There’s a handful of people on the planet who can actually tell you how a snowmobile is performing.
ROGER SKIME
This incredibly powerful statement from Roger Skime has ALWAYS stuck with me, and one I think about often. Recently, its been at the forefront of my mind after seeing a social media post from Zach Herfindahl showing photos of him testing ice racing set-ups on the new Catalyst RXC that said, “5 laps and then adjust…Repeat over and over again all day.”
After reading this, my mind flashed back to Roger’s statement, and the day he said it as I watched Roger and the engineering team test and change clutch, suspension and shock set-ups a hundred times that day, on a prototype snowmobile, which lasted weeks on end.
Shortly after reading the Herfindahl post, my mind continued to reel after spending far too long on a social media owners group forum where Catalyst owners were telling/showing plans of swapping skis and carbides and adding studs and asking the group what clutch kits, pipes and cans are available, and Im sure someone even asked what oil they should run…[sigh]
Now, I know tinkering is all part of snowmobiling, and the “talk” on forums is fun, and far more of it is happening since there is absolutely no snow, but I read all these comments and think, “Fella! You haven’t even ridden your Catalyst yet (a completely new platform), and you’re changing all this stuff without establishing a baseline ride evaluation?”
So, I ask anyone here, do you test before you tune? All I know, is Roger wasn’t referring to me as one of “the handful”, but maybe you are.
If you haven’t already, follow Zach Herfindahl’s YouTube channel. He’s been sharing some really good insight on what it takes to set-up his new Catalyst RXC for ice racing. (Video below)
But you know Kale their are so many keyboard experts out there that havent planted themselves on a a seat other than around the back yard at their in-laws house at Christmas I know Roger well and know exactly what he would say Happy new year and pray for more ice Im ready to race
Only time I’d ever ride an un-studded sled is on the demo’s. Same goes for stock/any 4″ carbide.
That rule is timeless and it doesn’t matter what you’re racing. 40 years ago we had a very active bunch of folks racing ATVs in our area. I was in college so I was careful to test anything because I just did not have the money to flush. Yea it was mostly for plastic trophies but it was serious fun. Won some lost some but overall did ok on a Coca Cola budget. Long story short a new guy arrives with a new bike and he had bought everything advertised in the back of the magazines and threw it at it. It looked beautiful. It finished last. I’m sure the fans here can remove the words ATV and bike and insert oval sled hillclimb sled drag sled Boat Car and tell the same story. Cheers!
I love seeing Zach using a real windshield. Thats the one I installed on my sled (plus mirrors). I ride my sleds in the cold of winter. You will never hear me say “It’s too cold to ride”!
Wow, those new digs are pretty cool, and almost as important getting broken in as that new sled, because you must trust your equipment and your gear. It sure sounds like Zach is getting a jump on the competition and I’m sure he will work hard to get the sled dialed in to the right feel for his set up.
Been following all the Cat teams putting in the time to get their Catalysts dialed in and ready. The teaser pics of zachs and bens mods have me drooling.(cant wait to see and hear the details on Browns also) I have not been able to ride mine yet with zero snow here in the northeast. Only thing i am doing before riding it is 96 studs up the center for now. I will fine tune when the stars align and winter arrives, until then ill sit back and laugh at the pages with the “who has the loudest cans available for the catalayst?”