The motorized recreational sports show that took place in Quebec City is already behind us…This event attracted more than 20 000 visitors from the province of Quebec, Ontario, New-Brunswick and the USA. This is the issue of the snowmobile season for the real passionate ones. They came to see the new models presented by the manufacturers or planned their winter rides for the next season. For Sledmagzine.com, it’s the best time to meet thousands of our readers at our stand and exchange with our writers, contributors and with the trial pilots. As well as this is a privileged moment for our team, it’s the perfect time for our chroniclers to meet with the people in the industry and maybe have some echoes about the exciting season and investigate on certain rumours.
Regarding Polaris’s side, they confirmed that practically all 2009 snowmobiles that were sent to the dealers found buyers. The increase of the sales caused by the amount of snow received last winter may be one of the reasons for this particular situation. We are aware that 2010 could indicate important changes for Polaris, which may also explain a more cautious production of the manufacturer in 2009. In fact, even at the Minnesota factory, no more sleds seem to be available this season…Good news in this context considering that the last years where difficult for the inventory of the manufacturers and dealers. So hurry for those who would like to buy a new Polaris. Go to your favorite dealer. For 2010 rumours, everything is on the table at Polaris… The arrival of a new chassis is yours to bet, the IQ platform running for a few years already. People working for Polaris made some allusions concerning a great year « famous vintage » with our presence at the Snow-Shoot last spring. Rumour sides, the probabilities of the engine evolution are high because of the environmental standards that will be more severe for the next years and also the price of the gas. In the competition, we can expect the arrival of a direct injection technology (DI) owned by Polaris.
Concerning the financing of the snowmobile trails in the province of Quebec, good news could be announced soon. BRP has already thrown a few weeks ago her « million program » so many Canadian snowmobiler clubs can rely on them. But, another big player in the industry may announce a program that can support directly the clubs and their volunteers during the season so our sport could last longer and longer. We have to recall that during the snowmobiler clubs congress in September, many clubs clearly stated that they had important financial difficulties, so that’s a big threat for the beginning of the season. We have to understand that for the industry in general, the last season was stunning with all that snow but, for many clubs, it was a season in deficit due to the increase of the hours of trails maintenance. Snowmobiles generate over 1 billion of economics fallout only in Quebec, and the clubs only receive a skinny 4 millions as government help, originated essentially from the registration and snowmobilers themselves.
Is it possible to see the return of the famous Harricana race? Nothing is impossible… Sledmagzine.com learned from a good source that a European promoter, who is in business in Quebec since many years, is studying seriously the possibility of the return of this historical off-trail race. Coming from our source, more than 50 European teams could be expected. The course race might be a little different, adjusted to more or less 4 days, and the teams might compose two snowmobilers and one sleigh compared to three then. The inscription costs might be around 20,000$ to assure the logistic and the winner prizes. Our source told us that the European Medias are still interested by these events that look like desert rallies very popular in Europe. Will Quebecers like to see again this kind of event in there territories? And what about the interest of the Medias here? Will this run create a marketing tool for our tourist industry? We invite you to answer our survey concerning this subject in the left section of the Magazine.
New buyers of Arctic-Cat Turbo be advised. We already know that Arctic-Cat made sensation this season with its new four strokes of 1150 cc turbo compressed engine that equipped many of their models. Note that those are the last models on the production line for Arctic-Cat so many of the models might be delivered later during the end of December. It’s normal for the manufacturers to produce their news models by the end of the production in the first year of a sled. Arctic-Cat is a responsible and pro active manufacturer, so they told all of there dealers and customers about this situation and informed them so they can manage their expectations. Keep smiling, I had the chance to test this engine last spring in Colorado during the Snow-shoot, you won’t be deceived to wait under the Christmas tree to have your gift.
For a second consecutive year, BRP and his Ski-Doo trend present many changes and innovation concerning 2009 range. In two years, we got two new engines, three new platforms, without forgetting there strategic position on the two battlefields: 2 and 4 strokes. The question roaming in our head: Can we expect something else in 2010? On this question, people working for BRP that were met during the show remained quiet…Nothing but smiles about our questions. Remains that BRP’s business strategy and Ski-Doo are clearly based on innovation and this fact is not supposed to change during the next few years. If we analyse the last two year’s announcements and make some future projections, the stake of the lightness will still be the main strategy for Ski-Doo. The arrival of the powerful 4-TEC that « respects » this strategy might lead us to believe that the next years will be oriented in the 4 strokes way. However, people working for BRP repeat that the direct injection of her 2 strokes engines (E-TECH) by Rotax that equipped the 600cc is still the highest technologic invention. They are conscious that they have to be really in the market of the powerful 4 strokes at BRP, but will they still have 4-TEC engines at BRP, no one knows but no doubts for the next two years. The E-TEC system implantation in the largest “cylinder capacities” might be more applicable at short term. Can it be possible to see the return of the 1000cc Rotax equipped with the E-TEC technology that might be introduced inside of an XR chassis for example, an XP evolution that held the biggest engines!?!…The return of the Mach Z?
For the whole industry, it’s inevitable that we will have many more changes by 2011. In fact, regarding the discussions with all the people in this industry and the manufacturers who are in the engines conformity due to environmental standards, we are aware that it has to be this way. For the moment, we still are at the time that it’s the total of the emissions of a float manufacturer that has to respond to a defined amount of pollution emissions. You might have some sleds that are below the standard (not respected at all) and some who are above (raised above the objectives)… The important thing is that the total emissions of all the snowmobiles produced by a manufacturer are below the accepted standard. However, in 2011 all the snowmobiles will have to respect the standard at this time, which means that many traditional engines will disappear. We are condemned to see more “evolutional” engines during the next seasons. A winning situation, if we say less polluting, will also mean less gas consumption.
It’s not easy to have their side of the story about what’s going on with Yamaha. Rest assured that we are determined to be the leader regarding four strokes engines. The position in the racing path with the arrival of the Nitro last year made a hit, and from now on we can’t ignore the 4 strokes in the Snow-Cross races. What can we possibly see in 2010? Not much information on this side. The fact is that the Delta-Box II chassis made for the long runs ride platform in Yamaha exists since 2006, so it’s in the 4th year. Can we possibly see the third version of this chassis in an Apex for 2010? It would be great! Don’t forget tall pilots (I am one…) concerning the height of the foot steps that may be low-rise compared to the actual so that the taller snowmobilers can enjoy their rides more.
