz said:

It's not necessarily innovative, and I absolutely know I'll get mocked for saying it ... but it's still giving credit where credit is due.

Those rides Polaris would host where they'd have a group of riders from HCS go ride the next model year sleds, really was pretty smart on their part.  I know the diehard Cat guys despised it, but let's be honest .... had Cat done the same thing, and HCS guys participated, it would have been viewed as pretty cool.  Polaris got a LOT of free advertisement out of that deal, and before anyone says, "Yeah, but it was just a bunch of homers who already rode the Polaris brand praising those sleds" ... remember that we had the likes of Jester, Ashley, and Wolfie on those rides (in other words, non Cat people).

So say whatever you want about it, but it was effective.  I know I've seen more people switching from Cat to Polaris than the other way around over the past 3-4 years. 

We even asked Krom and a couple other "Cat People" if they wanted to go on the Polaris ride and they all said NO.  Here's your chance to tell Polaris to their face what you think of their new sleds and possibly their past sleds, still a NOPE.

[mnstang]

Those snow tracker things are the biggest joke.  Why would you put those on your skis?  What do they do that a good ski, carbide, or set up sled can't?  Besides catch everything under the snow.  

[CFM]

Fuk it. Will these fit under skis ? Lolol

Edited December 28, 2021 by CFM

[Crnr2Crnr]

1 hour ago, mnstang said:

Those snow tracker things are the biggest joke.  Why would you put those on your skis?  What do they do that a good ski, carbide, or set up sled can't?  Besides catch everything under the snow.  

Read the install instructions I posted, it's 100% the complete opposite of how normal people set up a sled. Fucking stupid.

10 minutes ago, CFM said:

Fuk it. Will these fit under skis ? Lolol

Yes, but you'll need to install a coil spring from an excavator on your FTS to install them properly. 

[mnstang]

17 minutes ago, CFM said:

Fuk it. Will these fit under skis ? Lolol

It's the new Apple iTracker.

[CFM]

And if you really want to rail, head to rail  trail and :

 

[Tommcat]

30 minutes ago, CFM said:

Fuk it. Will these fit under skis ? Lolol

just needs power steering and you're all set

[Mag6240]

15 hours ago, Bontz said:

Yep, I did that with my ZR & Firecat too.  But then after those sleds, I chose to start my snowmobile once a month throughout the offseason - gotta get that 2-stroke smell going!  But still, there is a difference between fogging oil and plain old injection oil ... and after some period of time the injection oil would seem to lose the value of being used as fogging oil?  No?? 

This is what I do, start them every 2-3 weeks on a cooler, not so humid day if possible.  Bring them up to full operating temp, all coolers warm, and blip the throttle every 20-30 seconds to let the electronic oil pump dump a little extra oil.  The first couple years of the Axys 800, they dumped almost nothing at idle.  A blip here and there and the smoke comes rolling out.  One last blip before punching the kill switch and there's good oil in there - or so I hope!

[Cwhite138]

3 hours ago, mnstang said:

Those snow tracker things are the biggest joke.  Why would you put those on your skis?  What do they do that a good ski, carbide, or set up sled can't?  Besides catch everything under the snow.  

I think its because they are a lot cheaper, than setting up properly. 

I always hear old 4S guys with shitty stock skis talking about them 

[teamgreen02]

In the last 10-20 years I would say the biggest thing that advanced was engine control systems.  Everything from fuel injection, to knock sensors, to simple things like actually showing the coolant temp.  Even Poo has finally come around to fuel injection on their race sled.  Two would be the Alpha skid.  Three is Ski-Doo's SMART-SHOX system.   They might not knock it out of the park on calibration this year but I bet in a few years all the manufacturers will have a system like this dialed in.

[Bontz]

It'll be interesting to see how the Smart-Shox thing works out.  Polaris has had that in their dirt vehicles for a few years, and the rumor was it couldn't be made reliable in snow/cold so they couldn't make it an option on sleds yet (again, rumor mill - no actual quote or in-the-know quote to be found).  I don't pay enough attention to the mountain segment ... is that belt drive thing still a thing?

[Deephaven]

4 hours ago, Jerry 976 said:

We even asked Krom and a couple other "Cat People" if they wanted to go on the Polaris ride and they all said NO.  Here's your chance to tell Polaris to their face what you think of their new sleds and possibly their past sleds, still a NOPE.

How stupid.  I'd go on with any manufacturer.  Sell me your stuff!

4 hours ago, mnstang said:

Those snow tracker things are the biggest joke.  Why would you put those on your skis?  What do they do that a good ski, carbide, or set up sled can't?  Besides catch everything under the snow.  

If you are an idiot and can't ride they help?!?!??  Serious disaster IMO.

10 minutes ago, Bontz said:

It'll be interesting to see how the Smart-Shox thing works out.  Polaris has had that in their dirt vehicles for a few years, and the rumor was it couldn't be made reliable in snow/cold so they couldn't make it an option on sleds yet (again, rumor mill - no actual quote or in-the-know quote to be found).  I don't pay enough attention to the mountain segment ... is that belt drive thing still a thing?

My 3 cars all have them.  Huge difference and they work fine in the cold.  Cost is the issue.

[Tommcat]

6 hours ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

As an expert in the pig heavy 4S world.... Why? 

I'm utterly amazed how often I see people suggest them in the actr'tard group.  Can't imagine jacking up the front of the skid, taking ski spring pressure off just to bolt angle iron to my skis?

i just told a customer today that i wouldnt install them.
go figure, it was an apex owner

[Legend]

Here's what I do, and this is just my opinions. If you disagree, Im good with that.

I dont fog anymore. I certainly dont think it hurts. But every time I take an engine apart, there is oil coated on pretty much everything, especially the crank bearings. There is always oil in the bottom. 

I also dont start them during the off season (well sometimes after about 6 beers I do). My opinion on that is every time you start it you introduce moisture. A byproduct of combustion is water. And also IMO you cannot get an engine truly "good and hot" without building cylinder psi up. Idle or snapping the throttle doesn't build enough cylinder psi up to get it "good and hot" IMO. 

So while I highly doubt you are doing any serious harm starting it in summer, I cannot see it doing any good either. 

 

IDK, maybe Im just lazy...to lazy to pull start them anyway lol

Edited December 28, 2021 by Legend

[Tommcat]

starting your sled in the trailer or garage in the off season is a bad idea. even if you THINK you got it up to operating temp, i can assure you that you didnt. getting the cooant up to temp, is not the same as riding it.
unless you got it out into a field and made passes, you did not get the exhaust and everything else up to full temp, and you DID introduce moisture.

[SayatodaU.P.eh?]

1 hour ago, Tommcat said:

starting your sled in the trailer or garage in the off season is a bad idea. even if you THINK you got it up to operating temp, i can assure you that you didnt. getting the cooant up to temp, is not the same as riding it.
unless you got it out into a field and made passes, you did not get the exhaust and everything else up to full temp, and you DID introduce moisture.

110% 

9 hours ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

I would have done one for any brand.  Not sure they'd appreciate my style of constructive criticism.

Cat hasn't had much to get excited about in a while though.

Wonder wtf Snowtrax is going to ride and review this winter with the macheen shortage.

You’d be surprised. They got beat on pretty bad the year I went and they seemed to actually appreciate it. 

2 hours ago, Legend said:

Here's what I do, and this is just my opinions. If you disagree, Im good with that.

I dont fog anymore. I certainly dont think it hurts. But every time I take an engine apart, there is oil coated on pretty much everything, especially the crank bearings. There is always oil in the bottom. 

I also dont start them during the off season (well sometimes after about 6 beers I do). My opinion on that is every time you start it you introduce moisture. A byproduct of combustion is water. And also IMO you cannot get an engine truly "good and hot" without building cylinder psi up. Idle or snapping the throttle doesn't build enough cylinder psi up to get it "good and hot" IMO. 

So while I highly doubt you are doing any serious harm starting it in summer, I cannot see it doing any good either. 

 

Same here. 

[Zambroski]

8 hours ago, Jerry 976 said:

We even asked Krom and a couple other "Cat People" if they wanted to go on the Polaris ride and they all said NO.  Here's your chance to tell Polaris to their face what you think of their new sleds and possibly their past sleds, still a NOPE.

We told them with our answer.  

 

[SayatodaU.P.eh?]

So, another Madcatter gang bang in here I see, eh? At least Zam is honest about people just doing their own thing and enjoying themselves. 
 

Alpha 1 was quite a bit different but I know of only one, out of 5 or 6 people still riding one. The rest all went back to a conventional skid. Doo never made flex edge tracks or T motion work so I guess I don’t know what Cat was thinking other than to just throw something at the wall and see if it stuck. The only guy I know that still has his, is a Madcatter from way back and even with all the problems he’s had with the sled, he refuses to bag on it. 
 

Id like to see an improved Shot system for use on all sleds. Having a way to get an engine started, without having to pull start it, in sticky off trail situations has its place.
 

I think a good smart shock system would have its place widespread on higher end trail sleds.
 

Im on the engine management train, for sure. I spend my work days working on the latest in the automotive world though so I still see the powersports industries as behind but they’re coming along pretty good. 
 

I think displays and other amenities like that have their place as well. I wouldn’t actually mind having a PIDD on my trail sled as it would be easier to read the maps on it than it is to read the ones on my handheld. I took the PIDD off my RMK however. I need all of the info that is on my handheld to ride responsibly off trail. 

Edited December 28, 2021 by SayatodaU.P.eh?

[Ez ryder]

10 hours ago, Jerry 976 said:

We even asked Krom and a couple other "Cat People" if they wanted to go on the Polaris ride and they all said NO.  Here's your chance to tell Polaris to their face what you think of their new sleds and possibly their past sleds, still a NOPE.

Tell Polaris ? So telling the Ambassadors or the other low level  management guys getting paid to go ride for the weekend is telling Polaris what you think if there sleds? Lol . If that's the case I tell them that shit often at the warming shack by my house . Or when out running with them.  Hell even upper management guys I am a equal opertunity  zero fucks given kind of guy . As are most of them 

[SayatodaU.P.eh?]

29 minutes ago, Ez ryder said:

Tell Polaris ? So telling the Ambassadors or the other low level  management guys getting paid to go ride for the weekend is telling Polaris what you think if there sleds? Lol . If that's the case I tell them that shit often at the warming shack by my house . Or when out running with them.  Hell even upper management guys I am a equal opertunity  zero fucks given kind of guy . As are most of them 

I’m close friends with one ambassador and he’s a zero fucks given kind of guy. I’ve been with him when he called his rep while we were riding to give them a earful. The other I know, same deal. They both will give ANYONE pros and cons to the sleds that they buy to ride. Polaris does listen to these people and I would hope so with the amount of trust they put in them with discounts, etc. Both don’t do it just for the discounts either. They are tried and true sled people who have an actual feel and love for the sport. 
 

I still like how getting asked to go ride a sled for a company AUTOMATICALLY makes people “ambassadors”. A few of the people that I went out there and rode with don’t even ride anymore. I think at least 1/2 of them are not riding Polaris and some still haven’t even owned one. 

[Ez ryder]

17 minutes ago, SayatodaU.P.eh? said:

I’m close friends with one ambassador and he’s a zero fucks given kind of guy. I’ve been with him when he called his rep while we were riding to give them a earful. The other I know, same deal. They both will give ANYONE pros and cons to the sleds that they buy to ride. Polaris does listen to these people and I would hope so with the amount of trust they put in them with discounts, etc. Both don’t do it just for the discounts either. They are tried and true sled people who have an actual feel and love for the sport. 
 

I still like how getting asked to go ride a sled for a company AUTOMATICALLY makes people “ambassadors”. A few of the people that I went out there and rode with don’t even ride anymore. I think at least 1/2 of them are not riding Polaris and some still haven’t even owned one. 

Getting asked to a event is not making any one a  ambassador. Yeah I know a few all good guys and really a good thing poo dose for the sport and them self. They get a decent break on toys but nothing crazy . Not even race program level discounts.  But they can use it for them self and to help out there clubs for equipment needs .

Living where I live you get to know a lot of poo guys  and most important  get early lines on who's  due new demo units ie units up for sale  

[Not greg b]

The biggest innovation in snowmobiling in the last decade has been removing any kind of storage spaces and wind protection. Then selling you back windshields, hand guards and tunnel bags 

[Crnr2Crnr]

1 hour ago, Not greg b said:

The biggest innovation in snowmobiling in the last decade has been removing any kind of storage spaces and wind protection. Then selling you back windshields, hand guards and tunnel bags 

/\ this /\

Doo & Poo have MASTERED this tactic, and it's not just sleds... we make more profit-per-$ on OEM accessories as we do warranty parts which are 2X the volume.