The snowmobile for beginners?
2021 Yamaha SX Venom test – It’s no secret that Yamaha and Arctic Cat have a very close relationship. Even if we were a bit skeptical at first, we must admit now that this association is proving to be profitable for both of them. To recall the early days of this partnership, let’s remember the ZR chassis at Arctic Cat that was acquired by Yamaha in exchange for its respected and proven Genesis 4-stroke engine to replace the aging Suzuki at the American manufacturer. This scenario made it possible to spread the development costs of each party in an effort to be more profitable.
To date, this connection is working and both companies are managing their own differentiation. The designers of each have managed to come up with differences for both brands while offering similar products. Consumers are more than happy with this association and fans have the opportunity to choose one brand or the other depending on their preference or attachment to their favorite dealer.
A missing link
Everyone practices snowmobiling in his or her own way and the diversity offered allows everyone to find the vehicle adapted to their needs. Manufacturers have been offering snowmobiles for children for many years. However, when these snowmobiles become obsolete due to their proportions that are no longer adapted to a teenager, the step is rather high to reach the next threshold.
Beginners can also be scared off by displacement well beyond their skills as novices in this activity. With that in mind, Arctic Cat launched its 2021 model, the Blast, in the winter of 2020. It’s primarily an entry-level snowmobile at an affordable price. Yamaha has consequently added its harmonized version of this all-new snowmobile to its catalog.
Yamaha SX Venom
When we were able to test ride a pre-production model of the Yamaha SX Venom 2021, we smiled a little when we saw the Arctic Cat name on the ignition key. Somehow, Yamaha officials make no bones about the fact that this new snowmobile is a direct spin-off from the Thief River Falls, Minnesota-based manufacturer. However, it’s likely that this insignia on the key will no longer be apparent once the production models are available at many Yamaha dealerships.
Nevertheless, at first glance, it is obvious that this vehicle is about 7/8 of a typical snowmobile. Jokingly, it gives us the impression that the designers have slightly shrunk a ZR chassis to achieve a smaller snowmobile. However, let’s face it, we are far from the minimalist proportions of the Snoscoot models reserved for kids.
We have to admit that the look is very successful and eye-catching. We think that the silhouette will go through the years well without becoming outdated in no time. On that point, we agree. Yamaha’s iconic blue color is predominant and will undoubtedly appeal to Yamaha purists.
Single cylinder engine
This 397cc engine is the first single-cylinder engine in the industry to feature electronic fuel injection. It was designed based on the technology of the C-TEC 2 8000. It’s almost as if they took that engine and cut it in half. The result is a surprisingly small engine weighing only 23 kg (50 lbs).
Its 65 hp may seem a little small at first glance, but keep in mind that it’s primarily intended for beginner snowmobilers. Its sound is grating on the ears and it has none of the resonant acoustics of the larger horsepower 2-cylinder snowmobiles. We were apprehensive beforehand about excessive vibration, but that fear quickly faded when we noticed its stability.
This snowmobile has a little Quebec flavor, as it uses a CVTech Trailbloc drive clutch and a CVTech Invoice driven clutch to transmit its power to the 121-inch track.
Although we quickly reach the limits of this engine, it is surprisingly vigorous for this type of snowmobile. With its weight, this snowmobile becomes agile when we quickly become familiar with it. This is a noteworthy point, as it will provide the required confidence to its user. It is really at this point that it becomes fun to ride and all of its attributes contribute to making it a suitable snowmobile for learning.
The physical size of this snowmobile is certainly an advantage. The power to weight ratio is really in its favor. By today’s standards, a teenager or novice snowmobiler would be much better off on a snowmobile like this than a full-size 600cc. Standard snowmobiles are intimidating while smaller ones can be easier to steer.
One fact remains, not everyone wants a snowmobile that can go over 150 km/h with lightning acceleration. Let’s remember the not-so-distant past, when we benefited from displacement far less powerful than what we have available on the market today. Were we satisfied? Of course, and we had a lot of fun with 440 cc engines that made good time on the trails.
Can a guy weighing more than 200 lbs find his way on the Yamaha SX Venom? We answer yes to this question, because all the members of the Passion Motoneige team are well over that weight and we had a lot of fun on this machine. We felt almost like we were getting back to our roots when riding this snowmobile.
The essentials are
Even if it is considered entry-level, the Yamaha Venom has everything we need to make our rides easier. The electric starter, heated grips and thumb, and digital gauges are all present. In short, all the essentials we need to be comfortable and worry-free. However, one thing remains, in order to achieve an attractive price for consumers, we believe they went the wrong way by equipping the heating elements with only an on/off switch. We would have appreciated some gradation on this aspect and that would not have affected the production cost substantially. To tell the truth, our pre-production model disappointed us on this function and maybe they will have corrected it later: we hope so.
The seat and overall ergonomics are very well thought out and provide ease of movement and weight transfer. Even though it is not a sporty sled, the snowmobile allows you to attack turns by shifting your body inside the curve to facilitate your grip. The low windshield is just right for this snowmobile, as it lends itself to its aesthetics and also offers the appropriate deflection for the performance it has to offer.
The front skis are 38 inches apart and the Stryke skis have a 6 inch keel. This is what we consider standard for a snowmobile of this size in its primary vocation of trail riding. However, we would have appreciated staggered double rails to counteract the swaying effect when riding on hard surfaces.
The rear suspension has 10.7 inches of travel, but will quickly show its limits with a weight over 275 lbs on board, in our opinion. In our humble opinion, a very big guy won’t be able to get the most out of this snowmobile and the overall performance will be reduced.
Yamaha offers different configurations based on this engine and chassis. A 146-inch mountain version with a monorail and a utility version called the Transporter Lite use the same 397cc single-cylinder engine.
This Yamaha SX Venom snowmobile certainly fills a need. Although it won’t make your heart beat faster, it will at least have the advantage of being the one that will create sustainability and a new generation of snowmobilers. It will allow the introduction to our sport without leaving our shirt.
