Ski-Doo Renegade X 850 E-TEC 2017 – Only Fun!
Last year, Ski-Doo announced the new REV Gen4 Platform and the new 850 E-TEC engine. Of course, those innovations provoke the interest of snowmobilers. In these circumstances, I had the pleasure to try the Renegade X 850 E-TEC. So here are my impressions of the model.
The Renegade X 850 E-TEC is a crossover snowmobile made for trails, but also for off-road excursion.
A priori, like most people, I asked myself how Ski-Doo could improve the driving experience of the old REV platform.
I must say that engineers of the Quebec manufacturer successfully take up the challenge, not like the migration of the REV XP to the REV XS platform, we are now talking about a really different platform.
The platform is design with more centralized masses, not only side-to-side, but also from rear to front. It is possible thanks to the smaller powertrain.
Quickly we understand that the snowmobile is stable and predictable, when we go full speed on rough ground, inertia is the same on each front sides.
It can seem paradoxical because the platform is narrow. Ski-Doo showed ingenuity by improving ergonomic giving the pilot more freedom to move.
It is like driving a motorbike! Movements are fluid and natural.
With a smaller platform, we believed that the driver would be more exposed. Our fears were not founded, the driver is still protected from wind or bad weather.
Let’s talk about the Rotax 850 E-TEC, the engine we were waiting for. The engineers had lots of pressure from the customers and from the Ski-Doo direction. They had to design a smaller, more compact engine while offering a better performance than the old 800 E-TEC.
It pumps out 10 more horsepower than its predecessor, it is not the HP gain that impressed me the most, but its responsiveness.
During my first rides with the snowmobile, I asked myself is it connected directly to my brain! As soon as I pressed the accelerator, the responding was almost immediate and really powerful. The instant control brings a smile on your face!
A big factor in the quickness of REV sleds is the new pDrive clutch, it is essential to really appreciate the snowmobile performance and it is smooth.
The front suspension works really well. Ski-Doo optimized the RAS 2 for the platform REV Gen4. The HPG Plus shock absorbers offer a suspension travel of 9 inches. The RAS 3 absorbed bumps that we can find on or off trails.
The famous rMotion provides a great comfort. On our snowmobile, we had the quick and no-tool adjusting suspension system. Even if it is a great option, it changes nothing to the suspension performance. However, we don’t say no to it, especially when it is really cold.
Now let’s talk about the Pilot TS Ski, it is possible to adjust the height of the runners, a unique thing in the industry. So, every time the trail condition changes, you can adjust the height of the runners and the skis as well.
The handlebar is adjustable, I think it is an essential element if you want to enjoy the REV GEN4 and the Ergo-Step side panels as much as possible. It is possible to slide forward or backward the handlebar to customize your driving position according to your style and preferences.
As soon as the first kilometer went by, I got comfortable with the intelligent design of the Ergo-Step side panels. In curves, it naturally enable an extreme-forward position for great control, especially for sport riding. I love the fact that the panels allow me to totally '' lock my legs " so I could put my body outward in aggressive cornering.
For all the others aspects of the Renegade X 850 E-TEC, once again Ski-Doo had the same finish quality and detail care.
One little thing that ticked me during the test. The model is equipped with halogen lights. I have tried other models from the competition that comes with LED lights and I questioned myself, why Ski-Doo don’t have it on their snowmobiles, LED lights are way more efficient. Of course, you can pay to have it as an option, but I think it’s time for Ski-Doo to change for the LED technology.
I really appreciated driving the Renegade X 850 E-TEC 2017. I had the privilege to drive it all season long. The snowmobile is well adapted for trails, off-road and almost all Quebec conditions.
We would like to thank the manufacturer Ski-Doo that made this test possible and the dealer Jean Morneau in Rivière-du-Loup for the great service we had throughout the season.
