Aside from the headlights and other bells and whistles they're essentially the same sled in different plastics and with different options available. It all depends on what you order

 

G5 offers quick disconnect coupling for easier track changes,and a 4th motor mount.

 

The G5 l rode was a lot colder to ride even with a medium windshield. Very little/no wind protection from the side panels allowing cold air to dump into your crotch.

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For me they're both pretty much the same the only thing I dislike on the G5 is the hot grip thumb warmer setup that's the stupidest thing ever invented even stupider with the high-end gauge because when the gauge goes out so does the power to the hot grip and thumb warmer might not matter to those riding goat type trails but when you ride in Canada or northern Maine or New Hampshire or wherever they're high-speed trails not only dangerous but just plain old stupid

 

I have a G5 and I agree 100% with the had and thumb warmer. Come on BRP how do you screw this one up !!!!!

 

The headlight is the only thing that really stands out to me as being a true upgrade over G4. Its awesome! My G5 sled was faster than my G4 and I think it had a lot to do with the 4th motor mount holding the clutch in alignment better. The switch gear is absolutely stupid but wasnt as annoying as I thought it might have been. The medium windshield with mirrors on the G5 is no where close to being as effective as the medium w/mirrors on the G4. I didnt really notice the G5 being colder than the G4? The hood removal is slightly easier on the G5.

I can remember riding my G5 on my 1st ride in Quebec and thinking to myself that if you had a nicely set up 21/22 G4 with low kms and for whatever reason, couldnt get a 23 G5, you really were not missing out on much.

 

The headlight is the only thing that really stands out to me as being a true upgrade over G4. Its awesome! My G5 sled was faster than my G4 and I think it had a lot to do with the 4th motor mount holding the clutch in alignment better. The switch gear is absolutely stupid but wasnt as annoying as I thought it might have been. The medium windshield with mirrors on the G5 is no where close to being as effective as the medium w/mirrors on the G4. I didnt really notice the G5 being colder than the G4? The hood removal is slightly easier on the G5.

I can remember riding my G5 on my 1st ride in Quebec and thinking to myself that if you had a nicely set up 21/22 G4 with low kms and for whatever reason, couldnt get a 23 G5, you really were not missing out on much.

The headlights are really not an upgrade. I lined up my LED equipped G4 against my buddy with his G5. One with the lights on, then the other. He was quite disappointed to see how bad his G5 was. It was significant.

Here is a video of similar results. LED equipped G4 to G5 comparison

 

Not much for gen5 windshields.

Hope powermadd has something that works.

 

They (Powermadd) are coming in September from what I have been told via a email sent to me when I ask them. Doo is also coming out with a adjustable one also for next year.

Adjustable Windshield - Medium to High (ski-doo.com) You also have to buy the side deflectors separate then too.

 

G4 switch on left side superior to G5 .
Everything on G5 better, Medium windshield with Oxygen helmet is quite effective.
G5 is more quite and smooth. Hood removal is easier. The ability to energise the gauge without starting the motor another plus.

 

I energize the gauge to look at the map all the time on my 22 mxzrs with the big gauge. Pretty sure (it’s summer ya know) all I do is hit the starter with the tether unplugged.

 

G5 improvements:
1. 4th motor mount smoothed out engine performance of the 850, it is much smoother, but still pulls hard on demand!
2. LED headlights finally! They work well, but not quite as good as aftermarket lights such as SII.
3. Reshaping of hood makes it look stout, better-looking sled with new headlight design, I like it!
4. Hood is easier/faster to remove than G4.

The bad:
1. Left hand control block is a terrible design. Cannot tell which buttons you are pushing unless you look at it.
2. Thumb/hand warmer system is a big step backwards. I figured out how to make it work for me, but they should put the G4 control block back on the G5 sleds (at least the models that are not the 10" display).

Indifferent:
1. Warmer or colder with new body panel shaping? I personally feel the G5 is warmer on the lower body, but the lack of a decent height windshield this winter (I had the medium and it was still too short) made the wind hit me in the upper body more than the G4.

I wish Skidoo would admit when they made a bad design decision, such as the new left side controls, but they appear to be putting them on all G5 models for 2024. They took the same type of stubborn stance with the 7.8 premium display, and now the lack of a stand-alone GPS function with their new 10" display. I do wonder if their 60% market share keeps their "superiority" mentality from admitting their mistakes and making simple corrections when so many riders are asking for them.

Anyway, I like a lot of what the G5 has to offer. My MXZ 850 has been great to ride this winter!

 

If they made the g5 perfect, nobody would buy a "new and improved g5.5" in 2025. They need to keep you wanting.

 

All they need to do is release RAS-X2 next year and everybody will want that G5.5.

 

IMO the only upgrade on my 23 G5 XRS 850 that stands out is the head light. I do swap out OEM track for an ice storm so the swap was easier with the new drive shaft setup. Not sure how well the splined interface will hold up over all the torsionals and constant variable loading it will see (and this is NOT the same concern as the chain issues on mountain sleds). Time will tell.
As far as steps backwards
-NVH foam around muffler
-Switch block as mentioned by many
-And thus the grip/thumb warmer

Otherwise it was no different than my 21 xrs (also owned MY17 and an MY19).

 

IMO the only upgrade on my 23 G5 XRS 850 that stands out is the head light. I do swap out OEM track for an ice storm so the swap was easier with the new drive shaft setup. Not sure how well the splined interface will hold up over all the torsionals and constant variable loading it will see (and this is NOT the same concern as the chain issues on mountain sleds). Time will tell.
As far as steps backwards
-NVH foam around muffler
-Switch block as mentioned by many
-And thus the grip/thumb warmer

Otherwise it was no different than my 21 xrs (also owned MY17 and an MY19).

Seems to be a pretty common review by many I’ve talk to as well. How do you like the ice storm for the trails were we ride?

 

Is it just me or did anyone else feel their G5 pushed in the corners way more than their G4? mid to high speed sweeping corners our G5 gade x with 8" carbides and 1.5" track with 96 studs pushes like no other. RAS X on least transfer setting, suspension set up very well and pushes like crazy. Same set up on the G4 sled from a prior year and I can go much quicker through the high speed twistys. Also I am sure others have noticed that all the Doo XC racers, irondog racers, ambassadors and skidoo marketing team people all post pictures with the Lynx Blade skis on their sleds to help with the turning capability. G5.5 hopefully brings a more playful rear skid and the Blade skis.

 

Koreyk, i did notice that my G5 pushed more than my G4. 2023 from a 2021. 850 xrs renny.
I played around a lot with the suspension on the G5 but found no matter what it still did not handle as well as my G4.
Tried DS2 skis, and even bought C&A xcs skis.
Ended up liking the DS2 skis the best and kept them on for majority of the season.

Eventually I added a 1/8 "shim" of UHMW plastic between the keel bottom and carbide to add more keel depth.
I think that will be a big help, but unfortunately the season came to an end and I didnt get much test time with that set up.

Did you ever come up with a solution for the G5 push?

 

^^^^ $270.00 plus the side deflectors @$70.00 US

On the build it site, it show's keeping the hand deflectors. When building with the Fix'd mid-height it removes the hand deflectors... Just something I noticed.

 

^^^^ $270.00 plus the side deflectors @$70.00 US

On the build it site, it show's keeping the hand deflectors. When building with the Fix'd mid-height it removes the hand deflectors... Just something I noticed.

Candian Money versus our USA Dollar. Right now, the US dollar is Worth 1.34 Canadian.

 

Which doo is your favorite with LED lights and what color?

 

Biggest difference between G4 and G5 is, the G5 just destroyed the value of your G4.

 

Not really when alot of people still don't want to fork out the extra cash for old stock parts off a G4. When you're paying 25% more for a Gen 5 for old stock parts and a extra motor mount, I don't think anyone with a Gen 4 is complaining

 

You must not look at used prices much. Have you looked at Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, dealers websites? Sure doesn’t look destroyed to me. In fact I am anticipating taking the least loss on my old sled ever. The rise in prices of the new sleds has dragged used right up with them. There are plenty of ‘21’s for sale at almost retail from that time. I don’t think they will get that but they sure aren’t going to take the loss I have seen in my past. Same thing has occurred to the auto industry. Prices are coming down but they will never come back to what was “normal”

 

I think there will be a lot of disappointed sellers this fall. Most won't get close to what they think their sled is worth. It will be a buyers market again pretty soon.

 

I think there will be a lot of disappointed sellers this fall. Most won't get close to what they think their sled is worth. It will be a buyers market again pretty soon.

Skidoo and their dealers do not seem to be offering any sizeable discounts on the leftover sleds, so that may keep the resale value high for low milage used sleds.

 

I think it depends on whether we're comparing the G5 to an early G4 or a later G4. Compared to my early G4 (2018) my G5 steers lighter, corners flatter, & rides better. The new gauge is pretty cool and stock for stock the new LED headlights are a definite improvement. But once again Doo has blurred the lines between models. Like back in 2012 when they put the RM on the very last year of the XP. Had they waited just one more year there would've been a more clear separation between the XP & the XS. This time around the last 2 years of the G4 (21 & 22) got the new Pilot X, Ras X, & R-Motion X set-up. Some people like it (plusher ride / less steering effort) others miss the more playful / Polaris like ride of the earlier G4s. But now we got Lynx for that so choose accordingly.

 

I have bought 14 new Ski doo’s 5 used. Every time I got new sled they were so much better than the chassis before. Even better when the gen model change. I ordered a new Gen 5 850. Well very disappointed with the heated hand and thumb warmer setting system!!! Most stupidest thing ever made for a snowmobile. It’s unsafe to use while going down the trail. The next stupid is the med windshield with mirrors!!! Had rotate the bars and bring the riser way back so the handle bars wouldn’t hit !! Couldn’t leave the hand guards on either. Then I went to use my factory Ski doo handle bar muffs on a really cold weekend. Guess what they hit the windshield and fetch up in the mirrors to!!! I had 2017 Gen 4 850 with same set up never had a issue!!! Way faster then my 2023 for sure . Definitely lot of things that never got tested before it went to the market for Gen 5. The narrow cab is stupid for trail riding. Lot more wind on the body then the Gen 4 . Well maybe some day they will listen to there riders

 

I have to agree with the windshield and mirror option being not very desirable and also the hand and thumbwarmer being the dumbest thing ever. Beyond that, I can’t complain. Was my first 850, but going back to a 4 stroke as it fits me better.


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I'm saving for a G6. Hopefully my G4 stays together for a few more years.

 

Beau you are right on. I owned 5 different G4's before the G5 came out and I never would have said they needed more refinement. Some people even say they are too refined (boring). The brighter headlight is welcomed and so is the stronger brake that's offered on some of the G5's. But they could have easily added those to G4. To me the G5 is one step forward and 2 steps back. I think the new LH switch and console plastic look cheap, exactly like you'd see on an Arctic Cat. The headlight ugly. The new plastic is sleeker but it makes me cringe (maybe that's more the headlight than the plastic itself??) The 2 piece driveshaft... I would opt out of that if possible. People who don't ride Doo like to say the ergos are bad and the handling sucks. The G5 didn't address either of these complaints. So between what Doo did do and what they didn't do, I just don't have any interest in G5.

 

Hey, to each their own. I hated the look of the gen 5 when it first came out last year, but it’s grown on me, and seeing one in Person it looks pretty dam nice to me. I’ll take what Doo is putting out currently. Nothing I’d rather go with from the other two manufacturers, cuz if there was I would try one.

 

I knew I did something with that other post, there it is.

 

lol…

so what did you have last year?

 

prolly an AI pic. look how curved the skis are and the ski loops look like an unrealistic design. if they're plastic, they're gonna break and if metal they're gonna bend.

 

My view is that Gen 5 offers several changes that I found to be improvements after a season of riding one. It offered a new look which I personally like. It offered the 10" screen which admittedly was a little glitchy, but overall, I like the integration and it's a feature that I'll continue to order. The LED headlight was a big improvement and while some of the aftermarket bulbs in the G4's were equally bright, I felt that the G5 housing does a better job of projecting the light being that the housing was designed LED and bulb specific. But the thing I like most about the G5 was that it was (as many have pointed out) more or less a G4 refresh somewhat similar to the move from XP to XS. The motors, the suspension and the chassis are all pretty much proven commodities, but in a sled with a new look that differentiates itself from a 2017. With a newly designed engine or other major change, there will always be an issue or two that don't become apparent until the sleds are in widespread use for a year or two. In buying a model refresh, you tend to avoid those issues.

 

Not sure how the G5 would push more than a G4, since the G4 has more transfer. The G4 would push more because the skis are in the air more.

 

Not sure how the G5 would push more than a G4, since the G4 has more transfer. The G4 would push more because the skis are in the air more.

My 2022 G4 has the same exact suspension as a G5

 

RasX on G5. Forces more ski pressure.


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