During the Recreational Vehicle Show, which took place last fall in Drummondville, I was talking with Denis (the President of Sledmagazine.com) about the upcoming snowmobiling season when something he said grabbed my attention. He told me that some snowmobiles were available for trials when a group of test pilots goes to the Snow Shoot in West Yellowstone, Montana. Upon hearing this, I decided to ask for the Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS 2019 with a 900 Turbo ACE engine to test during this event.
First, I love the look of this snowmobile. The color scheme on the new Gen4 chassis is perfect. The driving position is good, and the control buttons are well-positioned.
This ride is powered by the new 900 ACE Turbo engine, which develops 150 HP, is fitted with the 15 in x 137 in x 1.6 in Ice Cobra track and is designed to devour the bumps thanks to its front and rear shock absorbers that are quick to adjust.
During my test, I did not get the chance to try the suspension in bumpy terrain, but I did tackle a storm that left more than 50 centimeters on the trails. I was able to make the 900 ACE Turbo roar by often opening the trail and the chassis/1.6 inch spiked track combo allowed me to drive in powdery snow without any issues.
One thing I did not like about this snowmobile is that on the new Gen4 chassis, our feet are uncovered. This means that we feel the cold, so I advise you to have good boots or heated soles. In addition, the mirrors on this snowmobile are small round ones installed on the handguards; we cannot see anything.
I did 1,320 km during my test week and I loved the Renegade X-RS 900 ACE Turbo. It is a well-calibrated snowmobile and it is very pleasant to drive on the trail… I highly recommend it. I want to thank BRP for allowing us to test this snowmobile.
