Anyone ridden an 09 XP vs. 09 M8 - no BS

[arctic matt]

I don't necessarily dislike the stock seat because of it's heigth, nor length (although I do love how the boss shorty looks) With me, I just don't like the stocker because it becomes a soggy, sponge when it's wet. I like to stand up and ride when hammerin' the mountain just as much as the next guy, but I've got a broken back so I have to spend some time on the saddle, usually as we go from one area to another. Unfortunately, the stock seat "sucks" (water, that is) and then it seems to lack the support that it does when it's dry, plus I can't seem to keep my derrier on the thing. That's why I don't like it.

 

[Coxy]

I wasnt even going to address that koolaid. I mean really, if you cant lay an M's side pannel into the snow with minimal effort with just some counter steer, or giving it a little body english, with ease with both, something is seriously wrong.

 

[koolaid]

I wasnt even going to address that koolaid. I mean really, if you cant lay an M's side pannel into the snow with minimal effort with just some counter steer, or giving it a little body english, with ease with both, something is seriously wrong.

Yeah, I couldn't resist on calling BS on Mr. Slim.

Hell, I think a 110# girl could be doing powder turns by the end of the day on an 09 M8.

 

[chazzer]

First time I've never seen you bash the Poo..... I guess you had to copmpare it to a 600 Doo

LOL

Cheers

Come on justin!!!

When we going to get out and go for a rip??? Been working lotz but should be back to minimum wage soon, wednesday I hope.

Chaz

 

[chazzer]

With all due respect... Koot-stomper on his 90 something phazer can follow all the boys around, hell, pretty sure i've even seen it climb out of the basement, out to the play pen, up the notch... But it still isn't a contender up in the deep stuff. It works good for what it is, and im sure a 600 doo doo works good for what it is, but if they were contenders up on the hill, wouldn't we all be riding them (still)?

I dont know about you coxy but im 250 + all my gear and when I'm riding with guys that are 50+ lbs lighter then me, and i'm on a 600 and I'm on their a$$ all day I think thats great!!! (for a 600)

What does kootenay stomper weigh???

Chaz

 

[HOLLYWOOD1]

I am a stanch DOO XP & Rev fan. But wanted to give a fair shake to the new M8, well we had the chance.

Wrecked my wifes XP the first day out at Cooke during New Years, so we rented a 09 M8 155 for her the first day, and a XP 600 Etech 144 the second day.

The results between the 2 could not have been more diverse. We are not trail riders, but after riding the M8 on the trail (heavily used and wash board bumps) back to Cooke, I had a headache, my back was thrown out, my neck was kinked, and I had to poop - all because of the BONE-jarring ride, without a doubt the worst handling/steering - roughest riding sled I have ever experienced, (Except for the Lumber wagon of H2otoyz ) In the deep pow & hills for the minimal riding I gave it, it was average. Tough to lay up on a rail, and the power was average for an 800, power band was smooth, but whoopty doo, nothing to brag about. But the M8 had a really beeg trunk!

Second day we rode the Etec XP. From the moment we hit the throttle, its pedigree spoke loudly. For power, it equaled the M8 and it was only a 600, the ride was so different and smooth over the trail, I could hit 50 and not even think about it where on the same bumps with the M8 I would have to slow to 10mph just to be able to breathe! The sidehilling was instant and easy. An effortless wonderfull sled that we did not want to quit riding.

Sounds like this guy needs a tylenol, chiropractor and a diaper rather than a XP or M8.

 

[Best Place Boost]

Both really good sleds, I have a 09 m8 SP with boondocker turbo, 174x2.5 camo.
I also have a rev 8 with rkt kit and 162x2.5 camo.
My brothers both have xp's with camo 2.5's. One 162 and one 174.
The xp's are easy to throw around the same as the M8.
Both love deep snow. I love sitting behind the hood and wind shield of the arctic far more than the doo's. Both are a blast to ride.
I love having both seats the M8 came with. If the trail to the mtn's is long and beaten up I use the stock seat. If it is fresh powder I use the Boss seat.
The turbo makes for an incresaed fun factor and the XP,s have not shown me the reliability that I personally look for before modding a sled.

 

[Idaho Slim]

Sounds like this guy needs a tylenol, chiropractor and a diaper rather than a XP or M8.

LOL, A newbie from Vegas passing judgement on my snowmobile knowledge.

Well Sonny, if you had been around here much, you might know I know a thing or 2 about sleds and set-up.

You do much sledding yourself, Hollywood??

Sorry Dude, but that statement alone gives your review of the M8 no credability, whatsoever.

An M8 hard to get a ski up, how that is funny!

Whats funny is almost NO-ONE commented on that these were "Rentals" (Maybe 1 person), I would imagine that adjustments MIGHT have made this sled handle and ride better, the fact is you flamethrowers that can't stand your Cat being critized were not there, you did not ride this sled, I did, as did 3 others, (Their comments were similar). I have never in 8 years of being a member of this forum given an review of a sled that was not actual FACT of what happened at that exact moment. I would welcome one of you nay-sayers that has an M8 that you think is set up properly, to let me ride it, then you ride a Doo I have set-up. I would genuinely like to see what all the Cat ruckus is aboot..........

 

[Freak]

Ive got a bag of 4 day old fish guts and I wouldnt trade em for any of the info on this thread. Go ride em and decide 4 yourself.

 

[Original Tetonice]

The 09 XP and 09 M8 are a blast to ride in the deep......Going down the trail both sleds suck compared to a trailsled.

Riding a boosted M8 is a blast.

OT

 

[Throttle Junkie]

Ive got a bag of 4 day old fish guts and I wouldnt trade em for any of the info on this thread. Go ride em and decide 4 yourself.

LMAO...That goes for 80% of the crap on here..LOL..but these brand vs brand posts are so stupid....#1 you can have the biggest badest sled and most of the claimed "mountain" riders would make it look like a elan.

 

[Teamdog]

I agree with Throttle Junkie most of the people on the forum are not able to ride a stock 09 sled to its potential.

I started riding about 3 seasons ago and after the first few rides wondered what I had gotten myself into. The guys I ride with are very good extreme mountain riders who are past hill climb winners and I have had to work my *** off just to stay 500' behind them all day.
They kept teaching me and encouraging me not to mention digging me out a few hunderd times to the point where I am now not a bad rider.

I had an offer last year to ride with another group and they asked me how good a rider I was and I said I was not very good but I would probably be OK going where they were going. They indicated they were quite good experienced riders so we went out.
The best rider in their group was riding a RMK probably a 2002 or so and the other good rider was riding a Doo 1000. I was on my 06 REV 159 with Holtz lightweight and clutched with a can. The best peforming sled I have owned so far.
The first climb we came to the RMK took 4 pulls to make it and the 1000 took 3 pulls. They gave me instruction on how to approach the climb and I decided to do it the way my regular riding buddies taught me and I made the climb up the draw at about 3/4 throttle the first time.
I don't make this statement to show how good I am or how bad they are it was simply an eye opener for me that the guys I ride with are great riders and the instruction that I have been getting is very good and all of the time I put in struggling to keep up was worth it.

The other thing was that my 06 sled would simply out climb their sleds no matter who was riding it compared to what they were riding.

This is the toughest motorsport I have ever taken up and it requires the most skill and conditioning of any motorsport I know of.

Later....

 

[IceCap]

Very well said, It does really depend on the group or groups you ride with and their perception of what is a challenging ride and what is not so challenging.

 

[chrisleav]

Well now looking at what I said before, an M8 ready to ride at 440, doesn't quite add up. I know this M8 had at least a little gas and oil in it, cause it was running. Picture below proves it's light though!

Someone asked how many '09 REV's I've worked on... 0. I'm not that mechanically inclined My first day here, though, just last week, I went back to the shop to see what was going on there. I saw 0 cats, one or two each of Polaris and Yamaha, and a LOT of Doos. The mechanic back there even admitted that most of what he works on are Doos, and it's been the same story everywhere I turn. Yeah, they're light, yes, they perform well. But go around to your local dealers, ask them what they have to fix the most, and most of the time the answer will be Ski-Doo

 

[phatty]

On my trailer right now, 09 M8 HCR 153" with SLP single, 09 XP Summit X 146, 08 XP 146.

Trail manners goes to XP hands down. I hate the m8 on the trail
In flight stability goes to XP, though the m8 isnt far behind

Everything else goes to the M8...

3 sled lengths was the distance between the two 09 sleds on a uphill drag race. I attribute that to the PC track on the m8 to its victory, the assault came in a distant 3rd.

The m8 was neck and neck with the 09 trigstad ported, twin piped XPs, we traded victories on the uphill race.

my advice would be to ride both and see what fits your style riding, that means a good 2-3 days on each. forget just riding it one day or even for a rip through the meadow. You need 2-3 days on each sled to get comfortable and push yourself to see what sled responds the way to want it to in the tight spots.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

The m8 is that bad on the trails? As much as I like riding in the mountains, I suspect at least half (probably more) of my riding in on trails. I would love to buy an XP but the reliability is simply not there....I am probably not a buyer next year so I guess there is time for the kinks to be worked out but given BRP customers service in the last few years, I would much rather be on an Arctic Cat.....

 

[pyments]

for what you'r going to spend, try and ride both sleds yourself! cuz as you can see there all good sleds. remember though, weight is the enemy, the "doo" comes already the lightest by far, all of them need fine tuning to suit your riding style and conditions. good luck

 

[snowyo]

Yeah, they're light, yes, they perform well. But go around to your local dealers, ask them what they have to fix the most, and most of the time the answer will be Ski-Doo

One of the reasons i'm sure is the same argument over and over.....any mountains i'm around here in BC anyway,i look around and all i see are doo's now,not poos or cats but doos.So if there's a kabillion more out there gettin thrashed on the mathmatical percentile isnt too far behind to see which ones in the shop,i'm not saying their without their issues,i'm just laying down another option to look at.

 

[deaner]

If you're an aggressive rider, go with an XP.............if you're a little baby girl, buy the cat. jk

Both are awesome sleds. XP chassis definitely takes some getting used to, but I find it a WAY more fun sled to ride. Climbs up on the snow unbelievably. Hard to get stuck and very easy to get unstuck. Same with turning out on a steep climb. Its so effortless. I think its because the track sits so far forward in the chassis. I think the sled could be twice as good with the proper suspension adjustment.

 

[chrisleav]

One of the reasons i'm sure is the same argument over and over.....any mountains i'm around here in BC anyway,i look around and all i see are doo's now,not poos or cats but doos.So if there's a kabillion more out there gettin thrashed on the mathmatical percentile isnt too far behind to see which ones in the shop,i'm not saying their without their issues,i'm just laying down another option to look at.

Could that be because Bombardier is a Canadian company? There are a lot of customers here in the States (especially in this economy) that tend to support our economy and buy domestic... I wouldn't be surprised if the same is true of Canadians. There are a lot of Ski-Doos here in the States too, but it's not such a tremendous difference that it could be the only reason for the percentage of Doos coming through our shop. They don't have THAT much of a monopoly on the market It also might be worth pointing out that we're not exclusively a Doo dealer. We also sell Yamaha and Polaris, so we have those customers all coming back to us too.