These are riders who prioritize high speed suspension response and near-perfect handling in the bumps just as much as raw acceleration and top speed. After all, why ride bumps with gargantuan power if the sled’s chassis can’t handle it? The RAVE RE’s 850 E-TEC twin has proven to be more than adequate.

If there’s one thing we can unequivocally say about the RAVE RE, it’s that the Radien² chassis can handle everything the most powerful snowmobile engines in the industry can dish out. Accelerating through whoops or stutters, the RAVE tracks straight and true, daring the rider to hold the throttle open longer, trusting the suspension to perform beyond the incredible.

The front end is very much Ski-Doo but the skid frame is pure European, using the PPS 3 uncoupled 137-incher the Lynx is most identified for.

With the throttle held open, the sled lifts its head and grazes the bumps with the skis while the Pippola suspension simply sponges up the junk. It’s a unique, unforgettable experience to ride a sled that performs like this! Its uncoupled skid has great flotation and offers a higher level of handling quickness.

A reasonable question aimed at a 600 version might be: “Why give riders less power instead of more?” At first glance, the answer may be about lower price. After all, a 600 will have a lower MSRP than an 850 – but we think there’s a bigger reason. Simply, it’s about the RAVE RE reaching a bigger market.

There are tons of avid snowmobilers who love the Lynx cachet but just don’t want an 850. The fact is, the ROTAX 600R E-TEC is a very strong performing 2-stroke and because of the prowess of this chassis, makes a great marriage with it.

Another indicator of the above is last year’s recalibration of the RAVE RE’s shock package. To be fair, the original RAVE’s shock calibration was firmer than most North American riders were used to. Last year the valving was modified so the bottom part of the travel was softer – not a lot, but still softer.

The sled was much nicer for all-day riding – and it didn’t lose its high-speed damping ability. Suddenly more people were interested!

The New rCTRL Rear Suspension

The design of the rCTRL (center-to-rear-linked) rear suspension focused on enhancing rollability and increasing damping capacity, enabling the Lynx Rave RS snowmobile to achieve faster laps on snocross tracks. Durability has been improved, and maintenance has been simplified.

The revolutionary rCTRL rear suspension is based on a unique coupling system. In this mechanism, the center arm borrows damping force from the rear arm through the shock absorber to the center arm area. This unique solution provides the center arm with increased damping power without an excessively stiff center shock.

The center arm plays a pivotal role in modern snowcross racing, as the rider’s and sled’s mass is centralized in a smaller area on the middle of the sled, subjecting the center arm to substantial forces. The rear arm of the rCTRL suspension operates independently at all times, with force applied solely to the rear arm. For instance, when the sled lands with rear weight after a jump, the rear arm smoothly follows the landing, without slamming down the front end of the sled.

The carrying capacity of the rear arm is guaranteed by using a long shock absorber with a total dimension of 590 mm and a stroke length of 175 mm. The long stroke allows the suspension open more, giving more damping force on the landing of jumps. In addition to high damping capacity and carrying capacity, the advantages of a long damper are also easy adjustability.

Thanks to the new geometry of the rCTRL rear suspension, the Rave RS rolls significantly better than its predecessor, especially when riding on bumps. Due to the small variation in the track tension, the pre-adjustment of the track tension can be left looser than before without the track ratcheting.

The slide rails of the rear suspension are machined to their shape from aluminum profile. The center arm is attached to the frame with a fork, which means that to remove the rear suspension, it is enough to simply loosen the bolts of the rear arm and pull the rear suspension out. Parts have been reduced in the name of maintainability and weight saving: the number of parts is reduced by a third which means a weight saving of 5 kg compared to its predecessor. The rCTRL rear suspension is now more service-friendly and faster to maintain, much to the relief of racing team mechanics.

The limiter strap is located outside the suspension, and adjusting the strap does not require opening the strap loop. The bolts of rear suspension are standardized and fewer different tools are needed for maintenance than before. The bolts are placed in such a way that they are easily accessible from the outside of the suspension. The attachment of the rear arm to the slide rails is done by slide sleeve.

The LFS Racing front suspension of the Rave RS racing sled uses new, taller spindles. The change goes hand in hand with the new rCTRL rear suspension, bringing 27 mm more ground clearance under the lower A-arm. As part of the reform of the sled’s suspension, the swaybar has been removed, which contributes to the sled’s weight savings.

Renewed Radien-RS Chassis

The Rave RS 600RS E-TEC has also experienced significant reforms in terms of the structure of the chassis. Four-point engine mounting, lower located running boards and further strengthened structure mean increased performance, better handling and enhanced reliability.

The fierce powerhouse of snowcross tracks, the Rotax 600RS E-TEC engine, is now mounted to the chassis via four attachment points. The alignment of the powertrain is now more constant due to the stiffer engine mounting, which improves the efficiency of the transmission and thus increases the performance even more.

The S-module of the front frame has been strengthened with a new, straight crossbar and new reinforcements. The running boards are 30 mm lower than before, which brings the center of gravity lower, making cornering easier and helping the rider to get support from the sled when jumping. At the same time, the rider’s foot holders have been brought back 5 cm.
The disc brake cover features additional perforation to improve the cooling of the brake.

The new calibration of the engine optimizes the performance in line with other innovations of the Rave RS factory racer: more power, more speed on the track. The ignition coil and the Rave motor have been repositioned lower on the chassis than before, which lowers the center of gravity and keeps the important components better protected.

Thanks to the new bearings in the chain case, removing the drive shaft is much faster and easier than before. In the future, the track can be replaced without disassembling the chain case, which makes the maintenance staff’s race weekends significantly easier.

Thanks to the more evenly shaped chassis and larger ground clearance, the bottom of the sled hits the snow less often than before, improving the progress of the sled on soft tracks. The rCTRL rear suspension is attached to the rear chassis with a fork-type lug, which distributes the force more evenly to the bearings.

The redesigned RS seat has been brought 30 mm lower along with the running boards, which, together with the chassis changes, lowers the center of gravity.

Lynx Rave RS 600RS is built on Radien-RS chassis and its uniqueness is the short rear chassis and the flexible rear part made of polyethylene. The flexible rear part, unlike the aluminum tunnel, is easy, quick and inexpensive to change in case of damage.

Aiming to Continue The Championship Streak

Lynx Rave RS has been number one on European snowcross tracks for years. In the spring 2023, the Finnish Aki Pihlaja achieved the coveted world championship title with the Rave RS in Kirkenes, Norway, and is eager to renew the title in the 2024 season.

Lynx was by far the most successful racing sled also in the Scandinavian national series: Rave RS riders achieved a total of 12 championships in the 2023 season, complemented by more than 20 podium places.

The completely renewed Lynx Rave RS 600RS E-TEC race sled has gone through a tough test program by front row drivers. The project and test group has included riders who have achieved a total of nearly one hundred prestigious race medals.

2024 RAVE RS 600RS E-TEC HIGHLIGHTS:

● Renewed Radien-RS chassis
● Re-calibrated Rotax 600RS E-TEC engine
● New rCTRL rear suspension
● Renewed LFS Racing front suspension
● KYB PRO RS 46 HLCR Kashima shock absorbers
● 381 x 3487 x 44 mm track
● 1092 mm ski stance
● Racing pDrive -primary clutch ja Team TTS-04 driven clutch
● 4-piston Brembo Racing brake with improved cooling
● Pilot Racing skis
● Renewed RS seat
● New coloration

Here’s one we think deserves analysis: Now we know Yamaha, a premium priced and positioned snowmobile product is leaving the business, is there an opportunity for another premium positioned sled to fill the void they’re leaving?

If you don’t know about Lynx’s premium pricing and “Spring-Break-only” ordering process, here’s what it means. Lynx sleds are sold exclusively through current Ski-Doo dealers across North America. BRP has wanted it this way so shoppers can learn about Lynx snowmobiles when they drop into their local Ski-Doo store.

Shoppers also find out Lynx is not just a Ski-Doo painted a different color. They also learn Lynx sleds carry a premium MSRP. If three years ago BRP had launched the Lynx line-up into an entirely new dealer network there would have been considerable angst amongst Ski-Doo’s successful dealers.

It’s possible BRP felt there wasn’t enough room for a fifth OEM being sold through an independent network of dealers.

The landscape changed in a pretty significant way when Yamaha announced it was exiting the snowmobile market in a couple years. Yamaha has an exceptionally high-quality network of snowmobile dealers and you have to assume many of these dealers would like to stay in the snowmobile biz. In fact, a number of these dealers are probably dealing popping Rolaids like Tic Tacs over losing an important profit center within their powersport dealerships.

Would BRP sell more Lynx premium priced and premium positioned Lynx sleds if they were not solely available at Ski-Doo stores? If the answer to this question is yes, then the availability of a premium quality dealer network, ready to take on another snowmobile brand must be a tempting opportunity.

This is an opportunity coming from what many feel is a somewhat disappointing reality. Sort of making lemonade from lemons. We agree, Yamaha’s exit is a tough pill to swallow for all of us who love this sport. We need four healthy OEMs to shoulder the weight of the snowmobile business.

BRP is an exceptionally opportunistic company that knows exactly what it’s doing and rarely – if ever- misses an opportunity. Stay tuned.

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What everyone is waiting for is a detailed overview of what it’s like to actually ride the new Lynx RAVE RE.

Luke will be going into greater detail on that topic this week with a full test ride but we thought we’d throw in a few initial impressions from a couple of hardcore trail riders.

We paired the new Polaris (2021) VR1 850 with the new Lynx on a 30-mile trail ride a couple days ago and, switching back and forth, got some pretty clear impressions of the new RAVE. The trails were a good mix of recently groomed and long overdue groomed and moguled up snow.

First, we’d like to underscore the fact this is not a Renegade! This sled is completely different in its riding demeanor in nearly every way. Second, we’re not going to draw any comparisons between the Lynx and the VR-1. We’re saving that info for a later reveal.

However, we are going to tell you about some of the striking behavior we observed with the RAVE.

As longtime worshipers of the rMotion skidframe, we need to make it very clear, the RAVE’s PPS3 suspension in no way performs the same as Ski-Doo’s rMotion on trails. SNOWTRAX TV’s Luke (Lester) has described the RAVE’s skid as being “very aggressive” and “race-like” and that is 100-percent true. Is it rideable on trails? Yes, we think so. However, even at the suspension’s lowest settings it does not have the plushness of rMotion (what does?).

There is a way to ride this sled and it involves more physicality than some riders may be willing to exert. PPS3 demands a throttle-on attitude and really surprises when you ride it that way.

Here’s an example: Suppose the trails haven’t been groomed for a few days and you’re riding over those tedious four to six-inch-deep rollers that start to drive you crazy after a while. With the RAVE, you don’t slow down. Instead, you stand up and apply MORE throttle, weight the back of the sled and let the skid skip over the tops of the moguls like a motocross bike. Don’t kid yourself, this takes some arm-strength and a definite sucking in of the gut as you imagine the sled getting sideways or kicking up in the air and veering toward the side of the trail.

Surprise! It never happens. Stay on the gas and this sled stays arrow-straight, no fishtails, no bucking upwards at the rear, no scary surprises! This type of terrain is the RAVE’s playground.

We think the PPS3 has been designed specifically to operate at its best when the skid is “preloaded” with power going through it. This behavior is similar, to a much bigger degree, to what you got with Arctic Cat’s original torque-link equipped skid when you put power through it.

Torque links tend to drive the track deeper into the snow, allowing the suspension to use all of its travel and hold the front end of the sled higher, keeping the skis light – as long as you’re on the gas!

Yes, other OEMs have adopted the torque link as well and it’s been proven very effective in cross country and snocross. The principle is the same with PPS, only magnified many times more. It feels like the whole skid is working like a torque link.

So, where does this leave the consumer? Sure, by comparison, this is a very nice-looking snowmobile – maybe the best-looking sled this year – and has the cachet of being from Europe. Really, it’s like having a Porsche in your garage. This is a sled for rough trail purists, appealing to those who don’t just THINK they would like a sled this aggressive.

Remember when the first Cat RRs and Ski-Doo X-RS series came out? Some thought their prayers had been answered – but those sleds, in near-racing trim, were just too much. As soon as the shock and spring rates were dialled back, those “race edition” sleds started to sell like hotcakes.

That won’t happen here. With those huge 46mm KYB Kashimas all around, there’s certainly the possibility to make the lowest damping settings more plush. However, this is the sled’s appeal. Ultimate terrain prowess. Don’t try and chase your pal into the big bumps if he or she is on a RAVE Lynx. You simply cannot go faster in the whoops than on this sled.

Clearly BRP is happier keeping the RAVE’s appeal targeted at a specialized segment of the market and giving those riders more than what the average semi-aggressive trail rider is shopping for.

From what we’re hearing, we think the plan is going pretty well after 6 days in the market!