At the beginning of March 2011, I had the chance to attend the 2012 Snow Shoot held in West Yellowstone, Montana. I tested about 60 models and even if I had previously read about each manufacturer’s novelties, I must say that many times I have been happily surprised when I was holding the handlebars.
Perfect conditions
During our stay, the Snow Shoot site was covered this year with heavy snow, up to 82 inches at some places. In the previous years, spring conditions had been prevailing, just the opposite. Even more, Mother Nature was on our side this time as we enjoyed many beautiful sunshiny days. In brief, we had all the necessary conditions to make the most out of this event.
The team
This year, five men made the team of pilots of SledMagazine.com : Philippe Soucy, Steve Sirois, Sylvain Thibodeau, Marc Thibeault and myself. Philippe and Steve were present for the first time, Sylvain was there for the third time and Marc and I were experiencing our 4th visit to the Snow Shoot.
Once again, I was accompanied by experts to test the various models offered to snowmobilers for the 2011-2012 snowmobiling season. Most of the comments we collected will be part of the SledMagazine.com 2012 Buyer’s Guide that will be published next fall. However, in this article, I would like to present my 2012 crushes.
Arctic Cat
In 2012, Arctic Cat will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in style and for this unique event, the manufacturer presented many changes among his snowmobile line. Effectively, the Cat team offers a brand new chassis from which new models are introduced to his float. Of course, many models are not available anymore.
The new chassis is more convenient than the previous ones. The most profitable element is without any doubt the significant loss of weight on a large number of 2012 models, compared with their 2011 edition. Furthermore, on this chassis, the front suspension is completely redesigned, and the brake system, the new driven clutch, etc… Another modification that will provoke many articles is the return of the clutches and chain instead of the diamond drive that was one of the exclusivities of Arctic Cat snowmobiles.
One of the models I had the chance to test has won my heart : the Arctic Cat XF 800 LXR 141 in. Indeed, I prefered the new chassis combined with the 800 H.O. engine, much easier to handle than the combination with the 1100 cc engine, turbocharged or not. The suspension, the steering and the engine performances have seduced me right away. This is why for my 2012 Arctic Cat crush, I choose the XF 800 LXR 141 in.
Polaris
This year, Polaris have mostly focussed on refining many models built on the Pro-R chassis and on expanding their crossover snowmobile line. When I read the list of new models, my attention was immediately caught by the new 2012 Polaris 600 Switchback Adventure. I could hardly wait to test this machine equipped with storage/cargo bags, a more comfortable seat, an improved riding, a 136 in. track and the Pro-Ride suspension. I have not been disappointed. So I think Polaris hits the nail on the head by introducing this model, particularly in the Province of Québec. I am not scared to be wrong when I say that this snowmobile will be a hit during the next season on the provincial trails.
After I tested the 600 Switchback Adventure, I thought I had found my crush in the 2012 Polaris models. I did not expect what happened next! Effectively, my snowmobiler heart wavered when I tested the 2012 Polaris 800 Switchback Pro-R ES. I have really been bewitched by this model. Once again, the Pro-Ride suspension on a 136 in. bridge does an excellent job and what about the riding… A true charm! This is why my 2012 Polaris crush is the 800 Switchback Pro-R ES.
I would like to add that Polaris’ people did their homeworks during the past years. I have been very impressed by the suspensions and the riding of the models presented at the Snow Shoot. Bravo!
Ski-Doo
The Québec manufacturer presents a brand new suspension for 2012 : the rMotion! It has the unique characteristic to be adjustable without any tool. Of course, I could not wait to test it on different models. It appeared to be very convenient to be able to adjust quickly the suspension when I was switching sled with one of my companions. In a few seconds, I could adjust the suspension according to my size and needs. The rMotion performance is very good, incidentally!
So, we tested many 2012 Ski-Doo models and they revealed perfect doings and performances. However, I mostly appreciated to ride one model, the Ski-Doo MX Z X E-TEC 800R. This snowmobile is propelled by the powerful Rotax E-TEC 800R engine and once again, it impressed me with its easy riding and great comfort. The riding position is natural when you feel like touring and also when you feel like sporting! This model includes a bonus, the rMotion suspension… What more can we ask for? The 2012 MX Z X E-TEC 800R is my crush in the Ski-Doo line.
A quick note to conclude : the rMotion suspension is offered in spring orders only.
Yamaha
The nippon manufacturer focussed this year on the refinement and consolidation of his snowmobile float. However, the Yamaha’s engineers took much more care of some models; I am talking about the Vector models and the Venture GT and TF.
Effectively, according to popular demand, all these models are now equipped with the Electronic Power Steering (EPS). This system was introduced on the 2011 Apex and it completely modifies the riding. As I piloted a 2011 Apex SE all season, I am able to assert that this system makes you feel like if you were piloting a snowmobile that is at least 100 pound lighter. So, I could hardly wait to test this mecanism on the Venture models and mostly, on the Vector machines.
During my trials, I quickly saw that, as for the Apex, it is much easier to pilot these models, so we can ride more kilometers and remain fresh as a daisy. However, on the RS Venture GT, the EPS addition reduces more significantly the tendancy to ski lifting; this makes the riding much easier in sharp bends.
Even if the performance of the 2012 Yamaha models I tested has been very good overall, I surprisingly came back to my old flame… Effectively, when I tested the 2012 FX Nytro XTX, I remembered why I liked this model so much during the 2008-2009 season. The riding position of the FX chassis, the responsive Genesis 130 engine along with the 144 in. bridge add up to the perfect machine for my riding style. Even more, the snow conditions we had during the trials were quite to the advantage of this type of sled. In short, the FX Nytro XTX won me back and becomes my crush in the 2012 Yamaha line!
