Here’s a report from one of our Supertrax riders, Harold McAdam who purchased his own Ski-Doo Renegade 1200 this year:
Put 3000 miles on my Renegade. The R-motion rear suspension was flawless even with Adrenaline shocks – very compliant over any terrain. Could bottom the sled but you deserved it.
Replaced the seat with the one-inch higher XRS seat. It matched the RUSH height and was far more comfortable. Also did not have that little back storage section I typically sat on (Harold is over 6-ft. tall).
Sled was very warm. Good body protection from the windshield and cowling. Fuel economy rivaled the 800 E-TEC’s at speed giving great range, typically in the 125-mile area.
Storage capability is great, even had the 2-up seat capability. Front end was the weakest point. Sled definitely pushed somewhat in the corners with the weight, and the adrenaline shocks required bumping up the springs and compression damping which compromised the ride somewhat.
Used a Shaper bar as the main carbide and installed a second carbide per ski and this is essential. Studded the track and this is also essential.
Motor was a low-end freight train. Absolutely in it’s element at 60-70 miles per hour. New clutch is a big improvement in terms of smoothness, but still a jerky slow speed set-up that is not friendly to a new or inexperienced rider. Belt wear was unbelievably good. Virtually didn’t have to adjust the secondary.
I installed Ski-Doo’s heat shroud on the secondary and it works so well I don’t understand why the company wouldn’t install it as standard on this model. Holds a spare belt and commonly used tools and improves belt life.
My personal reflection on the last couple of years is that for the average consumer, a 128 to 137-inch coupled suspension serves the need of a flatland trail rider best.
The 1.25-inch lug seems to be the norm as well, although, I think it would also be interesting to see some 1.35 and 1.5-inch alternatives to compare.
