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White NoiseThe new Ski-Doo MX Z TNT is not only blazing fast—it also burns clean and quiet
By Tim Neville
The MX Z TNT is a great backcountry tool—and plain old good fun.
 BEFORE I DRANK THE COOLANT and joined the two-stroke tribe, I hated snowmobiles for the same reasons you do. Too many times, slednecks throttled their way into my beautiful backcountry ski day with the grace of a blitzkrieg, churned the slopes, and zipped off, leaving me fuming in a cloud of blue smoke.
Then one day while strapping on skis at an Oregon trailhead, I met a guy who had an extra machine he said I could ride. We zoomed along airy ridges and carved wide bowls. He explained how to shift your weight to corner and how to stand when powering up hills. He spread out a map on the gas tank and pointed to a lake I had always wanted to see in winter. We were there in what felt like minutes.
I bought that machine, a 1994 Polaris XLT, the very next week, and suddenly winter had a whole new purpose. I started out easy, motoring to Oregon’s backcountry pubs and up volcanoes for sunsets. I gradually learned how to finesse the sled through powder, then spent days exploring forests sagging with hemlocks. Yes, I’m a ’biler these days, but my motives are clear: Wherever I go, I eventually kill the engine, strap on the skis, and let the real exploring begin. The difference now is that getting there is a lot more fun.
Your machine is your lifeline, though, so get a good one. The 2009 Ski-Doo MX Z TNT has all the power of a Sno-Cat, but at a feathery 415 pounds it’s shockingly spry. A 120-inch track with one-inch lugs offers plenty of traction to whisk you around trails and back to the cabin. A sleek analog display with a digital fuel gauge sits below a low-profile windshield, giving the machine the look of a racer. It’ll feel that way, too, with dual A-arm front suspension and aggressive skis for easier turns. Plus, the new 600cc E-Tec engine practically sips gas (21 miles per gallon) and uses half as much oil as other two-strokes, which translates into less smoke and smell.
Reduced noise and pollution means you could even pick up a second sled for your mates. After all, no one ever joined the tribe riding bitch.
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