MarkRTX
Expert
I'm pretty open minded when it comes to snowmobiles. I started out back in the day riding a Exciter 2 SP which for its day was a nice sled. Hated that my buddies Indy 500 would beat me consitantly though. When on to Poo then got out after a few years and had the sportbike itch even though I always loved Harleys from when I was a kid. After I got out of the Army I got a 2000 SRX 700 and that sled was fast real fast then a 05 RX1 06 RTX 09 LTX and then went to a 09 Renegade 800r with a bunch of mods. The suspension was alot better than Yamaha's when the trails got worn and way better off trail but even with the mods it still wasn't the hard pull of the Apex. Now if I didn't have a bad back and the riding position wasn't so cramped for me and I was younger i may still have kept the Skidoo. My wife has a 07 Gade 600 SDI and that sled has been bulletproof so far 3500 miles. Then only problem I've had with that sled is the exhaust header bolts keep backing out and falling out. other than that zero issues. I had more minor issues with my other Apexes but that being said my 2011 Apex SE is bar none the best sled I have owned to date. Excell wheels solved the slide issue completely. This was my first Apex I bought used and no matter the quality of Yamaha I was a bit nervous at first but I've had zero issues. Its fast real fast and the all air suspension for me is the best I've ridden to date. I have no doubt the new Skidoos ride as good if not better but as I mostly trail ride now and at very high speeds I love the new Apex. Not sore at all at the end of a 150 or 250 mile day and I dare to hold it to the bar on a nice RR bed for miles. The Skidoo I never dared to hold it too long. I was just to scared to hear the dreaded boom. So for me and my preferances the Yamaha Apex is the sled for me. Improvement? No matter what sled you ride after awhile theres always something we'd all want to improve. So until I find a better sled for ME the Apex is it. Now a motorcycle theres only one for me and thats a Harley Davidson. Nothing like 120 Ft lbs of torque out of a Vtwin. Awesome thats all I can say.