In a week or so we’ll know what Ski-Doo has up its sleeves for 2016 and we’ll be sworn to secrecy to not report anything for a month or two.
Right now is a good opportunity for us to get our wish list out to you and see how close we’ve come to being correct.
First, we think Ski-Doo is way overdue to make some changes to its highest performance 4-stroke line-up. Yes, we’re talking 4-TEC.
The XR chassis is getting long in the tooth and even the hardest of the hardcore Ski-Doo faithful are screaming for a re-do of this platform. Some owners are on their third or fourth version of the same thing and are ready to jump ship to Yamaha or Cat.
The very least required is a switch-up to a more XS-like rendition with more ponies and less throttle lag. Hey, how about a 128-inch track for more MX-Z flotation and some bulkhead changes for more strength?
When it comes to 2-strokes, we’d love to see a horsepower increase for the E-TEC 800. We think customers will drive this change because plain and simple, Ski-Doo riders are getting beaten on the lakes this year. Maybe an 850 E-TEC would change-up the game.
The GSX line-up is due for some rethinking and this will come in line with changes to the XR and the Ski-Doo engine line-up. We think more comfort and convenience features like updated dash electronics and stronger headlights will be part of a revamp.
Last, something with a turbo or a supercharger would re-establish Ski-Doo’s performance dominance. Since the company is the industry leader with huge market share, it needs to be leading in the performance category. Right now it’s sitting firmly in third place.
