It is already time to talk about the end of the 2020 season. A shortened season, especially in Lanaudière, where it started in mid-January and ended in early March. This is unfortunately the reality of many snowmobilers in the province this year, all of them are praying that Mother Nature will come back next year…
Our 2020 Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS
For my part, this season was mainly dedicated to the 2020 Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS. Courtesy of Groupe Contant, this snowmobile was completely standard with Camoplast’s 1.5 inch Ice Ripper track, which was one of the three possible choices in the pre-season. The basic equipment of the XRS is summed up in heated thumb grips, adjustable handlebars, hand guards and a 7.2 inch deluxe frame. The front suspension is the RAS 3 with adjustable KYB Pro 36 R shocks offering 10 inches of travel. At the rear, the rMotion with Pro 40 adjustable shocks with Quick Adjust system offers 10.6 inches of travel. To ensure the link between the steering and the trail, the snowmobile is equipped with Pilot 5.7 skis.
The centralization of the masses is still the order of the day. To allow for optimal weight balance, the steering column of the 850 version is further forward, which allows the rider to be really centered on the bike. And we finish it all off with the RS-type running boards, which are very aggressive and give your boots an excellent grip!
Motorization
On the engine side, we find the 850 cc two-cylinder engine with direct fuel injection. Two large injectors located directly on the head of the engine provide the main supply, and two auxiliary injectors, used as needed, are located on the throttle bodies. This engine was in its fourth season in 2020. We’re talking about 165 horsepower at 7900 rpm, running on a recommended 91 octane gasoline. All of this power is transferred to the track via the pDrive primary pulley with adjustment, and the QRS driven pulley, which has been in use for a few years.
Performance
The highlight of this racer is definitely the engine/clutch combination. Introduced in 2017, the 850 is in its fourth season, combined with the pDrive as a clutch, it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful combinations that Ski-Doo has produced to date. We can easily talk about maturity with this purebred, of course we are not talking about a very long term test, however we can easily say that this 850 is the best that BRP has produced to date. As we say in the jargon this engine is always on the gun, no matter the revolution, the temperature etc…
The throttle response is always perfect, without any hesitation, which increases the driving pleasure considerably. As soon as you push the throttle hard, the revolution will settle in at around 8,000 rpm and stay there without flinching. Regardless of the temperature or traction, consistency is the order of the day, as is performance. On hard-packed snow, the Ice Ripper’s stiff studs give almost unhoped-for results; every throttle stroke propels the car as if it had perfect traction. It’s a given that high-speed enthusiasts will be better served with the 1.25-inch version, but for those who like the feel of acceleration, it’s really a tough combination to beat. This excellent traction brings with it a certain lack of grip in the steering, which we’ll discuss below. The small modifications introduced in the side panel to improve belt cooling have paid off with increased reliability in belt breakage.
Handling and behavior
The XRS stands out in many ways, most of them very positive… This suspension is able to absorb almost any obstacle, and always remains predictable. The more you ask of it in big bumps, the more efficient it is, however, comfort in small bumps suffers a bit, which is quite normal. As for the front shocks, the KYB Pro 36 version offers a certain amount of flexibility despite the high degree of resistance and delivers acceptable comfort. This rigidity, combined with an effective torsion bar, keeps the car on its axis and contributes a lot to the handling. The result is less front-to-back sag in turns, making it more predictable and stable.
The rear suspension is still very comfortable, despite the large KYB Pro 40 shocks, which are designed for hard work. The geometry allows for a lot of weight transfer, even with the transfer blocks adjusted to position 4 (less transfer possible). High acceleration will cause the skis to lift and cause a bit of instability on the exit of a turn, especially when traction conditions are good. Another point to consider is the aggressiveness of Pilot 5.7 skis in turns. For the XRS, which is an extreme trail snowmobile, the Pilot 5.7 lacks grip, there is understeer that pushes the front of the snowmobile in the curves, especially in aggressive driving. The Pilot TS skis are a better option with a track like the Ice Ripper 1.5.
Confort
It is clear that the XRS is not synonymous with extreme comfort. Coming from the world of racing, more specifically snowcross, it shows great capabilities on rough terrain. However, for long rides, you’ll probably want to add a windscreen to provide better protection against the wind. The trail performance bench is relatively stiff and offers no storage space, which becomes a slight inconvenience on long rides. Fortunately, the entire LinQ system is also available for the XRS, the frame is equipped with pre-punched slots for the installation of attachments for the use of bags and accessories which are extremely functional and practical.
In short, if you like to have a good feeling and like to push through the bumps, there is no doubt that the Renegade XRS 850 was really developed with this in mind. Throttle response is more than instantaneous for maximum fun!
In closing, we would like to thank the entire team of Contant BRP dealers for the long term loan of the vehicle. Go visit them, you won’t be disappointed!
