6 ENGAGEMENT MORE THROWBACK SLEDS Plus a new Hall Of Fame class and a new Ski-Doo race sled
10 SNOWMOBILE CLUB SPOTLIGHT TWIN MOUNTAINS SNOWMOBILE CLUB Great trails and a place to warm up in Ontario
11 YOUR TURN PROTECTING THE GIFT OF SNOWMOBILING Teen rider shares a unique perspective
12 FLASHBACK 1972 CHAPARRAL FIREBIRD SS A well-sorted sled from a doomed brand
48 SNOWMOBILE SCIENCE THE MATH OF SKI STANCE Wide vs . narrow , from an engineering perspective
50 SERVICE & REPAIR TUNING A LYNX RAVE Tips to make the PPS3 rear suspension more trial-friendly
54 COLD TESTED CKX TITAN AIR FLOW HELMET Plus full-season evaluations of the Fly Carbon Jacket and an FXR Ride Pack
CONTENTS
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 4 / V O L U M E 3 5 / N O . 0 2
36
FEATURES
16 18 26
36
42 46 47
2025 SNOWMOBILE OF THE YEAR
The Dynamix suspension system available on Polaris Indy VR1 models uses high-tech wizardry to change the game when it comes to snowmobile handling .
TOP 10 SNOWMOBILES FOR 2025
After extensive research and riding , our team singles out the model year 2025 machines that best fit the needs of customers in various snowmobile market niches .
2025 MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOOTOUT
Though they have similar horsepower , our 600-class demos varied widely in shock type , available features , price and more . We tested the Arctic Cat ZR 600 ATAC , Lynx Rave RE 600R , Polaris 650 Indy SP , Ski-Doo MXZ Adrenaline 600R and Yamaha SRViper L-TX GT .
NEW BRUNSWICK : GREAT TRAILS AND SCENIC VIEWS
When celebrating great snowmobiling in New Brunswick ’ s Christmas Mountains , the gifts we received included smooth and scenic trails weaving through pine and birch forests , a zoom down “ Piston Alley ,” a high overlook and an adventure to a saltwater beach .
ON THE SCENE AT THE 2024 HAY DAYS GRASS DRAGS
The 57th annual Hay Days Grass Drag & Swap Meet was cool , but also hot . It was very crowded , yet intimate . It was lightning fast , but also high flying . It was zany , and quite serious .
FULL-SEASON TEST : 2024 SKI-DOO SUMMIT ADRENALINE
In the mountains , small-bore sleds are often overlooked , but a year with the Summit Adrenaline with Edge Package 600R E-TEC displayed its ability to generate fun .
FULL-SEASON TEST : 2024 POLARIS 850 SWITCHBACK XC
Emerging from the long shadow of its Switchback Assault sibling , the Switchback XC proved to be an interesting crossover sled available at a more acceptable price .
REGULARS
6 ENGAGEMENT MORE THROWBACK SLEDS Plus a new Hall Of Fame class and a new Ski-Doo race sled
10 SNOWMOBILE CLUB SPOTLIGHT TWIN MOUNTAINS SNOWMOBILE CLUB Great trails and a place to warm up in Ontario
11 YOUR TURN PROTECTING THE GIFT OF SNOWMOBILING Teen rider shares a unique perspective
12 FLASHBACK 1972 CHAPARRAL FIREBIRD SS A well-sorted sled from a doomed brand
48 SNOWMOBILE SCIENCE THE MATH OF SKI STANCE Wide vs . narrow , from an engineering perspective
50 SERVICE & REPAIR TUNING A LYNX RAVE Tips to make the PPS3 rear suspension more trial-friendly
54 COLD TESTED CKX TITAN AIR FLOW HELMET Plus full-season evaluations of the Fly Carbon Jacket and an FXR Ride Pack
DEPARTMENTS
04 ........................ BREAKING TRAIL 14 .................................... UPGRADES 58 ................................. WHAT ’ S HOT
/ WHAT ’ S NOT
call 763-383-4492