Getting back into riding

I would get her a skidoo 850 with a 165. They steer easier than anything. Ride better on trail. Throttle is light and reversible ice scratchers. It will also do anything off trail if she changes her mind. For you I would at least get an axys. Newer is always better.

The Polaris Axys or Cat are by far the most easy sleds to get comfortable on in my opinion. You can get into a new holdover 2018 800 163 for less than $9,000. I know am inexperienced gal who decided she would get into riding and purchased an 850 Ski-Doo, the results have been a disaster ( very difficult chassis for a newbie). I feel it takes years of experience to be comfortable on a late model Ski-Doo.

If looking at Polaris, There is not much price difference on used Axys chassis sleds between the 600 & 800.

Lots of good deals on new, hold-over Axys 800s.

If looking for a relative bargain in the 600 class for mountain trail rides, look at the Pro-ride chassis 600. My kids are on 2015 RMK 600s with a 144” track, 2” paddles. I have found the 600 to be reliable and trouble free across 3 different sleds and a combined 6000 miles.

Your mileage may vary...

She may never use the extra power of the 800, but you might, or one of your buddys that visits. Nice to have a comparable back-up/loaner. As mentioned the 600s cost almost the same as the 800s. My advice is to get a pair of 800/850 machines of the same brand.


I think you could buy any one of the big three and be happy. I find the Doo easy to ride but the least predictable. I like the Polaris for super light weight you can feel, in narrower bodywork. I like the Cat for its mix of Doo reliability and Polaris like handling but with a 30lb weight penalty.


Getting a 15x and a 16x length 800/850 would do it. Even the new 155 sleds are all pretty easy to maneuver. Have a little longer one for yourself or go 154/174!


Like I said for your use, ANY 1-2 yr old sled in good shape with low miles will put a huge smile on your face.

There is a 2019 alpha 600 at Sturgis Motorsports for 8999

Bgilmlbz said:

I’m thinking she needs more of a 600 class sled.i can’t see spending the money on 800/850 class sled that she will never use.

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I am a 40+ year old woman who just started riding last year and am on my third sled. My husband first got me a 2004 800, first day out we had lots of powder and I got that sucker really STUCK 6 times in the first mile. By the time the day was over he had made up his mind to get me something newer.

My next sled was a 2012 Cat 800...I really liked the sled after riding it all last year but he thought I would do better with a 600 and picked up a 2018 M600....after riding the 800 all last year I disliked not having the extra power ( even though I do not really use it ) so that got traded for a 2019 M 800 153. I LOVE the sled. I have been on a number of friends sleds and what I have noticed is all the newer ones are just so much better then the older ones (even just a couple years older). They are so much easier to control, get over and NOT get stuck. We ride mostly off trail, in deep snow and no shoveling has been required this year and I am really good at doing the wrong thing in the wrong places :face-icon-small-dis

My husband is contemplating getting a 2020 Alpha and giving me his 2019 but I find it too tippy, especially on the trails. I personally think for a new rider they might be more difficult to learn on.