During the presentation of BRP’s 2022 models, José Boisjoli, BRP’s President and CEO, and Sandy Scullion, BRP’s Senior Vice President, introduced Lynx as a new player in the North American market. They described Lynx as the fifth largest snowmobile manufacturer in North America! Lynx in Quebec!
The Lynx snowmobiles will be distributed through BRP dealerships, although it is an independent brand, we must mention that the collaboration with BRP is very close. The power train is signed ROTAX 850, and the chassis is very similar to the Gen 4 chassis currently used.
Lynx is offering two models for 2022, the RAVE RE 3500 850 E-TEC and the Boundocker DS 850 E-TEC. It’s important to mention that at the time of writing we hadn’t had the chance to ride the cars yet.
Lynx in Quebec! – Trail version RAVE RE 3500 850
The RAVE RE is the cross-country version of the Finnish manufacturer. First of all, it is important to mention that in Finland, they have marked trails, but not surfaced, so it is important to keep in mind that a virtually flat trail like our trail network offers here, does not exist in their region. The development was based on a cross-country aspect, a snowmobile that literally swallows bumps.
PPS3 rear suspension
If there is one area where the Lynx really stands out from the rest of Ski-Doo’s products, it is the rear suspension. This new suspension offers a unique design, with no coupling between the rear and center section, easily understandable considering that their trails are not surfaced. The center section is very similar to conventional suspensions with a large swing arm. The rear section differs from the usual, the shock is positioned horizontally, and is operated by the rear swing arms attached to the suspension cradles. Its design and the progressiveness of the shock absorbers offer a good control of the weight transfer. Did we say shocks? Believe me, the Lynx’s shocks are huge, we’re talking about the KYB Kashima HLCR 46 mm shocks! These shocks are adjustable for compression and rebound. The Finnish engineers mention a vertical travel of 11.4 inches in the rear and 10 inches in the middle.
LFS+ front suspension
The front suspension is more conventional and very similar to the RAS X, 42.2 inches of travel with 10.4 inches of vertical travel. The double wishbone design is used with a torsion bar to stabilize the front of the snowmobile in turns. The huge 46mm KYB Kashima HLCRs are used as front shocks.
Ski Blade XC+
The front skis caught our attention with a different keel concept, three bearings provide flotation and grip against the snow. At first glance, the Blade XC+ looks very aggressive with a nice design, and the three-step concept improves directional stability. The Blade XC+ is 6.7 inches wide with a single sill to provide traction on hardpacked terrain.
850 E-TEC and pDrive
No surprise on the engine side, we find the Rotax 850 CC two-cylinder engine with direct injection of 165 horsepower that equips BRP models. The clutch is also signed BRP with the pDrive.
Cobra Track
For snow traction, the Finnish engineers chose the 1.6-inch Cobra track with a length of 137 inches.
Boondocker DS 850 E-TEC
Two versions of the mountain Lynx will be available for 2022, the 3900 version with a 154-inch track, and the 4100 version at 165 inches.
Tunel Short Radien DS tunnel
What catches the eye quickly on the Boodocker side is definitely the very short tunnel at the rear, the Short Radien DS tunnel. The latter forced the engineers to develop a new concept of snow guard, attached to the rear wheel axle. This deflector follows the movement of the track at all times. We like it or not, but it’s certainly unusual… We can’t say for sure about its efficiency for the moment, but according to the manufacturer’s videos, the results concerning the snow thrown at the rear seem surprising!
Lynx in Quebec – 850 E-TEC
As for the engine, it’s from Rotax with the two-cylinder 850 CC with direct injection, pushing no less than 165 horsepower. The question was asked about a Turbo version, and the answer was simply no… The very efficient pDrive clutch pulley ensures the power transfer to the track. Like the Ski-Doo mountain snowmobiles, the BoonDocker DS is equipped with the Shot battery-free starter, an addition of only 0.9 kilograms. Interestingly, the 3900 version at 154 inches will come with a sea level calibration, while the 165 inch version (4100) will be calibrated for high altitude.
BoonDocker Headquarters
There is no doubt about the driving habits of Scandinavians, the vast majority of them stand up. The Boondocker seat is very small, light and above all very low, to allow free movement of the driver.
PPS2 DS+ rear suspension
With its ultra light design, one can perceive a similarity with the PPS3 trail bike, the rear shock is parallel to the frame, but what catches the attention is the attachment point of the rear shock which is directly fixed to the front swingarm. It will be very interesting to see the benefits of this technology. KYB 36 Kashima shocks are used for absorption!
Lynx in Quebec! -Front suspension
No information was disclosed about the front suspension, except for the 36-inch ski spacing. However, it’s still a double wishbone concept that is very common in the industry.
Blade DS+
The Blade DS+ mountain skis offer a very different design than what we know from mountain skis. The huge keel under the ski looks like a Ski-Doo DS3, but in addition there is a series of lines parallel to the main keel, which improve stability in the bumps. With a width of 7.8 inches, this ski offers a very good flotation in the powder.
