To start out, we ride because we love the sport. We pray to the snow gods every year for at least one great week to ride for the season being so short. It’s filled with the adrenaline of riding fast, riding challenging trails, and hanging out with friends you may barely see throughout the year but still talk to. To be free and enjoy a part of life you may not wake up to the next day. The smell of the crisp, cold air in the morning, catching wildlife up close, and snow blowing by you.
I own a 09 Nytro, it is far better than my old 600 Polaris. My old sled I maybe got around 11 mpg, now I average no less than 15 mpg. Course everything depends on conditions. I don’t have to carry nearly as much oil for a 4 stroke than I did for a 2 stroke. Cleaner burring, no oil smell at the end of a days ride, or season. Before that sled I had a 97 skidoo trailblazer, and before that I ran my dads old 1971 Motoski 640 w/ a hurst motor, single carb, no heated grips and bogie wheel suspension.
Everybody will say their sled is better than the next, no matter what. Yamaha does have the reputation for reliability. Cats are heavy and don’t like water. Doo’s, maybe light and get good gas mileage, but the 800’s have blown jackshafts before, some R&D research there. Polaris still has some work to do to stay up with the pack.
As far as riding in Quebec, they have their shit together. I’ve been practically everywhere, 20 miles east of Montreal, to Gaspe’. North of La Tuque, and started down from Thetford Mines. The fact remains, no matter what you ride, anyone you encounter on the trail is willing to help you out. People will help you out and offer you a place to stay if you need one in a tight spot. Once you’ve been to Canada, you’ll be spoiled, and not want to ride anywhere else.