Whhhhoooooahh what a shoot out. I’m sure the comments are going to be wild! Everyone: Take a second to appreciate what we see here…. Who would have thought years ago that we’d be talking turbos on sleds that make 180+ HP, are jammed packed with technology and handle like they’re on rails…. These are truly the pinnacle of snowmobiles! We’re lucky to have brand options and these two clearly push each other to produce the best sleds ever. Thanks guys for bringing us this shootout!!! Have a great season! Look forward to the next video!!
Not only is shot nice, but it brings back the rope start backup standard! A huge miss on other doo models not having a rope backup and leaving it as an option you need to buy.
Both great sleds, thanks for the review. The one thing I couldn’t deal with on the skidoo is the open footwells. Idk how you guys do it, but I absolutely cannot weight the outside board in a corner without my foot flying off. Lynx has traps on the side which make total sense. Open wells made the sled feel super insecure and gave me very little confidence to push it.
All good points that are brought up. However I don’t understand how you don’t mention brakes or the fact that you need cell service on the BRP gauge, effectively rendering the maps useless. That’s kind of a big deal when it comes to tech, a lot more than handlebar angle markers. And even though my bias is to Polaris and know that their brake is superior, at least throw Ski-Doo a bone for coming out with a new brake! Is it better? How close is it to the Polaris? Thanks for doing this comparo SnowTrax!
For more detailed info on the XRS Competition, check out that full test ride. I talk about the brakes there. They ARE a wild improvment over any other skidoo brake. Still not as good as a polaris though.
I think you guys should do top speed testing on these like you did with the 900 ace turbo and t cat! Would compare the two turbo 2 strokes but also turbo 2 strokes to turbo 4 strokes!
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
I own both brands, I think you should have included braking which is a very important category, more so than if one has shot starter or not. Also, The screen technology needs to be on it's own comparison and we all know the 7S is in a whole different world from the 10.25 functionality. The mapping system on the skidoo is garbage, so don't discount that. So when you add these two important categories, then Polaris wins. You could do this all day long. Both are great sleds, it comes down to which one fits a person and handles better.
I'd also add in customization when spring ordering. When spending well over 20K on a new top shelf performance sled, its nice not to be forced into buying something that will look EXACTLY the same as everyone else who ordered one. Even Ford had this figured out back in the 1920's!
I haven't rode the competition turbo. We don't have snow so I haven't rode much of anything this year. However, I believe the competition is a 4 piston caliper with an adjustable brake lever. If braking is your concern, I don't think the Polaris brake system would be better and it certainly lacks the adjustability. Kinda important since no two people are the same.
Great video guys thanks. I own both a 2023 Boost and a Competition 850T. I have just shy of 1000km on my Comp now and I have to say it's the best Doo I have owned to date. I thought it was going to be to stiff but it is perfection in the suspension department. The front end is the best handling Doo I have had. Not as good as my Boost and certainly not as good as my 24 XCR 850, but still oh so good! I sold my Mach at the beginning of the season and do not miss it one bit. I can tell you as of the last time I lined up my Boost and Comp the Boost was bye bye. Quicker and faster on GPS. I only had about 150km on the Comp at that time. Time to line them up again now that the Comp is broke in.
I bought 2 55 gallon barrels of Methanol years ago. I have an off road diesel lime spreader truck with a 3208 Cat engine swap.. That Radiator is not big enough and after 19,500 hours since a re-core it's too thin which makes it not cool very well. So I added water Injection in the summer... I have to add methanol to the 7 gallon tank in when it's cold out.. Injecting water makes steam and cools your engine that steam is free horse power and fuel economy .
When you guys get a sled to test or do a comparo like this, how much time/effort do you put into the suspension setup? Do you set preload for your rough weights/preferences as well as play with compression settings, or mostly run them as they arrives other than clicker settings?
Great question. We typically try and pick a good middle ground. We have a long list of people who ride these sleds, often times multiple people during a single ride. Its not realistic to re-adjust the suspension for each person during a day of riding. So we pick a middle ground setting that SHOULD work well for everyone. Is it perfect? No. But part of our job is to filter out the things the suspension isnt doing well that is BECAUSE of the middle ground settings and not count that against the sled. In a shootout like this one, we set up both sleds to be right in between AJ and my weight. Thats as far as ride height is concerned. As far as the compression/rebound settings are concerned, at the beginning of each season we set both to their fully open positions. Then as we ride we turn up the clickers until we reach a spot were happy with. They DO get adjusted each ride though so its helpful to remember where I set the clickers on a specific sled so I can reset them when I get back on after someone else has been riding it. Remember, your sled SHOULD bottom out on the BIGGEST hits. If it never bottoms out... EVER... your not using all the suspension travel you paid for. Hope that helps man.
Great comparison. Love my 23 VR1 Boost and 22 XCR 850. I'd love to see either the patriot boost or 9R in the XCR offered by Polaris. The 7S is the game changer compared to other offerings.
Love the competition that Ski-Doo always brings to the industry. I wonder how Polaris will respond? I still prefer the 7s display. Great video as always
Look forward to having all 4 big dogs head-to-head on a 2-3 mile stretch of groomed lake run. If all 4 can be acquired & have some break-in. The 998 has held the speed title for virtually a decade & beat off all posers. Maybe there is a new titleholder?
Want to know what the competition the competition package is for lol!! Since there is no terrain racing that allows 850’s must just be for Polaris boost haha!! Good stuff Would love to see a drag race though with all the turbo’s including cat and Yamaha.
Thing I notice in action shots is the Polaris front A-arms are sagged below the mounting points. Thinking that's not ideal--especially in rough trails.
The Prob I have is Range. If you add Power. Ad some range with a larger gas tank. How often do I see people carrying gas like we did in the 1990's when we had 650 sks. Gas range is the pits. Give us enough to get 140 to 160 miles and still be a trail missile.
Hey, if it ant pooster himself. 😂. Did you say something 🤔. Oh please share the list and start that firestorm. I'm sure others will laugh after all bad press Poo has had. SnowWest even dedicates full shows on poor quality Poo. I gotta stop waisting my time here
@@bigchaloopa You’ll laugh because you’re not capable of accepting the truth. You won’t admit to Doo’s exploding chain cases. You won’t admit their garbage 2 piece drive shaft. You won’t comment under Muskoka’s CONTINUED issues with his 154 G5. You conveniently forget about his Freeride seizing with 34 km’s on it, and you gloss over the multiple tracks falling apart along with belts blowing up under 300 miles. ALL YOU DOO QUEENS FOCUS ON IS POLARIS. We live rent-free in your head.
Yes and these 2 stroke’s should be scaled up to big inline 6 and v8 for trucks with insane torque. Lightning bolts and the sun are plasma 2 stroke entities.
cool but i'm here hoping for a 700 2 stroke to return... 700 comp XRS with 46mm KYB all around and shot start has me drooling. riding in the mtns the boost RMK sputters as well... like it needs to be full throttle all the time. could be why so many are going through multiple sets of plugs per season or week in some cases.
If ski-doo would put that Pilot R ski on this model & tighten that strap one hole tighter from the factory i think it could possibly have taken the cornering catergory.
Keep in mind, we all agree this skidoo is the best handling skidoo theyve made in a while. So, changing things would likely hurt its score. If I had to pick ANY skidoo sled to ride all day, it would be the turbo. Not for the motor, but for the handling.
You are right my son and I both have 850T and he has Pilot R I have the stock Pilot X. It took me 2 corners on his to figure out the error of my ways. I bought a set of Pilot Rs last night. And we are rhe same size and weight sleds set up almost exactly the same.
@@208SledHead on the Trails a Skidoo will go as far on a 9 gallon gas tank as Polaris and Arctic cat go in a 12 Gallon Gas tank .. I ride the same trails and routes and fill up at the same gas stations as guys with other Brands.. The Skidoo always used significantly less gas.. traveling the same distance at the same speeds on the same day . It does better than my 2006 Yamaha Attack .. which used less gas while I ride in deep snow in the Ditch while the Polaris guys rode down the middle of the road.
@@mikeskidmore6754 That doesn’t tell me anything though. If one person is puttin around and the others are riding aggressive, then obviously they’re gonna use more gas. If someone weighs more than the other person, they’re gonna use more fuel. But I already know what you’re gonna say so…✌🏻
@@208SledHead I told you everything already, We were riding together in a Pack in a Group On Gravel roads with good hard pack .. I would run down the road too and we would drag race.. I was pulling away from the Polaris Sleds in a somewhat impressive Many .. This was in the Cadilac MI area.. There are no Mountains and not really much off Trail riding.. If it's beyond your Comprehension to visualize riding on the same roads and trails and maybe across a Lake or two then I guess you are just too slow to Comprehend the nature of Trail riding. We all pulled up to the same gas stations and filled up at the same time. My 4 stroke Yamaha used less gasoline than the others even though I rode in the deep snow in the ditches while they drove down the road. 4 other guys admitted that I needed less fuel at every stop .. We all weighed about the same.. My Skidoo Renegade 800 uses less gasoline than my 4 stroke Yamaha does.. that could partly be because it weighs 175 # less my Yamaha has a 136" track and my Skidoo has a 137" by 16" track .. One sled I was riding with had a 144" track with 1.75 cleats he noted that his sled was using more gas with the new track than it did in the past with 1.25 lugs.. Would you argue that a Ford F-250 Gas might not use as much gas as my Duramax 2500 HD uses in Diesel ? Oh my 88 Chevy 350 with throttle body fuel injection and headers on a really cold day got 8.8 Miles per gallon .. My Duramax gets 16 MPG pulling the same Trailer .. but maybe my stomach was more full because I ate two Hamburgers while driving the gas truck and only ate one Hamburger the day I was driving the gas truck .. It's not Rocket Science..
@@mikeskidmore6754 You added a helluva lot more to that second post than you did the original. You still can’t explain throttle control and you still haven’t mentioned weight - both are massive contributing factors to MPG. But I already know what you’re gonna say so spare me. Thanks👍🏻
Both sleds are awesome, pretty fair review. However, how the heck do you boil down syrup to make sap?! Maybe I’m a bit nit picky, but as a home syrup producer when sledding season ends you’ve definitely done that metaphor backwards 😅 Cheers from North Bay guys!
When your shooting candid stuff like this, your not going to nail every comment. Were human, like you. Sometimes we get the metaphor backwards, sometimes we dont. If you dont like it... Make like a tree, and get out of here. (Biff Tannon from "Back to the Future") Lol
It will still give you boost, but it will cut the boost when the temps get to high. It only uses the methanol on LONG full throttle pulls. Unless all you do is lake race, a tank of methanol will last a LONG time.
Polaris DONT TOUCH THE FOOT WELLS!!! U already ruined them by opening up the bottoms on trail sleds where feet get cold 🤦♂️ Ski doos open foot wells suck
By the way, u guys raze on skidoo about the bad front end. Well surprise surprise 2025 they have dramatically changed the front end with skis, spindles, A arms and shocks.
I hope they did a drag race and are just saving it for another video. I don't think many care about one engine being more refined, more concerned with what one performs better.
You're generalizing and trying to suggest you know what everyone else is interested in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in an upcoming drag race. We'll have a Sidewinder XTX too, which we'll throw in the mix...
How? The C8 and Hellcat are wildly different. These machines are virtually the same weight, same horsepower, same acceleration and the same price. Except the Polaris handles better and has far superior braking, so kind of like the C8 Z06 I guess?
Luke is sitting much higher than A.J.. Look at the front belly height of both snowmobiles. The Skidoo's higher engine section certainly harms it on the trail. It would be necessary to measure. The Skidoo seems more geared towards the snowcross type than the flat trail.
Some of these sleds aren't even past break-in when we first ride them and some are prototypes, plus we are riding at altitude, which impacts performance. We usually do shootouts on our home turf, but last season SUCKED for snow.
The polaris 7S is better. But the skidoo has other technology that made for a tie in that category. You CAN download full maps onto the skidoo display for use when there is no cell signal. So its not totally useless. Just requires more planning and effort.
@@pavmentsurfer13 fair enough. Im not into the tether really. Expensive if you loose it versus a simple key. If someone wants to steal a sled they will.
It would be nice if you guys set the sleds up the same to your rider weights. Look at the a arm angles on a stock XRS sled compared to a Polaris. Of course the Polaris will be more precise in the corners when it’s a arms are flat and the ski doos are setup for moguls. It would be nice if you did a more accurate, properly setup comparison.
Its not a realistic possibility. These sleds get ridden by multiple people each ride. We set them up to be as good a compromise as possible. Part of our job is to not count things the suspension doesnt do well BECAUSE of this compromise. With that said, the XRS is SUPPOSED to be setup taller in the front. Its designed that way. It has a tall er ride height than other skidoos. It also handles WAY better than other skidoos. SO... its very likely the extra ride height is the REASON it handles better. The Lynx sits up tall as well and it handles better than any other skidoo. The Polaris is SUPPOSED to be setup with the a-arms level. There was nothign wrong with the setup on either of these sleds.
I hate that fluttering sound of the turbo. Plus, I don't need a turbo for the trails since the speed limit is 50mph. 165hp on the Rotax 850 is plenty of power on my 2022 backcountry X 850.😊
You shouldn't. We are just lying to you to sell snowmobiles. Heck, we didn't even ride these and this was just shot on a set in a studio in front of a green screen. You should just get out of the sport completely and get yourself an e-bike.
Skidoo has always been my first choice, though I appreciate the dialog, you guys still failed to show what matters most, which one is faster ! Now get on the lake, and finish the comparison 😁
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
I disagree that top speed matters MOST... but I agree its important. Were waiting for both the right snow conditions, and both sleds to be fully broken in before we shoot this test though. Fear not, it IS coming.
This was shot at 6500 feet of elevation. Its why we didnt do any top speed testing. Theyre both at an equal disadvantage (though not nearly as much as an NA sled) .
You should be able to see what the boost is on the skidoo by holding the center area where the Smart chocks area would be on that screen. I was able to on my four stroke turbo RXRS see what I am pushing for boost battery volts stuff like thatby holding the center of the screen to change the modes
You can't do a Turbo sled shoot out with out a Drag race on a lake with studded tracks.. Get some one to plow two lanes on a like for you a mile long with a snow blower ..
Its coming. The location we shot these at was not appropriate for top speed runs. We have both here at home now. Once they are both out of break in, well shoot a top speed story.
I wish someone could dial in my vr1 front end. heard so many good things about it before I bought but so far very disappointed in the twisties, take my procross front end any day over the Polaris
Are you trying to ride it like a procross? If you are, its not going to work as well as it should. Every sled requires different riding styles. I promise you, the Polaris front end will out handle a procross in the twisties every time.
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
buddy of mine had 2 of the turbo rs and sold them both they are not as good as you would think. also real world for the methinal its a 100 miles to a gallon of that stuff at 35 usd ya no thank you
RIGHT......................having to ad ANYTHING other than gas and 2-stroke oil is absurd!!!!!!!!!!!!!! METHANOL is junk.... I get Meth-free 91 octane here in NYS..... I dont even put Meth=gas in my TRUCK!
We have a Competition package turbo as well and we love it. So, maybe your buddy isnt the single person the world should be listening to for advice on sleds. And, if you use a full tank of methanol in 100 miles, youve likely spent that entire 100 miles at full throttle. Methanol is only used during prolonged full throttle runs. If you ride it like most people will, a tank will last a long time. We have closer to 400 miles on our and still havent used even a 1/4... more like an 1/8 at most.
Ok Really!! When I think Shootout ?? We line the sleds up and drag race down a quarter-mile strip. It may be cars, street bikes, SXS, etc…. Please guys we like that you have a great review on the two sleds, but the king of the hill is still a bit of a guess game. Let run the bad boy sleds, best of five runs. Is the WINNER All factory equipment, no studs, etc… let see that!! Otherwise great job on the video 😂
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
![ปฏิเสธไม่ไหว (Crush on you) - LIPTA feat. No One Else [TEASER MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VC689EgdSIw/mqdefault.jpg)
Whhhhoooooahh what a shoot out. I’m sure the comments are going to be wild! Everyone: Take a second to appreciate what we see here…. Who would have thought years ago that we’d be talking turbos on sleds that make 180+ HP, are jammed packed with technology and handle like they’re on rails…. These are truly the pinnacle of snowmobiles! We’re lucky to have brand options and these two clearly push each other to produce the best sleds ever. Thanks guys for bringing us this shootout!!! Have a great season! Look forward to the next video!!
Glad you enjoyed!! 👊💥🎉
Wouldn’t mind a few 1000ft DragRaces in the next Video!
@@mrmoparrr Stay tuned!!
still wont beat a good old 90's tripple sound.
@@sergiolandz6056 Hahahahaha nope - not even close!!!!!
Not only is shot nice, but it brings back the rope start backup standard! A huge miss on other doo models not having a rope backup and leaving it as an option you need to buy.
100% accurate comment. Battery only is not what the customers want.
SHOT should be a industry standard love it on my trail ridden FREERIDE every weekend
I like the style of this video with both of you talking about the sleds!
Love this video before even watching it. I don't care who wins I just love the fact that you did it.
Can I ask one question. Lighting on them skidoo vs Polaris... Night time riding. Which one do you prefer for nighttime rides
Both sick sleds,I have a 2023 assault 850 and I love it. Made me fall in love with the sport again. Just wish it would snow in Minnesota
Both great sleds, thanks for the review. The one thing I couldn’t deal with on the skidoo is the open footwells. Idk how you guys do it, but I absolutely cannot weight the outside board in a corner without my foot flying off. Lynx has traps on the side which make total sense. Open wells made the sled feel super insecure and gave me very little confidence to push it.
The side plates can be added. I originally put them on with the same thoughts as you, but have since removed them. No regrets.
Good choice guys 👍🏻.And It's a 🇨🇦 🇲🇶 made and that's a great thing 👍🏻❄❄❄❄
Awesome shootout! Thanks again guys
All good points that are brought up. However I don’t understand how you don’t mention brakes or the fact that you need cell service on the BRP gauge, effectively rendering the maps useless. That’s kind of a big deal when it comes to tech, a lot more than handlebar angle markers. And even though my bias is to Polaris and know that their brake is superior, at least throw Ski-Doo a bone for coming out with a new brake! Is it better? How close is it to the Polaris?
Thanks for doing this comparo SnowTrax!
You don't need service for the maps. You can download entire states to the app and use the GPS rather You have service or not
For more detailed info on the XRS Competition, check out that full test ride. I talk about the brakes there. They ARE a wild improvment over any other skidoo brake. Still not as good as a polaris though.
I think you guys should do top speed testing on these like you did with the 900 ace turbo and t cat! Would compare the two turbo 2 strokes but also turbo 2 strokes to turbo 4 strokes!
Stay tuned!!
What sled is faster in 1/8 mile?
The Trump train has a v-16 2 stroke with 850 CID per cylinder and makes 13,500 HP at 1150 RPM!
AJ and Luke, I love your videos and comparing different snowmobiles. The LIKES and DISLIKES. AWESOME JOB. 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you!!!
YOU GOTTA LINE THEM UP ON THE LAKE! TURBOS ARE MADE TO GO FAST, SO LETS SEE WHICH ONE IS FASTER!
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
When are we going to see the Drag Race !!! ? 😎
I own both brands, I think you should have included braking which is a very important category, more so than if one has shot starter or not. Also, The screen technology needs to be on it's own comparison and we all know the 7S is in a whole different world from the 10.25 functionality. The mapping system on the skidoo is garbage, so don't discount that. So when you add these two important categories, then Polaris wins. You could do this all day long. Both are great sleds, it comes down to which one fits a person and handles better.
which one is faster wot?
They couldn't confirm - they said that within the first few minutes.@@flyinhighaerial3193
I'd also add in customization when spring ordering. When spending well over 20K on a new top shelf performance sled, its nice not to be forced into buying something that will look EXACTLY the same as everyone else who ordered one.
Even Ford had this figured out back in the 1920's!
I haven't rode the competition turbo. We don't have snow so I haven't rode much of anything this year.
However, I believe the competition is a 4 piston caliper with an adjustable brake lever. If braking is your concern, I don't think the Polaris brake system would be better and it certainly lacks the adjustability. Kinda important since no two people are the same.
@Snowtrax - great video guys. Thank you!
Thank you!!!
Really well done. I have a '24 VR1 Boost 137" and enjoyed the video.
Thank you!!!
Always a great review! Crazy how Ski-doo can add a turbo, piping, waste gate and Methanol tank and fluid for 6lbs?
SHOTS. STARTERS SAVE WEIGHT.
@@sylvainlaurence1554 Really?
This is the one I have been waiting for!!!!!! Great Review guys!!!!!!!
Great video guys thanks. I own both a 2023 Boost and a Competition 850T. I have just shy of 1000km on my Comp now and I have to say it's the best Doo I have owned to date. I thought it was going to be to stiff but it is perfection in the suspension department. The front end is the best handling Doo I have had. Not as good as my Boost and certainly not as good as my 24 XCR 850, but still oh so good! I sold my Mach at the beginning of the season and do not miss it one bit.
I can tell you as of the last time I lined up my Boost and Comp the Boost was bye bye. Quicker and faster on GPS. I only had about 150km on the Comp at that time. Time to line them up again now that the Comp is broke in.
I bought 2 55 gallon barrels of Methanol years ago. I have an off road diesel lime spreader truck with a 3208 Cat engine swap.. That Radiator is not big enough and after 19,500 hours since a re-core it's too thin which makes it not cool very well.
So I added water Injection in the summer... I have to add methanol to the 7 gallon tank in when it's cold out..
Injecting water makes steam and cools your engine that steam is free horse power and fuel economy .
Love it.
Check out the story I did specifically on the Skidoo engine. It covers all of this.
Got so excited when I saw this in my notifications!
Whoa whoa whoa, but which one is faster??
Awesome vid guys. Really enjoyed it.
Appreciate that!!
Thanks for the great video!! Where are you guys testing these? Conditions look good!
This was shot in Montana in March. Conditions were amazing.
Gotta throw Doo a bone every few years anyway 😂. Too bad it’s almost February and us in the Midwest haven’t had a day to ride yet 😢
Agree that ski-do is wicked! But I’ll take either one.
😆
Fantastic shootout
Thank you!!
When you guys get a sled to test or do a comparo like this, how much time/effort do you put into the suspension setup? Do you set preload for your rough weights/preferences as well as play with compression settings, or mostly run them as they arrives other than clicker settings?
Great question. We typically try and pick a good middle ground. We have a long list of people who ride these sleds, often times multiple people during a single ride. Its not realistic to re-adjust the suspension for each person during a day of riding. So we pick a middle ground setting that SHOULD work well for everyone. Is it perfect? No. But part of our job is to filter out the things the suspension isnt doing well that is BECAUSE of the middle ground settings and not count that against the sled. In a shootout like this one, we set up both sleds to be right in between AJ and my weight. Thats as far as ride height is concerned. As far as the compression/rebound settings are concerned, at the beginning of each season we set both to their fully open positions. Then as we ride we turn up the clickers until we reach a spot were happy with. They DO get adjusted each ride though so its helpful to remember where I set the clickers on a specific sled so I can reset them when I get back on after someone else has been riding it. Remember, your sled SHOULD bottom out on the BIGGEST hits. If it never bottoms out... EVER... your not using all the suspension travel you paid for. Hope that helps man.
Are dealerships able to order and stock these Spring Only/Snow Check models, or are they for individual orders only?
I bet you'll see one or two around.
the polaris is the sharper looking sled..
Doing the Doo 🏆
Great comparison. Love my 23 VR1 Boost and 22 XCR 850. I'd love to see either the patriot boost or 9R in the XCR offered by Polaris. The 7S is the game changer compared to other offerings.
7S is awesome.
Something like an XC9R? Thats what I want.
Love the competition that Ski-Doo always brings to the industry. I wonder how Polaris will respond? I still prefer the 7s display. Great video as always
As a former desert racer of big bore two strokes, I'd freaking love to throw my legs over that Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS.
Rotax and Polaris those 2 stroke bigger for cars/trucks too. I hate 4 joke stroke in them too.
Rotax and Polaris those 2 stroke bigger for cars/trucks too. I hate 4 joke stroke in them too.
Rotax and Polaris those 2 stroke bigger for cars/trucks too. I hate 4 joke stroke in them too.
Look forward to having all 4 big dogs head-to-head on a 2-3 mile stretch of groomed lake run. If all 4 can be acquired & have some break-in. The 998 has held the speed title for virtually a decade & beat off all posers. Maybe there is a new titleholder?
What Sled is Quicker head to head?
Skidoo is the top dog now , doesn’t matter if u have some extra thing to fill , still out performs over Polaris they hit a home run,
Nice review. Great job guys
Thank you!
Who pays these prices for a snowmobile my god ! Crazy!
I’d be more than happy to ride and own either one!
And the 10.25 " display dont get black?😅 is that issue fixt?
Want to know what the competition the competition package is for lol!!
Since there is no terrain racing that allows 850’s must just be for Polaris boost haha!!
Good stuff
Would love to see a drag race though with all the turbo’s including cat and Yamaha.
Looking forward to it, can you also get a Thundercat ?
Thing I notice in action shots is the Polaris front A-arms are sagged below the mounting points. Thinking that's not ideal--especially in rough trails.
The Prob I have is Range. If you add Power. Ad some range with a larger gas tank. How often do I see people carrying gas like we did in the 1990's when we had 650 sks. Gas range is the pits. Give us enough to get 140 to 160 miles and still be a trail missile.
are they both 137s
Baloney...I will take the Polaris all day long!!!
Awesome video 👌.
Love that SKI-DOO feeling ✌.
Glad you didn't compare the list of recalls 😅.
You want me to add the list of BRP recalls, or you just gonna pretend like they don't exist like a typical Doo queen?
Hey, if it ant pooster himself. 😂. Did you say something 🤔. Oh please share the list and start that firestorm. I'm sure others will laugh after all bad press Poo has had. SnowWest even dedicates full shows on poor quality Poo. I gotta stop waisting my time here
@@bigchaloopa You’ll laugh because you’re not capable of accepting the truth. You won’t admit to Doo’s exploding chain cases. You won’t admit their garbage 2 piece drive shaft. You won’t comment under Muskoka’s CONTINUED issues with his 154 G5. You conveniently forget about his Freeride seizing with 34 km’s on it, and you gloss over the multiple tracks falling apart along with belts blowing up under 300 miles. ALL YOU DOO QUEENS FOCUS ON IS POLARIS. We live rent-free in your head.
My Cousin says those High Horsepower sleds are the first to the scene of the accident .
It’s part of the game, no one is forced here…
This is no surprise. I mean brp motors are legend
Yes and these 2 stroke’s should be scaled up to big inline 6 and v8 for trucks with insane torque. Lightning bolts and the sun are plasma 2 stroke entities.
cool but i'm here hoping for a 700 2 stroke to return... 700 comp XRS with 46mm KYB all around and shot start has me drooling. riding in the mtns the boost RMK sputters as well... like it needs to be full throttle all the time. could be why so many are going through multiple sets of plugs per season or week in some cases.
Do you think that snowmobiles will eliminate the pulll cord on the different machines
Doo already has...for whatever reason.
I sure hope not. The majority of the feedback we get about skidoo not having a pull cord on their sleds is negative. MOST people prefer to have it.
If ski-doo would put that Pilot R ski on this model & tighten that strap one hole tighter from the factory i think it could possibly have taken the cornering catergory.
Keep in mind, we all agree this skidoo is the best handling skidoo theyve made in a while. So, changing things would likely hurt its score. If I had to pick ANY skidoo sled to ride all day, it would be the turbo. Not for the motor, but for the handling.
You are right my son and I both have 850T and he has Pilot R I have the stock Pilot X. It took me 2 corners on his to figure out the error of my ways. I bought a set of Pilot Rs last night. And we are rhe same size and weight sleds set up almost exactly the same.
Kowabunga Dude!! Lots of People on that Ninja Turtle looking Ski-Don't..
It's the 2nd year with the Ski-Doo Gen 5 look, and I can confirm that Gen 4 still looks far better as far as styling goes.
Interested to know top speed and braking?
Skidoo has Shot yes.. but they are the only Direct Fuel injection engines that I know of and they get a lot better fuel Economy as far as I know..
Ehhhh not in the mountains they don't. I know that for a fact. I dunno about the trail sleds though.
@@208SledHead on the Trails a Skidoo will go as far on a 9 gallon gas tank as Polaris and Arctic cat go in a 12 Gallon Gas tank .. I ride the same trails and routes and fill up at the same gas stations as guys with other Brands.. The Skidoo always used significantly less gas.. traveling the same distance at the same speeds on the same day .
It does better than my 2006 Yamaha Attack .. which used less gas while I ride in deep snow in the Ditch while the Polaris guys rode down the middle of the road.
@@mikeskidmore6754 That doesn’t tell me anything though. If one person is puttin around and the others are riding aggressive, then obviously they’re gonna use more gas. If someone weighs more than the other person, they’re gonna use more fuel. But I already know what you’re gonna say so…✌🏻
@@208SledHead I told you everything already, We were riding together in a Pack in a Group On Gravel roads with good hard pack .. I would run down the road too and we would drag race.. I was pulling away from the Polaris Sleds in a somewhat impressive Many .. This was in the Cadilac MI area.. There are no Mountains and not really much off Trail riding..
If it's beyond your Comprehension to visualize riding on the same roads and trails and maybe across a Lake or two then I guess you are just too slow to Comprehend the nature of Trail riding.
We all pulled up to the same gas stations and filled up at the same time. My 4 stroke Yamaha used less gasoline than the others even though I rode in the deep snow in the ditches while they drove down the road.
4 other guys admitted that I needed less fuel at every stop .. We all weighed about the same..
My Skidoo Renegade 800 uses less gasoline than my 4 stroke Yamaha does.. that could partly be because it weighs 175 # less my Yamaha has a 136" track and my Skidoo has a 137" by 16" track .. One sled I was riding with had a 144" track with 1.75 cleats he noted that his sled was using more gas with the new track than it did in the past with 1.25 lugs..
Would you argue that a Ford F-250 Gas might not use as much gas as my Duramax 2500 HD uses in Diesel ? Oh my 88 Chevy 350 with throttle body fuel injection and headers on a really cold day got 8.8 Miles per gallon .. My Duramax gets 16 MPG pulling the same Trailer .. but maybe my stomach was more full because I ate two Hamburgers while driving the gas truck and only ate one Hamburger the day I was driving the gas truck .. It's not Rocket Science..
@@mikeskidmore6754 You added a helluva lot more to that second post than you did the original. You still can’t explain throttle control and you still haven’t mentioned weight - both are massive contributing factors to MPG. But I already know what you’re gonna say so spare me. Thanks👍🏻
Amazing sleds but wow. Do you really need that much hp/speed on the trails!?
Both sleds are awesome, pretty fair review.
However, how the heck do you boil down syrup to make sap?! Maybe I’m a bit nit picky, but as a home syrup producer when sledding season ends you’ve definitely done that metaphor backwards 😅
Cheers from North Bay guys!
Yes its the other way 40 gallons of sap boiled down makes 1 gallon of syrup.
When your shooting candid stuff like this, your not going to nail every comment. Were human, like you. Sometimes we get the metaphor backwards, sometimes we dont. If you dont like it... Make like a tree, and get out of here. (Biff Tannon from "Back to the Future") Lol
I miss S N O W!!! Go Doo!
so the polaris turbo flutter noise bothers you but the launch control impresses you
Should do all the turbos quarter mile
Just need snow and it never happened this season.
Skidoo always has been the top dog, Ever since the first rev, No one can compete.
🤣
What if you run out of methanol? Does it just operate exactly like the mountain sleds?
It will still give you boost, but it will cut the boost when the temps get to high. It only uses the methanol on LONG full throttle pulls. Unless all you do is lake race, a tank of methanol will last a LONG time.
I want to see you guys race both of these sleds
Stay tuned...
Polaris DONT TOUCH THE FOOT WELLS!!! U already ruined them by opening up the bottoms on trail sleds where feet get cold 🤦♂️ Ski doos open foot wells suck
We cut and zip tied a rubber mat on foot wells, looks factory
By the way, u guys raze on skidoo about the bad front end. Well surprise surprise 2025 they have dramatically changed the front end with skis, spindles, A arms and shocks.
I hope they did a drag race and are just saving it for another video. I don't think many care about one engine being more refined, more concerned with what one performs better.
You're generalizing and trying to suggest you know what everyone else is interested in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in an upcoming drag race. We'll have a Sidewinder XTX too, which we'll throw in the mix...
I’ll take the one with less recalls
😎
998 is still king of the land.
The 1000 sdi!
All Skidoo does is win win win
At leaving people on the mountain, yea
It's like comparing a Hellcat vs. corvette, basically
How? The C8 and Hellcat are wildly different.
These machines are virtually the same weight, same horsepower, same acceleration and the same price. Except the Polaris handles better and has far superior braking, so kind of like the C8 Z06 I guess?
Both need to to go with 2 stroke DFI v8’s as the sucky 4 joke stroke has done it’s time.
Both need to to go with 2 stroke DFI v8’s as the sucky 4 joke stroke has done it’s time.
Luke is sitting much higher than A.J.. Look at the front belly height of both snowmobiles. The Skidoo's higher engine section certainly harms it on the trail. It would be necessary to measure. The Skidoo seems more geared towards the snowcross type than the flat trail.
The only negative is both sleds are getting way too expensive for a few month riding experience.
There are trails where you were (West Yellowstone) to find out which is faster. Telling us no is BS!
Some of these sleds aren't even past break-in when we first ride them and some are prototypes, plus we are riding at altitude, which impacts performance. We usually do shootouts on our home turf, but last season SUCKED for snow.
What about the skidoo maping needing a phone connected for gps to work? If thats true thats a huge technology downfall imho
The polaris 7S is better. But the skidoo has other technology that made for a tie in that category. You CAN download full maps onto the skidoo display for use when there is no cell signal. So its not totally useless. Just requires more planning and effort.
@@pavmentsurfer13 fair enough. Im not into the tether really. Expensive if you loose it versus a simple key. If someone wants to steal a sled they will.
It would be nice if you guys set the sleds up the same to your rider weights. Look at the a arm angles on a stock XRS sled compared to a Polaris. Of course the Polaris will be more precise in the corners when it’s a arms are flat and the ski doos are setup for moguls. It would be nice if you did a more accurate, properly setup comparison.
Its not a realistic possibility. These sleds get ridden by multiple people each ride. We set them up to be as good a compromise as possible. Part of our job is to not count things the suspension doesnt do well BECAUSE of this compromise. With that said, the XRS is SUPPOSED to be setup taller in the front. Its designed that way. It has a tall er ride height than other skidoos. It also handles WAY better than other skidoos. SO... its very likely the extra ride height is the REASON it handles better. The Lynx sits up tall as well and it handles better than any other skidoo. The Polaris is SUPPOSED to be setup with the a-arms level. There was nothign wrong with the setup on either of these sleds.
I hate that fluttering sound of the turbo. Plus, I don't need a turbo for the trails since the speed limit is 50mph. 165hp on the Rotax 850 is plenty of power on my 2022 backcountry X 850.😊
I can help you with this.... DONT GET ONE. Problem solved. Wasnt that easy.
@@pavmentsurfer13 I'm not interested in one.
Be careful with those sleds I'll want to buy one from you in 5-8 years. 😆😆
😆
You guys said the Mach Z was crazy fast and it turned out to be a Turd. So why should we believe you about the 850 Turbo R ?????
You shouldn't. We are just lying to you to sell snowmobiles. Heck, we didn't even ride these and this was just shot on a set in a studio in front of a green screen. You should just get out of the sport completely and get yourself an e-bike.
Skidoo has always been my first choice, though I appreciate the dialog, you guys still failed to show what matters most, which one is faster ! Now get on the lake, and finish the comparison 😁
Stay tuned!!
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
@@snowtrax The video the sno-mo-world is waiting for! Kevlar Lake will never be the same!
I disagree that top speed matters MOST... but I agree its important. Were waiting for both the right snow conditions, and both sleds to be fully broken in before we shoot this test though. Fear not, it IS coming.
Braking no longer of any importance when measuring performance? lol
What’s a brake?
@@markfrench1410 According to yellow engineering - when applied, its all or nothing!
The Ski-Doo motor is hitting 8100-8200 rpm in the video That is down over 12 HP from peak and 16.5 torque. Should be shooting for no more than 7900.
This was shot at 6500 feet of elevation. Its why we didnt do any top speed testing. Theyre both at an equal disadvantage (though not nearly as much as an NA sled) .
You should be able to see what the boost is on the skidoo by holding the center area where the Smart chocks area would be on that screen. I was able to on my four stroke turbo RXRS see what I am pushing for boost battery volts stuff like thatby holding the center of the screen to change the modes
the boost gauge is a % readout, not PSI unfortunately
Hopefully like you said, in the future, a software update can address that
The sled we rode was a pre-production unit. They added that feature shortly after we shot this.
is this video sped up?
No
Holy bejeezuz, 22K for a sled!
How does Polaris keep intake temps down if it doesn’t have a intercooler or meth injection???
That's for their engineers to know.
You can't do a Turbo sled shoot out with out a Drag race on a lake with studded tracks.. Get some one to plow two lanes on a like for you a mile long with a snow blower ..
yup
Its coming. The location we shot these at was not appropriate for top speed runs. We have both here at home now. Once they are both out of break in, well shoot a top speed story.
Skidoo by a snowflake ❄️! Which one gets better gas mileage 😮
I wish someone could dial in my vr1 front end. heard so many good things about it before I bought but so far very disappointed in the twisties, take my procross front end any day over the Polaris
Are you trying to ride it like a procross? If you are, its not going to work as well as it should. Every sled requires different riding styles. I promise you, the Polaris front end will out handle a procross in the twisties every time.
NO DRAG RACE???? Let down.😢
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
Two-Stroke Turbo Snail Sled comparison
buddy of mine had 2 of the turbo rs and sold them both they are not as good as you would think. also real world for the methinal its a 100 miles to a gallon of that stuff at 35 usd ya no thank you
RIGHT......................having to ad ANYTHING other than gas and 2-stroke oil is absurd!!!!!!!!!!!!!! METHANOL is junk.... I get Meth-free 91 octane here in NYS..... I dont even put Meth=gas in my TRUCK!
We have a Competition package turbo as well and we love it. So, maybe your buddy isnt the single person the world should be listening to for advice on sleds. And, if you use a full tank of methanol in 100 miles, youve likely spent that entire 100 miles at full throttle. Methanol is only used during prolonged full throttle runs. If you ride it like most people will, a tank will last a long time. We have closer to 400 miles on our and still havent used even a 1/4... more like an 1/8 at most.
I ride a GSXR 750. I would want the most aggressive monster I can rest my cheeks on.
Ok Really!! When I think Shootout ?? We line the sleds up and drag race down a quarter-mile strip.
It may be cars, street bikes, SXS, etc…. Please guys we like that you have a great review on the two sleds, but the king of the hill is still a bit of a guess game. Let run the bad boy sleds, best of five runs. Is the WINNER
All factory equipment, no studs, etc… let see that!! Otherwise great job on the video 😂
Unfortunately where we were testing these in March we didn’t have a safe place to run them head to head, but we have both on site this season and will do a special TH-cam video in the very near future. Initially the Polaris has been quicker, actually our Switchback Boost has been the fastest sled we have this year so far, but our skidoo wasn’t out of break-in. We will make sure to put both our boosts and the 850 Turbo as well as the 900 Turbo R in the race just for interest sake. Actually we will have an XTX Sidewinder as well so might toss that in the mix too. - AJ
That would be great 👍
woooo 26k for a sled no thank amazing machines tho
All I want to know now is who the hell runs right out and gets themselves a $400 a month payment for 60 months on one of those
I work with guys who took 15 year 200 a month loans... lol 😆 🤣 😂 for the 3 times we ride that's unacceptable 🤣
@@Derrek4Real wow that is nuts.
This should of been the mach z