2019 Snowmobiles – Many New Features from the Four Manufacturers
Every year we are used to many new products and innovations from the snowmobile manufacturers. To see so many announcements of new technologies or new models, each more sophisticated than the other, we would think that it will slow down at some point. Well, not for 2019 because each of the manufacturers has reserved nice surprises for snowmobilers!
Let’s now look at the main new products.
Arctic Cat
The manufacturer of Thief Rival Falls was acquired by Textron, an American giant with approximately 32,000 employees. In such a context, we often notice that the purchased company pauses the big announcements. Arctic Cat has surprised everyone by revolutionizing the world of mountains snowmobiling with the introduction of the first single center rail rear suspension: The Alpha One. (Arctic Cat innovates into the Mountain world with the Alpha One) This suspension allows a great lateral flexibility to the track allowing it to optimize its grip, particularly in sidehiling. In addition, the monorail design allows snow to be evacuated from the tunnel much more efficiently, facilitating deep snow maneuvers.
The second new feature is the introduction of the iACT system. (iACT: Arctic Cat redefines trail suspension standards) This system allows the driver to change the rigidity of the suspension while driving. Indeed, a button on the control block allows you to choose among the 3 pre-established adjustments.
Finally, after several years of waiting, Arctic Cat introduced a new set of controls. No more difficulties to reach the small reverse button and no more two-intensity heated handles and thumbs. Thank you, Arctic Cat!
Polaris
Two or three years ago, the manufacturer made some small improvements to the 800cc Cleanfire engine. We expected to see a successor to this engine eventually, but certainly not for the 2019 range. So, Polaris caught us by surprise on this one. The surprise didn’t stop there, as this engine apparently develops an impressive 174 hp, relegating the Rotax 850 E-TEC to second place as the most powerful two-stroke engine in the industry. No one saw that coming! (A new engine for Polaris in 2019)
Polaris also took advantage of the launch of its 2019 range to introduce the new PRO-CC rear suspension. This coupled suspension is available on the new 129-inch Indy XC. This model is designed for snowmobilers who are looking for trail performance.
Ski-Doo
To say that many snowmobilers were impatiently waiting for Ski-Doo to introduce a Turbo engine into its range is really a euphemism. All these enthusiasts can now circle 2019 on their calendar since the Quebec manufacturer chose that year to announce the Rotax 900 ACE Turbo engine. (Rotax 900 ACE Turbo engine: My first impressions)
As soon as this new engine was announced, many were already disappointed that this engine would not dethrone the Yamaha Genesis Turbo, which reigns at the very top of the high-performance engine pyramid. Ski-Doo did its homework by deciding to target the 140–160 hp market with this engine. It is in this power range that the number of snowmobiles sold is optimal.
The non-turbo version of the Rotax 900 ACE has also undergone some small improvements that allow it to develop an additional 5 hp while improving its overall performance. If you have a chance to try it, it’s surprising!
Another “new” engine has passed in the shadow of the 900 ACE Turbo, the new version of the Rotax 600R E-TEC. This second generation of this engine borrows the technologies of the 850 E-TEC to offer faster accelerations and an improvement in performance of about 30%. In addition, this engine develops 5 hp more so 125 hp. It is certainly an engine that needs to be known.
Yamaha
For 2019, the manufacturer Yamaha has adopted an unorthodox strategy to correct a surplus of inventories of non-common models. For some dealers, sales have been difficult in the last years. As a result, the manufacturer has significantly reduced the number of models in 2019 from about 30 in 2018 to 12 in 2019. In addition, the quantities of snowmobiles produced will be significantly lower. (YAMAHA 2019 – MEANER & LEANER) This will, the manufacturer hopes, push snowmobilers to opt for previous models. The people of Yamaha promised us that 2020 will include several new products.
It is in this context of rationalization, Yamaha has decided to bring back a mythical name from its history, a name known for its performance and the pleasure of riding on trails: the SRX. The Sidewinder SRX LE was presented to us in 2019 as the star. Everything about this snowmobile has been designed with trail performance in mind. Indeed, the suspension has been lowered, the RipSaw track has a one-inch profile, the IQS system allows you to change the suspension adjustments while driving and the fluid lines give the SRX an impressive look.
Finally, all SideWinder models are now equipped with the new Stealth controls as well as the 4-level heated handles and thumbs.
And now what?
During the season, the SledMagazine.com team will test about 20 2019 models. Several articles will be published following these tests.
In the meantime, if you want to know more about the 2019 product lines of the 4 manufacturers, we invite you to visit SledMagazine.com or the manufacturers’ websites. You can also visit your dealer.
Have a good season!
