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The 900 ACE NA is No-Compromise Enthusiast’s Motor

56K views 497 replies 83 participants last post by  Husky-Doo 
#1 ·
Over the years my family migrated from Polaris Indy 500s and XLTs to Yamaha Vectors and then to 600 E-Tecs. Mostly we bought good used sleds and kept them for years. In 2017 a great summer deal came up on a used 2015 Renegade 900 ACE, bought it to try it out, thought it would be a possible replacement sled for my wife's 2012 600 E-Tec TNT. If we didn't like it, we figured we could sell it with little risk.

My wife loved the 900 NA. It revolutionized snowmobiling for her, she said it was the best sled she'd ever ridden. I started to like it too - the rMotion was amazing compared to what we were riding, and the trail power was surprisingly strong. One day I was at the cabin alone and planned a 60km rip on the trails. I looked at my '11 Adrenaline 600 (which I loved), walked past it and took her 900 instead. Thought, "Let's see what this thing is like at some speed."

I came back from that trip shaking my head, the sled had all the power I need for the trails we ride, which are primarily two-way groomed trails lined with trees. I just had to get used to driving in the last half of the throttle instead of the first half, but once you re-train your brain and thumb, you find the sweet spot of the motor with the throttle comfortably tucked into the palm of your hand.

We ended up buying a 2020 Enduro in January 2020. Remember those days, when dealers had sleds you could look at or buy?. They had a 600R, but we love the iTC and that 4-stroke torque, and don't need the 10ish MPH extra top end the 600R would provide. The ACE was $300 less than the 600R which still baffles me. This was to be my sled and I'd decided I was going to buy what I wanted without compromise, and went with the 900 NA. Couldn't resist the modern 4-stroke packed with industry-dominating technology. They had a Turbo 150 as well, wasn't my cup of tea - heavier, more complex, prefers premium fuel, don't need the extra hp.

Once the Enduro loosened up and we got used to the G4, wow. I could talk all day about the expected reliability of the 4-stroke, the great mileage, or the awesome but subtle sound (sounds like a Porsche on startup). But snowmobiling is not about gas mileage, it is about fun. If you are not having fun on the sled you're riding, you need a different sled. Scenery, exploring, being with friends and family, are all awesome parts of snowmobiling, but the sled itself has to be fun, and snappy trail power is a big part of the fun-factor.

Viewed solely from that perspective, the 900 NA is an absolute riot, you just have to drive it like it is. On the trails we ride, more power would be of no use. I can ride to the limit of safe acceleration and speed with the 900 NA, 99% of the time.

The Ski-Doo ACE 900 NA is the best trail motor in the industry, and it is high time it is fully recognized as an enthusiast motor. I'm not disrespecting higher power motors for areas where the trails allow frequent high speed runs at 80+mph, or the need for 2-stroke lightness if you primarily ride powder.

I'm asserting that the 900 ACE NA is without question, a no-compromise enthusiast-class motor that can fully push the limits of safe speed and acceleration in almost all trail situations.
 
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#4 ·
By far the best trail cruising engine available and with some clutch tuning you can turn it into a real trail screamer. Doo hit this one out of the park, the 900 Ace is the standard for trial cruising and 4 stroke power plants.

Bob
 
#5 ·
OP: you're spot on with this post. We are very pleased with our 900NA's as well. Not one regret.

It's great to see threads like this where consumers are pleased with their purchases.

IMO, many newbie riders buy a high HP sled when they'd be better off and the trails would be safer with them riding a 600 or 900 ACE. Probably can't fault them though as the salesperson upsold them to make some extra $$ or to move inventory.

***I'll stop now so I don't ruin your positive post or get this thread going down the wrong track.***

Thanks for the great feedback.
 
#6 ·
Hey bar549 I think a lot of us have appreciated your posts on the 900 NA as an enthusiast motor, and the clutching upgrade and performance insights. It helped me think of the motor differently for sure, and affected my buying decisions. Thank you!
 
#7 ·
I appreciate your comments.

Ride On!

Boib
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm just happy Doo offers really good choices for both people that prefer 4-strokes & people that prefer 2-strokes. Right now I have one of each. I have a 850 E-Tec & a 600 ACE. I like both sleds and I can have fun on both of them. I've also demoed a 900 Turbo as well as a Thunder Cat with the 1000cc turbo. And I spent 3 seasons / 3K+miles on a 1200. When it comes to the NA 900 ACE, I have a small amount of seat time on one but I think it was sick or something, I'd love to throw a leg over a healthy one. I appreciate the pros & cons of both 4S & 2S. All that being said, I still prefer the way 2 strokes accelerate (feel) and I can enjoy it without going 80+. I also prefer the way 2-strokes handle and I don't need to be riding in deep pow to enjoy it. Ride what you like and don't worry about other people's opinions. I'm thinking of trying the 600R next. I'd love to demo one first but COVID keeps messing up every local demo ride...maybe this winter I'll get my chance.

On a side note did anybody ever line up the new 600 EFI with a NA 900 ACE last winter???
 
#13 ·
Sorry the 900 has too many compromises for me. It's pretty slow and doesn't sound good at all. My cousin sold his this spring because his wife refused to ride it. It took him driving a 15 year old 2-stroke to remember that sleds are supposed to be fun.

I don't like to rain on parades but I was suckered into buying a 900 after reading all of the positive reviews on this site. I wish I could have tried it first. I would have returned it for a 600R.
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
Sorry the 900 has too many compromises for me. It's pretty slow and doesn't sound good at all. My cousin sold his this spring because his wife refused to ride it. It took him driving a 15 year old 2-stroke to remember that sleds are supposed to be fun.

I don't like to rain on parades but I was suckered into buying a 900 after reading all of the positive reviews on this site. I wish I could have tried it first. I would have returned it for a 600R.
Oh now you've done it....

4-strokes can be fun to. I loved the mid-range torque / pull of my 1200. But...only when I was riding it on big trails (wide & smooth w/gentle sweepers).

Have you tried a 900 Turbo? They pull pretty good.

My 600 ACE is total weak sauce but I have a surprising amount of " fun " riding it. Just tooling around on a low powered sled makes you feel like a little kid again and it reminds you why you fell in love with snowmobiling in the first place. I have a blast on my 850 but it's a much more " intense " experience, I wouldn't exactly call it relaxing. Riding the 600 ACE is like putzing around the neighborhood on a scooter - tons of fun. The 850 is more like blasting down the freeway on a 1K cc crotch rocket, very exhilarating but nerve racking at the same time. I'm hoping the 600R is a nice happy medium between the two extremes. I worry I'll miss the pull of the 850 though. Supposedly the 600R feels like an older 800 up to around 60 mph. If that's the case I think I would be satisfied with one.
 
#401 ·
I'm hoping the 600R is a nice happy medium between the two extremes. I worry I'll miss the pull of the 850 though. Supposedly the 600R feels like an older 800 up to around 60 mph. If that's the case I think I would be satisfied with one.
The 600r pulls similar to an old 800... yes.... but it is more in between a 900ace and a 850cc....

My friend has a 900ace, he loves it ... he just misses the pull my 600r has sometimes.... but honestly,,, we are just having fun anyway :)

900ace,,, it is a nice engine..
This is the engine I even recommended to my brother ....
 
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#16 ·
If you ride one with sacked clutch springs, they are a real dog! Clutch them correctly and give them traction and they will pull hard and shock most riders by how well they can perform. When clutched correctly, they will pull 5+ sled lengths on a factory set up in a drag race and out perform on top end by up to 10 MPH! Everyone has there cup of tea, but the 900 N.A. is an awesome trail sled!

Bob
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
Best trail sled. I have had 6 different ones. Tested in 2013. Told BRP .... This sled rocks....the only 4 stroke that feels like a 2 stroke
 

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#21 ·
Sorry the 900 has too many compromises for me. It's pretty slow and doesn't sound good at all. My cousin sold his this spring because his wife refused to ride it. It took him driving a 15 year old 2-stroke to remember that sleds are supposed to be fun.

I don't like to rain on parades but I was suckered into buying a 900 after reading all of the positive reviews on this site. I wish I could have tried it first. I would have returned it for a 600R.
I totally disagree with you mile9c1 but respect that everybody is entitled to their opinion. I've been watching this site for a long time and there are very few who post a negative perspective of the 900 ACE NA.

I do agree that test drives are key, especially before buying a new one. Buying used comes with a lot less risk of losing money, if you know prices.

Strong advice for anybody test driving a 900 ACE NA - if you're used to driving a 2-stroke, you are used to spending a lot of trail time in the first half of the throttle. The iTC is not set up like that. It is calibrated so you have a lot of modulation in the first half, at slow speeds. At trail speeds you're into the second half of the throttle, that's where the fun begins. You have to think, "drive it like you stole it", and you'll never look back.
 
#22 ·
Sorry the 900 has too many compromises for me. It's pretty slow and doesn't sound good at all. My cousin sold his this spring because his wife refused to ride it. It took him driving a 15 year old 2-stroke to remember that sleds are supposed to be fun.

I don't like to rain on parades but I was suckered into buying a 900 after reading all of the positive reviews on this site. I wish I could have tried it first. I would have returned it for a 600R.
Its all in the eye of the beholder. The 900 n/a is not for everyone, but neither is a 850. It all depends on what kind of rider you are and where you ride. It shouldn't matter what the next rider has at the end of the day, as long as everyone is enjoying their time out there. I ride a 900t currently and have had 3 1200's before this one. I rode a 900 n/a when I had a 1200 and was actually surprised what it had. It wasn't enough for me but I had to be honest about it too.
But this 900 n/a, I feel I'll speak for a few others here along with my dad's argument, needs a package that's more then just an Adrenaline or Enduro. Why not an X and scrap the Adrenaline? Not everyone wants to put better shocks on then what a X offers anyways. And not everyone wants an Enduro with the air ride. My dad did make this suggestion to Skidoo and they basically said they would table it. My dad traded his 900t in this spring and ordered a 600R Renegade X because he didn't want what the 900 n/a was offered in. I just don't see what the dilemma is to just make an X package in the 900 n/a for those who just want a bit better then a Adrenaline. I honestly feel as watered down as the X's are already, Skidoo could just scrap the Adrenaline all together so everyone could at least have a better gauge and the adjustable riser. That's a bonus alone.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#23 · (Edited by Moderator)
Its all in the eye of the beholder. The 900 n/a is not for everyone, but neither is a 850. It all depends on what kind of rider you are and where you ride. It shouldn't matter what the next rider has at the end of the day, as long as everyone is enjoying their time out there. I ride a 900t currently and have had 3 1200's before this one. I rode a 900 n/a when I had a 1200 and was actually surprised what it had. It wasn't enough for me but I had to be honest about it too.
But this 900 n/a, I feel I'll speak for a few others here along with my dad's argument, needs a package that's more then just an Adrenaline or Enduro. Why not an X and scrap the Adrenaline? Not everyone wants to put better shocks on then what a X offers anyways. And not everyone wants an Enduro with the air ride. My dad did make this suggestion to Skidoo and they basically said they would table it. My dad traded his 900t in this spring and ordered a 600R Renegade X because he didn't want what the 900 n/a was offered in. I just don't see what the dilemma is to just make an X package in the 900 n/a for those who just want a bit better then a Adrenaline. I honestly feel as watered down as the X's are already, Skidoo could just scrap the Adrenaline all together so everyone could at least have a better gauge and the adjustable riser. That's a bonus alone.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

As much as I like my 900 Adrenaline the 200 mph speedometer leaves a lot to be desired. Probably one of the worst speedometers that I have had in the last 30 of the 48 years that I have been riding. That said, I have a gps mount on the glove box extension and the gps is as easy to read as the deluxe gage on the Enduro and its more accurate.
 
#24 ·
I totally agree with you FordFan, I wish the 900 ACE was offered in an X, this motor deserves to be offered in an X. We ordered a '22 Enduro 900 NA to replace my wife's 2015 Ardrenaline, and almost certainly would have gone for an X with an Ice Ripper over the Enduro if it was available.
 
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#26 ·
Found a good deal on a 14 900 renegade at end of last season. Never rode a 4 stroke and wanted to try it. Still not sure what I'll think as I only got to put 120 miles on before snow melted. Its definitely fun till 60 but Ive never ridden a sled that was so affected by warmer outside temps. Struggled to hit 80 on the speedo and that was with Bars clutch mods. I ordered a full cudney kit to give it a shot this winter. The smoothness and quiet sure is awesome though, I can definitely see how the ITC is so much of sticking point for a lot of guys. I don't hate it but dont really like it, to me sport mode is the only mode I use, I absolutely cant stand standard or eco. But again only got one weekend of riding out of it. Hoping I really like it this winter.
 
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