COMPARISON / 2025 MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOOTOUT

Arctic Cat ZR 600 ATAC Lynx Rave RE 600R Polaris 650 Indy SP Ski-Doo MXZ Adrenaline 600R Yamaha SRViper L-TX GT

E-TEC 129 . OK , we ’ ll whine a little bit , and not just because Dad always said , “ Find something you ’ re good at , and then keep doing it .”

Ideally , an MXZ Adrenaline with a 137-inch track would have been a better match for the other machines in this test . More importantly to our test team , though , was that having the Adrenaline model at our disposal allowed us to at least partially separate Ski-Doo ’ s two big changes to MXZs for 2025 .

Specifically , in an effort to improve the overall handling of its trail sleds , particularly in loose snow conditions , Ski-Doo engineers redesigned their front suspension geometry and integrated new skis .

Higher-end MXZs like X-RS and X models benefited from both upgrades . But in-season MXZ models like the Adrenalines only received the front geometry changes and kept the previous Pilot X skis .

So how much of the handling improvement we wrote about in last month ’ s review of the MXZ X-RS Competition Package sled could we attribute to the altered suspension geometry versus the use the new skis ? This Adrenaline could be our incubator .

What ’ s New ?

The changes to the MXZ ’ s front suspension , though difficult to visualize at a glance , are rather substantial and impactful .

The new geometry , called the RAS RX design , includes spindles that are 26 mm ( about 1 inch ) taller , higher-mounted upper (+ 26 mm ) and lower (+ 11 mm ) A-arms , altered sway bar geometry , revised steering arm mounts , flatter-mounted shocks and springs , and a slight change to the ski mount position .

The result , according to Ski-Doo , is 20 percent less chassis roll when cornering and thus sharper handling when pitching a sled through turns . As noted , though , this model didn ’ t get the stepped-keel Pilot RX skis that were designed to go with

2025 Ski-Doo MXZ Adrenaline 600R E-TEC 129

Engine : 599.4cc , liquid-cooled , E-TEC direct-injected two-stroke twin Bore x stroke : 72.3 x 73 mm Chassis : REV Gen5 L x W x H ( inches ): 115.2 x 47.8 x 49.9 Claimed dry weight : 481 pounds

Ski stance ( inches ): 43 ( adjustable ) Front suspension , travel , shocks : RAS RX , 11 inches , KYB 36 Rear suspension , travel , shocks : rMotion X , 11.5 inches , KYB 36 Track : 15- by 129- by 1.25-inch RipSaw Fuel capacity : 9.5 gallons MSRP : $ 13,599 ( as tested in yellow ; it ’ s $ 13,299 in black )

this new geometry . Maybe next year ? Otherwise , the MXZ Adrenaline 600R E-TEC returned with an extensive list of truly award-winning features .

It starts with the REV Gen5 chassis , a lightweight , compact design that ’ s exquisitely finished . ErgoStep side panels and open footwells allow riders freedom of movement when zooming trails .

Both the aforementioned new RAS RX front suspension and the returning rMotion X rear suspension are controlled by baseline KYB internal floating piston gas shocks that featured no exterior adjustment . Its 129-inch RipSaw track had 1.25-inch lugs .

As tested in yellow trim , it had a bestprice-in-class of $ 13,599 , and it ’ s only $ 13,299 if purchased in black and grey .

On The Trail

Want to feel old , fellow veteran snowmobilers ? Believe it or not , the rMotion rear suspension is now in its 14th year after being introduced by Ski-Doo in 2011 for model year 2012 snowmobiles . It seems like only yesterday !

More incredible than the rapid passing of time , however , is the fact that the rMotion has held the title of best bump-absorbing factory rear suspension for each of those 14 years . From a pure soaking-up-energy standpoint , few officials from other factories will even challenge that statement – the vast majority still know it ’ s the benchmark .

Certainly some slight tweaks have been made to its design over the years – most recently with the rMotion X geometry with a flatter-mounted front arm for model year 2021 . But in broad terms , the rMotion ’ s overall design , ease of adjustment and ability to deaden energy has been quite stable .

That shined through once more in this test , even with the base-level shocks . When trails got choppy , the rider on the Ski-Doo was more isolated from abuse that normally would have come up through the seat and running boards .

There also seemed to be an iota less energy coming up through the handlebar from the front suspension than on previous MXZ Adrenaline models , but that wasn ’ t the primary advantage of

30 / NOVEMBER 2024 / SNOWGOER . COM