I grew up on em' but have been out of the game for quite a few years. I'm thinking about buying a new deep snow specific sled to access the back country for snowboarding. A few questions: 1. Do I really need a 900 cc monster to get to the top of the hill? I go about 210 lbs. 2. Reliability is key. Do any of you have experience w/ the Yamaha four stroke sled? 3. Is fuel injection the way to go? I will be riding pretty high up in the Cascades and up in BC? 4. Can a good sled handle two 200 lb. guys on it & get you to the top of the hill, or will the weight be too much? 5. I know brand loyalty is huge in the sled crowd. All that BS aside, what are the pros and cons of each brand? Thanks a lot guys!
hmm..well..i got a brother who is heavy into it..he says the 4 strokes all blow..no power, as far as brand loyalty, he has been polaris forever..right now he has a fuel injected 92 rxl, and for the riding he does, he would much more prefer carbs..as far as your weight..i think it wouldn't be too much of a concern.. I don't have alot of experience riding, so i could only suggest getting a deep lug track, a longer track, and a big engine.. tok
Yikes... two up on a machine is NOT any fun at all. I've been riding since we moved to Michigan in 1977. I'm on my 2nd Yamaha. The first one I'd still have but I had to sell it to have money to repair a car way back when. Got my 2nd one in 1979 and have had it ever since. It's called an Exciter model. I don't know the cc or anything, not important to me. What is important is being able to manuver in and out quickly. Also, my machine is very light, which allows me to be able to ride on top of the snow, give it some major throttle when necessary and not dig myself into a hole. Plus, I can lift the rear of my machine out, and back on top of the snow myself, if I do get it stuck. My mom rides an Enticer and dad rides a Phazer, all Yamaha's. All our machines start up at the begining of the season without much hassle. The last thing you wanna do is waste half the weekend trying to get the machines started. My 11 year old nephew has been riding for a couple of years now too. Snowmobiling is a wonderful family wintertime activity. One of the downfalls to having an older machine is the suspension, which basicly mine has none. The buddies that I ride with all have newer ones and can sit on the machine for hours on end without aches and pains. If we're riding rough trails I usually end up sitting on my leg and using it for suspension or I allow my knees to absorb the impact. But depending on the snow conditions I can get into and out of places they can't. If all your using it for is running up to the top of a mountain to snowboard down, pick up a good used machine and you'll be just fine..... well except for the two up on one....... ..... 420 lbs or so on one machine??? Yikes You better go straight up that mountain cuz your going to have a real tough time turning with your bud on the back....... beside the fact it's going to LOOK gay
The last one I road was a few years back and it was a Yamaha. I believe it was a V4 500cc 2 stroke, for some reason I think they called it a V-max. Wasn't near as ugly as the bike of that name. But it went like stink. Sometimes I really miss living up north. Right now we have this silly ice storm shit going on, when my relatives all have like a foot and a half of real snow. If I still lived back up north I'd have a snowmobile and you bet it would be a two-stroke.
Polaris is the one that's built right on the border, right? Parts and workers enter the plant on the Canadian side and completed sleds come out on the American side... Politics asside, I hear Polaris sleds are good stuff from all my riding friends. The big fights here are the pollution and noise from all those 2 strokes in Yellowstone Park and Search & Rescue having to hunt around in the back country miles from the road for the guys who don't know the mountains and trust their lives in below zero weather to 2 strokes that have been sitting 8 months with last year's gas/varnish in the tanks. The same guys who want to use someone else's truck to haul the sleds because their $45,000 Powerstroke extended cab diesel dually has never been anywhere but back and forth to the office on pavement in the city. Give that guy a sled tho and he thinks he's Grizzly Adams hunting the trail of Lewis & Clark. I have NO idea what this all has to do with the HAMB tho! Altho, I have to admit Brush's artwork RULES.
What is a "snowmobile" ? Never got to ride one before I left Michigan... a snowmobile either. I looked for a way for this thread to be about cars, I went here Vintage snowmobiles and found a 3 window coupe... sorta
Good stuff guys. As much as I like old stuff, I'm going new (or last yr.'s model) on this purchase. I'll use the sled for more than just getting to the top of a hill to snowboard down. I have heard from a couple of folks that the four stroke stuff is under powered. I have a hard time believing this w/ the new Yamaha. It has the same engine found in their R1 sport bike. 135 hp and like 65% more torque than a normal snowmobile engine. http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/unitinfo.asp?lid=6&lc=sno&cid=26&mid=240 I like the fact that the Polaris is built here in the US too http://www.polarisofnashua.com/snowmobiles/2004_800_RMK_vertical_edge.html Ultimately, this purchase depends on my brother-in-law. If he is willing to buy I will too. Otherwise it's a no go. I'm not going into avalanche country w/ out someone And regarding the question about what this has to do w/ old cars: Not a damn thing. That's why there is an OT in the title. Just figured there might be some folks around who could help out.
The new 4 stroke machines have the torque but no speed, quickness or topend. I think all the manufactures built them to appease the government. The big 4 of snowmobiles, Polaris, Yamaha, ArticCat and Ski-doo are really all pretty equal and it is down to brand loyatly and price. I have not ridden a deep snow machine. Here in the North East it is really not needed unless you are doing search and rescue. My newer Polaris has a 1" lug track, picked with 144 picks. I have not been anywhere I couldn't get out of. I also use my head and don't blindly go into uncharted area's. Unlike Denise's 3 inches or so of travel. I have 13 so my ride, like her friends can be very comfortable. It is not unheard of to do 120 - 150 + miles in a day. I would NOT do two up in deep snow either. Too much weight and loss of manuverablity. My recommendation is a nice 2-3 year old LIQUID COOLED sled 600cc, carb, atleast a 1" lugged track with some picks and go have fun. Doug
I think the 2stroke V. 4stroke arguement is loosing some validity, these days. If you watch any MC or GP motorcycle racing, it is hard to not see that the old issues are about dead. If it is a version of the R1 engine, it'll have power to burn...
Might want to consider this FWIT its only a matter of time before all 2 cycle engines will be banned I know the Feds are working real hard to eliminate jet ski's and also weedwackers etc. not trying to sound paranoid, but within 5-8 years, they'll all be banned IMO
[ QUOTE ] found a 3 window coupe... sorta [/ QUOTE ] that's a sno-coupe...very rare ,they only built 168 of them in 1968-69. a friend of mine has one, and we put in a 583 rotax,,,so his is a real hot rod sled i don't know anytjing about the new sleds, i drive a 1972 ski doo olypmic
Riding powder is a lot of work. Riding powder 2up is like wrestling a bear! The big 4 all build good sleds. Whatever turns your crank will work. But I'd stay away from the Ski Doo Rev. Not the best powder machine. I'd stay away from 4 strokes too. Too damn heavy for what you want to do. The first ones were Suzuki 3cyl car motors, and they were gutless. Then they added a turbo and called it a T660. That, and the Yamaha RX1 1000cc 4 stroke have all kinds of torque and horsepower. Great for groomed trails and lakes. Do you need 900cc's? Nope. a 500 will get you to the top. But a 900 will get you there faster! I'm not brand loyal. I ride a Yamaha now. But that could change tomorrow. I think if I were to buy a mountain sled right now it would be the Polaris RMK.
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