Another Powder-Lite track?????

Rooster Built · Feb 25, 2016

I know everyone including us is excited about a lightweight track but we are having a hard time not remembering the 07' powder lite track and its superior trenching ability. Hopefully somebody can chime in that has had seat time on this new rendition. This is the same basic design as doo had in 07' and it did not work well in the deep snow. I understand the paddles are softer but still believe it's a flawed design.

summ8rmk · Feb 25, 2016

my thoughts are the same.
07/08 was a disaster with the powder lite.
very similar paddle design.

Bacon · Feb 25, 2016

Anytime they say the paddles are stiffened up I'm concerned. The best powder tracks are soft.

Reg2view · Feb 25, 2016

Had one, trencher in the pow, issues included a. lugs too stiff (snowcross-based track), b. holes in the track, which we all discovered did nothing good for floatation, just eliminated weight. And durability.

10 years ago, doo had possibly the weakest mountain R&D in the industry, even tho they first came up with the segment 13 years earlier. Even if their guys in CO came up with something, Valcourt would know better and screw it up. Mountain riding was point, shoot, hope, and shovel, hence the RT1000 Summit. It didn't change much for the XP (have one of those, too). Too many eastern Canadian CAD engineers and flatlanders with paper ideas and little mountain experience. Somewhere between the XP and XM they got better. The 2.5 and then 3.0 inch tracks were big steps forward, so you would think they know the issues. Time will tell, but not until they get a good season on the snow by consumers. I do think the Gen4 is a fascinating sled, the motor may be a market game changer, 4S durability in a 2S.

Insaneboltrounder/sjohns · Feb 25, 2016

You have to think they wouldn't but all that thought into what they did and throw on a all new track that was a repeat of a past mistake.

millnoff · Feb 25, 2016

Does anybody have a weight on these tracks also?

i'llDooit · Feb 25, 2016

10 pounds lighter is all I know.
Ya gotta figure they did their research with dry snow and wet snow. But I'm not gonna be the guinea pig

bailer · Feb 25, 2016

I think the biggest problem with the powderlite track on my '08 163 was there wasn't much track there. That's why they moved away from the porting, less cheese grater effect. (Actually think it was the challenger lite vs. the challenger extreme that year which was the slightly heavier but softer compound I think??)

10003514 · Feb 25, 2016

I have some confidence in the new track due to the testing the new sleds are getting put through out here in BC. We are having a great snow year and these new sleds have been out many times in some deep stuff. I feel confident Kuster and the rest of the skidoo mountain guys would speak up and let skidoo know if the new track was not performing.

turboless terry · Feb 25, 2016

The 07 track was an awesome track in everything except deep powder. Then it was a trencher. I guess what I'm saying is it had more good days then bad. I did have it in a 4 foot dump and it was awful.

snengineer · Feb 26, 2016

This is honestly my biggest ? with the new doo. I really love the idea of a larger Pitch, that should be great overall but the lighter/stiffer paddle thing could really bomb if all they did was test it in BC where the powder is deep and wet. Hopefully it got some extensive testing in CO or UT where the powder is deep and DRY!

Whiz-bang · Feb 26, 2016

Agree but also think it follows the typical ski-doo new chassis trend that we have seen play out over the last few new chassis changes. First year always performs at a slightly lower level than everyone expects as the engineers are more focused on creating new technology excitement and implementing the new tech into manufacturing in time for the season. The next year is usually slightly better as they have more time to calibrate the clutching and tuning parameters. The third and sometimes fourth years seem to be where it all comes together and the sleds just seem to work like they should. Think 98'-99', 06', 10', 15'-16'. Will be curious to see how this new chassis plays out but based on the track design it raises questions in my simple mind.

i'llDooit · Feb 27, 2016

Whiz-bang said:
Agree but also think it follows the typical ski-doo new chassis trend that we have seen play out over the last few new chassis changes. First year always performs at a slightly lower level than everyone expects as the engineers are more focused on creating new technology excitement and implementing the new tech into manufacturing in time for the season. The next year is usually slightly better as they have more time to calibrate the clutching and tuning parameters. The third and sometimes fourth years seem to be where it all comes together and the sleds just seem to work like they should. Think 98'-99', 06', 10', 15'-16'. Will be curious to see how this new chassis plays out but based on the track design it raises questions in my simple mind.

Exactly. . I'll take a 18

10003514 · Feb 27, 2016

snengineer said:
This is honestly my biggest ? with the new doo. I really love the idea of a larger Pitch, that should be great overall but the lighter/stiffer paddle thing could really bomb if all they did was test it in BC where the powder is deep and wet. Hopefully it got some extensive testing in CO or UT where the powder is deep and DRY!

Well I guess you have never been to BC our snow is far from being wet.

rsaint · Feb 28, 2016

Rooster Built said:
I know everyone including us is excited about a lightweight track but we are having a hard time not remembering the 07' powder lite track and its superior trenching ability. Hopefully somebody can chime in that has had seat time on this new rendition. This is the same basic design as doo had in 07' and it did not work well in the deep snow. I understand the paddles are softer but still believe it's a flawed design.

I am glad you noticed that the 07 track was absolute garbage going to wait a year for sure.

Kieper · Feb 28, 2016

Waiting a year?

I still have a 2013 summit XM with almost 7,000 miles on it. I think the first year of the XM was one of the best, and it is still under warranty!

sledhead_24_7 · Feb 28, 2016

We can all speculate on how good or bad the track is, but until we or "if" get to ride one before winter is over no one will know until next fall.

I hope it does not end up like the JUNK powder lite from 2007 X models. That track was terrible, could not get it off my 07X fast enough.

"If" it does turn out to be junk, it's not like you can't put a different one on. Will it suck?you bet, but not the first time it had to be done.

Now saying all that I'd like to think Skidoo learned their lesson after that deal. From looking at all the new stuff they did I'd think the track would work at least close to advertised.

Sheetmetalfab · Feb 28, 2016

sledhead_24_7 said:
We can all speculate on how good or bad the track is, but until we or "if" get to ride one before winter is over no one will know until next fall.

I hope it does not end up like the JUNK powder lite from 2007 X models. That track was terrible, could not get it off my 07X fast enough.

"If" it does turn out to be junk, it's not like you can't put a different one on. Will it suck?you bet, but not the first time it had to be done.

Now saying all that I'd like to think Skidoo learned their lesson after that deal. From looking at all the new stuff they did I'd think the track would work at least close to advertised.

All very true except for the "if its junk use a different track".

Doo will have the only 3.5" pitch track out there.......

sledhead_24_7 · Feb 29, 2016

Might have to switch drivers and the track,but that is part if the game sometimes.

t30mg · Feb 29, 2016

sledhead_24_7 said:
Might have to switch drivers and the track,but that is part if the game sometimes.

How many of the average consumers want to unload this much cash on a brand new machine, only to have to replace the track and drivers.

Part of the game for only an elite few I think..

Another Powder-Lite track?????

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