Personal ride review 2014 Apex vs Doo XS

[lenny]

One of the best and knowledgable ski-doo mechanics I've ever meant rides a ski-doo 800E renegade, he knows it isnt perfect, but you make it sound like your odds of making it home are like zero. Like that one commercial says, some people want more out of life.

lol,,,,I never said that. The piston recall allows you to bring it in up to 3100 miles and for most that is 1-3 years,,,good luck

I think it's safe to say the 13-14 are good but watch out for a used one and be sure the recall has been performed than you would be just fine.

I think we can finally connect a name all four sled manufacturers and label them as loyalists, and I mean no disrespect just sayin.

Polarisrider1 is the poo spokesman
Ezra is the cat spokesman
Whitedust is the Yamaha spokesman
Momoney is the doo spokesman

now that's so damn pretty, I deserve major credit!

 

[momoney2123]

Let's not turn a good & honest sled comparo into a negative brand or focus on 1 engine. Injected 2s are what they are 4s are 4s some better than others & weigh more by design but all good sleds regardless of engine type.

Ya i agree. Its just not true that there are major issues and they WONT make it this long. The proof is in the pudding. We have had zero 800E's not make it past 4k and have yet to see one go down, granite the longest one of us held onto one was 7000 miles. The dealer mechanic comments is very subjective. I have personally known sled mech's that cant spell piston. But the one I know and trust rides an 800E, and he knows his bleettp. I mean what would an unbiased Poo mechanic tell you lenny? The 800 Poo has issues? Yet you own one. Come on.

 

[momoney2123]

Polarisrider1 is the poo spokesman
Ezra is the cat spokesman
Whitedust is the Yamaha spokesman
Momoney is the doo spokesman

i actually laughed out loud

 

[Banks93]

800etech - 1550 no issues and zero problems. Best handling sled and ride.

I have owned the Apex XTX, 5,000 miles, Vector LTX eps - 2,000 miles, Vector LTX - 5,000 miles

Two other guys I know have 1500 and no issues. I am ok with replacing at 5,000 miles. I will sell it and get a new one.

 

[G]

It all depends on how you like to ride. If you like a heavy trail cruiser with a motor that will never go down you buy a Yami. If you like the R-motion and can live with a small chance of engine failure then you buy a 'Doo. If you have had Pols all your life and learned to take the bad with the good you continue to buy Pols. If you like Cat's front end and two smoke power you buy a Cat. If you have 50 percent green underwear and 50 percent blue underwear then you buy a Yamacat. Simple - right? As far as handling and bumps and turning the lighter weight sled will always come out ahead. It is not a question of color. It is a question of physics and center of gravity. You might keep up for a little while in the tight twisties with a heavy sled but you will tire much quicker than someone on a lighter sled. If you ride down a wide groomed trail all day long it makes no difference how much anything weighs. All four current MFGs position the heaviest component - the rider - about two and 1/2 feet above the snow. This is about one and 1/2 feet feet higher than an old XCSP which would smoke any of the newer sleds through the tight twisties. I have seen this on numerous occasions over the last 3 seasons. It is not a fluke. Less weight and lower center of gravity. Physics wins every time. Run what you brung. Beware of XCSP's.

 

[tpayner19]

I also appreciate your review. I ride an APEX with 7500 miles and have also ridden an 800 ETEC extensively (my cousin has one and I repaired it after he wrecked). You state that for your aggressive style of riding in the twistys, the Apex is not for you. How aggressive do you ride? I have ride in northern WI and the twistys keep me from riding too hard without being on the wrong side of the trail.

I am in no way saying that aggressive riding means riding like you are on a one-way trail, but if you are on a trail aggressive riding is not advised.

 

[lenny]

Ya i agree. Its just not true that there are major issues and they WONT make it this long. The proof is in the pudding. We have had zero 800E's not make it past 4k and have yet to see one go down, granite the longest one of us held onto one was 7000 miles. The dealer mechanic comments is very subjective. I have personally known sled mech's that cant spell piston. But the one I know and trust rides an 800E, and he knows his bleettp. I mean what would an unbiased Poo mechanic tell you lenny? The 800 Poo has issues? Yet you own one. Come on.

I don't know what you are saying. You win, no 800e have blown and there is no recall and no reason to be concerned,,there ya go!

 

[momoney2123]

All I was saying is with our sample size of 800e's from 2010.5 to now none have went down and besides the 14s (only 1500-2000 miles thus far)all have made it past 4k miles. Yet your telling everyone watch out they are trouble be lucky to go over 4k...then you say wellllll if you have the update your fine....I think most have had the update done....yet u own a 800 poo that is proven the least reliable 800. makes a lot of sense......

 

[momoney2123]

I also appreciate your review. I ride an APEX with 7500 miles and have also ridden an 800 ETEC extensively (my cousin has one and I repaired it after he wrecked). You state that for your aggressive style of riding in the twistys, the Apex is not for you. How aggressive do you ride? I have ride in northern WI and the twistys keep me from riding too hard without being on the wrong side of the trail.

I am in no way saying that aggressive riding means riding like you are on a one-way trail, but if you are on a trail aggressive riding is not advised.

I ride with a bigger group so we dont go to fast about 90% of the time. But there are times when we are in trails we know real well that a few of us will turn it up a notch. This was the case when riding the apex. There were corners the apex could not travel around at the same speed as the XS, unless you want to go in opposite lane or take trees trying to keep up. Point blank it simply cant go around the corner at the same level as XS, like i said a lot of people wont notice this.

 

[polarisrider1]

Stopped by my dealer yesterday to find out how much time left on my warranty. They stated, "Be happy you don't have an Etec. They are coming in here at a much higher rate then the 800 you have." They also said I have all next year Polaris star coverage with no mileage limit. "Run it, we got your back if it goes down."

 

[momoney2123]

Stopped by my dealer yesterday to find out how much time left on my warranty. They stated, "Be happy you don't have an Etec. They are coming in here at a much higher rate then the 800 you have." They also said I have all next year Polaris star coverage with no mileage limit. "Run it, we got your back if it goes down."

pahaaha im not here to start a war. But all I call is BS.

 

[lenny]

Stopped by my dealer yesterday to find out how much time left on my warranty. They stated, "Be happy you don't have an Etec. They are coming in here at a much higher rate then the 800 you have." They also said I have all next year Polaris star coverage with no mileage limit. "Run it, we got your back if it goes down."

Wayne, you have had great experience with your pro, how many miles and hrs you got on that bad boy. How many trips have you taken out west on it, try an be accurate. Tell me a little about how you warm your sled up and why you think it is doing so good. Have you turned your oil pump up. I hope mine will last like your's has and if I can get some tips, throw them out there for me. If I were to be force to buy a trail sled and it either had to be a poo or doo 800, I'd feel much more comfortable on the doo cause I personally have not heard first hand experience with the doo's going down like the poo's

 

[polarisrider1]

pahaaha im not here to start a war. But all I call is BS.

Truth hurts.

 

[polarisrider1]

Wayne, you have had great experience with your pro, how many miles and hrs you got on that bad boy. How many trips have you taken out west on it, try an be accurate. Tell me a little about how you warm your sled up and why you think it is doing so good. Have you turned your oil pump up. I hope mine will last like your's has and if I can get some tips, throw them out there for me. If I were to be force to buy a trail sled and it either had to be a poo or doo 800, I'd feel much more comfortable on the doo cause I personally have not heard first hand experience with the doo's going down like the poo's

Let me go look....... I have 140 hrs. and 2685 miles. Run Poo orange cap oil. Been out west 8 times with this sled.9 times this March 9 heading to Tog. Clutch with the 68 weights for Michigan. 60-62 for out west. Never clutched to go over 8000 rpm.

 

[polarisrider1]

Just turned oil up 3 turns per bikemans video. I let sled Warm up to at least 118 and run scratchers down always in Mi. Never exceeding 152 degrees max. Run mainly in the 123 to 132 temp range. Sounds like a lot but just ride in the snow and it is fine.

Rode with Dave B. today and he will vouch I show no mercy on it. I am looking into the Bike man reliability kit as a refresh after Warranty runs out. Many guys I ride with have done this. I suspect the 800 Poo issues is due to not enough oil and short sloppy piston fit. EPA regs don't help. Two strokes are dirty motors period.

 

[lenny]

Just turned oil up 3 turns per bikemans video. I let sled Warm up to at least 118 and run scratchers down always in Mi. Never exceeding 152 degrees max. Run mainly in the 123 to 132 temp range. Sounds like a lot but just ride in the snow and it is fine.

Rode with Dave B. today and he will vouch I show no mercy on it. I am looking into the Bike man reliability kit as a refresh after Warranty runs out. Many guys I ride with have done this. I suspect the 800 Poo issues is due to not enough oil and short sloppy piston fit. EPA regs don't help. Two strokes are dirty motors period.

sounds right to me on how you run it. I am going to turn my pump up tomorrow afternoon. I have been adding oil to my gas so it has been getting a little extra oil and I warm up to 100 min.

 

[momoney2123]

Truth hurts.

Whatever helps you sleep at night. Sounds like a lot of tuning to prevent meltdown, why?. Ive never tuned an etec to prevent it from self destruction adding oil to fuel,turn up oil pump or not letting my engine run at its max HP RPM range....to each his own

 

[polarisrider1]

sounds right to me on how you run it. I am going to turn my pump up tomorrow afternoon. I have been adding oil to my gas so it has been getting a little extra oil and I warm up to 100 min.

I ran the Poo blue for break in. It helps set the rings better.

 

[polarisrider1]

Whatever helps you sleep at night. Sounds like a lot of tuning to prevent meltdown, why?. Ive never tuned an etec to prevent it from self destruction adding oil to fuel,turn up oil pump or not letting my engine run at its max HP RPM range....to each his own

I ride from 600' to 12'000' altitude. EVERYONE needs to clutch ALL brands to do this. The poo weights change out in under 15 minutes. The oil turn up was a one time 5 minute adjustment. The warm up temp varies but I see the Yami guys warm their sleds up so I do so. Operating temps. key is don't run it hot. The Rmks are purpose built for the mountain not for trail riding in Michigan, but this is what I have to ride. So scratchers down and watch temps.

 

[Skylar]

Lenny, almost 2000 on mine since I bought it. Two trips out west with it, and no mercy shown when in the yoop, or anywhere else for that matter. Oil pump turned up with about 300 miles on it. I always let it warm up to 100 before I apply any pressure to the fun flipper. After taking a break, I always let the temp stabilize before braaaaaaping it hard.