April 24, 2006
Hop on a new Polaris 4-stroke and there is the little yellow PERC reverse button on the left hand control block. You push it, and the machine enters reverse gear. But, wait! It’s a 4-stroke, how can electronic reverse work? PERC4 is an electronically controlled mechanical reverse (patent pending). Much like the 2-stroke PERC, it is push button activated and provides the ease of use and convenience of PERC; smooth shifting at any incline, and positive locking. This system also features an new “Plug-in†driveshaft for simplified maintenance, along with a Vespel chain tensioner for quiet operation.
April 19, 2006
New for 2007 are convenient accessory kits that include several accessories for transforming a Freestyle at a nice price. The Freestyle Pimped Kit includes colored grilles, colored skid plate and decals give your ’Style a custom look. The ultra-low colored windshield and A-arm protectors give the sled an air of toughness. Great for any Freestyle package. Orange Kit with Camo decals for Session and Park packages; Yellow Kit with TechnoBee decal for Backcountry.
Suggested Retail Price: $319.97
April 19, 2006
A new addition to Carlscycle.com is their OEM parts finder for Polaris snow machines. The new system enables a user to search for OEM parts for their sled, add the items to an easy-to-use shopping cart, and the parts ship directly to your door.
Carlscycle.com also now has over 60 online aftermarket catalogs to choose from in their Accessory Superstore. To help you find what need even easier, Carl’s has added a handy new key word search, which scans the entire website for the item you are looking for.
Browse by aftermarket catalog, visit their new model showroom, or find parts for your Polaris sled—all in one place! Visit Carlscycle.com at www.carlscycle.com.
April 18, 2006
There have been a higher than expected number of complaints about how fast the new Polaris 600 H.O. is. A number of riders haven’t experienced the hot little 600 that was reported last spring, that their 600s are slower than expected.
On the other hand, we have many favorable reports on the 600 H.O. being a very strong and potent package, so are we all talking about the same machines or are there some that are in fact quite a bit slower than others?
We can chalk up a few of the complaints to high expectations, but there does seem to be an number of units that are not as quick as they should be. Some of the things found to be causing this are tight track tensions, rich jetting, improper drive belt fit, and new machines simply being tight.
Our Switchback 600 H.O. runs very strong, but we can tell you the OE jetting is rather rich for the warm temperatures we’ve experienced this winter. Plug color and piston inspection confirmed our suspicions, and dropping the mains from 420s to 390s makes a significant difference in performance when the temps are above zero.
Just like any other sled, the track tension is a huge factor in rolling resistance. Many dealers tighten the tracks more than they should, assuming the owner will not be checking it so as it stretches it should end up somewhere close. Right. Don’t complain about a slow sled unless you have personally verified the track is to spec, or as loose as possible without ratcheting. Of course, studded tracks must run more tension to keep from derailing, but many of these new sleds have tracks that are too tight.
Just because a sled is new doesn’t mean the drive belt and clutches are exactly as they should be. One must verify things like clutch alignment, belt deflection, ride height, and side clearance before complaining about performance.
Every year we hear of brand new sleds that are not as fast as they should be. They loosen up considerably as they break in, but any comparison to an older sled with significantly more miles on it should be done with this in mind. Again, these sleds with over 2,000 miles on them seem to be rockets. Brand new, yes, they’re tight.
The hottest ones are going to be the Fusion 600s, as the M-10 versions will suck up some of the power as will the longer tracks on the Switchbacks and RMKs. Most dyno testing indicates the 120 HP is a reality, so we need to first verify each slow one is making power, then figure out where it is going.
The air intake system is said to be restrictive on these new models as well, and you can open them up some with additional intake filters; SLP has been recommending the installation of four of their Flow Rite intake filters, two on each side of the dash, on the RMK and Switchback 600 H.O. models. Remember that the additional airflow will require appropriate main jet sizing; if you’ve already jetting it down, bring it back up to compensate. Stock sleds are really close to perfect with the addition of the increased airflow.
April 18, 2006
The 2006 March issue mailed to subscribers on March 10th. This 100 page issue contains all the information and impressions we have on the 2007 models – A total of 34 pages of ‘07 model coverage. Ski-Doo MXZ Blizzard, Yamaha Phazer, Arctic Cat Jaguar, the Polaris Dragon and more! Plus: “The 10 Minute Mod Every Firecat Needs”. This issue was not released until the 10th due to information embargo dates on the 2007 model lines.
If you’re not a subscriber (You Should be) – You can find it on the newsstand around the 20th of March. The next issue of SnowTech is the September issue. (Release date: Aug 1st).
April 18, 2006
Governor Doyle signed legislation setting a 55 mile per hour nighttime speed limit for snowmobiles next winter. Supporters of the change say it’s designed to reduce crashes and fatalities. State snowmobile education administrator Gary Eddy has said a nighttime speed limit would make it easier for wardens to pull over riders they suspect are intoxicated. The Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs supported the new speed limit. Originally, the legislation would have put the speed limit in place for two years and included money for Department of Natural Resources enforcement teams to patrol state trails. But the bill Doyle signed into law puts the speed limit in place only for one year and stripped the money for enforcement teams.
April 18, 2006
Even today, there continues to be a huge number of questions regarding which oil is the one to use, which oil is better than another, and which oil is good enough. Let’s review the two-stroke lubricant standards; API TC; TCW; TC-W2; TC-W3; JASO FC; and ISO-L-EGD.
Non-racing two-stroke oils are usually given ratings from the API (American Petroleum Institute) “TCâ€, the BIA (Boating Industry Association) “TC-W†and currently the NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) “TC-W2 and TC-W3â€. The TC, TC-W and TCW2 standards are not current and do not meet the standards of today’s performance engines.
For a lubricant to receive one of these ratings it must pass certain levels of cleanliness and film strength. The lubricant is run at ratios up to 150:1 for specified times and loads. The engine is then examined for carbon deposits and for bearing and cylinder wear. If it meets the test criteria, the lubricant passes.
The Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Organization (JASO) developed a series of tests aimed at presenting more real-world conditions that a lubricant used in a motorcycle, snowmobile, ATV or PWC would encounter in use by consumers. They test for exhaust valve cleanliness, lubricity, exhaust smoke/blocking and initial torque. The highest JASO standard is FC. These tests are very difficult to pass and are a better indicator of a lubricants level of protection and performance that TC-W3 in non-marine applications.
European engine manufacturers tested TC-W3 and JASO lubricants and determined that their engines needed a cleaner lubricant and one that would withstand higher heat conditions. They established the ISO international standards for two stroke engine lubricants. Their first standard, ISO-L-EGB was comparable to the JASO FB standard. They later developed the ISO-L-EGC which is similar to the JASO FC rating.
They felt they needed an even tougher standard for the newest generation of performance two stroke engines. The ISO-L-EGD+ was created to establish a higher standard of detergency and ability to withstand higher levels of heat. The new test runs for 3 hours vs 1 hour for the previous test.
If a lubricant is certified ISO-L-EGD+ it has passed the most stringent tests set by American, Japanese and European engine manufacturers. Polaris recommends TC-W3 lubricants, Yamaha JASO FC and Ski-Doo/Sea-Doo requires ISO-L-EDG+ lubricants.
Examine the oil bottle of any oil in question and see what the highest level of certification is. It is generally accepted that if you use a lubricant that meets the ISO-L-EGD+ standard in your new snowmobile you will provide certified warranty compliance and protection.
April 18, 2006
An administrative appeal against a snowmobile trail proposed by the US Forest Service along the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was filed by a gathering of Conservation groups led by the Izaak Walton League of America.
The planned trail would run from McFarland Lake to South Fowl Lake on the eastern edge of the BWCAW. The Superior National Forest officials chose the route over others further outside the area.
The conservationists claim the route will require to much construction and would cause snowmobiles to be heard to far into the BWCAW. The other option for the trail would follow existing roadways – and is available as a secondary plan for the Forest Service if snowmobiles are found to violate regulations.
The Appeal was made to Jim Sanders, supervisor of the Superior National Forest. If they don’t get what they want from this appeal, it’s likely the groups will file in the US District Court.
April 18, 2006
US Forest Service agency officials restored a ban on 4,000 acres of the Wasatch Cache National Forest. The ban covers half of the Franklin Basin area of Logan Canyon. This area was closed as part of a 2003 management plan but was re-opened to snowmobiles in July of 2005. Now the new reversal will take effect on June 1.
A lawsuit was filed in December of 2005 by green groups fighting the opening. That suit has now been dropped with news of the ban reinstatement.
In a statement last Friday USFS officials announced the reversal and said that they will conduct an “environmental analysis†and collect public comment on the area. The opportunity for public comment is expected to begin this month, but comments will also be collected later in the summer as more analysis is completed
April 11, 2006
“Fibercell†is a hand-crafted carbon fiber fuel cell. Its top surface consists of one layer of carbon/Kevlar and three layers of conventional carbon cloth laminated with a high epoxy resin. A separate bottom half consists of four layers of convential carbon 2×2 weave cloth which is then bonded to its “better half†with a fiberglass grade structural adhesive. The tank’s interior is treated with a phenol novalac epoxy sealer designed for use in fuel cells. Capacity is 12 gallons and weight is 7.5 lbs. Creation Composites LLC PH: 503-318-3139
www.creationcomposites.com
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