News of the new Iron Dog Special snowmobile hit our radar this week. Designed to be tough as nails and for extreme cross country terrain versus snocross, the newest MXZ from Valcourt ushers in a move to the 128-inch track length which is similar to the length (129-inch) by both Arctic Cat and Yamaha (Viper) in their trail performance offerings. Could this be an early hint of what track length future Ski-doo trail sleds will employ? Hmmmm… Until we learn more about the 2016 models here is the low down on the Iron Dog Special direct from the kids at Ski-doo.
BRP introduces today the Ski-Doo MXZ Iron Dog Special snowmobile, inspired by and named after the iconic event. The MXZ Iron Dog Special sled was designed for rough trail enthusiasts and features many characteristics used on Iron Dog champion machines, along with a distinctive color and graphics scheme.
BRP’s Ski-Doo MXZ Iron Dog Special sled uses a 128-inch (325-cm) track and rMotion suspension developed and proven in previous races and on the snocross race circuits. This is the first time the configuration has been available to consumers; its added length increases traction for acceleration and braking, yet maintains the MXZ sled’s legendary cornering and bump absorption abilities. The MXZ Iron Dog Special is available with both the Rotax 800R and 600 H.O. E-TEC engine choices and includes several race-specific chassis reinforcements and race-type suspension calibrations to accommodate the hard-core target audience.
“It’s great to see a manufacturer build a special sled like this one and name it after our race,” commented Kevin Kastner, Iron Dog executive director. “We’re enthusiastic to be associated with Ski-Doo snowmobiles and appreciate the support they put into their racers that make the Iron Dog such a remarkable event.”
“The Iron Dog race has a long storied history, and BRP’s Ski-Doo sleds have been at the forefront in recent years winning two out of the last three events,” said Louis Lévesque, vice-president, Global Marketing and Consumer Experience. “Many riders have chosen to race Ski-Doo snowmobiles in the Iron Dog the past several years because they’re known for being durable, fast and easy on the rider – and those are certainly attributes we’ve built into the MXZ Iron Dog Special snowmobile and our other sleds.”
Sébastien Thibault, race manager for Ski-Doo Snowmobiles and Can-Am Off-Road vehicles added, “More than anyone else, we use racing to make our snowmobiles better.
That’s especially true of cross-country races like the Iron Dog because it’s an extreme version of how many snowmobilers ride every weekend. Consumers who ride their own Iron Dog Special model with their buddies will love what this unique sled delivers.”
The Ski-Doo MXZ Iron Dog Special sled will be available starting January 15 at select dealers across North America. Production is limited on this unit and it will only be available this winter. For more information or to find a dealer, visit the www.ski-doo.com website.