That’s it ! Once again, the rumours were widely spread about the 2017 snowmobiles, then came the official announcements. However, what really matters to people are the observations made by the few lucky ones who could try out the new snowmobiles before the end on the current season. Good news for you, this is exactly what you are reading ! So, here are my favorite 2017 snowmobiles !
Arctic Cat
You could say that the 2017 Arctic Cat highlight is the new Yamaha Turbo 998 cc in the 9000 lineup. Many snowmobiles produced by Arctic Cat for 2017 will be equipped with this new engine, but do not look for it in the mountain category anymore !
I tested some Arctic Cat models of the 9000 lineup and the ZR 9000 Thundercat 137 seemed to be the most comfortable with the best cornering. Also, like each snowmobile equipped with the new Yamaha engine, its power is incredible !
However, when I took place on the ZR 8000 137, I must say that I was not sure anymore about my best pick. I adore the Arctic Cat 800 engine and with its tunnel of 137 in./347,98 cm, this snowmobile is an excellent compromise for trail riding fans who also like occasional off-trail excursion.
All things considered, I think I had a bigger crush for the ZR 9000 Thundercat 137. I must admit that I have a penchant for the turbo 998 cc engine. Also, I adore the look of this snowmobile !!
Polaris
I have been so happy to see that the Polaris XCR was back ! As I adore the Polaris Rush models, it is obvious that I was excited to see a racing edition of the Rush on the market. And from the very first moments, I had a crush ! The power of the 800 Cleanfire engine, the precision in curves and the absorption of bumps explain why the XCR has been a legend !
I must say that I was not really surprised to see Polaris introducing the 800 PRO-RMK 174. Fortunately, I have been much more surprised when I rode it in mountains ! In fact, I had a strange feel. It was like having a track of 163 in./414 cm, except for its ability to float. Effectively, I am sure that the addition of this snowmobile in the Polaris mountain category will be a huge success among pilots in Western Canada !
So, racing snowmobile or pure mountain snowmobile ? I hate it when I can’t make up my mind between two snowmobiles that are so different, but it is very hard to compare them. Their only elements we can compare are the fun and the connection we had with the machine. This is why I finally chose the Rush XCR as my 2017 Polaris best pick. I had more fun piloting this snowmobile right from my first moment on it !
Ski-Doo
As an off-trail snowmobiling pilot, it was sure that I was going to analyze thoroughly the new REV platform announced by Ski-Doo for 2017. Same thing for the new 850 cc engine that generated lot of conversation !
In fact, let’s begin with this famous new 850 E-TEC engine. Ski-Doo raises the bar with this new engine that includes the automotive and diesel technologies. Beside the statistic of 165 HP, another statistic is even more impressive to me, the oil consumption improvement. Ski-Doo stated that the new 850 cc engine will burn 40 % less oil than the 800R E-TEC engine.
However, in my point of view, the new REV platform is even more interesting. Taking place on any Ski-Doo model equipped with the new REV platform makes you see the effort Ski-Doo put to make the chassis narrower in order to give the sensation to be seated on a motocross.
So, I hesitated between the MXZ X 850 and the Summit X 850 165. I am not really a trail snowmobiler, but I must say that I had a lot of fun with the MXZ X, thanks to the footrests and the chassis that provide a more aggressive and more precise steering.
However, my 2017 Ski-Doo best pick is the Summit X 850 165. Firstly, steering on trail is very good considering the tunnel length of the machine. But above all, I have been impressed by its stability and handling in mountain. Effectively, either in sidehilling or in deep snow, this snowmobile is very predictable and forgiving, which enables us to ride very precisely among trees. I surprised myself executing maneuvers I did not expect to be able to do !
Yamaha
One word : Sidewinder. I think many snowmobilers will say this word till next season. It is no surprise that Yamaha introduced a new engine. However, the turbo and figures offered by this engine are very nice surprises !
So, Yamaha offers this turbo 998 cc engine in many models, like the new B-TX. During all our week of trial (and even during our flight back), I hesitated between the Sidewinder L-TX and the X-TX. The L-TX was more sticking to ground in curves while the X-TX had more aggressive pick-ups due to its larger track studs.
Finally, I chose the Sidewinder X-TX. With the new Yamaha engine, having larger studs helps to reduce skidding, which provides better accelerations.
Conclusion
So, those are my 2017 best picks for each one of the four important snowmobile manufacturers. Personally, I think that 2017 introduces many nice innovations on the snowmobile market in many segments. I hope one snowmobile will seduce you as I have been.
Have a great 2017 season !!
