When you look at the 2008 RS Vector for the first time, it's easy to confuse it with the top-of-the-line Apex -- and quite understandably: this new sled is nothing more than a Yamaha Apex with a Genesis 120 engine instead of a 4-cylinder.

The Apex LTX (front) and the RS Vector LTX GT.

I had the opportunity to try out the brand's fully-redesigned snowmobile on some pretty crooked trails near Saint-Côme, Quebec. Let me tell you right off the bat that the riding dynamics delivered by the Deltabox II chassis and 973-cc, 3-cylinder engine are vastly improved -- much more than what I had expected.

A feeling of lightness
Due to a more reasonable size, engineers were able to position the Genesis 120 engine much lower in the frame and, as a result, significantly lower the center of gravity. The thing that surprised me as soon as I took off was the incredible feeling of lightness offered by the new RS Vector. Although similar in weight to the Apex, this model feels about 50-lb lighter. Handling is better than what you could hope for and trail-holding capacity is greater than that of any other Yamaha snowmobile, even the Apex.

The riding position is higher and closer to the front than ever before, allowing optimum rider control and comfort on bumpy, winding trails. The new position actually offers an interesting balance between traditional snowmobiles and modern snocross-type machines. It's neither too high nor too low, thus providing ideal comfort all day long, regardless of trail conditions. When attacking corners at high speed, there's no need to lean heavily on the inside; the RS Vector is very precise and the slight oversteer upon exiting corners is easy to deal with. Bottom line: this sled is really fun to ride.

A well-calibrated suspension
The 2008 RS Vector benefits from the excellent Mono-Shock RA rear suspension. This well-designed system is easy to adjust on the fly thanks to a knob mounted on the left side of the tunnel. That's right: you don't have to stop on the side of the trail to fine-tune the suspension. And no tool is required, either! Up front are 36-mm HPG aluminum shocks with no bias towards ride or handling. Higher-end models (GT, GT 40TH and LTX GT) get adjustable GYTR HPG shocks with piggy-back reservoir.

Close-up of a GYTR HPG front shock (LTX GT model).