After a week in the mountains of West Yellowstone, Montana, I had the chance to try several 2020 models. Among these models, there is one that really impressed me from our friends in Valcourt. I named the SUMMIT X EXPERT PACKAGE, which was designed with Ski-Doo’s off-trail “Pro Rider,” and frankly, it shows.
Being mostly an off-trail driver, when I got on the new Summit, I realized that Ski-Doo had gone all out with the Expert Package. There are many details that make an experienced driver see the difference. This is how manufacturers stand out from others in the famous war of conquering the highest peak.
In my opinion, the most significant changes are in terms of ergonomics. Ski-Doo designed the machine so that it can be an integral part of it. To do this, they reduced the elevation block to 4.7 inches compared to 6.5 inches on the X version, so the centre of gravity is lower for better control. Still on the handlebars, the strap has been lowered and the diameter of the handlebars is smaller, which allows a better grip.
Also, the size of the seat has been reduced allowing more freedom of movement to change sides and free up space in front of the crotch. However, I warn future buyers, don’t think about doing a whole day on a trail sitting on this seat; it is small and uncomfortable. It is a 100% off-trail machine designed for standing up.
On a mechanical level, once again, the changes are really in the details. For a beginner in the field, this package is not for him; in my opinion, he will not see much difference.
The tunnel is shorter and without guards. This is really a great innovation on a production machine because there were already many pros making this modification themselves. This may seem insignificant, but removing the guard allows a much better evacuation of snow, which frees the track, so a lot of weight indirectly. This ensures that the snow does not have to pass back into the bridge, so the engine only pushes the snow back and does not force it back. There is, therefore, more power released by the Rotax 850 engine.
Another modification, which was sold as an option in previous years, is the “limiting” belt which is adjustable without tools. Depending on the type of terrain on which you are riding, you can easily adjust the ski lift. If you want to keep your nose more on the ground for steep climbs, you shorten the strap and vice versa.
In addition, the ski leg has been modified and the rubber that limits the ski’s movement has also been modified so that it stays straight in soft snow instead of breaking the snowmobile at an angle. For the leg, it has been adjusted to make driving on the mountainside easier. I find that this modification makes the Summit much more predictable in technical locations, it seems that the snowmobile is much lighter because you don’t force it where you want it to go. Mounted on this leg, are the Kashima treated KYB HPG Plus shock absorbers, which offer more rigidity than before.
Matching the famous T-Motion, we have the KYB HPG shock absorber Plus at the front and the KYB Pro 36 at the rear.
Again, this is really not a machine for easy riding. The Expert is not at all comfortable on the trails and in addition, it heats up very easily since it has no guard. It is designed for the driver who goes directly into the mountains, in the most technical terrain, where the FUN begins…
In short, I drove the Expert, and I find the work of the Ski-Doo engineers on the details fantastic. They have adapted the machine to the pro trend to sell it to the experienced amateur; it’s fun to be able to have a well-calibrated machine, which offers more, without having to modify it ourselves.
