Sometimes, in our industry, it’s easy to lose one’s bearings and rush into a vision of the overwhelming power of the snowmobile market. Too often, our eye is drawn to the high end of the range offered by manufacturers. We come to forget that horsepower is not proof of enjoyment. That is why I will only mention a few specifications in this review. My attention will be directed towards driving behaviour and sensations.
If you’ve read my Pre-Ride Analysis, you know that I have several questions that I have to answer. Here are my impressions after several hours spent on and off the trail.
Behaviour on the Trail
Of course, the Expedition Sport is very pleasant on the trail. Its large two-seater bench is comfortable for both the driver and the passenger. It does not interfere with more aggressive trail riding. The accelerations are straightforward without being explosive, and those in sport mode are very enjoyable. The recoveries are good without being crazy. On my current suspension configuration, during strong acceleration, both skis lift off the snow surface. I personally chose for the vehicle to be lighter on skis for easier turning of the handlebars and more flotation off the trail. I’m reserving a table for you for my final review with all the configurations I’ve tried.
The snowmobile is predictable, but it has certain behaviours that we need to keep an eye on. DS2 Pilot skis have a slight tendency to chase the tracks of other snowmobiles. It’s not dangerous, and it doesn’t happen often enough for me to worry about it personally. Obviously, the tunnel on this snowmobile is very long, so it is evident that it is well anchored to the trail. I have discovered, throughout my rides, that it is preferable to leave the hinge free at the rear; this reduces the thrust effect in the bends caused by the very long track of the vehicle.
All in all, this snowmobile is pleasant to ride on trails and behaves admirably despite its very long track. I liked the large windshield when riding with two people. It pushes back the gusts, keeping the pilot and passenger sheltered. For trail rides, the Expedition Sport is an excellent choice, especially if you regularly have a passenger with you.
Off-Trail Behaviour
1. Remove the backrest from the two-seater bench.
Check!
2. Remove or replace the windshield with a lower one or simply use the Summit’s plastic.
Check!
3. Adjust the strap at the front of your rear suspension to the longest or almost longest.
Check!
4. Start the snowmobile and have fun.
Check!
As you can see, it’s neither expensive nor difficult to make the most of your Expedition Sport to get off the beaten track. I’ve covered some tremendous off-trail distances with my trial snowmobile, here’s what I think: The Expedition Sport, in REV Gen 4, floats very well on the snow and it, without a doubt, outperforms the previous model on the old chassis for this aspect. I’m not an off-trail riding expert, but I found it easy to tilt the machine and make it do as I wanted it to. Initiating maneuvers is simple and requires little effort, even though this not a deep snow machine like the summit.
I am very impressed by the ease of this snowmobile on fresh snow. It glides on the surface and reacts to the slightest variation on the footsteps. Combine this with counter-steering, and you get a vehicle that holds its lines well on angled terrain. However, the Expedition Sport isn’t the snowmobile with the most aggressive lugs in the industry, even though the track is long. It is therefore essential to maintain good momentum when the slopes are steeper, or in areas where the snow is deeper. Of course, the snowmobile is heavier than its two-stroke counterparts. It also lacks the responsiveness of the latter. However, once you get used to the 4-stroke engine, the Expedition Sport 900 ACE makes sense. There is a certain amount of latency, which is very present on the throttle, even in the sport mode. So, it takes more anticipation and foresight not to get bogged down, but overall the snowmobile does very well off the trail.
In conclusion, I am really enjoying my trial, and I can’t forget to thank the Roger A. Pelletier team for allowing me to have such a versatile and fun-to-drive snowmobile for my 2019-2020 season. I’ll be back at the end of the season to complete my review of my trial of the 2020 Expedition Sport 900 ACE. For now, I can only recommend that you visit your Ski-Doo dealer. This snowmobile really deserves a try, especially if you’re looking for a multi-function vehicle.
