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Parting thoughts
Obviously the Cat is the only sled in an all new chassis here, so we are very excited about the XF 800. We are not sure if all the bugs have been figured out yet, but it rides nice, looks great, and anyone riding a new Cat this year will garner attention. It is the second lowest priced sled of this bunch too and the best off-trail.
We think the Polaris Switchback is a great sled for the money. We’ve said this before about many recent Polaris sleds – this sled doesn’t do anything the best, but it does EVERYTHING well. The weak point is fuel and oil efficiency. It about ties with the Cat in that category.
You can’t beat the direct injection 2-stroke technology that Ski-Doo has, except with a heavier 4-stroke. This really gives Ski-Doo an edge over Cat and Polaris 2-strokes. The Renegade also corners the best, but it’s getting expensive as the price has gone up on this sled significantly again for 2012.
The XTX is fast, and fuel efficient, yet you also can expect it to have the most longevity. It is the worst of this group off-trail, but one of the top two on-trail. It’s the most expensive, but likely will last the longest. It is the heaviest, but easiest to steer.
It seems every detraction we have for this one, Yamaha has already covered. Apex also is the warmest and most comfortable sled here for long distances.