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Thinking of going back to SKI DOO....HMMM


SuperG

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Hello all, 

 

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far... 

 

This will come as a shock to most of you I know Nunz, but I have been really thinking this past week of the upcoming (hopefully Elninya ) season and was thinking on switching back to SKI DOO. Something Ive been dead set against since I was a teen who had nothing but problems with his 95 formula Z 583 of which that tainted this young lad ever since not to buy another SKI DOO. That being said, over the last few years Ive tried the yamaha apex short track that was a great sled ON TRAIL! but as soon as off trail, good luck getting that out! I thought id try out the new polaris switchback 800 pro S. It was a great overall sled and weighed WAY less than the old apex, but still found it bottomed out on the bigger bumps as well I didnt like the cornering of the sled much to everyones hype about it. I found that it had too much outside ski lift cornering for my liking. As well, I definitely know im not big on the smell of the 2 stroke. 

 

So here I am looking at the new ski doo enduro 900ace. black in colour. I like that its a 4 stroke, it has the off trail capabilities and that its quiet. Biggest turning point to me was that it has a really nice air shock that you can shift on the fly. It can take some big hits without bottoming etc. Something I found with my ski doo buddies seemed to get that I never got with all the previous sleds was really good gas mileage.

 

So if any of you out there that have one or know someone that does or just know any other information about them pros cons etc or is it a good buy or where is the best ski doo dealer to get from would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Cheers,

 

The Gavinator  

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Is your Polaris an AXYS? If so, have you adjusted the set up? I've tried out a few of them, and ski lift or bottoming out were not issues for me.

 

On the earlier Polaris machines, I noticed ski lift, but not the AXYS.

 

As for the two stroke issue, no argument from me.

 

Just my two cents.

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Yes blake, I've tinkered with it several times to try to get it just where i want it but to no avail. :( .

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HUGE power difference and feel between an 800 2 stroke and the Ace 900. 600 2 stroke feels quicker than the Ace 900. The 900 is smooth and gets good mileage but sure doesn't have the snap of your 800. 

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I would personally get 600 etec. Great power, light weight, amazing on fuel (325 kms per tank is doable), starts instantly even in super cold weather. So far I have 8000 trouble free kms on mine. Skidoo has done a great job on these engines. If you are going to go four stroke, I would skip the 900 and get 1200. With longer track of a renegade, the extra weight is spread out nicely and these sleds are fairly torquey and quick. Good luck!

Ps those 583 were skidoo's best motor. I had one that lasted 27,000 kms without a rebuild.

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if u are getting inside ski lift and bottoming out u r not setting up the sled right..Tinkering with a suspension isnot setting it up. do one thing at a time the polaris AXYS is a great sled .Corners flat gas mileage is ok its faster than the doo 600 so dont give up on it yet

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if u are getting inside ski lift and bottoming out u r not setting up the sled right..Tinkering with a suspension isnot setting it up. do one thing at a time the polaris AXYS is a great sled .Corners

flat gas mileage is ok its faster than the doo 600

so dont give up on it yet

Maybe if you ride with someone that is familiar with your particular suspension, that would help you out greatly. Can look at their settings, trade sleds for abit too. Not many dealers today that can help with setup for your weight riding syle, most are paying kids to put them together and get them out the door.

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Hello all, 

 

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far... 

 

This will come as a shock to most of you I know Nunz, but I have been really thinking this past week of the upcoming (hopefully Elninya ) season and was thinking on switching back to SKI DOO. Something Ive been dead set against since I was a teen who had nothing but problems with his 95 formula Z 583 of which that tainted this young lad ever since not to buy another SKI DOO. That being said, over the last few years Ive tried the yamaha apex short track that was a great sled ON TRAIL! but as soon as off trail, good luck getting that out! I thought id try out the new polaris switchback 800 pro S. It was a great overall sled and weighed WAY less than the old apex, but still found it bottomed out on the bigger bumps as well I didnt like the cornering of the sled much to everyones hype about it. I found that it had too much outside ski lift cornering for my liking. As well, I definitely know im not big on the smell of the 2 stroke. 

 

So here I am looking at the new ski doo enduro 900ace. black in colour. I like that its a 4 stroke, it has the off trail capabilities and that its quiet. Biggest turning point to me was that it has a really nice air shock that you can shift on the fly. It can take some big hits without bottoming etc. Something I found with my ski doo buddies seemed to get that I never got with all the previous sleds was really good gas mileage.

 

So if any of you out there that have one or know someone that does or just know any other information about them pros cons etc or is it a good buy or where is the best ski doo dealer to get from would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Cheers,

 

The Gavinator  

SuperG -- I'm on my second sled with the rear air shock...first was a 1200 GSX long-track which I had for 4 seasons and put on about 14,000 trouble-free kms, and current one (new last season) is a black 1200 Enduro, in the Renegade chassis, so it's also a long track.  Rear air shock is awesome for on-the-fly adjustability, as trail conditions change, and gives a great ride. 1200 has tons of trail torque, and is great for higher-speed touring on groomed trails and gets decent fuel mileage when cruising (16-20 mpg), as long as your right thumb is not trigger happy all the time.  But if you do off-trail riding regularly, the 900 would be the better choice because of its' lighter weight...Mrs. irREVerent has a 900 Blizzard, which has an "in-between" chassis length with 129" track.  It certainly won't win top-speed races across the lake or on rail lines, but at typical trail speeds, it is very torquey and handles great...when set in "sport" mode, it feels a lot like her previous 600 E-TEC long-track up to about 75 mph.  Plus, it gets awesome fuel mileage (25 mpg), even when pushing fairly hard, which means great range between fill-ups on longer trips.

 

As for recommended dealers, the only 'Doo dealers in north Muskoka are Northland Recreation (northeast of Port Carling), plus The Cove near MacTier.  We have no direct experience with either one of them, so can't fairly comment.  Lately we've been dealing with St. Onge Recreation in Barrie, and have been treated well there.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Oh, and BTW, better keep your head up...when Nunz catches wind of what you are considering, he'll be on your case big-time...LOL.  

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Hello all, 

 

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far... 

 

This will come as a shock to most of you I know Nunz, but I have been really thinking this past week of the upcoming (hopefully Elninya ) season and was thinking on switching back to SKI DOO. Something Ive been dead set against since I was a teen who had nothing but problems with his 95 formula Z 583 of which that tainted this young lad ever since not to buy another SKI DOO. That being said, over the last few years Ive tried the yamaha apex short track that was a great sled ON TRAIL! but as soon as off trail, good luck getting that out! I thought id try out the new polaris switchback 800 pro S. It was a great overall sled and weighed WAY less than the old apex, but still found it bottomed out on the bigger bumps as well I didnt like the cornering of the sled much to everyones hype about it. I found that it had too much outside ski lift cornering for my liking. As well, I definitely know im not big on the smell of the 2 stroke. 

 

So here I am looking at the new ski doo enduro 900ace. black in colour. I like that its a 4 stroke, it has the off trail capabilities and that its quiet. Biggest turning point to me was that it has a really nice air shock that you can shift on the fly. It can take some big hits without bottoming etc. Something I found with my ski doo buddies seemed to get that I never got with all the previous sleds was really good gas mileage.

 

So if any of you out there that have one or know someone that does or just know any other information about them pros cons etc or is it a good buy or where is the best ski doo dealer to get from would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Cheers,

 

The Gavinator  

Gavin,

 

Do yourself a favour and take it to Rickwards in Kearney and have him set it up to your weight and style of riding, he may need to change out the rear spring and put a stiffer one. I love my Axys 800, they are a great handling sled but certainly need to be set up properly and by good servicing dealer, If I remember correctly yours was a Supertrax demo sled in 2015 from Byers, I would look at the shocks and springs as the sled probably got some good use in that first year. Selling it or trading it in you will take a pretty hit on deprecation for sure, keep that in mind as well, unless you have already sold it.

 

Hope this helps, I have tried to be respectful despite my brand loyalty...lol. I am also hoping White Dragon sees these posts in the near future as I cant wait to see what his comments will be.

 

Give me a shout if you need some help anytime or drop by anytime at our new place after August 1st.

 

Nunz

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Some critters don't like yellow.

 

post-22473-0-27202400-1468973466_thumb.jpg

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Thanks for all the comments guys. I know that the 900 wont have the snap or hp of my current 800 2 stroke, but realistically im a cruiser for the most part. I really dont go much over 100 kph, as trail conditions and speed limit on them are big factors for me and the big hp really isnt much of an issue to me. I do like the quieter ride that the 900ace offers and last year i found after longer rides i was starting to get a bit of a headache from the 2 stroke smoke. I tend to value the mpg better than hp.

 

Thanks for your input IrRev, I did stop in the other day to northland rec on my way to work and had a peak. I have heard good things about northland especially with their service. The Cove ive heard mixed reviews about. I love the link q system, cant beat it. Along with that rear air shock. I do think i will stick with the 900 as i do a bit of off trail and the lighter the better for that.  

 

Sorry Nunz,  I think my poo days are over :(. I just find that I do miss the 4 stroke capabilities and longevity of them. Yes I think my sled was just not set up properly for me maybe and it was a good sled but ultimately is just not for me. I know when I put it up for sale or trade it in i will take a bit of a hit on it but thats the game you have to play. An god help me when WD finds out! dun dun dun.... 

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HUGE power difference and feel between an 800 2 stroke and the Ace 900. 600 2 stroke feels quicker than the Ace 900. The 900 is smooth and gets good mileage but sure doesn't have the snap of your 800. 

 

I'm glad IrRev chimed in, knowing he'd have some good input on their 4-strokes ... never had a chance to try them (they've seen me beat on my 670 so it'll never happen now ... lol !)

 

We tried a 900 GT-LE the year previous, I loved it and wouldn't buy a trail sled with anything else in it.  I love how the power comes on so smoothly and predictable.  It's comparable to a 600 E-tec for cruising speeds and trail manners.  Personally I wouldn't buy another 2 stroke again (not a new sled anyway), certainly not an e-tec. And I find the 1200 too heavy for trail use unless it's in the XU Expedition chassis, where it truly shines.

 

I'm guessing the days of WOT and blown pistons is long past for you, and efficiency, comfort and control are now priority.  I can relate.

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Yes 007 lol, those days for me are pretty well over. Dont get me wrong sure i like getting out on a lake that i know and give it all shes got just to get it outta my system lol.but for the most part i like to just get out there going from point A to point B in comfort along with great friends. 

 

This year Denis 007 i hope to finally get up your way and even the sault area for a ride as well I finally want to do the R.A.P tour this up coming season as that will be #1 on my list!

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I'm glad IrRev chimed in, knowing he'd have some good input on their 4-strokes ... never had a chance to try them (they've seen me beat on my 670 so it'll never happen now ... lol !)

We tried a 900 GT-LE the year previous, I loved it and wouldn't buy a trail sled with anything else in it. I love how the power comes on so smoothly and predictable. It's comparable to a 600 E-tec for cruising speeds and trail manners.

Personally I wouldn't buy another 2 stroke

again (not a new sled anyway), certainly not an

e-tec. And I find the 1200 too heavy for trail use

unless it's in the XU Expedition chassis, where

it truly shines.

I'm guessing the days of WOT and blown pistons is long past for you, and efficiency, comfort and control are now priority. I can

relate.

The etec 600 is a great engine though, very low Maintaince.

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Do the 900's have an electric rad fan to keep engine cool on more icy trails?

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Do the 900's have an electric rad fan to keep engine cool on more icy trails?

Nope, not standard...but it is available as an accessory.  FWIW, we encountered lots of icy trails last winter, and never had an overheating issue on Mrs. irREV's 900ACE.  Ice scratchers are a cheaper alternative.

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Nope, not standard...but it is available as an accessory. FWIW, we encountered lots of icy trails last winter, and never had an overheating issue on Mrs. irREV's 900ACE. Ice scratchers

are a cheaper alternative.

What is ride quality like on the 129" track? I really like the ride on the 137" track. Does 900 start ok in cold weather? Is extra 15 pounds noticeable compared to the lighter etec.I am looking for a new sled for my dad and trying to decide if 900 is suitable. Thanks for the feed

back.

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The etec 600 is a great engine though, very low Maintaince.

 

... until you blow an injector at $500, or a coil at $350 .... you change your tune pretty quick after.

 

Keep your e-tecs, I'll stick with my carbs ....

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... until you blow an injector at $500, or a coil at $350 .... you change your tune pretty quick after.

Keep your e-tecs, I'll stick with my carbs ....

So far no trouble at 8000 kms. Are some injector issues because of stale fuel, that has been left in the tank?

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What is ride quality like on the 129" track? I really like the ride on the 137" track. Does 900 start ok in cold weather? Is extra 15 pounds noticeable compared to the lighter etec.I am looking for a new sled for my dad and trying to decide if 900 is suitable. Thanks for the feed

back.

Ride quality is very good when set up properly for the rider's weight, as the 129" skid has a shorter version of the same R-Motion rear suspension as is (presumably) on your 137" GT.  Zero issues with cold weather starting on either of our 4-strokes, 1200 or 900. The extra weight of the 900 is negligible, especially at regular trail speeds...more than offset by the shorter 129" skid.   

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... until you blow an injector at $500, or a coil at $350 .... you change your tune pretty quick after.

 

Keep your e-tecs, I'll stick with my carbs ....

I see your point but the sdi engines worked very well 

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I see your point but the sdi engines worked very well

Rings could pop off in reverse, major isse on early sdi's.

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Rings could pop off in reverse, major isse on early sdi's.

 

Huh?  Are you talking about piston rings? What did they pop off of?  So when the engine reverses, the pistons and rings now go down and up instead of up & down?

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