Snowmobile Question

[Big Guy 116]

Just wondering if anyone has tried putting Polaris Profloat skis on a Skidoo Tundra/Scandic?  I know a lot of you have sleds to get to your winter fishing spots and I was just curious.   I have looked into it on other forums and there are lots of different opinions on them.  I want to put a set on my 2020 Skidoo Tundra.  Currently, I have the factory skis and wide ski skins for more flotation.  It floats great but the Tundra is not known for trail manners or hardpack snow handling.  I was just wondering if anyone has tried them or the Simmons Flexi Skis?

 

LOL I know this should probably go in the off topic section but I figured I mentioned winter fishing so maybe I'll get a pass.

[outofbounds 13]

I have used the Simmons Gen 2 skis on both Expeditions and Skandics. More durable than the skins option from Doo, alleviates darting and wide for flotation.

Toe in and out, ski pressure all affect handling, ensure set up according to intended usage, weight distribution by adding boxes or pulling sleigh or skimmers affects handling.

Crust conditions is where the Simmons skis aid the most for me.

[Mooseman1653 0]

Could not have said it better than outofbounds…..was literally my exact response I’m also running them on 2022 expedition 800 and 2019 skandic 1000 long and wide.

 

 

on the tundra I would look at rear adjustments to make for a better riding experience especially if you a pulling a sleigh full of gear and are a person of the xl variety 

[Big Guy 116]

I'm got my adjustments maxed out, anything lighter than position 5 and the machine gets scary lol.

 

I've looked at the simmons but the price is crazy.  I'm still considering them though.  

 

I can honestly say i knew the tundra was a different animal when i bought it.   Just trying to tame it a little.  

[outofbounds 13]

The cost of the Simmons skis is substantial and availability is from select retailers, especially in Canada.

When measuring input cost it is an easy call for me as the usage and mileage that is put on machines not only for fishing, but trapping and hunting as well.

Recreational usage is nearly non-existent for me, my machines are tools and when considering their use, they demand the best performance and durability.

I have always found the Doo skins to be too soft and wear was a factor that was considered along with performance characteristics versus the Simmons offerings when one considers replacement costs and durability.

 

When upgrading to new machines the stock setup goes back on the outgoing and the Simmons are replacing stock setups on the new rides.

 

Buy once, cry once!

 

The additional flotation of ski skins/liners comes with a cost, side hill ability and turning are the first to be affected, which is not much of a concern if just riding roads or wide trails. One has to consider the 154" track with 1.5" inch paddles as leverage, in the case of the Tundra at 16" wide, the 20" and  24' wide tracks of the WT and SWT models of Skandics and Expeditions amplify it further. Resulting in most cases with either oversteer or understeer conditions depending on sled set-up. It takes considerably more body English to maneuver especially at lower speeds. Flotation and traction have a price, we all know the old Elans and first gen Tundras were ridden with one knee on the seat and were easy to manhandle. The new rider's forward upright stance certainly works well if the sled is adjusted for preferred rider input. Albeit not being forgiving in crust conditions and uneven terrain if not set up properly and riden in a seated position.

By design, the stock Tundra is narrow and has a great ability to get up on edge which is where it shines in the deep snow and in tight conditions primarily in off-trail applications.

Unfortunately, those characteristics do not bode well for trail riding, particularly in a seated riding position in crust conditions or uneven tracks.

I have seen many instances where guys sold their machines as they just couldn't find that middle road of on/off-trail performance. But later realized their riding style was a large limiting factor. This is not implied at the OP.

There are products available to widen the stance of the pogo suspension found on both Tundras and Skandics by bolting on billet aluminum offsets, they widen the stance by a few inches, are they enough enough to fully alleviate the design characteristics of the models? To each their own on that. Some say they were happy with the result, I believe the product is available from a Quebec manufacturer, I don't have a name for the product or manufacturer off the top of my head, but have seen them on a few machines.

 

 

 

 

[Big Guy 116]

I have installed the widening kit already along with the skins.  It improved the ride considerably but still very darty.  I know I need to adjust my riding style and be more up than seated.  Only issue with that is I am LAZY lol and prefer to sit.  I did tons of research on the machine before purchasing and knew it would be a different riding experience but didn't realize it would be that much.  I am slowly getting use to the machine, it's just taking longer to get there than I thought.  I do love the ability to get down tight and twisty trails I never dreamed of going before and honestly snow depth doesn't matter.  Off trail capability is night and day difference between this and my old 17 Indy 550 with a 121" track.  The thing I do love about this machine is that you can literally just point it and go anywhere you want, and you don't need to carry speed, you can just putt putt along.  

 

Really besides the standing vs. sitting, the only other thing I miss about any of my old sleds is going wide open across a lake, or getting up some speed going down a nice wide trail.  No don't get my wrong, none of my old machines were speed daemons but all of them you could get up to 75 or 80 and you felt planted.  I find with the Tundra, plainly put, it's scary if you get over 40 kph.  I know they aren't built for speed, and really most of my riding is off trail, tight and twisty anyway, just miss the occasional speed run. 

 

Thanks for the input folks.  I will keep messing with my setup and try to get my lazy rear end more active when riding.  ughhh