Longtime Doo rider (ok, not not long time but 12 years) looking at another option for my wife. She currently rides a Summit XM 600 146 converted to 154 but after watching her ride and knowing her tendencies, I think this sled is not exactly right for her as she does not do mountains or any kind of steep terrain but she loves playing in the deep pow. We also ride with some older friends that mostly trail ride and I want something that will be comfortable for her on the trail which the Summit is not (I've got an Expedition for trail rides). So I'm considering getting her a snow check Assault for next year. My questions are, how is the 850 motor holding up, is the new MATRYX chassis better than the AXYS for riding deep snow and lastly, 1.6 or 2.0 track?
The 850 and a few other questions
- Thread starter AkNomad
- Start date
LUCKY 7
Active VIP Member
The new chassis will be in the khaos and RMK for 2022. The 850 engines seem to be holding up well from what I see and heard. My new 21 RMK 850 is sure sweet. My buddy has a new Khaos and the QD2 and likes it better than his old 2020. You will certainly be getting lots of opinions about this topic.
- Thread starter
- #3
She rode an Indy Adventure 800 this weekend, she loved the power and the way it handled but it is not a deep snow sled so her only option is either an Assault or a Doo Backcountry. I'm hoping our local dealers are going to have test rides before snow check starts so she can make a real informed decision.
AreWeThereYet
Active VIP Member
Why not an SKS?
- Thread starter
- #5
How does that handle on the trails? She needs something can that do both well.
Annacassandra
Active member
What is she having trouble with on the trails? an SKS will have a narrower stance like an RMK but it has extra cooling like the assault. I had a 2016 SKS and I never had any trouble on the trail but mind you I wasn't doing all day trail rides, the trail was a means to an end. I have a 2020 850 Khaos now and I haven't had any trouble with it but my husband has been fouling plugs on his 21 like every ride. The SKS is a pretty great machine, the extra bulkhead cooler meant the only time I needed scratchers was in the spring on warm low snow days and because it has the same geometry of the mountain machines I didn't have any issue getting it up on edge (aside from my own lack of skill). an SKS would be a great machine if she leans more towards deep snow riding- they have a 36" front end where an assault has a 42" ski stance that 6" makes a HUGE difference the assault is going to have a much more planted feel on the trail but is going to be a lot more difficult to get on edge.
AreWeThereYet
Active VIP Member
SKS doesn't have the 36" front end, it has the 39-41. The 36" was introduced on the 2019 pro, I installed the 36" Trencher kit on my 2019 sks 155. The SKS 146 is built off the trail chassis and the 155 is built off the rmk chassis.
Dazzler
Active VIP Member
When it comes to control and easy handling, last season, everyone in our group of sledders ( especially the ladies), all preferred the 2020, 850 155 Khaos over the 2019, 850 163 axy. However this season, the 850 165 Q2 Khaos is the new favourite. The only test pilots that tried it and found it a little too twitchy were 6’+. I Personally think it’s the most predictable sled I’ve ever rode. You do need to use scratchers on the trail.
Annacassandra
Active member
My mistake- I thought it went to the react front end in 2019 with the pro- but it stayed behind with the 39", I know the seat is different on the 146" too. I do think the SKS is a great all around machine if you're going to be switching between trail and deep snow.
- Thread starter
- #10
Can you get the SKS in a 144-146 track, those longer tracks tend to push when cornering on the trails and my wife likes to ride fast on the trails. This new sled is going to be used on some trails rides so it needs to be comfortable and easy to handle, she's not a big gal at 5'6" and 120lbs so she'll have a tougher time throwing a bigger sled around.
AreWeThereYet
Active VIP Member
Yes, they are offered in both 146 with the trail chassis, and the 155 with the mountain chassis
Annacassandra
Active member
I'm about the same size as your wife and I never wished for a shorter track (I had a 155SKS and now a 155 Khaos) and never really had too much trouble throwing it around, I mean as a beginner I struggled but I wouldn't blame it on the machine. Like Dazzler said the khaos is the easiest sled to ride in off camber terrain and 100% the best decision for me. BUT it's not made for the trail, I don't have too much trouble with it on the trail, it takes the whoops like a champ but you can't exactly go ripping around corners like you're Mario Andretti (maybe some people can but I can't). How much time is she going to be on trail vs off trail? If it's like 90% trail then go for the assault, 50/50 I'd go SKS, and any more than 50% off trail then I'd go khaos. But that's just me and my preferences, your wife is the one who has to ride it, she should choose what she wants.
- Thread starter
- #13
I agree but she has to have the correct sleds to choose from which is why i'm gathering up info on these machines. As for her riding, she doesn't do much off camber riding, mostly just deep snow, carving and such. I would guess her riding is probably 50/50 and there will be times where she will be strictly trail riding on weekend getaways. My original plan was to let her keep her Summit and buy her a trail sled but she doesn't want 2 snowmachines as we have no place to put them (we already have 3) so it's come down to finding her a good crossover sled.
Teth-Air
Active VIP Member
Get the SKS. The Assault is a jumping machine and is built for it. She won't need that.
- Thread starter
- #15
How does the SKS handle on the trails?
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