Nicely loaded
These two Yamahas come with highly effective hand and thumb warmers. However, the RS Venture adds dual-switch adjustments (one on each handlebar), allowing you to increase or reduce the temperature more easily than with the Venture Lite. The latter gets a full digital instrument panel, while the RS Venture features a mixed dashboard with analog tachometer as well as digital speedometer, odometer and fuel gauge. It also includes a standard reverse that I found simply fantastic. As for the Venture Lite, reverse is power assisted, which represents a first for Yamaha.

Hand and thumb warmers with dual-switch adjustments (RS Venture).

Opposite dynamics
Thanks to an ultra-low center of gravity and a generous length, the RS Venture sticks to the trail like a sports snowmobile. It offers remarkable handling, even during two-up trips. The suspension is well calibrated and the shocks never bottom out, even on the harshest terrains. The track offers gobbles of grip and remains very quiet. Overall, the RS Venture proves impeccable on winding trails; it's very predictable and easy to get used to.

The Venture Lite requires a lot more attention and effort from the rider in order to keep pace. Active riding and synchronized leaning from the rider and passenger are crucial during high-speed corners. The Venture Lite seemed less stable than its sister, the Phazer, especially with regards to ski lift. Therefore, you have to ride more slowly in tight, demanding trail sections. Getting familiar with the new riding position is a must if you wish to fully exploit its potential.

In both cases, protection against the elements is great, allowing long rides in cold temperatures. In terms of fuel economy, the Venture Lite failed to impress with an average of 14.2 L/100 km -- only 1.4 liters less than the RS Venture. It's still the most fuel-efficient two-passenger snowmobile on the market, though. Despite a carburetor-based fuel delivery system and 120 horsepower, the RS Venture achieved a rating of 15.6 L/100 km during two-up riding.

The RS Venture offers a very interesting power-to-economy ratio.

The future
Yamaha has created two snowmobiles that will appeal to two different types of customers. With a reinvented riding position, the Venture Lite targets those after an affordable, nicely-equipped two-up machine with an innovative approach to snowmobiling. The RS Venture is much more traditional in every respect; it's designed for customers who look for a comfortable, quiet and powerful sled that can be ridden aggressively from time to time. Both use a 4-stroke engine, which creates less noise and pollution -- and that, my friends, represents the way of the future.


Photo Credit : Philippe Champoux