Top 4 Matryx RMK Features - Sled Tech Ep. 1 | Polaris Snowmobiles
Summary
TLDRWelcome to 'Sled Tech,' a new series that delves into the technical aspects of Polaris snowmobiles. Hosted by Nels, a lifelong snowmobile enthusiast and Polaris team member, the series kicks off with a discussion on Factory mod Mountain sleds, focusing on the Matrix slash platform. Key features highlighted include the raised platform for better snow clearance and reduced drag, the short tapered tunnel for improved maneuverability, ergonomic design for dynamic deep snow mobility, and vertical steering for consistent leverage and control. Guest Chris shares his experience, emphasizing the efficiency and ease of use these features provide to riders in the backcountry. Stay tuned for more in-depth explorations of snowmobile technology.
Takeaways
- 🚜 The 'Sled Tech' series will delve into the technical aspects of Polaris snowmobiles, focusing on what makes them excel in their performance.
- 🏂 Nels, the host, has a lifelong background in snowmobiling and is now part of the team developing next-generation Polaris snowmobiles.
- 🏔️ The first episode features a discussion on the Factory mod Mountain sleds, specifically the Matrix slash platform, and its technical details for backcountry performance.
- ❄️ A raised platform (RMK) on a snowmobile improves snow clearance, reducing drag and enhancing maneuverability in the snow.
- 🔧 The raised platform also provides mechanical advantage for the rider, requiring less effort to control the snowmobile.
- 🛷 The Matrix features a short tapered tunnel design, which reduces the effort needed to maneuver the sled and improves control on steep slopes.
- 🎿 The ergonomics of the RMK are designed to allow for dynamic deep snow mobility, with a focus on keeping the vehicle narrow and compact for ease of movement.
- 🛤️ The 'neutral position' concept ensures the snowmobile is perfectly weighted when a rider is on board, allowing for predictable and efficient movement.
- 👐 The vertical steering design on the Matrix provides consistent leverage, enabling the rider to use their body's core strength for better control and maneuverability.
- 🔄 The vertical steering configuration facilitates thousands of on-edge transitions in the mountains, making the riding experience more fluid and less energy-intensive.
- 🔍 The series promises to explore more in-depth topics such as engines, different snowmobile models, and comparisons in future episodes.
Q & A
What is the purpose of the 'Sled Tech' series?
-The 'Sled Tech' series aims to go beyond marketing language and catalogs to discuss the technical details of Polaris snowmobiles and what makes them perform well.
Who is the host of the 'Sled Tech' series?
-Nels is the host of the 'Sled Tech' series. He has a background in racing and now works on the team developing the next generation of Polaris snowmobiles.
What is the significance of the raised platform (RMK) on a Polaris snowmobile?
-The raised platform on a Polaris snowmobile, specifically an RMK, elevates the bulkhead and tunnel about an inch and a half higher than a comparable Trail sled. This design reduces drag in the snow, allowing for better performance and less effort from the rider.
How does the raised platform benefit the rider in terms of control and effort?
-The raised platform provides the rider with more mechanical advantage, requiring less effort to control the sled. It also allows for more efficient movement in challenging snow conditions.
What is the purpose of the short tapered tunnel design on the Matrix snowmobile?
-The short tapered tunnel design on the Matrix snowmobile is intended to reduce the effort needed to maneuver the vehicle in the snow. It is seven inches shorter overall, which helps to prevent the rear corner of the vehicle from sticking into the snow, especially on steep side hills.
How does the short tunnel design affect the rider's experience on a steep slope?
-The short tunnel design eliminates the pivot point where the rear of the snowmobile contacts the snow and lifts the track out, causing it to wash out. This allows the rider to maintain control on steep slopes with the contact points moving forward instead of washing out.
What are the key considerations in the ergonomic design of an RMK snowmobile?
-The ergonomic design of an RMK snowmobile focuses on keeping the vehicle as narrow and compact as possible to avoid obstructions and on achieving a neutral position where the vehicle is perfectly weighted front to back with the rider on board.
How does the neutral position in the RMK snowmobile benefit the rider?
-The neutral position in the RMK snowmobile allows for small movements forward, back, or side to side that predictably impact the vehicle. This makes it easier for the rider to manipulate the sled without having to find a specific position to execute a move.
What is the role of vertical steering in the Matrix snowmobile?
-Vertical steering in the Matrix snowmobile provides consistent leverage for the rider, regardless of their position on the sled. This design allows the rider to use the core strength of their body to manipulate the vehicle's direction, making it more predictable and efficient.
How does the vertical steering differ from traditional steering in terms of rider input and control?
-Vertical steering allows for the use of core body strength rather than just arm strength, making it easier to change the direction of the snowmobile. This results in a more efficient and less tiring riding experience, especially in mountainous terrain.
What can viewers expect from future episodes of the 'Sled Tech' series?
-Viewers can expect more in-depth discussions on snowmobile technology, including engines, different snowmobiles, comparisons, and other technical details in future episodes of the 'Sled Tech' series.
Outlines
🏍️ Snowmobile Design and Performance
The video script introduces a new series called 'Sled Tech' focused on the technical aspects of Polaris snowmobiles. The host, Nels, discusses the features of the Factory mod Mountain sleds, specifically the Matrix slash platform. Key points include the raised platform for better snow clearance and reduced drag, the short tapered tunnel for easier movement in the snow, and the ergonomic design for improved control and maneuverability. Guest Chris Parent, an experienced rider, shares insights on how these features translate to a better riding experience, such as requiring less effort due to the mechanical advantage provided by the raised platform and the benefits of the short tunnel in steep terrain. The conversation highlights the importance of these technical details in enhancing the performance and efficiency of the snowmobiles in backcountry conditions.
🛠️ Ergonomics and Steering Innovations
This paragraph delves deeper into the ergonomic aspects and steering innovations of the Matrix snowmobile. The design philosophy is centered around dynamic deep snow mobility, aiming to make the vehicle easy to control and less tiring to maneuver. The RMK team emphasizes the importance of a neutral position, where the weight is evenly distributed when a rider is on the vehicle, allowing for predictable and efficient movements. The vertical steering system is highlighted as a key feature, providing consistent leverage for the rider's hands, regardless of their position on the snowmobile. This design allows riders to use their core strength for steering, rather than just their arms, making it easier to navigate the snowmobile through challenging mountain terrain. The discussion concludes with a preview of upcoming topics in the 'Sled Tech' series, which will explore engines, different snowmobiles, and comparisons.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sled Tech
💡Polaris snowmobiles
💡Factory mod Mountain sleds
💡Matrix slash platform
💡Raised platform
💡Short tapered tunnel
💡Ergonomics
💡Dynamic deep snow mobility
💡Neutral position
💡Vertical steering
Highlights
Introduction of the 'Sled Tech' series focusing on the technical details of Polaris snowmobiles.
Nels, the host, has a lifetime of experience riding and working on Polaris snowmobiles.
Discussion on Factory mod Mountain sleds, specifically the Matrix slash platform.
Importance of the raised platform (RMK) for better snow clearance and reduced drag.
Mechanical advantage provided by the raised platform, requiring less rider effort.
Introduction of Chris Parent, a guest with extensive experience on the platform.
Technical details on the short tapered tunnel for improved backcountry performance.
How the short tunnel reduces snow interference and improves control on steep hills.
Ergonomics of the RMK designed for dynamic deep snow mobility and rider comfort.
Design focus on keeping the RMK compact and narrow for easier rider movement.
Explanation of the 'neutral position' for optimal weight distribution and control.
Rider's perspective on the Matrix's neutral position and its impact on snowmobiling efficiency.
Vertical steering design for consistent leverage and body strength utilization.
How vertical steering improves predictability and efficiency in mountain terrain.
Upcoming content in the 'Sled Tech' series including engines and snowmobile comparisons.
Chris Parent's appreciation for the factory mod sled's short tunnel and its practical benefits.
Transcripts
hey guys Welcome to our new series
called sled Tech in this series we're
going to go beyond the marketing
language and the the catalog and we're
going to talk about all the technical
details on these Polaris snowmobiles and
what makes them work so well
[Music]
my name is Nels I'm going to be your
host for this series I've grown up race
Center riding snowmobiles my whole life
and now I get the opportunity to work on
the super talented team working on the
next generation of Polaris snowmobiles
and for our first episode of the series
we're talking about our Factory mod
Mountain sleds that's the Matrix slash
platform we're on some of the technical
details about what makes a snowmobile
work so well in the backcountry and how
we got there and to do that we thought
we'd bring a special guest for today's
first episode it was a little bit about
ride Mountain so let's Chris parent
welcome Chris thanks for coming Nelson
thanks for having me you've uh you've
been riding these since the Dragon Days
got a few years of experience on yes I
have had a lot of experience on the
players platform and thankfully we're
not riding dragons anymore we're uh
we're going to go over some of the
technical details and uh talk a little
bit about how we got there awesome let's
go let's dive in the first one that
we're going to talk about is the raise
platform so when we say raise platform
of an RMK what we mean is that the the
bulkhead and the tunnel the actual
platform of the vehicle is raised up off
the snow it's about an inch and a half
higher better than a comparable Trail
sled and we do that for clearance we've
learned through the last 25 years to
build Mountain sleds that when you get
the vehicle up out of the snow you
reduce the drag that the snowmobile
creates in the snow and it lets it work
way better when you want to move it
around and from a Rider's standpoint
Nails is really good on the technical
side of things and I'm going to
hopefully dive in and explain to you
from a rider standpoint what all of
those things actually do and so for me
the raised platform yes it does go
through the snow better but one thing
that I noticed instantly was it took
less effort because I was higher up
giving me more mechanical advantage on
the sled and so anytime you can make
this sled do what you want with more
efficiency that makes 430 when you're
down in the hole that you don't want to
be in a lot better the second thing that
we're going to talk about on our Matrix
last year is the short tapered tunnel in
the back just like Chris was talking
about getting the vehicle up out of the
snow less effort less movement to make
the vehicle do what you'd like that's
really where the tapered tunnel came
from so we talk about short tapered
tunnel what we mean here is is this
taper actually back here so compared to
an axis a regular Matrix tunnel is three
inches shorter a matrix slash tunnel is
actually seven inches shorter overall so
the tunnel has been brought in Board of
the vehicle quite a bit and then it
tapers back here what that does is it
gets the this rear corner of the vehicle
which sticks into the snow when you're
on a steep side Hill or trying to move
up the hill and it just gets it out of
the snow lets the vehicle do its thing
doesn't interfere with the snow makes it
way easier to control and again from a
rider standpoint what you're going to
feel here and the short tunnel thing
this was something that um me personally
I had been cutting and chopping and
re-welding stuff for a few years and so
it was so awesome to see it again a
factory mod sled to see the short tunnel
come out and not only the shortness does
help the sled in the snow but to nels's
point what the taper does is when you're
on edge and you're on that side Hill
there's no longer that pivot point of
the rear of the snowmobile contacting
the snow lifting the track out and
washing out you can literally be on as
steep of slope as you want and the
contact points on the snow stay moving
forward instead of washing out the third
thing we're going to talk about is
ergonomics so like Chris was talking
about being able to control the vehicle
when you're on it and really crawling
around a mountain so it isn't like any
other Powersports out there with rmks on
the RMK team we talk a lot about Dynamic
deep snow Mobility you have to move
around the vehicle in an incredible way
to get it to do what you like we want to
make that as easy as possible make it
less tiring and easy to move around
because of that everything that the
rider touches on an RMK is all specific
to RMK the seat tank console running
boards footwells handlebars steering
everything that the rider interacts with
is purpose built around really two big
things the first is keeping it as narrow
and compact as possible
it's more or less trying to keep it out
of the way we want to be able to move
around the vehicle without getting
anything in the way so it's a narrow
seat and tank right here up at the front
three inches narrower with an axis
carrying that back the the slope tapered
design down to the running board it's
really making it easy to move around the
second is what we call the neutral
position and so when a snowmobile
doesn't have anybody on it the the
weight is more biased towards the front
the neutral position is when somebody
stands on the vehicle now the vehicle is
perfectly weighted front to back with
the rider on the vehicle what that does
is it allows a small movement forward
back or side to side predictably impact
the vehicle every single time you don't
have to crawl around and try and get
yourself in this one certain spot to
make a move where you naturally want to
stand is the easiest place to move the
vehicle yeah and again from the rider's
input what I feel when I ride a sled The
Matrix specifically is that I can be in
this neutral position in the center of
the sled using my toes and pushing down
with my palms and having the sled be
essentially one with the my body and
what is different between a matrix and
our competition is you in on this side
we are literally like you're saying
standing in the middle of the snowmobile
versus being all the way in the front
and how that affects you on the snow is
it takes less input for the sled to do
what you want to do and also the
transitions from neutral to the wrong
foot forward those motions are a lot
easy and more fluid again using less
energy
the fourth and last piece that we're
going to talk about today it really goes
hand in hand with the ergonomics and
that's our vertical steering so like
Chris talked a lot about just there
being able to manipulate the vehicle
part of being able to manipulate the
vehicle and move it through the hill is
being able to move the vehicle with your
hands that's the part that's connected
all the time and that's the part you're
making the inputs on what our vertical
steering is technically is this a
steering Arc that's relatively flat it's
not perfectly flat as you can see but
the vertical post that goes down and
links underneath the hood here keeps the
vehicle or the bars relatively flat to
the vehicle what that does is no matter
the position you're in you have what we
call consistent leverage it's not like
your left hand has all the strength in
your right hands down in a spot where
you don't have any leverage it keeps
both of your hands in this High leverage
position whether you're all the way off
the side of the sled riding in the
neutral position or coming back
the key
to being successful in the mountains is
this steering post configuration the
reason this works is because you're you
always want to be able to use the core
strength of your body and not just use
your arms like this being able to affect
the change of Direction with the
snowmobile this way versus this way is
what again makes this sled more
predictable and also what when how many
times do you get on edge in the
mountains it's literally thousands in a
day and so anytime we can do a process
that makes getting on edge easier which
is again using the core of your body
instead of your arms being able to make
that more efficient make the sled work
for you instead of against you that's
the key exactly right and that's just a
few of the details on what makes this
Matrix work so well out in the back
country and some of the taste of what
we're going to have coming in our new
series sled Tech all the Deep dyes we
got engines and different snowmobiles
and comparisons and all sorts of stuff
coming up so Chris thanks for swimming
by for our first episode make sure you
stay tuned to our Channel and see what
we've got coming next
[Music]
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