Some sledheads have been panicking since Yamaha announced last summer that it was leaving the snowmobile market. “We’re down to three brands!” they decry.
Wait: They’re forgetting about the Lynx brand. It’s now been available in North Amerca since model year 2022. Sure, Lynx has the same parent company as Ski-Doo, we’ll acknowledge that. And, sure enough, a Ski-Doo and Lynx share chassis platforms and engine packages.
But if you slow down and think about it for a second, there are actually more significant differences between a Ski-Doo and a Lynx than there were between a Yamaha and an equivalent Arctic Cat.
Lynx has its own rear suspension design that is monstrously different than anything in Ski-Doo’s lineup. Lynx utilizes radically different skis than Ski-Doo does. Its models also have modified ergonomics. And most Lynx models use bigger shocks and stiffer springs.
Yamaha uses different skis and clutches than Arctic Cat. Period. End of story.
We certainly wouldn’t suggest this, but if you did the equivalent of “closing your eyes” when on a Sidewinder SRX LE and a ZR 9000 Thundercat and rode it for 10 miles, you may not know which one you were on. (OK, maybe the track lug height difference would show up – so compare the TCat to a Sidewinder L-TX GT instead if you wish.)
The same cannot be said for a Lynx Rave and a Ski-Doo MXZ – a knowledgeable yet theoretically blindfolded rider would know right away which machine was which. They are truly different machines that offer a different experience and are aimed at different riders.
Again, don’t try it in reality, though. Trees hurt.
So, with that, we offer this video brief on the new-to-North-American 2025 Lynx Rave RE 600R E-TEC – the first 600-class Lynx ever available in North America. Enjoy.
