Yup, when the going gets tough, go big!
Our readers brought up a very interesting point about the new 174-inch Summit not fitting in the bed of a standard sized pickup (without hanging out the back several feet).
They also pointed out the extra length makes for some challenges fitting a couple of these behemoths in a 4-place trailer and then having room for a third or fourth sled in the back.
There’s always a few negatives when something truly revolutionary comes along and our feedback from some of the “mountain men” testing this sled in West Yellowstone seems to indicate it’s the beginning of a love affair.
Our crew felt the 174 was flat-out amazing and would virtually climb verticals until your nerve ran out.
It also offered uncanny start-up in crusted snow with its weight spread out so thin it would barely break through the crust into the soft powder underneath.
Keep in mind this sled is a 16-wide with a 3-inch paddle and weighs in at almost the identical weight to last year’s Summit 163.
Mounting points for the skid have been moved back and the balance point for the sled is much nicer than in the past.
A 7-tooth driver set is now used and the combo of 800 E-TEC power and ideal clutching makes this snowmobile virtually unstoppable.
We think this will be the beginning of a trend in the biz as the competition considers the benefits of getting longer.
