2022 Ski-Doo Mach Z, It seems that this snowmobile never dies, although we are told that the Mach Z will be produced only this season, in 2022, it seems impossible that we will not see this name again in the future… In its first year of production in 1993, the Mach Z was all the rage, a three-cylinder of 780 cc, it was the novelty ! I remember at the time, watching the turf races at Valcourt, where spectators were clamoring for a Mach Z to compete against the Yamaha Vmax 4 at the time… To welcome this new thoroughbred at the time, Ski-Doo presented a brand new chassis, F2000, which introduced the very first front suspension with swing arm, the DSA. A much lighter and more maneuverable vehicle than the PRS chassis of previous years. In 1997, the engineers created the famous 809, with an identical stroke, but a bore one millimeter bigger, 70.5 mm instead of 69.5 on the 780. It kept the name for a good 7 years, and in 1998, the high performance car was given a brand new chassis, the CK3, which had a very different look, but also a different ride.
After a year’s break, we announced its return, but this time in a completely new configuration, a 1000 CC two-cylinder with electronic fuel injection, in a semi-direct version. To accommodate the 165 horsepower, the engineers presented an enlarged version of the REV chassis, with a lowered suspension for impressive top speeds. 2007 was the last year of production.
The 2022 vintage, will be a unique edition, BRP announced that there will be only one year of production, which will make it a truly unique model, which may turn heads for a long time.
This edition also marks another milestone, the introduction of the four-stroke engine. Previously associated with the extreme performance two-stroke mill, 2022 marks the arrival of the 4-stroke high performance category. Previously reserved for Arctic Cat and Yamaha, BRP is now blurring the lines with slightly less power, but with a very comparable power-to-weight ratio.
900 ACE TURBO R…
It’s hard not to draw some conclusions about how BRP came up with this improved version of the 900 turbo from previous years. When the turbocharged 900 CC was introduced in 2019, it was presented in a niche of its own, where it had no competition. But surely BRP had a strong suspicion that all engine programming companies would quickly jump on the opportunity, and develop stages allowing more power, simply by increasing the turbo revolution. It’s still a great way to confirm the engine’s strength and to get even more results on the absorption capacity of the extra horsepower. The main changes to the engine are mostly related to the additional power:
- Larger capacity fuel injectors
- Increased turbo revolution producing 17.4 pounds of boost
- Optimized air intake
- A muffler with better flow
- A more efficient intercooler
- A more efficient turbine (turbo)
Another very interesting change that was not unanimously approved in the past is a new throttle lever. Many owners took a long time to get used to the fully electronic throttle, where it is more difficult to get the feel and especially to get used to the progressiveness of the lever. THE 2022 Ski-Doo Mach Z is equipped with a hybrid model that gives the rider a more natural and direct feel. In fact, it is a cable operated lever that operates the electronic mechanism. The driver feels a more direct effect on the reaction, and the progressiveness of the lever is much more like a more traditional gas pedal. So to summarize:
- New cable-activated iTC throttle
- Longer stroke for a more natural feel
- Easier control on rough terrain
rMotion X and RAS x suspension with Smart-Shox
Electronically controlled suspensions have been around in the Can-Am and Polaris off-road world for a few years now, and the results are considerable, especially when pushing hard in the bumps. The KYB PRO Smart-Shox shocks react 50 times per second, which is very fast, and they have an effect on several facets of the bike’s behavior. Firstly, the control center reacts during cornering, when making a right turn for example, the system automatically increases the pressure on the left ski shock to prevent further roll, and the same is true during acceleration, where the rear shock increases in stiffness if the front of the sled lifts too much during acceleration.
The system also offers an “anti-bottoming” feature that prevents the suspension from collapsing completely, the faster the collapse, the faster the suspension stiffens to avoid reaching the limit of the suspension. Also, if the suspension relaxes during a jump for example, the same effect occurs to prevent landing, it automatically hardens.
Three pre-configured modes are available to the driver, Comfort, Sport and Sport +. The difference between the three modes is easily noticeable. Switching from one mode to the other is almost instantaneous, and there are no restrictions on its use. It is therefore possible to switch from comfort mode to Sports + mode in a fraction of a second, regardless of the speed at which you are driving.
Launch Control Mode
Unique to the 2022 Ski-Doo Mach Z, the launch control mode allows to have much more power at the start. Well known in the world of acceleration, the concept is quite simple, to find a solution to increase the air pressure that the turbo pushes in the engine, without increasing the RPM so that the primary pulley does not start to close against the belt. To do this, the engineers move the moment of ignition so that the explosion takes place when the exhaust valves are open. In this way, the pressure normally used to increase the engine’s revolution speed is simply evacuated into the exhaust, which increases the turbine’s revolution. This gives about 9 pounds of boost without reaching the clutch point. Without the Launch mode, there is almost no pressure released into the exhaust due to the low revolution of the engine, therefore much less power.
On the trail…
After more than 1000 kilometers, I’m starting to get the hang of the suspension’s reaction. I would say that for a very large percentage of riders, the comfort mode is by far the most appropriate for normal speed rides, the anti-roll system works very well in turns, and this is the facet that stands out the most compared to an XRS for example without the Smart-Shox technology. The front of the snowmobile is always parallel to the ground, so you rarely feel the outside of the snowmobile diving into a turn.
When you switch to Sport mode on the 2022 Ski-Doo Mach Z, you feel a clear firmness in the behavior, the suspension is firmer in the small bumps, however, when you push a little more in the big bumps, you find an excellent compromise. And the Sport + mode is definitely for the extreme, because we lose all notion of comfort in a normal trail situation…
Another interesting point is that during acceleration, the front end almost always stays on the ground, which gives it excellent handling, especially when exiting a corner. And this without having changed the position of the transfer blocks, which remained in position 1, i.e. with the most transfer possible.
I encountered a few more bumpy conditions that allowed me to push the limits of the suspension a bit more. And it’s in more extreme conditions that you notice a bigger difference with traditional suspensions. At higher speeds, the reaction is much better, the bad bumps that make you reach the maximum travel don’t happen with the Smart-Shox, in other words, it never hits the bottom.
A little more negative point now, the steering is slightly harder than the previous versions, at low speeds, the resistance at the skis is higher, many modify the position of the front arm of the rMotion X which decreases a little this factor. We will test this a little later in the season. And finally, the X pilot skis continue to do a good job, but lacks a little grip when the surface is snowier, and gives a slight swaying effect on a very hard surface.
900 ACE Turbo R
As I had the opportunity to ride a 900 ACE Turbo in 2019 and 2021, it’s quite easy for me to compare it with the new 2022 version. And to be sure of my impressions, I even made a swap in the same ride with a friend who has a 2021 version, in order to make a good comparison… And without a doubt, the R version stands out especially from 70-80 km/h, that’s when the 30 extra horses are felt. The acceleration is faster and especially the recovery. At the time of writing, the top speed seems quite similar to last year, but the perfect opportunity has not yet presented itself. So to be continued on this point…
Another very interesting factor is that the R version offers a performance sound when the throttle is released, i.e. when you cut the throttle, you can hear the blow off valve letting out the excess pressure with a sound that reflects the performance. I love it…
Launch control…
Having been a drag racer for many years, I was sure that I was going to test this device that allows much faster starts. It’s very simple to use, just hold the switch that allows you to modify the engine performance mode in the up position for more than three seconds, automatically you see a mention Lunch Control ON appear at the top of the dial, just hold the brake lever and press the throttle fully. After only about 2 seconds, the pressure has already risen to about 9 pounds of boost, and by releasing the brake, the ignition advance instantly resets for a much more efficient start! The system is very stable, I tested it several times and it is very consistent, no hesitation every time.
We will continue our testing throughout the season, and continue to push the 2022 Ski-Doo Mach Z to its limits, especially on rough terrain. Our end of season report will certainly be just as interesting!
Once again, our review was made possible by Groupe Contant! Thanks to the gang, it’s always a pleasure to work with them!
