My Take On The Axys vs Doo 850 vs Doo 800

[KingCon]

Hello Everyone,

Just had a chance to compare the Axys, Doo 850 and Doo 800. The Axys was a 163" x 2.6" track, 850 was a 165" x 3" and Doo 800 was a 163" x 3". There was about 18" of fresh powder with good base. Some areas were harder where the wind had blown most of the fresh off. Let me start by saying I have always been a Polaris guy but have a open mind on what my next sled is going to be. I really like the Axys, but I have several concerns.

1. I cannot stand the Axys running boards!!! I have a size 13 Klim Arctic boot that absolutely doesn't fit for crap on the running boards. It is the same width as the running board without snow built up on it. Once snow is on it, it is a bear to just stay on them. I get that Polaris wants narrow boards for not hanging up in the snow on a side hill. I think the Axys is truly built for smaller framed people. Both Doo boards are much better to stay on the sled.

2. When facing downhill towards a nasty creek bottom, the Axys is much harder to take a hard right or left to get out of trouble. The Doo's are absolute cake to get the sled on its side and to get out of these situations. It almost seems that the Walker Evans front shocks are so stiff that it doesn't allow for the shock to compress in this situation. The Doo's shocks are much softer and I believe this helps the Doo's in this type of scenario.

3. I think the Doo 850 motor pulls stronger through the midrange and top end. The Axys actually feels just as good if not better on the bottom. This Axys motor is no slouch at all, and really is capable of holding its own with the Doo 850. I think the Axys motor is much stronger than the Doo 800. I have heard that the Doo 850 is just as light as an Axys but it isn't! Period!! You can tell that the Axys rides lighter and maybe that makes the motor feel better than it is. The Axys feels taller and narrow while the Doo 850 is lower and wider.

4. The Doo 850 gauge is an absolute JOKE! It is always covered in snow and should have been angled to even try and see it. Polaris did a great job on how their gauge sits.

5. After a couple of hours of continuous riding, we stopped and had lunch. When we did this I opened both the Axys and Doo 850 side panels and felt the clutches. I was amazed that the Axys clutch was barely even warm. The Doo 850 was slightly warmer which surprised me to say the least. The Doo 850 did have some Frogskin vents on the side panels on the clutch side and had the clutch cover "hacked" up. I was expecting the Doo 850 to be smoking hot but it wasn't.

6. On the gas and oil side of things, they were almost dead even. I knew the Axys would do great because of past Axys' I have been around. I was surprised that the Doo 850 basically did just as good as the Axys. We did about a 40 mile round trip with about 3/8 of a tank left in the two sleds.

I have been wanting to stay with Polaris, but I truly can't take the running boards. Let me know if anyone has a better solution for the Axys. Also, why are the Doo's better in those harder snow situations when facing down hill and have to go hard one way or another?

Please don't think I am trying to bash. I truly am giving you my 100% truthful experience with these sleds from yesterday.

Thanks!

 

[sno*jet]

nice review, but ya left the part out where you adjusted the shocks to your liking on the axys and re-tried it.

 

[KingCon]

Didn't want to mess with the dealers set-up. I wonder how much it would help?

 

[KingCon]

I have a couple people recommend narrowing up front ends and putting on an Ice Age Pro Motion in the rear skid. Seems like a lot of money to get it to act the similar way.

 

[2XM3]

Narrow front end really helps a bunch, buy one for 600 sell stock arms for 300+, chuck swaybar in trash while your at it.

Running boards are kind of a matter of personal taste, i'm 6'6" size 14 boot, they really don't bother me a bit, just keep ice off um...anyway good review !! :face-icon-small-coo

 

[snobyrd]

Eric from vohk was saying on a utube tech vid that, the axys is a very agressive sled to ride and requires good balance , riders that are average usually have a hard time and regress with a skinny front end and advised average to novice riders stay wide on the stance. I myself with 40 plus years riding and ride a agressive style keep the stance wide, i tried the narrow stance and felt like i was standing on a ball. I also think snow condtions effect a narrow front end, in deeeep powder itll be forgiving but on more setup snow it would be a *itch to stay on it wothout falling over.
In my opinion, i think the doo stears towards the average to novice rider vs a axys is a very agressive sled that requires alot of skill to ride it but with skill you can take your riding to the next level. Ironically i ordered a pro motion today to help me get on edge in setup sno as im a small rider .

 

[SRXSRULE]

Eric from vohk was saying on a utube tech vid that, the axys is a very agressive sled to ride and requires good balance , riders that are average usually have a hard time


In my opinion, i think the doo stears towards the average to novice rider vs a axys is a very agressive sled that requires alot of skill to ride it but with skill you can take your riding to the next level.

These two comments pretty much sum it up. If you want your Axys to flop over like the doo put a 36" front end on it. Eric

 

[turboless terry]

Burandt has the narrow front end so does that make him less than average? It is not a one size fits all.
The skidoo is easier for newer riders. That's why I have my wife on an 850. That, also, doesn't mean they're not awesome for advanced riders. The axys and 850 are both awesome sleds. You just have to ride them a little different.

 

[2XM3]

My 2 pros (2011,2014) were easier to pull over to start a sidehill than the axys with stock front end, however the axys will hold the sidehill better, now the axys with the 36" really works well IMHO just makes it easier to boondock, and I do ride a lot in the trees. different strokes I guess :juggle:

 

[snobyrd]

Where i live and ride, we dont get deeep snofalls often, our temp are bipolar, we can go from minus 40 to plus 5 in a day, so our sno pack changes drasticly, thus the big reason why most axys owners i ride with use a 2.6 trax , so doing side hill or off camber moves require more than just simple pressure on your feet to lay it on its edge vs i think the doo does this easier but put the axys in deeep snow and it can read your mind. I personaly dont like the floppy feel of the doo, i have more confidence in a ridgid chassis but like i mentioned , in marginal snow condtions i think floppy has its place.

 

[ullose272]

The axys is super easy to get on its side. All it takes is a little throttle control. Ill agree the axys NEEDS to be ridden agressivly for it to really shine.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[meathooker]

From the couple rides I've been on with doors they have a LOT of power. I'm on a 155 2.6 axys bone stock (well it was back then) and the door was clutched with a can 154 3" and it was noticeably faster on the climbs.

As for the 36" front end I don't know how I feel about those. I'm paneling out my sled on a stock front end. My buddy and I are thinking about going wider so we can hold a line in steeper hills. The 36" wide pro I rode for a few minutes was fun but the font end slid put too much for my liking.