Ski-Doo’s radical changes to its flagship snowmobile chassis, the Gen 4, will likely mean big changes are in order for the company’s 4-stroke sleds.
We’ve already commented on the likelihood of an all-new 600-class engine custom made to fit the dimensions of the new platform, but what about the 1170 4-TEC and ACE 4-strokes?
It’s certainly not a given that Ski-Doo will keep all of its existing 4-strokes for use in the new bodywork. Frankly, we’re wondering if the dimensions of a wider and taller 1170 will fit in the narrow belly of the Gen 4 at all. Even the dimensionally smaller ACE 900 triple is pretty wide compared to the current 850 2-stroke.
It just doesn’t fit Ski-Doo’s strategy that the engineers would develop and deliver a completely new cast bulkhead and all its related bodywork and not make it a universal fit for all Ski-Doo’s engine possibilities.
Still, by all appearances, there just doesn’t look like there’s as much room under there as the former XS has.
Buyers of Ski-Doo’s 4-strokes love them dearly but fit a different personality profile than 2-stroke buyers.
Realizing this, could Ski-Doo’s product planners have intended a completely different looking sled to house its 4-strokes? We’re wondering.
