Yamaha Poll: What Skis are you running on your Sidewinder?

[ApexXTX/Viper]

If you have had no response then I would guess not many have tried that. Go be the first. I have heard they work but why not just go with whats been proven to work.

I was gung ho to purchase the blue Mountain Ski with white tips to match my SRX but they had been back ordered from the October show till just recently. My interest waned due to lack of availability and no positive responses to performance findings. I'm a flatlander who rides "fluffy" lakes and was hoping to hear about great flotation, more bite on groomed trails with the addition of Woody's deeper carbide Ace runner, bolt right on with existing hardware and mounts - things like that. Anything positive but, unfortunately, to no avail.

 

[ApexXTX/Viper]

I was gung ho to purchase the blue Mountain Ski with white tips to match my SRX but they had been back ordered from the October show till just recently. My interest waned due to lack of availability and no positive responses to performance findings. I'm a flatlander who rides "fluffy" lakes and was hoping to hear about great flotation, more bite on groomed trails with the addition of Woody's deeper carbide Ace runner, bolt right on with existing hardware and mounts - things like that. Anything positive but, unfortunately, to no avail.

Roost'er just posted exactly the answers to these questions!

 

[PITA]

Put about 300 miles on stock tuners. They are junk. Just got back from my first ride of about 400 miles with curve skis and 144 studs down the middle. What a difference. Absolutely love the sled now with traction, steering and Tom setting up my sled the right way!

 

[buddah]

My B-TX had the AC Mtn skis stock....not real good.....switched to Slydog Attack w/Slim Jim Dooly bars....darting gone.....

 

[fourload]

Pilot 5.7's here. Couldn't be happier with the steering and handling. Great price also. Tuners are DANGEROUS!

 

[Doowithblue]

Pilot race skis absolutely the best ski for the money period. No heavy steering. Razor sharp handling zero darting. I tried 5.7s and these blow them away.

 

[Wannaviper]

I have had great luck with the OEM Arctic Cat skis and Snow Trackers; I put a set on my Stepson's 2017 RTX-SE, and it handles great. When I bought my own Sidewinder, 2019 LTX-DX, I was convinced by the dealer to put a set of Snow Trackers on the Tuner III skis that came on the sled, and I have been very happy with them. The steering is very precise, and there is absolutely no darting. In varying conditions over the first 500+ miles, I have noticed a little push only a couple of times, but honestly, it was hardly noticeable. If you have the Tuners and don't want to spring the extra money for aftermarket skis and different carbides, the Snow Trackers are a very real option.

 

[17 Viper XTX]

I have had great luck with the OEM Arctic Cat skis and Snow Trackers; I put a set on my Stepson's 2017 RTX-SE, and it handles great. When I bought my own Sidewinder, 2019 LTX-DX, I was convinced by the dealer to put a set of Snow Trackers on the Tuner III skis that came on the sled, and I have been very happy with them. The steering is very precise, and there is absolutely no darting. In varying conditions over the first 500+ miles, I have noticed a little push only a couple of times, but honestly, it was hardly noticeable. If you have the Tuners and don't want to spring the extra money for aftermarket skis and different carbides, the Snow Trackers are a very real option.

I run the snow tracker carbides only not the snow tracker system and I found it made very big improvement. Rails great on hard pack and pushes much less in loose snow vs the stock runners/carbides. Does the snow tracker system for the tuner III skis have 2 runners/carbides per ski?

 

[Wannaviper]

I run the snow tracker carbides only not the snow tracker system and I found it made very big improvement. Rails great on hard pack and pushes much less in loose snow vs the stock runners/carbides. Does the snow tracker system for the tuner III skis have 2 runners/carbides per ski?

The Trackers for the Tuners have 4 pieces for each ski, a blade and a carbide for each runner on the Tuner. I feel like I am "cheating" having all that metal underneath the ski, but when you ride the sled, it handles and feels good.

 

[Teamblue4]

Tuner 3's with 6" inside and 4" outside Trail ride in Northern Wisconsin.

 

[budman 1000]

I know I’m going get some flung at me!
But I’ve actually went back to the tuner ski.

Reasonings;
Super light steering, the tuner excels on hard trails and on mixed hard trail with mixed ice patch’s or rock hard finger drifts the ski is excellent.
The first year I called the ski down right dangerous in soft or loose snow on trails, well I figured out with the super light steering I was over steering and yes then the tuner ski loads up and wants to push through the corners, the key is don’t over steer and the tuner works well.
Deep soft snow I agree and the ski is to narrow and I have mountain ski for those conditions and takes me only 15 minutes to swap skis out.

Be easy on me guys

 

[Wannaviper]

I kept the Tuners on my new Sidewinder, but only because I put Snow Trackers on them. The Trackers don’t push like the Tuners do with regular carbides.

 

[JoeChecolinski]

Tried the stock Yamaha skis for the first year and they are worthless. Bought curve xs with 7.5 shapers and also the slim Jim dollies. Tried both set and I have to say the 7.5 are far better then the slim Jim. I noticed with the slim jims it raised the ski much higher to the point where the ski lost it effectiveness.

 

[JPS]

Pilot 6.9 with Shaper 7.5 down the middle and 4.5 on the outside, works great.. the stock tuners are a about the worse ski you can put on this sled. the chassis is capable of very good handling but the tuners make it the worse front end on the snow. best modification you can do is ditch the tuners, you will transform the sled. its sad for the money it costs for a sidewinder and that's the ski Yamaha chooses to run. If they wont put a good ski on i wish they would knock 3 or 4 hundred off the price and let me buy it with no skis.

 

[SAB1]

Ha- I ran slim Jim’s on my curves and they were decent. Switched to double downs and much better. It’s all subjective based on riding style, snow condition and carbide. Some guys ( not naming them ) run with stocker tuners and snotrackers and swear by them. They ride hard.....

I know guys riding with stock tuners that ride on the edge all day long with different carbides and they leave me behind