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Let's not kid ourselves here, a lot has happened in the Ski-Doo camp this season. Last year's very good sleds have been surpassed by this year's most excellent sleds. Such is the fate of the 2007 Ski-Doo Blizzard 800 that we enjoyed as a long-term test sled last season.
Blind to what was to come, we thoroughly enjoyed our miles aboard the Blizzard. As a 2007, the Blizzard epitomized the best of the REV chassis design. Being the last of a revolution in sled design for Ski-Doo (until this season), the Blizzard was as near perfect a sports sled as you could get in the REV style.
Everything evolvesThe suspension upgrades that evolved, as the REV platform matured, worked wonderfully in the rough. This sled was designed to appeal to hardcore "bump" riders. It did the job well. Weight transfer from front to rear was controllable and predictable, letting you confidently throttle in the 140-horsepower of the Rotax 800 twin.
For the Blizzard's under-10 grand price tag, you got aluminum-bodied, take-apart shocks in the SC-4 rear suspension and high-performance gas shocks with "clicker" adjustability up front. Of course, most riders rarely mess with the shocks, trusting the dealer to get it right in pre-delivery setup. We'd recommend reading the owner's manual and fine-tuning the shocks yourself. You'll find, with a little real-world practice, that you know how you ride better than anyone and can easily improve your ride experience.
As we noted, now that we know what's coming for 2008 and having test-ridden the next generation REV-XP, the Blizzard seems like old news. One area where that's most true is under the hood.
The 140-horse Rotax 800 is gone in the Blizzard's replacement for 2008. Many will welcome the change, as Ski-Doo marketers probably heard way too often, "Why isn't the 800R PowerTEK motor in this sled?" For '08, it is the 800 of choice in the new REV-XP chassis. However, last year's high-output 800 was no slouch, powering our long-term test sled to a best in category ¼-mile ET of 12.77 seconds at a speed of just under 100 mph. Now, consider what the results would be with that same engine in a REV-XP chassis that weighs 66 lbs. less than the '07 Blizzard!
Don't bother with the math. The 2008 equivalents to the '07 Blizzard will get the 155-horse 800R PowerTEK motor - and the lighter chassis.
On the trailWhile the Blizzard was "burdened" with the less potent 800 H.O. engine, it wasn't an issue on the trail as the twin-carbed powerplant was plenty capable of keeping up - if not ahead - of its competition. Of course, as magazine test riders, we do get spoiled by riding the best available sleds and can note differences in power setups.
For example, our preferred engine in the Ski-Doo line through 2007 has been the ubiquitous Rotax 600 SDI. Besides the smooth power of the 2TEC twin, we have been impressed with how responsive the engine has been to throttle inputs. Since the SDI automatically calibrates itself on the go, we rarely experience hesitation when pushing the throttle to the bar. That wasn't the feeling we got when we slammed the twin 40mm Mikuni carbs wide open as we exited some corners.
Maybe it's our imagination, but we often felt a mini-moment of hesitation, as though the big carbs were trying to jam more fuel mix into the engine than it could handle. It never lasted long and the 800cc twin quickly swallowed and powered on. Frankly, if we hadn't been riding with such precise metering sleds as a Polaris with Cleanfire intake and a Cat with its historically precise injection, we wouldn't have thought much about it.
As for overall comfort, the Blizzard gets high marks. In fact, during a late season Minnesota blizzard - the old-fashioned kind that closes schools and blocks highways - we rode the Ski-Doo Blizzard right through the heart of, well, a blizzard. Given the low windscreen and seemingly breezy styling of the Ski-Doo, we figured an extra layer of underclothing would be in order for this ride. No such need.
Whether the engineers tested the cowl and windshield combination in a wind tunnel or not, the Blizzard deflected the Minnesota wind chill effectively. We did need to make some course-changing corrections with the steering when especially strong broadsiding gusts grabbed the sled's profile. Riding a Blizzard in a blizzard made for an interesting anecdote when we pulled in for coffee stops along the route.
One thing that we won't miss with the Blizzard - Ski-Doo, that is - is that darn knee pounding we took with a crooked leg against the cowl. Two things about the REV platform that always seemed automatic were sore knees and recalcitrant knee joints. The '08 REV-XP extends the cockpit up to 8 inches. Any veteran REV rider will notice that right away. We never could understand how Arctic Cat designers could divine the concept of an indented knee area on the rider-side of its Crossfire cowl, and Ski-Doo designers couldn't fathom it on the REV. For 2008 it's a non-issue!
Go get oneIf there are Blizzards available as carryover inventory at extremely attractive prices, we'd say you owe it to yourself to take a look at what kind of deal you can make. It is a terrific sled for virtually all riders.
Despite its design as a "hardcore bump rider" sled, we found it more than comfortable for leisurely trail rides as well. The suspension set-ups are flexible and not race-brutal. However, since the 2008 MXZ Adrenaline with the 155-hp twin and much-improved REV-XP chassis carries a price tag similar to the original Blizzard pricing, it could make a difference in your buying process.
The '08 REV-XP models are definitely worth a premium vs. the best of the older REV models, such as the Blizzard.
You've got to decide, but we know where our money would go, even if it were a few hundred bucks more to upgrade.
2007 Ski-Doo Blizzard 800Engine: 800 HO PowerTEK
HP: 140
Exhaust: Single tuned pipe
Ski Stance: 47 in.
Front Susp.: Double A-arm w/swaybar and HPG clicker shocks
Rear Susp.: SC-4 w/HPG front arm shock and HPG take apart rear arm shock
Track: 15x121x1.25 in.
Fuel Tank: 10.6 gal.
Dry Weight: 479 lbs.
Wet Weight: 586 lbs. (w/144 Stud Boy Powerpoint stud package)
Price: $9,799 US/$12,549 CA
Power-to-Weight2007 REV Blizzard 800 vs. 2008 REV-XP MXZ 800R Adrenaline: .29 hp/lb. vs. .35 hp/lb.