Once again, the manufacturers were expecting us with a huge number of 2016 vehicles at the ultimate annual event in the snowmobile world, the Snow Shoot held again this year in West Yelloswtone, Montana. Always seeking for additional market shares, the four manufacturers presented many important innovations; so, choosing 1 best pick per brand was as difficult as always. This said, my best pick should be based on what? Of course, my choice is in accordance mostly to my personal preferences because, after all, this is my own best pick. However, I must also consider the technology innovations from the manufacturers along with the interest of my choice for our market. It is in this context that I present my best picks for 2016.
Arctic Cat
Even if the American manufacturer has put a lot of efforts in the refinement of his snowmobile lineup for the next season, the choice for 2016 was obvious at Arctic Cat’s. After many successful years of sales in the Province of Québec, the Bearcat utility snowmobile was aging as it did not receive any development since the late 2000s. In order to offer a product up to the expectations of today buyers, Arctic Cat has designed a brand new chassis for his snowmobile models of 20 in./50 cm, combining the robustness of steel at front with the lightness of aluminum for the tunnel. Based on the new ProUte chassis and with a 20 in track, the Bearcat XT and GS are totally new vehicles in the utility market. I had to make up my mind on the older sister of these two workaholics, the 2016 Pantera XT. This snowmobile equipped with a 20×1,375×156 in. track represents the touring edition of the Bearcat. With the Yamaha engine that develops over 135 HP, the Pantera offers the first 3-speed synchronized transmission of the industry with Super Low, Low and High speeds. It has the impressive torque of the 4-stroke engine and an outstanding towing capability. Despite its size that may seem huge at first, this snowmobile is very easy to handle and offers an incredible comfort for 1, 2 and even 3 passengers. Equipped with all standard features found on touring machines, the 2016 Pantera XT Limited offers the best of many worlds, which should please a large number of snowmobilers in the Province of Québec. So, these are the reasons why this is my 2016 Arctic Cat best pick.
Arctic Cat Pantera XT 7000 Limited 2016
Polaris
2015 has been a very great year for Polaris with the arrival of the Axys chassis in the trail snowmobile lineup. For 2016, the manufacturer does it again by offering a mountain edition of his new chassis. This is how a large part of the Polaris RMK mountain models got equipped with this new chassis and most of all, with the advantages that come with it. Many of these new snowmobiles benefit from an ultra rigid well-balanced platform along with the new Cleanfire 800 H.O. engine and a new rear suspension that is much more flexible than previsouly. But the return of the SKS 155 particularly caught my attention. In fact, it has the same characteristics and advantages than the new RMK 155, but in a more versatile package adapted to a more balanced usage between trail and powder snow. By choosing the Peak track of 155x15x2,25 in., the SKS offers an optimal configuration to those who intend to ride high mileage on trail with an adjustable ski stance from 39 to 41 in/99 to 104 cm. I know what purists will say, that this snowmobile will never be as good as a RMK equipped with the new track of 3 in./7,6 cm in hill climbing. But since I tested it, I know it will be the best compromise for Québec conditions because this machine is very efficient in powder snow all while having a better stability on trail. In its all-blue version equipped with new Burandt® mountain accessories, the new SKS 155 is definitely my 2016 Polaris best pick.
Polaris SKS 155 2016
Ski-Doo
Faithful to their habits that became a tradition, Ski-Doo people offer once again many innovations in their 2016 fleet that will feed conversations. It has not been easy to choose my best pick for this Snow Shoot. I would probably have been slightly shy in front of some Ski-Doo representatives if I had not chosen what I have been asking for since a few years now on my visits in Montana. Known in the European market under another name since already a few years, the new Expedition Xtreme has quickly convinced me right from the beginning of my tests. Equipped with the very powerful 800R E-TEC engine, the Expedition Xtreme offers HPG Plus shocks at front and KYB Pro 36 at rear, which makes the vehicle much more sporty than the LE or SE editions, these ones being equipped with the 600 E-TEC engine. Riding on trail is impressive all while being very easy to maneuver for such a big snowmobile. Of course, we benefit from the extraordinary capabilities in snow of the Expedition models with a track of 20 in., but with a 1,75 in./4,4 cm lug track! All in black with a mid-height windshield, the Expedition Xtreme shows very well its aggressive style. It will be a guaranteed success for Ski-Doo next season in many regions of the Province of Québec, thus this is my 2016 Ski-Doo best pick.
Ski-Doo Expedition Extreme 2016
Yamaha
Yamaha 2016 season may seem at first sight less energetic than the last two years of the Japanese manufacturer. Effectively, they decided to improve many technical componants of existing models, along with offering new editions of current snowmobiles. Personally, my Yamaha favorite had to be in the trail lineup because I think that the 4-stroke trend is not efficient for off-trail riding. So, I chose a proven snowmobile equipped with an engine of incredible riding softness, very nervous and with highly improved comfort. Its standard features include saddlebags and travel bag. The SRViper S-TX 137 DX is a great touring machine that offers the Cobra track of 15x137x1,6 in., my favorite in the industry for its traction and its braking. Equipped with all the features of a touring model such as the heated seat, the S-TX is pleasant to ride thanks to the SRV chassis. We have to admit that Yamaha really counts on this chassis as there are a lot of 2016 models based on this platform. This said, the SRViper S-TX 137 DX quickly caught my attention this season because it offers everything Québec big-miles riders wish for and this is why it is my 2016 Yamaha best pick.
Yamaha SR Viper S-TX DX 137 2016
