First of all, the color is just too beautiful. The ultimate platinum silver and mantis green work so well together. At first glance, I can see the aggressive and sporty character of this machine. A 146-inch track, high handlebars, this is a hybrid snowmobile for the trail and off-road. With its Rotax 850 E-TEC engine, I assure you that the power is there. This 2023 Ski-Doo Backcountry 850 X-RS is equipped with high performance KYB Pro shocks for your comfort and pleasure. The chassis allows me to stand upright and forward for better control in off-trail.
Getting started
My first try made me smile for the whole day. The first throttle stroke and the skis are in the air! Well, let’s calm down a bit, I’ll dose the trigger better. I had lost the feeling of a powerful 2-stroke engine. My last snowmobile had a 4-stroke turbo engine. A lot of power, but also a lot of weight. Here, the lightness and the handling are there. Beware, this is not a snowmobile for beginners.
The 600 cc engine would be better suited for a first hybrid snowmobile. Anyway, I enjoyed the extra aggressive power. And what about the sound, it’s like clapping when I accelerate. I love it. A little anecdote, during my second ride with friends, I came back with blisters in my hands, and I even punctured the windshield of the one who was following me closely. During a strong acceleration, the skids lifted up and a shovelful of snow came out behind the track. Probably a small piece of ice was thrown out and punctured my friend’s windshield. I had a mixed feeling between the discomfort of having caused a breakage and the pride of my performance.
Hybrid does not mean half measures
On the trail, the Backcountry does very well. With its long track, it doesn’t suffer from being difficult to control. The suspension does an excellent job. I had some fear of the skids with a single keel, but in the conditions I rode, it didn’t bother me. The corners were negotiated with precision and I never felt the front end go out of alignment. Acceleration is brisk, but fades away at high speeds. Because it’s a hybrid, that’s the reason for the performance especially at low speeds. The Backcountry is always ready to swallow snow and spit it out behind the pad. In off-trail mode, it does well.
The 146-inch track and 2-inch studs, combined with the 850 E-TEC engine, allow me to brave the many inches of crazy snow that lies ahead. Weight transfer is very good with this suspension system. A little narrower than a trail model, this becomes an advantage when going off-trail. Once again, experience is your best ally. It’s even more important to use the throttle to stay in control than it is on the trail. The terrain is often uneven and the snow density sometimes changes. The Backcountry offers the best of both worlds. It’s like a mix of sweet and salty.
The Backcountry in operation
Since there were zero miles on the odometer, I did the break-in period. I noticed a higher fuel consumption. According to what I read, this period of high consumption is normal, an average of 24 litres/100 km. Everything returned to normal as soon as the break-in period was over. The same thing happened with the synthetic oil.
More oil consumption during this time is normal too. I was surprised to see the red low oil blinker light on when I thought I could get another tank of gas without refilling the oil. Fortunately I was only a few miles from home so it wasn’t a big deal. The break-in percentage is displayed on the color LCD dial. So it’s easy to know where we are in this stage. A small performance boost seemed to appear at the end of the period.
The verdict
In conclusion, the Backcountry is truly a 50/50 hybrid snowmobile. With its powerful 850 E-TEC engine, high performance KYB Pro shocks and Gen4 bodywork, it has it all. If you’re not sure if you want to go on or off the trail, the Backcountry 850 X-RS 2023 is the answer no matter what you choose. Enjoy winter and the best it has to offer. The Raven Media team would like to thank our partner Groupe Contant for making this test possible.
WE LIKED:
The 850 E-TEC engine
KYB Pro high performance shocks
The Ultimate Platinum Silver color and the mantis green
WE WOULD HAVE LIKED:
LED headlights
