This epic event will run from February 9, 2025, to February 15, 2025, and is open to bidders in the US or Canada.

This collectible snowmobile will come with a hand-built, custom crate, showcasing the last Sidewinder SRX as it makes its grand appearances at major snowmobile events throughout the season. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity!

See below for rules and regulations:

1. All bidders must have a credit card on file so we can put a hold on their card for the potential buyer fee.
2. If the card cannot sustain the hold, the bid will not be processed.
3. If the buyer backs out of the purchase at no fault of the seller or the vehicle, we will not refund the buyer’s fee, and they are banned from all future BaT auctions.
4. The buyer is responsible for the cost and logistics of collecting the vehicle. However, Yamaha will assist in that process.

To sign up as a registered bidder, please visit bringatrailer.com.

AJ gives a quick summary of the updates to the 2024 Yamaha snowmobile lineup, then he takes a quick look at what Polaris is offering for 2024.

Then Luke and Mark have a look at how the Ski-Doo Neo line appeals to a variety of riders and has brought their family closer together.

Then in TEST RIDE, Mike covers off yet another iteration of the turbocharged Sidewinder and explores the differences between the pre-order L-TX LE versus the in-season L-TX SE looking at what would entice a Yamaha buyer to lay down his money to order one of these bad boys during Spring Power Surge.

Then we join Mike as he travels to Franklin County, NY to ride the fields, forests and foothills surrounding the Adirondack mountains.

Then Mark wraps wraps things up with his TEST RIDE of the 2023 Sidewinder L-TX SE, Yamaha’s powerful, yet budget friendly trail cruiser.

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Frankly, I asked this question myself, however, I was able to ask it to the right people almost three years ago.

Okay, when I asked it I didn’t know Ski-Doo was working on an 850. However, I did discern Arctic Cat was experiencing a vendor issue of key components for the new Dual Stage Injection 800 mill when it was a long way into the development process.

RELIABILITY versus TIME

The issue in short, was whether Arctic Cat should move to another vendor for these key engine components and stay on the original timeline for release of the 800. That timeline would have seen the 800 hitting the ground just ahead of the 850 E-TEC and as a result would have stolen considerable thunder from the Ski-Doo 850 intro.

In what I personally think was a wise move, the Cat braintrust decided it would not take a chance on delivering a new engine without adherence to a strict regimen of testing and validation of parts from a new vendor. That was definitely the right decision, however it would have been a lot easier to justify the delay if the engine had ultimately arrived as an 850.

NO GOING BACK

Arctic Cat’s introduction of new powerplants, both 2 and 4-stroke, over the past five years has been exemplary.

Specifically, the introduction of the 600 C-TEC2. These USA assembled, potent 600 engines have proven bulletproof. We’ve run the wheels off a number of copies and talked to many of you who own one and are convinced the 600 DSI has tangibly elevated Arctic Cat’s rep for quality.

If the company waffled on the intro of the 800 by sidestepping developmental protocols it would have reflected poorly on both the 800 and the 600 too. Hindsight being 20/20, Arctic Cat did the right thing.

WAS IT WORTH IT?

If you’re a rabid Arctic Cat aficionado you’ll say the extra wait for the new DSI 800 was worth it. From my perspective I’ll say this: The new 800 DSI is a jinormous step ahead for Arctic Cat in the 800/850 segment.

This engine is more powerful, both in measured torque and peak horsepower than the Suzuki 800 and is infinitely crisper and vastly more linear in its delivery of power.

There’s no comparison, zip – nada, between the way the old Suzook 800 accepted throttle and this new DSI 800. No gurgle, no coughing, no smoking after warm-up and a measurable (and impressive) improvement in fuel economy. This motor is good, really good.

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION

All accolades aside, is the new 800 DSI C-TEC-2 enough to stem the tide of buyers (from every brand) considering the Ski-Doo 850? Here’s my straight-up answer: If you can’t show up with anything less than the biggest gun then only the 850 Rotax is going to do.

However, if you’re looking for a hard hitting, big bore 2-stroke ride with everything but two or three percent less peak jam than the 850, you’ll be extremely satisfied with every attribute of the new 800 DSI Arctic Cat engine.

The newest consumer-available machine builds on wins in the 2017 USXC I-500 and Iron Dog events with FOX ZERO QS3R shocks, a new lightweight tubular driven shaft system, race-bred seat design, the auto-adjusting TEAM Rapid Response II drive and TS-273 driven clutch combination, as well as improvements in engine calibration mapping.

It starts with the lightweight, ultra-tough Pro-Cross chassis that delivers championship-winning rigidity and ergonomics.

It’s matched by the combination of the ARS front suspension and the 129- SLIDE- ACTION rear suspension (with 7-position rear coupling adjustability) effortlessly carves corners and swallows bumps. A new four-wheel rear axle design increases track support in high-load racing conditions.

New coil-over FOX ZERO QS3R shocks on the skis and rear suspension provide premium performance in all terrain conditions via their simpli ed adjustability and Kashima coating.

The high-tech, Arctic Cat produced 6000-series 600 C-TEC2 2-stroke engine delivers class-leading horsepower and fuel economy thanks to Dual-Stage Injection (DSI), batteryless EFI, APV electronic exhaust valves, exhaust pipe temperature sensor and electric oil injection.

Revised engine mapping for 2018 increases performance. It also features the no-compromise convenience of push-button engine reverse.

Racers will appreciate the reshaped seat, which features a cut-down shape up front to maximize cornering ef ciency and rider ergonomics. Likewise, race-ready features like tether switch and hand guards come standard.

It’s matched by Next Gen bodywork with improved air ow for better under- hood heat management, plus easy-to-remove side panels and hood quick and simple access to key components.

The 15 x 129 x 1.25-in. Ripsaw track features clips on each track window for maximum performance in all snow conditions, and comes ready for traction products with the removal of the Quiet Track bumps.

Its RMC hydraulic brake system features a race- bred master cylinder and lightweight disc for enhanced braking performance.

See your Arctic Cat dealer for more information about the 2018 ZR 6000R XC.

The result of an intense effort by the Arctic Cat Engineering and Race Departments, the 2018 ZR 6000R SX snocross machine is new from nose-to- tail, with more than 350 new parts compared to the previous year.

“Many of the improvements we’ve made to the 2018 ZR 6000R SX were inspired and proven by the Pro Open snocross sleds raced by Tucker Hibbert and Logan Christian during the past several years,” said Brian Dick, Arctic Cat High Performance/Race Product Team Manager. “In fact, both racers played a big role in the testing and development of the new sled and, after some late spring testing, con rmed the huge improvements we were aiming for.”

It starts with a longer 15 x 136 x 1.75-in. SnoCross track and revised SLIDE-ACTION rear suspension that deliver improved traction for holeshots and acceleration, greater straight-line stability on a rough race course; and improved traction while braking. A new rail pro le places 6-in. more rail contact on the snow (compared to the previous 129-in. track) for improved bump compliance and reduced bottoming on the chassis.

It’s matched by the new ARS front suspension featuring increased caster, adjustable camber and increased ground clearance. The result is significantly improved handling that’s more predictable and con dence-inspiring, as well as increased cornering bite.

Racers will appreciate a full range of ergonomic improvements to the new ZR 6000R SX, including a new lightweight seat design that works in concert with a new, ultra-compact 3-gallon fuel tank, Next Gen side panel bodywork and a new console to allow easier movement around the sled, especially for cornering, as well as a lower center-of-gravity.

Racers will be able to move further forward on the sled while cornering, with more clearance for legs and knees. New foot enclosures complement the upgrades.

Weight was trimmed everywhere. Besides the seat and lightweight fuel tank, a new hollow driven shaft, headlight assembly and revised chassis components shave off several pounds to offset the marginal weight increase of the longer track and rear suspension.

When it comes to holeshots and accelerating out of corners, a heavily revised Arctic Cat C-TEC2 6000 EFI engine delivers a 15% increase in horsepower and torque and a 20-percent improvement throttle response at low- and mid-range levels thanks to new cylinder and exhaust valve con guration, revised calibration mapping and V-FORCE reeds.

The massive changes and upgrades re ect Team Arctic’s desire to give its racers the most potent stock snocross snowmobile, from the Junior class
to Pro. It re ects many of the same features and technology used on previous Pro Open sleds piloted Tucker Hibbert and Logan Christian. And both racers spent considerable time testing the all-new production racer.

“We took a lot of the ideas we’ve been using on my winning Pro Open sled the past two years and applied them to the new race ZR,” said Tucker Hibbert. “The changes to the front suspension made it better than anything we’d previously used on our race sled. From a handling standpoint, this is the best stock ZR we’ve ever had. It’s more stable and tracks straight, without kicking sideways; it doesn’t scrub speed on hard landings or when pounding through big holes; it turns better; and the new narrow bodywork is a huge improvement.”

The 2018 Arctic Cat ZR 6000R SX can only be purchased through the Arctic Cat Race Department.

To apply, go to arcticcat.com/teamarctic and click on Riders Only Information.

The engineers have used two “side valves” per cylinder the 600 doesn’t need and these valves, located inside two small ports on either side of the exhaust port allow the 800’s big pistons to pass by the humongous exhaust ports without hanging up the piston rings.

These ladies wristwatch-sized valves are mechanically operated and work in tandem with the electronic exhaust valves to open and close during the various cycles of the engine (intake compression, combustion & exhaust).

There’s also a valve located on the fuel rail that regulates the “flutter” in the rail and keeps both injectors working in sync.

Other than the fact this engine has more displacement, it appears to be dimensionally identical externally to the 600 and especially to the old Suzuki 800.

Riding this engine is a different story. Although we suspect the top end is about the same as the old 800 (not too shabby, really), bottom and mid-range are completely different.

This engine pulls with immediacy down low and snaps to attention whenever you get into the throttle off-idle.

Mountain riders are going to love the way this engine responds in powder when it looks like there’s a possibility of getting stuck. Just crack the flipper open and this mill responds with telepathic reflexes and gargantuan bottom end.

Same goes for the mid-range. On trails, this engine feels very muscular and when you dip into it at about 40-mph, it just lofts the skis and takes off with authority. The speedo keeps climbing smoothly and we observed no flat spots, burbles or hesitation anywhere in its power curve.

This new 800 is certainly much more civilized than the Suzook 800 and runs very much like the 600. We think it will prove to be a formidable foe to the Polaris 800 and maybe even Ski-Doo’s 850.

One thing is for sure, Cat 800 owners are going to see a big improvement here and will love this new powerplant!