2012 summit x or 2012 800 PRO-RMK ?

[M8Chris]

Having a good dealer close by is huge. That, to me, is the deal maker. You can't really go wrong on any new sled now. They all have their plusses & minuses.

What he said^^^^ I'm not a doo fan but they are good sleds I just don't know how to ride them. I love my assaults. But if there is a great dealer near by that Sells doo then you should go with that. Having a good dealer is a huge part in picking a sled IMO.

 

[demo9asx]

I was in the same boat a few months ago when my 07 Rev bite the dust.

I was really tempted to get on the PRO bandwagon because of all the positive feedback. At the end, I went with the Doo primarily because of the dealer network. Since the sled is under warranty, having a dealer close by or at least on the way to all my riding areas is hard to beat.

I have put 1000km on the ETEC since November and aside from the exhaust temp sensor failed (replaced under warranty), the sled has been great.

Coming off the 800R on my 07 Rev, I do notice that the 800R felt like it had more grunt so I hear what you're saying.

I believe with a proper clutch kit, the ETEC should be a great sled. That being said, watching my buddy running circles on waist deep pow on his Turbo PRO does make me feel inadequate

 

[demo9asx]

...problem is around here (vancouver/whistler/pemberton area) everyone seems to ride skidoos...plus there is a really good dealer close by too.

I live in the same area and do notice that the sea-to-sky is pretty much a doo/cat country because of the dealer.

The only Poo dealer is out in Langley and not the easiest to get to with the traffic.

 

[keepitrealeh]

I live in the same area and do notice that the sea-to-sky is pretty much a doo/cat country because of the dealer.

The only Poo dealer is out in Langley and not the easiest to get to with the traffic.

I live in Van so the closest Poo and Doo dealers are both 45min away in surrey/langley, but there are doo dealers in squamish and pemberton which is close to where we ride. We can drop off the sleds on a sunday after riding and pick them up the following friday on our way back up...very convenient.

 

[Old Scud-doo]

Dealer support is most crucial for me. Sorry, had a Doo and no local support. Local dealer could only put it back to stock. No help other than that. If would have been a Bobcat they would have had it fixed.

If it's not broke I screw/mod with it until it is so I need that support. Cat has a great local dealer here and Polaris is great also. I would never again ride a sled that may have a problem that I can't take 15 minutes from work to be fixed. I would say that is the most frustrating issue of all.

 

[Destroyer]

two totally different handling sleds. The polaris is way more nimble. The doo really stable. I like nimble.

 

[BurtonXP]

Thanks for all the replies so far...

When some of you are saying wait till 2013 cause skidoo may be coming out with new sleds...are u saying 2013 as in model year 2013 (ie: the spring release coming in a few months) or do you mean wait until the year 2013 for the 2014 models?

the narrower stance on the summit X was definitely noticeable and I much preferred it to the '09 everest..infact i preferred everything on the X over the everest except the throttle response/torque...the X just felt a step behind...but again the everest has a clutch kit and a can and the X hadn't been through the break-in period yet so perhaps this will change.

I'd really like to try a PRO for a few days to see how I like it...problem is around here (vancouver/whistler/pemberton area) everyone seems to ride skidoos...plus there is a really good dealer close by too. If we cross paths with 20 sleds in a day, at LEAST 15 are skidoos..and everyone i ride with rides skidoos and tells me to get a skidoo (good local dealer, everyone else has them so if ever need a belt or parts or something goes wrong they all know the machines inside and out) so the doo seems like the obvious choice....but for some reason the PRO is tempting me to be different and try something new lol

vancouver area? ever ride the coquihalla? i know the owner of fivestar motorsports in chilliwack would be happy to set u up with a demo ride.
pm me as u can see my name well it should be Burtonpro now, not brand loyal just loyal to what works!

 

[Matte Murder]

I own 3 2012 ETECs and one 2012 Pro. All good sleds, actually all great sleds. I am not a brand guy, too new to this thing to get hung up on brands. The ETECs have a better build quality. Better suspension for the rough. I even have all the shocks upgraded on the Pro to the Assault style shocks and the ETECs are better in the bumps. There is really not that much difference in the PERFORMANCE of the sleds. The ETEC has a little more power. In deep snow they are all great in the trees. When the snow gets heavy or down to 6-8" of new the PRO MIGHT be a little easier to ride boonedocking. I hear people say that the Pro will make you a much better or great rider and I think that is bull. Good riders will take whatever sled they ride to the same spots. I think the Pro has been marketed really well(what I mean is massively over hyped)l and the ETEC has gotten undeserved bad press. the real test is what sled do I ride the most? ETEC wins my pick most of the time. We are finally getting good snow so will be riding a lot more. Will update opinion as we go along.

 

[goridedoo]

I was a die hard Doo guy, but last year I sold my 2011 Summit X for a Pro RMK. Best decision I ever made, not goin back to a Doo anytime soon. The Pro is so much easier to ride, and you can pull insane lines that just wouldnt work on the Doo. The Pro did take 4 full days of riding to get a hang of how it handles, but I haven't looked back since.

 

[tek9tim]

I came off an 09 XP X package, and was interested in the Pro mainly because of a buddy who was Doo-or-die and went with a Pro last season and was completely happy, along with everybody out there being happy with the Pro. I was still a little open to the Doo, but once I priced it out, I could get an Assault for a grand less than a Summit X and with a 4 year warranty. (Let's not forget what it would be apples to apples looking at a Freeride, which has a wide front end, the biggest problem with the 08-10 Doos) I'm no bad Larry rider, but even I wasn't happy with the stock clutching on the XP. So, I ended up getting the Assault. Extremely happy with it. I'm able to pull lines I never could have done on the Doo. I'm also extremely scrawny, 6'1" and 148 fresh out of the shower, so a stable sled that you have to put a lot of effort into wasn't my cup of tea. Let's just say I have a pretty bad speech impediment when speaking body english. The Pro does what I want, pure and simple. And when it's on edge, it isn't trying to get back flat. I can pull maneuvers straddling the seat that I would have to go wrong foot forward on the XP. If you want to be certain you'll have a maneuverable sled, get the Pro. If you're having trouble choosing, have your wife, gf, or whatever pick one by color. You won't lose.

I am signed up for a Doo demo day here in a little over a month, just to check em out and make sure I made the right choice...

 

[sledwolf]

I own 3 2012 ETECs and one 2012 Pro. All good sleds, actually all great sleds. I am not a brand guy, too new to this thing to get hung up on brands. The ETECs have a better build quality. Better suspension for the rough. I even have all the shocks upgraded on the Pro to the Assault style shocks and the ETECs are better in the bumps. There is really not that much difference in the PERFORMANCE of the sleds. The ETEC has a little more power. In deep snow they are all great in the trees. When the snow gets heavy or down to 6-8" of new the PRO MIGHT be a little easier to ride boonedocking. I hear people say that the Pro will make you a much better or great rider and I think that is bull. Good riders will take whatever sled they ride to the same spots. I think the Pro has been marketed really well(what I mean is massively over hyped)l and the ETEC has gotten undeserved bad press. the real test is what sled do I ride the most? ETEC wins my pick most of the time. We are finally getting good snow so will be riding a lot more. Will update opinion as we go along.

Im not a brand guy either, rode Doo last year, this year its the pro with the Bd kit. That said i tend to strongly discount guys who say the Pro is over rated and they theres not much difference between the two. The difference is night and day if your a serious mountain specific rider. It is true that in most cases you can take any stock sled to the same spots but in no way shape or form is it just as easy on any sled if your a (good rider). Thats says nothing about the type of lines you can pull in getting there. The Doo isnt even in the same league as the Pro when it comes to technical detailed pulls. Yes you can get there on the Doo but it takes a better rider to make it look as easy as it is on the Pro. The jurys already out on that debate and has been for a while now. When i hear guys talking about how poor the shocks are and how great they are on the Doo is causes me to laugh, it may be totally true but it leads me to believe the guys saying that spend all thier time runnning down the trails looking for a mountain rider to watch in awe??? In that case you may not really want a Pro or an XP as neither are real great trails sleds. You tend not to notice the shock dampening much when your doing downhill uturns in 4' of fresh snow between ledges, trees and chutes a mile high. I love the Doo, its fit and finish is second to none, the motor is great but if were specifically speaking to real mountain ridding the Pro is the envy of them all for now.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

It takes a very well set-up e-tech to run with a well set-up pro. I've found that in the powder the pro really shines and is an absolute blast to ride. I haven't been to fond of the pros suspension (lousy trail ride), but this last weekend we had some serious fast bumpy uphill snow drags going on. I looked at the hill and really thought it would kick my rear, but to my surprise I could smoke up the hill at about 55mph and never once got bent out of shape smokin through the bumps and S-turns. To my surprise the pro was quicker up the hill than a M-1000, 2011 e-tech, 2010 XP, and a solid running 2010 M8. I probably had more fun on that ride than any other sled I've ever ridden in those conditions.

 

[Superduty348]

I have experienced the opposite on my E-Tec. It starts out climbing like crazy until you get halfway up the hill, and it starts losing RPM's to the point where either you sidehill out, or go back down. My 07 & 09 R motors just kept ripping until either you got stuck or ran out of talent. The E-Tec motor is probably fine, but the clutching is junk. I have an '11 E-Tec and a '12 Pro. The Pro is the better all around mountain sled in my book.

Have you changed your helix? try it and I'll bet it will pull like your older ones did.

 

[idaho ride]

the fact that you are comparing SEATS! and TRAIL RIDING! tells me the summit might be a better sled for you,
see us guys that back country ride, talk about balance points, suspension placement/ tunnel drag in deep snow, and approach angles....THATS WHY WE RIDE RMK'S

because im being an A-hole, i will tell you I recently got rid of my 09 XP and it had a ton of power, but I was so sick of that thing back talking me on the mountain, not wanting to hold a side hill through terrain and bumps and inconsistent snow, the thing was great in deep snow... thats it, and yes it was good on the trail. . .but who cares about the trail.

If you want to be a better rider. get a PRO . if you want to do the same crap you alread have done and thats cool to you, then get the X

 

[Trevb151]

the fact that you are comparing SEATS! and TRAIL RIDING! tells me the summit might be a better sled for you,
see us guys that back country ride, talk about balance points, suspension placement/ tunnel drag in deep snow, and approach angles....THATS WHY WE RIDE RMK'S

because im being an A-hole, i will tell you I recently got rid of my 09 XP and it had a ton of power, but I was so sick of that thing back talking me on the mountain, not wanting to hold a side hill through terrain and bumps and inconsistent snow, the thing was great in deep snow... thats it, and yes it was good on the trail. . .but who cares about the trail.

If you want to be a better rider. get a PRO . if you want to do the same crap you alread have done and thats cool to you, then get the X

Im not going to rag on the polaris because I used to ride polaris back in the day but they are both great machines. You're implying that if I wana be a better rider I should get a PRO, but you apparently havent ridden a new X because I still have my 09 X and its a completely different story! Its so outdated I kept it for the girlfriend. As for my 12 X I have questioned some of the people I ride with why they switched over and one of them (still has his 11 X) had some dissapointment because he didnt think it had the power of the 12 X. 11' to 12' has improved quite a bit but even with this **** season for snow I'm still loving my X

 

[Matte Murder]

Sledwolf you contradict yourself a lot. Say I am crap rider because I like my Doo. It's so hard to ride to get to the same places and same lines. Wouldn't it take a better rider to ride the doo on the same lines if it sucks so bad? BTW, have YOU ridden a 12 Doo? Huge difference between the two. Or are you just a parrot for what your read online? I had the 11 last year so I know how much better it is. Also, we ONLY ride the mountains. Not much else where I live in Washington. I am riding both sleds on the same conditions, same day. In deep snow there is just not that much of difference. If you can't hold a side hill in 2 feet of pow on a Doo you are pretty pathetic. BTW, got a chance to ride BC. That is deep snow country. Best riding anywhere this year. Doo is overwhelmingly the sled of choice.

 

[TruckeePoo]

So....back to the original question. I think that we can all agree that both are great sleds. Manufactures continue to produce better and better sleds each year, and we the consumer reep the benefits of hours of design time.

With that being said, i've noticed every person that i've ridden with this year that has purchased new sleds say the same thing....."Man, the first 200 miles on this sled were tough. I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but now I LOVE it!".

It takes time PEOPLE! It takes time to adjust to everything you use in life! The more time you spend with (or on) something you get more efficient using it. You cant seriously say that a Poo is better than a Doo because you've ridden your Poo for 1700 miles and a Doo for 35. Same for people that ride a Doo for 1700 miles and a Poo for 35.

Simple fact, if you want to know what sled is best for you, take an unbiased approach and get out and spend time on both sleds. (If you can). Spend more than a day on each sled, it may be unrealistic but you'll find out for yourself instead of other peoples opinions. You can sure as hell bet that before i spend $12,000+ on a sled next year that i want to spend a significant ammount of time of both sleds, but then again i'm lucky enough that I can do that.

Ok....rant over!

 

[Christina Nadeau]

Poo vs pro

I've rode a pro twice and a dragon twice. Yeah, its way different. I would say, from what I've heard its a "Getting use to thing". After listening to everyone on the forum's I would say the sled to have is the Pro. After riding it I would say you would have to pay me to ride one. I, and another experienced rider tried to do an easy turnaround for a Novice rider - ah yeah, struggled. It would not turn without extreme effort. We both agreed it felt like it was fighting you the whole time. Maybe I am used to the easy rip and grip of a 2010 xp. Either way, it may come down to whatever you grown into, or one sled is just better.

Good Luck!

 

[scott t]

The poo and the doo are both great sleds anyone that says one blows one away on the mountain is lost is his own dream world, I ride polaris because it fits my ride style better than the doo and im used to how it rides. Dont feel as comfortable on the doo but i would imagine if I spent any amount of time on one I would get used to it. Pick one that fits you and just ride!

 

[sledneckskier]

What I'm curious about is which one is more reliable and durable. I really like the sound of the Pro, but seeing them snap a arms and blow up early in their life is pretty unsettling. I havn't heard of any etec horror stories yet. Warranties are great and all, but they don't do a lot of good if you are stuck 20 milles back somewhere with a dead sled.

Like I said I really want a Pro, but they seem a little sketchy in the reliability department. How are those Pros holding up? How are the Doos holding up?