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We know the big power guys think the only way to have fun on snow is saddling up with at least 140 horses. We agree that those monster trail busters are a hoot! But what if you're a newbie or on a more limited budget? Heck, compared to the early years, all of today's snowmobiles have buckets of horsepower and suspensions that can make any trail ride comfortable and exciting.
Face it, today you can get plenty of performance even out of these smaller sleds, especially in prime ditch-banging area's like northern Minnesota, or chopping off a corner on a winding trail as the trees whiz by out East. The point is, you don't HAVE to be a pro-racer to have fun.
So here's a look at four price-point machines. Three are powered by fan-cooled engines while one is a 4-stroke with a bit more power. Each has some prime selling points, but we consider all to be cheap studs in classy duds!
Yamaha Phazer RTXNeed a fair amount of ponies, but still want to stay on the less expensive side of sporty? Consider Yamaha's Phazer RTX which kicks out 80 horses (the most in this group) from its 499cc, 2-cylinder 4-stroke.
You'll spend a little more up front, the RTX version going for $7,699 US, but gas mileage will easily beat the fans. So, if you're running it for several years, the better mileage and its minimal oil usage will help even out the cost difference. In Real World testing we averaged 16.7 mpg with an FX Phazer, one of our best results ever.
So how much quicker is the Phazer than the rest?
Well, on the speedomoters, most of these fans top out around 70-75 mph. In Real World radar testing two seasons back, our Phazer hit 81.57 mph in the ¼ mile. The pop off the line is more than obvious as Phazer leaps from the blocks compared with the fans.
Phazer also is unique looking and delivers a different ride than the other's more traditional setups. You ride taller on the Phazer, more like you're on a dirt bike with the engine beneath you. And you'll find yourself riding it more like a bike. The seat is thin so you can move around and you'll be up on the bars and leaning more into turns. That can be fun, or fatiguing, depending on how hard you push it.
But the Phazer RTX will take a pounding, better than most sleds at this end of the market. It's much more like a snocross sled. Compared to the FX Phazer, the RTX upgrades to FOX Float shocks up front and Dual Shock CK torsion spring rear suspension with HPG clickers so you can adjust it to fit your enthusiasm level. The clickers have 20 settings for major adjustability.
While that base Phazer only runs you $6,699 US, $100 more than the Ski-Doo MXZ 550X, we're suggesting the RTX because it'll take more trail abuse, witness the shock talk above. But you also get a small windshield and handguards on the RTX, along with hooked bars, which are much needed if you push this in turns.
Concerned about 4-stroke weight? We haven't weighed the Polaris 550 IQ Shift or MXZ 550X wet yet, but the Yamaha 4-stroke actually comes in 20 lbs. lighter than Cat's F570, the Phazer tipping the scales at 563 lbs. with all its liquids. Like the Cat and Polaris, the Yamaha also comes with electric start.
2009 Yamaha Phazer RTXEngine: 499cc, 2-cylinder 4-stroke
HP: 80
Exhaust: Rear
Ski Stance: 42.7 in.
Front Susp.: Independent double-wishbone w/FOX Float shocks
Rear Susp.: Dual Shock CK w/C36 KYB aluminum HPG/HPG w/clicker
Track: 14x121x1.0 in.
Fuel Tank: 7.0 gal.
Dry Weight: 489 lbs.
Price: $7,699 US
Arctic Cat F570Cat's fan sled boasts the most horsepower of the three fans here. Cat says the F570 kicks out 65 horses, and last season our long-term demo machine showed a top speed of nearly 70 mph on radar. Fans don't jump off the line with a lot of gusto, but they pick up steam as they scramble down the trail. Response coming out of a turn is quick and can give you a little kick in the seat.
Gas mileage is good, with our full season test last year showing the F570 at 13.6 mpg, and Cat recommends 87 octane fuel, a plus in today's market.
Where the F570 shines brightest is in ride and handling. The Cat is the easiest of all these sleds to steer thanks to a roller bearing inside the steering post. Its understeer has been improved for 2009 with spindle and ski changes, so the newest model is your best bet here.
All our test riders also like the sled's comfortable ride, afforded by its rear slide-action suspension. The F570 pounds through stutters well, but we bottomed it out on rare occasions. This also has the longest track of this foursome at 15x128 inches, and it features a 1-in. lug.
Basically, what you get here is the same solid Twin Spar chassis used throughout Arctic's F-Series sled lineup. So the sled looks as fast and competent on the trail as any of the F sleds. Fit and finish are good on the Cat. This is not an afterthought sled by any means.
Balance is good as the mass is well centered on the F570 and rider positioning is excellent. You sit up straight and your legs are comfortable. Seating is well cushioned, and you can move on it well enough to get up on the tank if you're aggressive. We also like the hooked handlebars that give you better leverage and the running boards are plenty wide.
If we were going to change anything to the stocker, it would simply be the ski carbides, it needed a bit more grip up front.
Pricing is good too, at $6,499 ($7,499 Canadian) you get a fun trail banger with enough suspension and comfy ergonomics to keep you from getting tired. Plus, there are some other goodies at that price, including electric start and an attractive gauge with an electric fuel gauge and dual-stage trip odometer.
2009 Arctic Cat F570Engine: 565cc, 2-stroke fan
HP: 65
Exhaust: Tuned pipe & canister
Ski Stance: 43 in.
Front Susp.: AWS VII double-wishbone A arms
Rear Susp.: Slide-action frame w/coupling blocks
Track: 15x128x1 in.
Fuel Tank: 10.8 gal.
Dry Weight: N/A
Wet Weight: 583 lbs.*
Price: $6,499 US/$7,499 CA
*
AmSnow tested, 2008 model
Polaris 550 IQ ShiftOnly one sled beats the Cat on price and that's the 550 IQ Shift from Polaris. This slick new sled fills the spot left by the tired, and now retired, Supersport that we said last season was more than ready to be replaced.
The 550 IQ Shift starts at $5,499 ($6,299 Canadian). For non-math majors, that's a full grand less than the Cat.
What you get is a great riding sled with adequate power for a sporty ride. Both this and the Cat offer the most comfortable trail riding of the four sleds. So if you put on many miles, these are your best bets.
Its IQ suspension does a good job of sucking up the bumps and stutters. We credit much of that to the RydeFX MPV shocks front and rear. We noticed little bottoming on bumps and consistency in rebound during testing.
The all-black Shift remains a basic model throughout the Polaris lineup, focusing on value, which it delivers here. This model has a 544cc fan with Mikuni VM34-2 carb and NiCaSil-lined cylinders for better performance and durability.
This seemed to have more pop from a start and off of turns than the other sleds here. Polaris engines seem a bit stronger than some of the other makes in this power class. Polaris rates this one at 60 horses, so it's certainly nipping at Cat's heels on the stat chart.
Handling is heavier on the Shift than any of the other four sleds. It has improved in the IQ for the past several years, but turns are not as crisp and easy with the Polaris as with other makes. Ski-Doo and Cat feel lighter on the trail, but Polaris lists this at 470 lbs. Only the Ski-Doo is lighter.
Other pluses here include the biggest gas tank in the group at 11.5 gallons, which gives you a bit more range. We don't have long-term mileage numbers yet, so we can't give you a reliable mpg figure.
In addition, the IQ Shift has a new Freestyle seat that's narrower and allows you to move around more easily than on a Supersport, for sure. Down side is that it's a pretty firm seat.
2009 Polaris 550 IQ ShiftEngine: 544cc, Polaris 2-stroke fan
HP: 60
Exhaust: Single
Ski Stance: 42.5 in.
Front Susp.: IQ w/RydeFX MPV shocks
Rear Susp.: IQ w/RydeFX MPV shocks
Track: 15x121x0.91 in. Shockwave
Fuel Tank: 11.5 gal.
Dry Weight: 470 lbs.
Price: $5,499 US/$6,299 CA
Ski-Doo MXZ 550XIf lighter equals better in your book, look no further than the 550X Fan from Ski-Doo. It weighs 435 lbs. dry, according to Ski-Doo, making it 35 lbs. lighter than its next closest competitor, the Shift.
Weight is especially important with fan sleds that produce less power than their liquid-cooled cousins. The 550F delivers 55+ horses, but this sled will hang with the others in this crowd despite a bit less power, and it is quick corner-to-corner with peppy throttle response.
We're also big fans of the Pilot 5.7 dual runner skis for several years now. The 550X still rides in the REV chassis, and has excellent handling and turn-in into corners with no skating or darting. Aiding in that handling is its wide, 47-in. ski stance, the widest and most stable of this group.
Getting into deeper snow, the 550X handles itself pretty well. No, the power isn't great, but the 1.25-in. lugs on the RipSaw really churn up the snow and keep the sled moving forward.
The X model also offers an attractive shock package with Kayaba HPG take-aparts front and rear, with clickers up front for easy adjustment. Several of our test riders even went so far as to say they enjoyed the ride on this model's SC-4 rear suspension better than the newer SC-5.
What else do we like? There's a racing seat that's easy to move around on and a riser block that gives you more leverage on the bars, plus a steel braided brake line upgrade and electric reverse is standard.
Unlike the other sleds in this category, electric start is still an option. That said, the fan is extremely easy to pull-start, so having reverse may be the bigger advantage. What would we change? Add a bigger windshield… and maybe 10 hp!
Pricing is also in the ballpark, just $100 more than the Cat at $6,599 US.
2009 Ski-Doo MXZ 550XEngine: Rotax 550cc, 2-stroke fan
HP: 55+
Ski Stance: 47.0 in.
Front Susp.: RAS w/sway bar, Kayaba HPG-TA clicker shocks
Rear Susp.: SC-4 w/Kayaba HPG-TA shocks
Track: 15x121x1.25 in.
Fuel Tank: 10.6 gal.
Dry Weight: 435 lbs.
Price: $6,599 US/$8,099 CA
Final wordThese are all good starter sleds that will give riders years of fun. Each is strong enough to give you thrills on the trail, but affordable enough to fit into most budgets.
But before deciding, take stock of what is most important to you. Speed and gas mileage? Go with the Phazer. Ride comfort? Start with either the Cat or Polaris. Handling? Ski-Doo is your best bet.
Note too the fans all offer good comfort and more traditional looks and riding styles. If you're coming to snowmobiling from dirt biking or motocross, then the Phazer might be a better fit.
We had a blast on each of these and our test riders range in age from 30 to mid-60s, with a wide range of experience. So trust us, anyone could have fun on these sleds!