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.
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.