Real World 1500 Mile Low Down of new Ski Doo XR-S 900 Turbo vs. SideWinder

[ROCKERDAN]

Hmmm if a 150 hp Apex will run 120 so why not a 900 turbo?

Apex sits low and is a decent chassie for speed. My apex would run 120radar on ice with a 1" predator always.

Much harder for 120GPS with these newer taller suspended sleds that are not nearly as aerodynamic and usually 1.25 lug tracks or more.

The last doo that was a 120+ machine out of the box was the RT1000 Machz. And the old triples could hit well over 120 easily, My RT would run 122radar on ice regularly and then my Ck3 mach triples were always in the 126 to 129 range with just clutching and 1" tracks on Ice on the gun. Sorta like the old SRX, those style sleds were made for speed up top, but todays sleds are much faster on bottom end and in deeper snow.

 

[74Nitro]

Apex sits low and is a decent chassie for speed. My apex would run 120radar on ice with a 1" predator always.

Much harder for 120GPS with these newer taller suspended sleds that are not nearly as aerodynamic and usually 1.25 lug tracks or more.

The last doo that was a 120+ machine out of the box was the RT1000 Machz. And the old triples could hit well over 120 easily, My RT would run 122radar on ice regularly and then my Ck3 mach triples were always in the 126 to 129 range with just clutching and 1" tracks on Ice on the gun. Sorta like the old SRX, those style sleds were made for speed up top, but todays sleds are much faster on bottom end and in deeper snow.

When I was a young lad(1995) I worked at a Polaris dealer. That was when Polaris first came out with the XLT with the Xtra suspension. It sure did suck a lot of speed out of them. We heard an awful lot of complaining from owners on them being slow, compared to the low slung models. Everyone wants their cake and to eat it too.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

When I was a young lad(1995) I worked at a Polaris dealer. That was when Polaris first came out with the XLT with the Xtra suspension. It sure did suck a lot of speed out of them. We heard an awful lot of complaining from owners on them being slow, compared to the low slung models. Everyone wants their cake and to eat it too.

Yeah it was a tough transition for all of us, the biggest MPH eater being rider forward sleds. They got taller, less aerodynamic and all went to 1.25 tracks overnight it seemed. The apex was the one model that was less rider forward, nothing like the REV was. And I slapped on a 1" track from get go so that made it a rocket still for radar.

After those style sleds went away, speeds of 120 became MUCH harder to hit. the RT1000 was a real power maker as it was rider forward and could run 120+. But after it went away, and really up until these turbos came along. Most NA rider forward sleds just wont hit 120 very often, if ever. We always are out with the gun or GPS on ice most winters....That is why I laugh when i hear how the G4 hits 120+. We have tried often and never seen one even close. 116GPS is about best we have ever actually seen. And that is rare on perfect ice. 112-113gps is more the norm, on ice for the 800 2s sleds these days. But they do get there fast and are alot more fun corner to corner then those old style sleds were. Rider forward made for a much better trail sled with less fatigue on lower back.

 

[Sasquatch]

I hit 112 on gps on snow not ice 1.25 track snowtrackers! The 1200 gades I ride with hit about 105 on snow not ice. I block a huge amount of wind with my body, its why I have the touring shield and I can't hide even behind that! Now at the radar runs on snow my sisters 800 gade hit 114. So if the 1200 can hit 105, Im surprised that the thought is the 900 turbo will be slower! I will say though anything that will top 100 mph is moving. I let my buddy with his 600 ZR take my GPS for a spin and he hit 104, best I ever got out of my 600 ZL was 96, but again I block a pile of wind. T-Cat hit 118 all sleds stock all on snow not ice! What difference in speed that makes I'm not sure but I could pick up 6mph on a plowed road compared to a trail (snow) with my Warrior on gps! Adding 6mph to all these speeds for ice makes my numbers and others not add up! We mostly run in -20 to -30C I think is around -10 to -25F I would guess! Best I could get at the TY on wet sticky snow was 103 so snow and temp make a huge difference! 2 strokes unlike 4 strokes hit thier peak power and then they sit there because power drops right off past that rpm, 4's rev past peak because because the power curve is flatter and does not drop off as sudden. This I think is also why the Apex with only 150hp has a great top speed and will hang with higher hp sleds! All that being said we will see what the turbo 900 can do! I like the concept but would rather seen a triple throttle body factory header NA 1200 making 150hp! That could have lured me to the Doo side, I'm just not a big fan of turbo sleds!

 

[SumpBuster]

Apex sits low and is a decent chassie for speed. My apex would run 120radar on ice with a 1" predator always.

Much harder for 120GPS with these newer taller suspended sleds that are not nearly as aerodynamic and usually 1.25 lug tracks or more.

The last doo that was a 120+ machine out of the box was the RT1000 Machz. And the old triples could hit well over 120 easily, My RT would run 122radar on ice regularly and then my Ck3 mach triples were always in the 126 to 129 range with just clutching and 1" tracks on Ice on the gun. Sorta like the old SRX, those style sleds were made for speed up top, but todays sleds are much faster on bottom end and in deeper snow.

I loved my old mach z triples. Especially the 98 with jaws pipes and some other stuff! 9300 rpm really sounded nice!
But my Apex was really a better sled in every respect, and has a 'personality' like the old machs did. Too early to tell about the sidewinder being an all time favorite, although a great sled in its own right already. 2001 Mxz is near the bottom. Light, quick but friggin scary at 80 mph in the fields, while the Mach was rock solid.

 

[Doc Harley]

Again if a 150 Apex hits 120 why won't a 150 turbo 900? Even a 130hp Nytro breaks 100mph

I guess it's up to skidoo. Gearing & clutch efficiency is going to play a huge roll.

850 that makes more power & less weight can't get it done. I'm positive that one knuckle head, maybe two. Will attempt it. But the other 98% will not make it to 110mph.

BTW, I won't fall for the b.s. one guy that comes on here and says his 900t did 180mph. Don't care about his camera phone, GPS pics.

 

[SumpBuster]

I guess it's up to skidoo. Gearing & clutch efficiency is going to play a huge roll.

850 that makes more power & less weight can't get it done. I'm positive that one knuckle head, maybe two. Will attempt it. But the other 98% will not make it to 110mph.

BTW, I won't fall for the b.s. one guy that comes on here and says his 900t did 180mph. Don't care about his camera phone, GPS pics.

It's funny how things that look good on paper don't quite make it a fact in reality.
We had 3 2001 Machz Triples in our old gang, and my rx1 was faster on top than all of them, 6.5 miles across salmon river reservoir, on hardpack. One machz was mine...lol...I was surprised. Wasn't much info back then..

 

[dgjr636]

I like the location of the intercooler on the Doo better than our Winders. In any snow at all the Winder intercooler gets plugged up. I find myself cleaning it out often in deep snow.

Xp123

Intercooler being iced or plugged should not bother you.

Never cleaned mine out and still blew by my buddy on his 850 all day long with better fuel economy. 3500mi and not a glitch.

Only guys trying to get the optimal should be conserened.

Yes I waited about 10 minutes for this pic!!!! LOL.

 

[Sasquatch]

I guess it's up to skidoo. Gearing & clutch efficiency is going to play a huge roll.

850 that makes more power & less weight can't get it done. I'm positive that one knuckle head, maybe two. Will attempt it. But the other 98% will not make it to 110mph.

BTW, I won't fall for the b.s. one guy that comes on here and says his 900t did 180mph. Don't care about his camera phone, GPS pics.

Guess the 800's are faster then the 850! Or am I that one guy?

 

[Doc Harley]

Guess the 800's are faster then the 850! Or am I that one guy?

Well, it happens. Go on dootalk and see for yourself. I have no personal experience. Haha.

And now they are over there laughing at us & Yamaha. Like their very confident in the 900t Ace. Haha.
Again....one or two guys will report/claim record speeds.
While the others will be honest. And very disappointed.

I'll call it now. Because it's going to happen. A dootalk member (who is a member here) is going to have the fastest "out of the box" 900t. He will run 20mph faster than all the rest. Haha.....ok!

 

[krm]

Well, it happens. Go on dootalk and see for yourself. I have no personal experience. Haha.

And now they are over there laughing at us & Yamaha. Like their very confident in the 900t Ace. Haha.
Again....one or two guys will report/claim record speeds.
While the others will be honest. And very disappointed.

I'll call it now. Because it's going to happen. A dootalk member (who is a member here) is going to have the fastest "out of the box" 900t. He will run 20mph faster than all the rest. Haha.....ok!

Joe,The snow and trails have always been faster in Canada .

 

[SumpBuster]

View attachment 139811

Xp123

Intercooler being iced or plugged should not bother you.

Never cleaned mine out and still blew by my buddy on his 850 all day long with better fuel economy. 3500mi and not a glitch.

Only guys trying to get the optimal should be conserened.

Yes I waited about 10 minutes for this pic!!!! LOL.

Gorgeous sled on the left. ....what did the yellow sled hit? Front end is missing!
I think sidewinders should come equipped with a loud QUACK QUACK as soon as the rear bumper clears a gen4 ski doo!
Wonder why the signs are yellow???

 

[74Nitro]

Gorgeous sled on the left. ....what did the yellow sled hit? Front end is missing!
I think sidewinders should come equipped with a loud QUACK QUACK as soon as the rear bumper clears a gen4 ski doo!
Wonder why the signs are yellow???
View attachment 139813
View attachment 139814

If someone was to install one of those 'duck quacking' blow off valves on the Turbo Doo, that would be classic!

 

[kuvasz]

weight seems to make a real difference with "all new sleds". my old apex it doesn't seem to matter if you're 180-250lbs. now, i also own a '16 blizzard 800 and there's quite a few mph's difference with a "light" rider on the radar gun.
i found my doo will run faster on a good hard pack vs ice, sliders start to melt just after 1320'.

 

[Doc Harley]

Joe,The snow and trails have always been faster in Canada .

Ken, idk.....now it makes perfect sense. Lol! Cause now that you mentioned it, He's Canadian. Hahaha......