WIth the changing weather, it's
time for glorious mud and slop on the trails, if you can get to it.
Even better, just on the horizon is the first snow of the season.
If you are an avid outdoorsman, you probably don't let any kind of
weather stop you, or the enjoyment of your ATV year-round. Or maybe
that's the goal anyway. What if you had an option that truly gave
you all-weather and all-terrain usability of your favorite toy?
Enter the company that is EVERYWHERE when it comes to personal
recreation products.
Bombardier practically invented
the snowmobile and now Bombardier Recreational Products continues
to challenge all-comers with their Ski-Doo lineup. They own the
water with Sea-Doos, Evinrude and Johnson motors. And they are
looking to make a huge statement these days with revolutionary
additions to their ATV lineup. But besides the vehicles themselves,
they are constantly working to bring out accessories to enhance
your experience.
New for 2006 is the
APACHE track kit for ATVs. Looking at what was
previously the original and best-selling track kit, they saw in
detail what worked, and what could be improved on. Then they turned
their engineers loose. The most important improvements on their
design board were improved steering, durability, and better
obstacle clearance. To their advantage was years of snowmobile
engineering expertiese. If the product is intended primarily for
use on the snow, there had to be something to be learned there. And
there was.
The most important
difference we noted in our test ride, head-to-head against the
leading competitive product installed on identical 2006 Bombardier
Outlander 800's, was the ease of steering. The "other" unit was
fun, sure, but on tight or fast turns, you had to really crank hard
to bring that front end around. At the end of a fairly short track,
this reporter's arms just couldn't take any more. I didn't opt for
my second lap of the course. In fact, I cut the entire second
in-field portion out of the first lap. I was not physically strong
enough to pull it around as I needed to, to stay on the tight
designated course. Yeah, I'm a wimpy woman. So don't send me out to
gather the firewood.
What is the reality of needing to
manuever a motocross track on an ATV in the winter? How about if
you plan to ride anywhere around trees or other obstacles? A
problem.
Cilmbing on an Outlander with the
APACHE kit to attempt the same course, the difference was noticable
immediately. It doesn't exactly "float" across the powder like a
snowmobile will, but it certainly turns more like one. Not only
were my arms not tiring, I remained securely in control of the
vehicle, in flat turns as well as up hills and down.
The APACHE Track
makes winter more safe and more fun.
Getting up close, there
are two main reasons for this. The track itself was designed with a
"point of rotation" - that is, on the front track, the center has
the most grip, while the outside edges are angled off to have less
bite. Something narrow, like a ski, turns easier than something
wide like a tank track. But you haven't lost the full track, so
it's there when you need it for maximum traction in mud or
snow.
Add to that an innovative
steering limiter, and the hard work this Track unit is going to do
for you, won't do long-term damage to your other steering
components.
With great tools
(and toys) like this, you want them to last a
lifetime.
In addition to steering changes,
you'll notice the APACHE unit has much larger wheels front and rear
in the track unit, and a higher angle of attack. This provides
better obstacle clearance and better leverage or "grab" when you
need to reverse or start against an obstacle.
And get this - besides fitting
their own models, it is also engineered with several optional
conversion kits so it will also fit most other manufacturer's units
as well. In addition, their system comes as four fully-assembled
tracks. You just bolt them on. The after-market brand - be ready
for a large box of parts, or a large installation charge from your
dealer. And then a voided warranty on your ATV. If you buy a Track
system from BRP and put it on a Bombardier ATV, your warranty
remains fully intact. That is something I hadn't even considered
when looking at other units through the years, but is important to
note.
I'll admit I've seen
Track units on ATVs for years, and always wanted to try them. And
while they aren't a high-speed action-packed blast through the
snow, they do make sure you can get to the most-remote cabin and
over most any obstacle with ease.
And honestly, we were on a summer
hard-packed glacier at 9,000 feet on a groomed track; it wasn't
exactly deep, fluffy powder. It does certainly throw the white
stuff, so there may be some fun tucked away in there, just waiting
to be truly discovered...
How about this - first one out
there to try this unit in REAL life, send us some pictures of your
adventures? We'll share them, and send you an Off-Road.com
t-shirt!
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