If you live in an area that doesn't get snow, too bad for you, because you may never get to experience the rush of the Yamaha Apex RTX. If this snowmobile were a four-wheel-drive truck, it would be a full-on Baja 1000 Trophy Truck.
A big liquid-cooled 998cc four-cylinder engine powers the Apex RTX, and this four-stroke animal puts out 150 permafrost-melting horsepower. It's called the Genesis 150FI, and its electronic fuel-injection system was 2 years in development before it hit the market in 2006. When this engine was slipped into the Apex RTX, a lethally fast combination was created. To give you an idea of this sled's power-to-weight ratio, consider this: the 2.4L four-cylinder engine in the '06 Jeep TJ generated 147 hp, 3 ponies less than the RTX, and it had to haul around an approximate curb weight of 3,200 pounds. It did so adequately. Now consider that the Apex RTX weighs only 542 pounds, and you get the neck-snapping picture.
No coil springs up front....
No coil springs up front. The air-charged Fox FLOAT shocks eliminate the complexity and weight of traditional coilover-shock front suspension setups.
Of course, power isn't everything. The Apex RTX utilizes a high-tech suspension that features some unique components. Up front, there are no coil springs like those found in other sleds. The RTX uses Fox FLOAT shocks, which feature an air-spring design to force the piston to rebound. This eliminates the need for coil springs. Further, the FLOAT shocks provide a smooth, progressive rate of shock absorption; they are highly resistant to bottoming; they don't bind up like coil springs; and they cut three pounds per shock as compared to traditional coilover springs. Clearly there's a lot there to like with these boingers, and as a bonus they're individually tunable via a pocket-sized air pump. The rear suspension is comprised of the race-proven ProActive CK torsion spring setup. This suspension offers a darn impressive 11.5 inches of vertical travel, and features a unique three-position anti-bottoming stopper on both rails; a pair of tri-cam spring preload adjusters; fully adjustable control rod; and a remote-reservoir shock on the rear torque arm with 20 clicks of compression adjustment for fine tuning. The sum of all this suspension technology is a sled that can easily handle aggressive riding on rough trails and mogul fields with ease.
Sometimes you have to sacrifice rider comfort with a performance machine. Not with the Apex RTX. The machine was designed with the Deltabox II chassis, which utilizes a comfortable rider-forward posture. What this translates to is that the rider can go from sitting to standing and back again easily and comfortably. Anyone who snowmobiles knows that this is a welcome feature when you're maneuvering over rough terrain and sledding through twisty trails in the woods. Other rider-pleasing goodies on the Apex RTX includes wide running boards with star-punched traction on the bottom; digitally controlled hand and thumb warmers; digital gauges; electric start; quick release bodywork; and a DC outlet for stuff like your heated helmet visor or GPS.
So there you have it. It's clear that the Apex RTX is just what power junkies crave. It's just one more reason to love snow. Heck, this machine could even make snow-hating desert-dude Tech Editor Sean Holman long for winter.
The ProActive CK torsion rear...
The ProActive CK torsion rear suspension boasts 11.5 inches of vertical travel. Oh, and that aggressive track is the Camoplast Rip Saw.
General
Model: '07 Yamaha Apex RTX
Base price: $10,299
Color: Yamaha Black
Engine
Type: Four-cylinder, four-stroke
Displacement (cc): 998
Bore x stroke (mm): 74.0 x 58.0
Aspiration: Digital fuel injection
Exhaust: 4-into-2-into-1-into-2 design
Starter: Electric
Cooling: Liquid
Drivetrain
Clutch/transmission: YVXC, variable ratio, magnesium chain case and cover
Suspension
Front: Second-generation independent double wishbone, link-type stabilizer bar, Fox FLOAT shocks, 9 inches of travel
Rear: ProActive CK, 36mm shock with remote reservoir and compression clicker adjustment, 11.5 inches of travel
Brake
Hydraulic four-piston, aluminum caliper, lightweight ventilated disc, mechanical parking brake, adjustable lever
Dimensions/Capacities
Weight (lb): 542
Fuel Capacity (gal): 10.0
Length (in): N/A
Width (in): N/A
Height (in): N/A
Track w/l/h (in.): 15 x 121 x 1.25
Track Type: Camoplast Rip Saw
Ski stance (in.): 42.0