Shredding the NAR on the XM.

Here is my honest opinion and my experiance with the xm vs the other sleds I own and ride. I have a 2011 freeride and a 2011 pro, I didn't care to much for the pro at first because I was used to the xp ride but after about three rides I got the hang of it and started to fall for it. I can pull narely lines on it throught the trees with ease and look back and think man that was sick and so easy. And I am not even tired after a full day of pure boondocking, this sled is awsome and truely a boondocker's dream. I was set on a 2013 Pro as my next sled.

Then I got to test ride the new xm yesterday and that threw me a total curve ball. The conditions were a heavy wet snow and you could leave about a 4" deep swath just coasting along, not much powder at all it was actually raining/hailing on us. I rode the xm for about 30 min and thought yeah this thing handles quite well but I still like my pro in that department. Then power was another story, this sled has power I am told it is just in the clutching improvments over the past couple of years but I felt like about 15 to 20% more over my 2011 freeride. ( I know it is also lighter than my freeride so that might be some of it to) But I was in a clear cut where I could really open it up and I sieriousely could have never let the skis touch the ground if I wanted to, this sled just flat out rips! I felt as if I was in the jackson hole hill climbs.

Then I gave the sled up and started talking to the ski doo rep about the ride and he asked me about the handling. I told him I have a freeride and it is wide and I have never rode the s 36 summit chassie so I couldn't tell you how it handles over that but it is snificantley easier to toss around than my freeride. So he said well here is my 2012 s 36 154 take it for a spin and see what you think. I rode it for about 30 minutes and liked it but I did feel that the xm did handle better in the trees there was just a little less effort involved with it and I really liked the new running bords. Being able to put your foot all the way foward really helped when making a tight turn to head back up hill or when cutting around a tree.

At lunch I scarfed down my food and kicked the owner of the dealer ship off his xm seat and said I am going for another ride, this thing is no pick nick table. I got to ride the sled for about another hour after that picking my way through the lodge pole which is as thick as the hair on a grizzly bear and finding the most technical lines I could. I found the xm to be very perdictable and holding my lines very well! Most of the time I was looking up hill for a thougher line!

So at the end of the day my conclusion was I will be buying a new XM next year which was not my intention at all at the start of the day because I really like my pro and its easy to ride. I felt the XM might take a little more effort than the pro to ride but not enough to make a differance and I felt with the power it has over my pro I could pull off even sicker lines. Hope you guys like the report I hope you can all get out and ride one for at least a hour or more. I am out of here going to see if i can find out where that test rider parks those xm's at nite. :face-icon-small-hap LOL

I would but I am planning to sell both of my sleds this year and buying new because I don't like going down the road with no warranty. Blown up to many over the years and that is expensive. I feel buying a new sled and riding the new technology with a warranty doesn't cost me any more than putting money into my old sleds.

Xrider said:

I'd be a little leary to add power to an already questionable motor.

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Yeah but they all have their problems. My e tec is in the shop getting a new top end put in it with 845 miles on it. (Didn't make it to the top end recall @ 1200 mi, thank god for warranty once again) And on the flip side my pro is running like crap they think the tps(throttle positioning sensor) and the injectors need replaced and it only has 767 mi on it plus I had to get a new secondary for it. That is why I will not ride without warranty on my sleds nothing is bullet proof. And adding power only goes so far with warranty so I try not to do that anymore.