You may spend a lot of k$ repairing your old cheap sled. Just look at the prices of spare parts, its like for airplane. For Arctic cat 2 seal worth 140$
Love this content. Should do a Top Gear style set of challenges where you have to buy an older sled 10-15 yrs old, fix it up and personalize it all within a certain budget, then do a bunch of different things with it.
@@jeffmorse5599 haha this is a true statement! Money is well spent doing an upgrade to the skid. All but one of our sleds have different skids and they are pretty nice to ride on the trail now.
Great job AJ and Luke! I really like when you guys do segments like this. This was perfect for us that can't ride every weekend, although we wish we could. You showcased a nice variety of snowmobiles within a "not every weekend we can ride" opportunity, meaning... I would probably not ever buy a 20 grand sled to have it sit 98% of it's life because of lack of snow or time allotted to do so. Keep up the great work crew, love the show and it made my day to meet you both at the Novi, MI Snow Show a few years back. Big fan here!!!!
I have a 2003 MXZ X 800R 7300km BEAVER TAIL and it’s never been rebuilt. I did a compression test on it yesterday and it’s pushing 150psi on each cylinder. It sticks right with my 17 Renegade 850X Great Video Thanks for the info it really helps people with a big purchase especially the younger generations just starting out.
Nice to see the 2014 El Tigre lives up to its heritage. The 1981 version is still a riot to take on a rip across a field and still holds resale for a 40 year old sled if you find a mint one.
Another cool segment that was fun to watch. I'm sure everyone on an older sled appreciates the videos like this as well as the retro walk around that Mark did.
Bought myself a used 2016 enduro 800r and I’m loving it .. the thing flys, it’s comfortable and looks incredibly good ! Even better looking than newer sleds imo ! Rev xs has to be my favorite sleds right now
My personal list for this criteria would likely look something like this: - 2011+ Apex EPS - Any of the Cat - Suzuki 800 with a chaincase (Hard on fuel and oil but not pistons with great performance when in the powerband👍) - First gen backcountry etec 800 (agree with the review up top - although I have seen multiple with engine issues at low mileage) - 1200 Doo in any trim. - Yamaha 1049 triple in any variant - 2015 and up polaris 800 H.o. which was worlds better than the engines which proceeded it since the last XCR triples. Enjoyed the video! Would love to see more content like this! 10 year old, 15 year old, lake racers, mountain sleds etc 🤘 My only gripe is that the 800 engines mentioned (especially the first gen polaris) are not, in my personal experience, high mile powerplants and therefore could be risky second hand buys. Love the channel guys, keep it up with the awesome content 👍
I picked up a 2014 SR Viper last year that had been sitting in the back of a dealer garage that had closed down. Covered in dust but literally brand new. 0 miles. Picked it up for $6800.
I had an 04 F6 ext that I bought new. Sold it with 6100 hard miles on it and never had a signle issue EVER with it. New owner put 2500 more miles on it and the same experience. Those sleds were crazy fast and reliable.
@@fartfarmer3503 ah that's a bummer, Lots of different reasons for that type of thing, all I ever was run 91 octane and premium oil, amsoil, cleaned the exhaust valves every other year. Sorry for your luck, cheers
My 03 F7 has almost 10k miles. Has been rebuilt just for piece of mind at around 4800k and has the powervalves deleted for even more simplicity. Fun and super fast sled.
the only 2 stroke with 20k (km) I would buy is a Yammy red head 700 triple. they go to 30k without even being touched. and when they do get rebuilt it normally doesn't even need it
My father is still riding his GSX (1200). Good high milage, high speed cruiser. It handles great and that air ride erases small to moderate bumps. Your video shows how badly Cat needs to come out with a new chassis. They still look great but they are definitely over due for a refresh.
I had a 03 viper with over 20 k on it and was never rebuilt. Everything else was replaced like bearings, bushing but the engine was never touched besides spark plugs. Most reliable sled I ever owned. I just sold it for 2000 bucks and it still looked a drove like new
I have been going threw all your older videos to figure out what used sleds to buy. I was so happy you made this video. I would be very interested in your other list!
Reliability has been remarkably improved over the last 20 years, reasonable care and maintenance pays off huge. My 2009 Apex runs like a new Honda Civic R.
@@stevenblack9320 My sled recommends check and adjusting the valves after 40,000kms and every 40,000kms after that. My 5 previous ski doos totalled about 30,000kms and 4 rebuilds. If I was leaving on a 2000km ride tomorrow, I would gas up and go. Of course the regular stuff like carbides, runners, chain oil etc are the same
@@matthorvath7562 I had the same engine MR1, in a 2007 waverunner that was running like new with 1100 hrs when I sold it in 2017. Treat them right, they "love you long time"
Only addition i'd make is the 900 ace models. Perfect daily driver with my wife/kids (yes we go out daily) it also can hang with anyone on big trail rides.
Seriously. My partner just picked up a 2001 Indy 700 RMK 136" w/mech reverse (in virtually perfect showroom condition) for $2500 w/tilting trailer and 2 spare tires, titles for both, and even cooler yet, the original MSO and documentation for the sled. AND it was originally purchased 21 years ago from a Polaris dealer right down the road from us. I think he made out better than my $1500 '05 RMK 700 151" which has definitely been ridden hard and put away wet, but it gets me out in the snow and I have fun. Would never be able to find a pair of newer sleds and a trailer for 4k.
Problem with sleds that old is the cost to repair often exceeds what you paid for the sled. Bad track, blown motor, chaincase issues....for most budget buyers that sled is done and it can happen in 1 mile or 1000 miles
@@PartTimeYooper IMO, do your due diligence. Look for a model that historically has few to no problems. Do you have 10k to start and perform maintenance, or do you have 2-5? And a trailer or deck (or build one). How much does an engine for a 2015 Polaris 600 or 800 cost? A Switchback 800 is what, 6-7k? I see short blocks are about 2-2.5k. A whole motor for 3k+. Rebuild for $1600+++. 800-1k for a track. Hefty investments and other sleds of the time wouldn't be largely off those costs. When I was shopping I commonly saw 2000-2005 era Polaris 700-800 RMKs for around 1500 or less depending on condition. Short block? 200 bucks. Whole engine? 400-500 at most. Rebuild, about the same. $200-400 for a track. Significant differences in the investment and maintenance if you want to get in to the sport and keep costs lower. My partner landed a virtually showroom condition 2000 Indy 700 RMK w/reverse, w/2 place tilting trailer (with titles) for $2500. Beat that with anything 15 years old or newer.
@@gymkhanadog I'm an almost 40 year snowmobiler and sold the sleds you are buying today almost 20 years ago. We rarely push a sled past 4 years. But yes our investment is much larger. Heck wife and I each have well north of $3k just in clothing/helmets. But we ride 2000+ miles a season. You aren't doing that on a 20 yr old sled. Welcome to the sport and enjoy!
This is awesome! Girlfriend and I are new to the sport and wanna take the plunge and buy sleds, but don't wanna pony up 30k for two new sleds and no trailer for our first go around. I've been looking through your older reviews and trying to make up our mind that way, so this video is great!
1200 4 tec from doo. Gsx, renegade, etc Yamaha vipers are great Cats 1100s. I love 2 strokes but if you're new to this 4 stroke is a way better bet to start and enjoy.
I picked up a 2015 Yamaha RS Vector this year with 125 miles on it. Already put 600 miles on it and im loving it! Its very quick and handles great on trail and on lakes. Cheers
Certainly loved and serviced my sisters El-Tigre. Yeah it has a few hiccups over it’s 10,000 mile life, first lost the motor at that mileage, due to a ruptured oil line, and sent it back to the dealership as we know the owners. They wanted to replace the motor under warranty, but later to find out the chassis was wearing out at the rivets, they couldn’t believe the first ever oil-injected Arctic Cat lasted so long. My sister meticulously did things right.
I mainly just ride to our cabin now and our 2011 600 Polaris long widetrack only has a little over 800 miles on it. I’ve thought of selling it to get a fan cooled Voyageur 155.
Great segment because it's getting to the point where a lot of people do not want to buy new because of the ridiculous prices. I am personally all set with spending 15-20k for a toy that I can only use 3 months out of the year maybe less if it's a bad snow year.
Agreed. Been around sleds since 1966. My last GMC SUV rat racer I paid 23 grand for gently used. I’ve wanted something non vintage for ages yet every year I have to push it off because I can’t justify the cost/benefit ratio. Anything for sale in my area that is under five grand is beat to death.
This past weekend I rode with a guy on a ‘05 renegade 800 with 12k miles. He has owned it since new and has been meticulously maintained. The guys on the latest and greatest iron couldn’t keep up with him in the tight twisties. He is a very smooth, fast rider.
Well, that's cool. My sled gets a nod. I bought my 2012 GSX SE with the 800 eTec in Feb 2019 before the pandemic hit with 4800 miles for $5K. Not going to sell it because it hits all the check marks on my list. Love this sled.
Should have some honorable mentions here too. You cant beat bang for buck other than a 2003-2006 Arctic Cat F7's. Theyre up for high prices right now ($4k+), but theyre actually selling in the $2500-$3000 range right now. Same with the 2002 body style Yamaha SXR/SRX/Vipers.
@@2strokeme64 Im still riding my 05 F7. Getting a bigger lug track for it this coming season. Waiting for the market to level out, then ill be upgrading.
I'm 29 y/o and ride a 2008 MXZ 800 ... I easily keep up and outride some of my buddies with 2019/2020 sleds. Its not the sled, its the rider....albeit, I do get more beat-up on the trails due to the older suspension technology.
Id love to see a shootout between the 2010 M8 and 2010 Polaris Dragon Mountain sleds. Because that generation of M8 is still probably the most popular sled for Saskatchewan
Great video guys!!! I can agree with all of the sleds you have picked, most people are not in the situation to buy a 16K snowmobile you are probably going to ride three times a season. At that point it is cheaper to just rent.
I have a 2014 El Tigre 6000 and still love it today. Did you guys do a race back then with Doo and Poo 600. If I missed it sorry. Happy for you reporting the 2014 El Tigre is still relevant to consumers. Thanks for that
Big fan of buying used, I bought a 16 pro S switchback 800 last year. Really a great trail sled, threw a new spring in the front shock and it was mint. buying a doo go to 11 for the etec, so much better. I actually liked my used 12 freeride i bought in 14 more than my new XRS gade in the XS chassis i replaced it with in 16. .
Awesome vid guys!! I've been looking for an el tiger 600 2014 and up for a few years and there are none for sale in Alberta. Sooooo hard to find. Everyone here buys mountain sleds. Grrrrrrrr. That chassis and the 6000 c-tech were literally made for each other, great machine. And it looks Killer to boot. Cheers.
In 2014, the only rear skid the El Tigre came with was the 129" ( no 137") . This review you guys did on this sled is the reason I bought one in 2014, still my favorite sled to date :-)
And you are more than welcome to go ride one... but that wasnt a sled AJ or I loved as much as the ones we listed. It was a good sled... but it never handled well and the front end didnt ride well at all.
Hey guys just picked up a 2013 backcountry x 800 2 months ago after watching you review the 2010 model. I’m loving it, what were your experiences with the the rev xs platfourm.
As somebody who grew up riding in the 90s, where the difference between the 1990 EXT El Tigre and 1994 EXT 580 EFI Mountain Cat up to the 2002 Mountain Cat 800 we had was so immense, it's almost a little sad to realize how little significant improvement has happened in the last 15 years. Though I suppose that's been the case for a lot of technology.
The best cheaper beginner sled in my opinion is a first gen rev 600 they ride good handel well look good and are super reliable i had one with 30,000km on it and it still had the stock crank shaft and crank case and I know who has it and its still going
I really enjoyed this video guys! Something different other than just new sleds. Not that that's a bad thing I mean who doesn't want to see new sleds but it's nice to see some older good sleds that people can now afford used that couldn't buy then do to price. I request that you guys make a video like this one except with mountain sleds!
Good video I thinking about getting a used sled this video and your real world sleds help a lot if ya have any more good picks you should make an other video about it
Nice video guys! Used sleds in the Northeast of the U.S. are extremely hard to get right now and prices are totally out of control!! Great time to sell not to buy.
Love the video and the real world honest suggestions, however I would doubt the reliability claims at times. For example the 800etec was new for 2012/2011.5 and had some reliability issues for a couple years. It seems best to stay away from first or second years of a new motor or chassis so they can get the glitches out. I guess if your looking at a used one with a decent amount of miles it should go for plenty more though.
I have a 2012 f1100 turbo I spring checked at country cat and it has 10000 miles on it and rather then junk it I went back to country cat this year and spent the dollars on parts to restore it. Not a fun sled to work on but time and effort is worth it and now it’s been restored and should last for another 10 years!! Testament to procross chassis and Suzuki motor
Great sleds all...and a great vid...but I'm SHOCKED you didn't list the 2017 Renegade. It was the first year of the Gen 4 chassis with the rMotion rear suspension and the 850 ETEC motor with the amazing pDrive clutch. And it had the RAS front end with the 137" track...absolutely perfect...greatest all-around sled I've ever ridden.
Super hard to find used sleds in trail ready shape unless you’re ok paying out your nose. I sold a pair of 98 ZR 600 EFIs for $5,000 before the snow flew this season.
Great Video! Just blew up my 08 Dragon 700 for the second time and looking for something different. For something thats 50/50 trail / off trail that you can also put a passenger seat on. Would you reccomend the Skidoo GSK or the Venture? Or something else... ?
I love the video, presentation style (do more of these dual ones please) and concept. You guys certainly have ridden a ton more sleds than I have but based on just my own experiences my 6 would be: Venture as mentioned, Any year of power steering Apex, 2016 Blizzard 800, 14 800 Switchback Pro-R Adventure, 10 Crossfire snopro le 800, 97 Venture TR
A 2014-2017 Arctic Cat is a great value because the sled is essentially unchanged today besides body panels and upgraded front end. Biggest thing is how did the last owner treat the sled. I'd never buy another used sled that ever saw an open trailer. That salt spray is just brutal
I have a 06 fusion 700 and that sled is the best sled ever made in my opinion and honestly it is still relevant it has a full display it is not about the newness of the sled it is about if you are having fun
Great video guys. Going back to the Yamaha. I have a 2008 nytro and the owners manual says the first valve service is at 40’000 km so ya 20’000 km is nothing for the Yamaha four stroke. I see on the forums I am on that some people are getting 60’000-80’000 km on them. That’s crazy. Please do more content on older stuff. I love that stv does a lot of older sled stuff on their show. I personally can’t afford or justify a new sled right now so seeing stuff on your show like this would be great. And I imagine there is people out there just like me. And dirttrax television again more avt and less side by side would be nice to. But that’s just my opinion and regardless I love your show and will keep watching. Thanks guys.
If I were to add one/two to this list I would’ve gone a bit older and said the 04 Skidoo Summit/Renegade 800’s. My dad had a Renegade that he bought new the year they came out, a few years later getting a Summit of that same style. So he not only knows everything about that period of Skidoo’s, but he says they were some of the most badass sleds he’s ever owned (The Renegade a bit more than the Summit), even better than his Polaris IQRR Race sled he had for a few years once he got rid of his Summit.
I had a 2006 ski-doo summit x highmark 1000 162” that was nasty as all hell I think it would be a great buy and could be bought for a good price. I would love to have one again.
BRP 1000 engine are the worst they ever made , rebuilt almost every year’s. Never see someone doing 2000 miles without broken crank seal or cylinder.. great for mechanical guys.
![Jack Harlow - Hello Miss Johnson [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q86_nlRoIGw/mqdefault.jpg)
If you don’t want to spend 16k on a sled then this video is for you. I consider this a real world sled video. Thanks guys
You may spend a lot of k$ repairing your old cheap sled. Just look at the prices of spare parts, its like for airplane. For Arctic cat 2 seal worth 140$
Love this content. Should do a Top Gear style set of challenges where you have to buy an older sled 10-15 yrs old, fix it up and personalize it all within a certain budget, then do a bunch of different things with it.
Love it!
And then have the 15 lap demo derby to end it. Maybe invite Larry the Enticer
@@snowtrax Make it happen!!!
Yes and minium 30min video 🥳
Lots of Yamaha triple 700s out there with over 20000kms and still going strong. I have one with that many kms and it still pulls strong.
Yamaha 700 triples run forever! Some of the best sleds out there for their age. We run outs every year. Well over 10k miles on two of them.
as long as you don't care about your back they are great motors.
I dont find the ride too bad but I dont ride hard either anymore Mine is a XTC which is long travel and cushy
@@jeffmorse5599 haha this is a true statement! Money is well spent doing an upgrade to the skid. All but one of our sleds have different skids and they are pretty nice to ride on the trail now.
no one cares about a company that only makes 4 strokes in a 2 stroke dominated world
Great job AJ and Luke! I really like when you guys do segments like this. This was perfect for us that can't ride every weekend, although we wish we could. You showcased a nice variety of snowmobiles within a "not every weekend we can ride" opportunity, meaning... I would probably not ever buy a 20 grand sled to have it sit 98% of it's life because of lack of snow or time allotted to do so.
Keep up the great work crew, love the show and it made my day to meet you both at the Novi, MI Snow Show a few years back. Big fan here!!!!
That's awesome! Thank you so much!!
I have a 2003 MXZ X 800R 7300km BEAVER TAIL and it’s never been rebuilt. I did a compression test on it yesterday and it’s pushing 150psi on each cylinder. It sticks right with my 17 Renegade 850X
Great Video Thanks for the info it really helps people with a big purchase especially the younger generations just starting out.
Nice Beaver
i have same sled with 10k on it she keeps up well with the new sleds 03 mxzx 800 redone at 9k
Nice to see the 2014 El Tigre lives up to its heritage. The 1981 version is still a riot to take on a rip across a field and still holds resale for a 40 year old sled if you find a mint one.
Great list. Now please do a similar list of sleds over 10 years old.
Now your talking. Or sleds under 5k$
@@heatmoon is there even such a thing anymore?
Totally. My pick is the CFR 1000.
I have a 2009 Crossfire R8 that i bought as a leftover ( new in the crate) in the fall of 2011.@@jamesquaife5633
Another cool segment that was fun to watch. I'm sure everyone on an older sled appreciates the videos like this as well as the retro walk around that Mark did.
Had a 2014 El Tigre, loved that sled! It was a ton of fun!
All good picks, I definitely would have thrown the Apex in there though.
I feel like almost any four stroke should be on the list lol
No way would the apex be on that list
Longest single ride, most distance in 24 hrs ? Apex. Remember to check your valves EVERY 40,000kms.
Bought myself a used 2016 enduro 800r and I’m loving it .. the thing flys, it’s comfortable and looks incredibly good ! Even better looking than newer sleds imo ! Rev xs has to be my favorite sleds right now
same love the xs
My personal list for this criteria would likely look something like this:
- 2011+ Apex EPS
- Any of the Cat - Suzuki 800 with a chaincase (Hard on fuel and oil but not pistons with great performance when in the powerband👍)
- First gen backcountry etec 800 (agree with the review up top - although I have seen multiple with engine issues at low mileage)
- 1200 Doo in any trim.
- Yamaha 1049 triple in any variant
- 2015 and up polaris 800 H.o. which was worlds better than the engines which proceeded it since the last XCR triples.
Enjoyed the video! Would love to see more content like this! 10 year old, 15 year old, lake racers, mountain sleds etc 🤘 My only gripe is that the 800 engines mentioned (especially the first gen polaris) are not, in my personal experience, high mile powerplants and therefore could be risky second hand buys.
Love the channel guys, keep it up with the awesome content 👍
I picked up a 2014 SR Viper last year that had been sitting in the back of a dealer garage that had closed down. Covered in dust but literally brand new. 0 miles. Picked it up for $6800.
04 F7 ,over 10k miles , still rips,never had to rebuilt ,amazing sled
I had an 04 F6 ext that I bought new. Sold it with 6100 hard miles on it and never had a signle issue EVER with it. New owner put 2500 more miles on it and the same experience. Those sleds were crazy fast and reliable.
My 03 F5 with 5k miles just blew up
@@fartfarmer3503 ah that's a bummer, Lots of different reasons for that type of thing, all I ever was run 91 octane and premium oil, amsoil, cleaned the exhaust valves every other year. Sorry for your luck, cheers
@@lisamitchell7933 yeah for the 5 days I had it I ran 91 and the good oil
My 03 F7 has almost 10k miles. Has been rebuilt just for piece of mind at around 4800k and has the powervalves deleted for even more simplicity. Fun and super fast sled.
the only 2 stroke with 20k (km) I would buy is a Yammy red head 700 triple. they go to 30k without even being touched. and when they do get rebuilt it normally doesn't even need it
I like the old Suzuki motors in the arctic cats. My 05 F6 has over 9000 miles and the motor has never been touched
04 f7 ,10k miles ,never touched
09 Crossfire R8 bought new..1600 miles..Like new..Bulletproof engine..
My father is still riding his GSX (1200). Good high milage, high speed cruiser. It handles great and that air ride erases small to moderate bumps. Your video shows how badly Cat needs to come out with a new chassis. They still look great but they are definitely over due for a refresh.
1200 is great. Cat is still best looking,and have a great front end. They went through a refresh in 2017.
I had a 03 viper with over 20 k on it and was never rebuilt. Everything else was replaced like bearings, bushing but the engine was never touched besides spark plugs. Most reliable sled I ever owned. I just sold it for 2000 bucks and it still looked a drove like new
I have been going threw all your older videos to figure out what used sleds to buy. I was so happy you made this video. I would be very interested in your other list!
Love my 12' Backcountry 800R - such a fun sled. 6k miles and still kicking!
Reliability has been remarkably improved over the last 20 years, reasonable care and maintenance pays off huge. My 2009 Apex runs like a new Honda Civic R.
Reliability has improved? What’re you smoking dude?
@@stevenblack9320 My sled recommends check and adjusting the valves after 40,000kms and every 40,000kms after that. My 5 previous ski doos totalled about 30,000kms and 4 rebuilds. If I was leaving on a 2000km ride tomorrow, I would gas up and go. Of course the regular stuff like carbides, runners, chain oil etc are the same
@@stevenblack9320 I currently smoke Norther Lights. You?
Or......like a Yamaha r1 motorcycle? Lol
@@matthorvath7562 I had the same engine MR1, in a 2007 waverunner that was running like new with 1100 hrs when I sold it in 2017. Treat them right, they "love you long time"
I've been searching for a video/list like this and you guys are the first to deliver. Thanks! Great content.
Great to hear! Thanks!!
Only addition i'd make is the 900 ace models. Perfect daily driver with my wife/kids (yes we go out daily) it also can hang with anyone on big trail rides.
I would love to hear you guys talk about more old sleds, maybe even 15, 20 years old. Don't need consumer advice just like hearing your opinions.
Seriously. My partner just picked up a 2001 Indy 700 RMK 136" w/mech reverse (in virtually perfect showroom condition) for $2500 w/tilting trailer and 2 spare tires, titles for both, and even cooler yet, the original MSO and documentation for the sled. AND it was originally purchased 21 years ago from a Polaris dealer right down the road from us.
I think he made out better than my $1500 '05 RMK 700 151" which has definitely been ridden hard and put away wet, but it gets me out in the snow and I have fun.
Would never be able to find a pair of newer sleds and a trailer for 4k.
Problem with sleds that old is the cost to repair often exceeds what you paid for the sled. Bad track, blown motor, chaincase issues....for most budget buyers that sled is done and it can happen in 1 mile or 1000 miles
@@PartTimeYooper IMO, do your due diligence. Look for a model that historically has few to no problems. Do you have 10k to start and perform maintenance, or do you have 2-5? And a trailer or deck (or build one).
How much does an engine for a 2015 Polaris 600 or 800 cost? A Switchback 800 is what, 6-7k? I see short blocks are about 2-2.5k. A whole motor for 3k+. Rebuild for $1600+++. 800-1k for a track. Hefty investments and other sleds of the time wouldn't be largely off those costs.
When I was shopping I commonly saw 2000-2005 era Polaris 700-800 RMKs for around 1500 or less depending on condition. Short block? 200 bucks. Whole engine? 400-500 at most. Rebuild, about the same. $200-400 for a track. Significant differences in the investment and maintenance if you want to get in to the sport and keep costs lower. My partner landed a virtually showroom condition 2000 Indy 700 RMK w/reverse, w/2 place tilting trailer (with titles) for $2500. Beat that with anything 15 years old or newer.
@@gymkhanadog I'm an almost 40 year snowmobiler and sold the sleds you are buying today almost 20 years ago. We rarely push a sled past 4 years. But yes our investment is much larger. Heck wife and I each have well north of $3k just in clothing/helmets. But we ride 2000+ miles a season. You aren't doing that on a 20 yr old sled.
Welcome to the sport and enjoy!
This is awesome! Girlfriend and I are new to the sport and wanna take the plunge and buy sleds, but don't wanna pony up 30k for two new sleds and no trailer for our first go around. I've been looking through your older reviews and trying to make up our mind that way, so this video is great!
1200 4 tec from doo. Gsx, renegade, etc
Yamaha vipers are great
Cats 1100s.
I love 2 strokes but if you're new to this 4 stroke is a way better bet to start and enjoy.
I’ll teach your girl friend…you buy her sled.
I picked up a 2015 Yamaha RS Vector this year with 125 miles on it. Already put 600 miles on it and im loving it! Its very quick and handles great on trail and on lakes. Cheers
Another good sled that is a bit cheaper is the 13-18 pro ride Indy 600s I’ve seen them 4500-6000 all day long. Great sled in the 600 class
My '16 Indy 6 was a super runner. Punched way above it's weight for the price. Fastest 600 I've ever encountered.
Certainly loved and serviced my sisters El-Tigre. Yeah it has a few hiccups over it’s 10,000 mile life, first lost the motor at that mileage, due to a ruptured oil line, and sent it back to the dealership as we know the owners. They wanted to replace the motor under warranty, but later to find out the chassis was wearing out at the rivets, they couldn’t believe the first ever oil-injected Arctic Cat lasted so long. My sister meticulously did things right.
Junk
just got a 162" 17' M8000 with 3" lugs and i love it. That thing is unstoppable
I mainly just ride to our cabin now and our 2011 600 Polaris long widetrack only has a little over 800 miles on it. I’ve thought of selling it to get a fan cooled Voyageur 155.
Great segment because it's getting to the point where a lot of people do not want to buy new because of the ridiculous prices. I am personally all set with spending 15-20k for a toy that I can only use 3 months out of the year maybe less if it's a bad snow year.
Agreed. Been around sleds since 1966. My last GMC SUV rat racer I paid 23 grand for gently used. I’ve wanted something non vintage for ages yet every year I have to push it off because I can’t justify the cost/benefit ratio. Anything for sale in my area that is under five grand is beat to death.
This past weekend I rode with a guy on a ‘05 renegade 800 with 12k miles. He has owned it since new and has been meticulously maintained.
The guys on the latest and greatest iron couldn’t keep up with him in the tight twisties. He is a very smooth, fast rider.
Surprised that the ACE 600 or 900 weren't considered. Both offer decent performance, reliability and good value. Nice video!
Yeah they are great engines
I own both and can say they are as reliable as the sun!
Yes me too
Yes but just too slow
@@romper4444 Really? Tested at 88 to 90mph top end on the 900 ace and 75 to 78 mph for the 600 ace. Seems pretty good since the Tcat tested at 105mph.
Part 2? This was awesome!
Well, that's cool. My sled gets a nod. I bought my 2012 GSX SE with the 800 eTec in Feb 2019 before the pandemic hit with 4800 miles for $5K. Not going to sell it because it hits all the check marks on my list. Love this sled.
ALL GOOD SOLID PICKS....Not a lot of times I agree with the Lesters, but this is one of them. GOOD JOB GUYS!!!!
LOL We'll take it.
@@snowtrax You earned it
You guys had way too much fun making this video. 😊😊 Very enjoyable and some great ideas even if you want to go out and buy a spare.
Should have some honorable mentions here too. You cant beat bang for buck other than a 2003-2006 Arctic Cat F7's. Theyre up for high prices right now ($4k+), but theyre actually selling in the $2500-$3000 range right now. Same with the 2002 body style Yamaha SXR/SRX/Vipers.
Or any of the M6s and M7s, and the M8s from 09-11 were really good too and all can be found between $2-5K.
I've considered selling my F7, however I just like the thing so much. And I got a lot of rare bits, also makes it fun.
Had the 03 f7. Nothing could touch it for several years. I loved pissing off the 800cc guys on the lake!
@@2strokeme64 I has my 03 F7 out last weekend...still makes me smile
@@2strokeme64 Im still riding my 05 F7. Getting a bigger lug track for it this coming season. Waiting for the market to level out, then ill be upgrading.
I'm 29 y/o and ride a 2008 MXZ 800 ... I easily keep up and outride some of my buddies with 2019/2020 sleds.
Its not the sled, its the rider....albeit, I do get more beat-up on the trails due to the older suspension technology.
I have a 98 skidoo formula 583 and I love it. Didnt cost 20k either
Id love to see a shootout between the 2010 M8 and 2010 Polaris Dragon Mountain sleds. Because that generation of M8 is still probably the most popular sled for Saskatchewan
the polaris dragon would blow up before it even reached the hill.
Great video guys!!! I can agree with all of the sleds you have picked, most people are not in the situation to buy a 16K snowmobile you are probably going to ride three times a season. At that point it is cheaper to just rent.
I have a 2014 El Tigre 6000 and still love it today. Did you guys do a race back then with Doo and Poo 600. If I missed it sorry.
Happy for you reporting the 2014 El Tigre is still relevant to consumers.
Thanks for that
Rode 500 miles this week my buddy has that skidoo back country no problems 👍👍My 20 poo actually had coolant sensor trouble 😂😂
My current riding sled is a 2015 Renegade X with the 600 H.O … she runs like the first day … Orange 🍊 it is 😎😆😉.
Same sled here! I hear guys say that they prefer the XS over the Gen4 even.
@@isaacsoderlund9677 Nice 👍. I never had the chance of riding a Gen 4 yet. But I do love the look of it lol.
Good video! Maybe do a community segment. Introduce riders and sleds. What they love. What they hate. How they've modded them.
I think we would have like to see any sleds from before 2010
Skidoo 800 etec and poo 800 are ticking time bombs.
Big fan of buying used, I bought a 16 pro S switchback 800 last year. Really a great trail sled, threw a new spring in the front shock and it was mint. buying a doo go to 11 for the etec, so much better. I actually liked my used 12 freeride i bought in 14 more than my new XRS gade in the XS chassis i replaced it with in 16. .
Any sled over 5 yrs old the runs is a good sled !!! There is more 1994-99 sleds where I live.
Good video and right on point. My old Dragon I destroyed is sorely missed.
Awesome vid guys!! I've been looking for an el tiger 600 2014 and up for a few years and there are none for sale in Alberta. Sooooo hard to find. Everyone here buys mountain sleds. Grrrrrrrr. That chassis and the 6000 c-tech were literally made for each other, great machine. And it looks Killer to boot. Cheers.
They are great sleds I've owned one for 7 seasons. Bought mine in 2015 as a leftover
In 2014, the only rear skid the El Tigre came with was the 129" ( no 137") . This review you guys did on this sled is the reason I bought one in 2014, still my favorite sled to date :-)
Still rocking my 12 f800. Got a 136 tracks usa 1 5/8 ice ripper. Not installed yet original track till going strong
How y’all not put the Yamaha apex on there that sled is insane for how old it is. I’d rather ride that than any of the sleds you’ve listed.
Was the apex the model that took over for the rx1?
And you are more than welcome to go ride one... but that wasnt a sled AJ or I loved as much as the ones we listed. It was a good sled... but it never handled well and the front end didnt ride well at all.
Hey guys just picked up a 2013 backcountry x 800 2 months ago after watching you review the 2010 model. I’m loving it, what were your experiences with the the rev xs platfourm.
Really good picks. Do a honorable mention video with six more. Great stuff 👍👍👍
I am biased but Doo's 1200 should have made the list.. owned two with over 10K miles and both still fired right up and ran great
Sorry man, the throttle lag on that sled keeps it off any of our lists. Which is why we picked the GSX with the 800 Etec.
@@pavmentsurfer13 best use sled overall doesn’t mean best throttle response, 1200 should be in , 600 ace and 900 ace should be in too
Right on love the video, all good choices boys! I just picked up a 06' skidoo mach z sdi 1000 you guys remember anything notable about those sleds?
I’m not an expert or mechanic. Everyone who had them they had big issues. But hopefully you have better luck cuz they were quick
I have a 2013 Renegade x with almost 16500 km. The 800 r etech is very reliable and it flies.
I’m still riding a 2018 ZR 8000 sno pro! I love it and don’t see the need of getting a new sled
As somebody who grew up riding in the 90s, where the difference between the 1990 EXT El Tigre and 1994 EXT 580 EFI Mountain Cat up to the 2002 Mountain Cat 800 we had was so immense, it's almost a little sad to realize how little significant improvement has happened in the last 15 years. Though I suppose that's been the case for a lot of technology.
I just started riding a 03 Mountain Cat 900. Yea it's a huge change from my old 70s 250 Skantic
The best cheaper beginner sled in my opinion is a first gen rev 600 they ride good handel well look good and are super reliable i had one with 30,000km on it and it still had the stock crank shaft and crank case and I know who has it and its still going
Wow. That’s the highest mileage I have ever heard of! The rev was a huge improvement. Still a good machine today.
I really enjoyed this video guys! Something different other than just new sleds. Not that that's a bad thing I mean who doesn't want to see new sleds but it's nice to see some older good sleds that people can now afford used that couldn't buy then do to price.
I request that you guys make a video like this one except with mountain sleds!
Any skidoo XS should be on that list as well, the XS is just a great chassis
Good video I thinking about getting a used sled this video and your real world sleds help a lot if ya have any more good picks you should make an other video about it
Nice video guys! Used sleds in the Northeast of the U.S. are extremely hard to get right now and prices are totally out of control!! Great time to sell not to buy.
I think the pro chassis switchback assault is a great sled, and still relevant today.
Cool video idea.
None of those 800s were best bang for your bucks sleds unless you like rebuilding motors .
Only if you didn’t do basic maintenance.
Nothing like a 2 stroke, though, when they're working lol
Great vid…r u gonna do one for mountain sleds
Love the video and the real world honest suggestions, however I would doubt the reliability claims at times. For example the 800etec was new for 2012/2011.5 and had some reliability issues for a couple years. It seems best to stay away from first or second years of a new motor or chassis so they can get the glitches out. I guess if your looking at a used one with a decent amount of miles it should go for plenty more though.
I have a 2012 f1100 turbo I spring checked at country cat and it has 10000 miles on it and rather then junk it I went back to country cat this year and spent the dollars on parts to restore it.
Not a fun sled to work on but time and effort is worth it and now it’s been restored and should last for another 10 years!!
Testament to procross chassis and Suzuki motor
Love this idea for a vid! Appeals to most snowmobilers. Recommending a used 800 etec…… not sure I would ever wish those crank issues upon anyone
800r not the etec have most crank problens
Great sleds all...and a great vid...but I'm SHOCKED you didn't list the 2017 Renegade. It was the first year of the Gen 4 chassis with the rMotion rear suspension and the 850 ETEC motor with the amazing pDrive clutch. And it had the RAS front end with the 137" track...absolutely perfect...greatest all-around sled I've ever ridden.
Super hard to find used sleds in trail ready shape unless you’re ok paying out your nose.
I sold a pair of 98 ZR 600 EFIs for $5,000 before the snow flew this season.
Great Video! Just blew up my 08 Dragon 700 for the second time and looking for something different. For something thats 50/50 trail / off trail that you can also put a passenger seat on. Would you reccomend the Skidoo GSK or the Venture? Or something else... ?
I love the video, presentation style (do more of these dual ones please) and concept. You guys certainly have ridden a ton more sleds than I have but based on just my own experiences my 6 would be: Venture as mentioned, Any year of power steering Apex, 2016 Blizzard 800, 14 800 Switchback Pro-R Adventure, 10 Crossfire snopro le 800, 97 Venture TR
A 2014-2017 Arctic Cat is a great value because the sled is essentially unchanged today besides body panels and upgraded front end.
Biggest thing is how did the last owner treat the sled. I'd never buy another used sled that ever saw an open trailer. That salt spray is just brutal
Yamaha fan here!
Great video guys, the backcountry x looks like a very fun sled. What’s your guys opinion on the 08-10 800R? Mostly from a reliability standpoint?
Might make for a cool video...
Love this retro reviewing keep it up 👍
I got the XF800 limited based off AJ video back then. It didn't make the list? lol I still have it, still enjoy it.
There were lots of sleds that didnt make the list. We could both have easily picked 10 or 15 sleds... but we had to narrow it down to 6.
Best bang for the buck would be a 2001 SRX 700 out of all of those sleds
Thanks I definitely trust your opinion over others for sure
I have a 06 fusion 700 and that sled is the best sled ever made in my opinion and honestly it is still relevant it has a full display it is not about the newness of the sled it is about if you are having fun
Great video guys. Going back to the Yamaha. I have a 2008 nytro and the owners manual says the first valve service is at 40’000 km so ya 20’000 km is nothing for the Yamaha four stroke. I see on the forums I am on that some people are getting 60’000-80’000 km on them. That’s crazy. Please do more content on older stuff. I love that stv does a lot of older sled stuff on their show. I personally can’t afford or justify a new sled right now so seeing stuff on your show like this would be great. And I imagine there is people out there just like me. And dirttrax television again more avt and less side by side would be nice to. But that’s just my opinion and regardless I love your show and will keep watching. Thanks guys.
Dragon 800? Nightmare city.
Awesome video guys!
How about your top 5 picks from the 90s next!
Fond memories of my very old Nordic and my brother's 300cc Elan.
Nice stuff guys
If I were to add one/two to this list I would’ve gone a bit older and said the 04 Skidoo Summit/Renegade 800’s. My dad had a Renegade that he bought new the year they came out, a few years later getting a Summit of that same style. So he not only knows everything about that period of Skidoo’s, but he says they were some of the most badass sleds he’s ever owned (The Renegade a bit more than the Summit), even better than his Polaris IQRR Race sled he had for a few years once he got rid of his Summit.
Didnt mention the engine issues on the polaris 800 of those years. Needs fix kit but otherwise once done they are amazing. I love mine
Knowing that this video is a year old..
Could you do one for machines 10 years old? And include True cross - over sleds.
🎉 awesome guys ...
thank you !!
I just bought a 2015 Skidoo 800x 174". It's not a pretty machine, and it runs really hot, but man does it ever shred through powder.
Amazing video thank you guys
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video!
How about a 2014 Polaris Pro R 800 ?
Can you guys do a list like this but with mountain sleds
I had a 2006 ski-doo summit x highmark 1000 162” that was nasty as all hell I think it would be a great buy and could be bought for a good price. I would love to have one again.
BRP 1000 engine are the worst they ever made , rebuilt almost every year’s. Never see someone doing 2000 miles without broken crank seal or cylinder.. great for mechanical guys.