apex gt is so choice

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It's a snowmobile high
This sled was designed as a premium, limited-build machine to shrug off any tough trail with an air of sophistication and a penchant for abuse. This machine flattens corners, glides through the big bumps and powers out of corners like no other 4-stroke to date. If it sounds like I'm high on this sled, it's because the Apex GT is easily my favorite new sled for 2006.

After my first ride I begged our Yamaha rep to slide us one for this winter, and he did!

Like we've said numerous times, Yamaha's new 4-stroke Genesis 150 is years ahead of any 4-stroke competition. It doesn't quite have the ability to burp off a small road approach like an 800cc 2-stroke, but it's darn close. At an AmSnow dyno-tested 149.8 hp, this engine's got the ponies to pull past almost any sled on the trail.

What separates the GT from its other Apex brethren is the Ohlins shock package. Though Ohlins shocks have been around for some time, this is the first time this electronic adjusting shock package has been used on a Yamaha production machine. Yamaha added the Mono Shock EC electric rear suspension to the Apex and added suspension adjustability to the sled's electronic gauge cluster. It's easy to stiffen or soften the rear suspension on the fly by simply clicking over to a shock readout on the easy-to-read gauges. Click the mode button and a little shock icon replaces the hand warmer icon, showing the adjustability range from hard to soft.

Talk about a great feature, and on a performance sled too!

The GT also got piggyback reservoir GYT-R clicker shocks up front that make ride dial-in simple. The shock package, along with Yamaha's rider forward stance that superbly balances the rider on the sled's center of gravity, make this sled feel half its size.

Reserve Judgment

With all the kudos we've given this sled it's important to remember it's still a first-year machine. Anyone can tell that it's an impressive unit and quite possibly the best sled of the year by looking at a brochure or perusing this sled in a dealership, but will it hold up to a year of tough riding through varying conditions?

We'll reserve final judgment until the end of the season and report our findings.