I, like many of you, was disappointed at the news of Yamaha leaving the snowmobile market. It was bizarre the memories of seeing those greasy triple Mountain Max 700s blaring up the mountain, the absolutely mental videos of Apexes climbing the Big Iron Chute in Revelstoke, to, above all else, how many friends’ first sleds were either the Phazer II or the Exciter. I do take some solace that the Yamaha legend can continue to live on, giving many new riders that same thrill and adrenaline rush with the SX Venom Mountain 2025.
The 397 Cc Yamaha Engine: Accessible Power for All Riders
The engineers at Yamaha did a great job with the SX Venom Mountain’s 397 cc powerplant. Unlike today’s mountain hot rods, they made this motor quite mild on the bottom. However, my guess is that this is by design. Engagement is extremely mellow for that newer rider who may not be familiar with snowmobiles and how they operate (see also whiskey throttle). However, it does have plenty of power when you get it into the mid and high ranges of the power band. I had no issues making it to the top of moderately steep hills with several inches of fresh snow. I would like to have a little bit smoother transition from the bottom end and into the mid-range. The power band does hit noticeably, but I would not go as far to say violently.
Alpha Rail Suspension and Track: Stability Meets Manoeuvrability
For the intended riders, I found this machine to be just right. Indeed, the SX Venom Mountain 2025 is very predictable and forgiving. It is also quite easy to get, and maintain, on edge thanks to the Alpha rail setup in unison with the SRV-M derived from suspension. The 146 in Challenger track gave this machine great off-and-on trail manners and flotations, but not too big of a boat when trying to do turns in a tight area.
I cannot speak much about the suspension, however. It did feel nice and soft, but I think I exceeded their intended ride weight by a factor of 2 or 3 and fully utilizing the 12 in of travel on the rear and 8.3 in up front.
Top Reasons Why I Chose the Yamaha SX Venom Mountain
There are a multitude of reasons why I chose this machine to review, and hopefully I can encompass them all. The SX Venom Mountain is the perfect fit for in between the 200s and 600s. Plenty of power to go with the mountain sleds, but still be comfortable and predictable enough for a new/novice rider to not be intimidated by and learn all the necessary skills for off-trail or backcountry riding. I still have the same feelings as three years ago when I talked about the Arctic Cat Blast, I love this machine.
I am happy to see a manufacturer actively trying to fill a gap in the market to keep new riders coming to the sport. Another highlight was that whenever a member of our mountain group hopped on it, it was guaranteed laughter all around—they couldn’t stop giggling the entire ride. Just like the first time I went riding on the good ol’ Yamaha Phazer II many years ago.
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