04 Viper S to an Apex ?

[ClutchMaster]

Personally I would ride an apex before trading.

 

[Macheater]

Personally I would ride an apex before trading.

I would agree. I think the 2 machines are different enough that the OP may not like the Apex.
The Viper S is a bit of a rare machine in its own right, might be happier with some performance upgrades and hang on to it.

 

[duwem]

Might go look at an 08 apex this weekend and get a test drive around his yard. Still have the viper. It has a bender single pipe and trail can and clutch kit

 

[ClutchMaster]

the m10 in that chassis transforms it into
A whole different sled.

 

[ClutchMaster]

It all depends on if you want a touring big miles machine or a corner to corner hot rod.
If you ride big fast trails the Apex gets the nod, if you ride twisty trails the old school with the M10 is awsome.
Rebuild those Ohlin’s up front and you have a serious trail beast

 

[duwem]

Is Polaris m10 the same as fast m10?

 

[kinger]

No the Team fast M10 is superior to the polaris one.

 

[ClutchMaster]

Is Polaris m10 the same as fast m10?

the Polaris m10 with the square a-arms is identical. The round tube a-arms are prone to cracking. The geometry is identical. The older metric m10 has a poor design on the rear slider blocks and they wear out quickly. Don’t get the older metric m10 (pre 2000) upper wheel bearings are no longer available, and the rear upper shaft needs to be modified to work with a 6205 bearing. Also the front shock has a circlip to adjust spring setting, you want a threaded front spring body so you can adjust spring pressure easy.

The early square tube a-arm Polaris M10 is a good choice for a used unit. All the parts are interchangeable with the post 2000 M10 from Fast.
Fast did have a bypass front shock on their M10’s Polaris did not. I don’t feel it did much other than make the suspension softer.

 

[duwem]

Test drove the 2008 apex GT 40th yesterday. Felt so tippy in the corners and any movement of the handle bars would lift a ski. Did not leave with a feeling I had to have one...

 

[wexfordhunter]

I have both a 2004 Viper S and a 2008 Anniversary LTX. The Viper is pretty dialed in so it handles well, we ride alot of twisties. Different feel on the Apex. The power is definitely there any time you want it. The 136 is smoother in the bumps, longer track and ability to change on the fly helps. I ride the Apex wife or kid ride the Viper, neither like the Apex. Kid says he can't throw it around like the Viper. Wife says it's too big and too fast. It takes getting used to for sure, I think the engine braking as much as anything. I still enjoy being able to jump on the old S though.

 

[maim]

Test drove the 2008 apex GT 40th yesterday. Felt so tippy in the corners and any movement of the handle bars would lift a ski. Did not leave with a feeling I had to have one...

some of that is in how it is set up but you do sit higher on the apex. they do some times need a heavyer sway bar on the 06-10 sleds depending on driving style.

 

[steiner]

First time I took my Attak for a trip I just about flipped it. Had to learn how to drive the Delta chassis after riding the No Action Pro Action for almost 10 years.
Once I got used to it and did a few mods to make it handle similar to my old trailing arm sleds, I will never go back to the older Yamaha chassis.

 

[kinger]

I mean the handling of a apex out of the box is abysmal... tippy, inside ski lift, bottoms out, doesn't really do anything well. I only rode one trip on the stock suspension before going full on mod. Ripped out rear suspension, 13mm sway bar, front shocks revalved, and firmer seat. Then I finally had fun on it.

 

[Teamblue4]

Test drove the 2008 apex GT 40th yesterday. Felt so tippy in the corners and any movement of the handle bars would lift a ski. Did not leave with a feeling I had to have one...

Takes a couple hundred miles of riding a Apex before you can decide anything.

 

[biffdotorg]

some of that is in how it is set up but you do sit higher on the apex. they do some times need a heavyer sway bar on the 06-10 sleds depending on driving style.

Agree 100%, that guy didn't have it setup right. And by setup, we don't mean replacing components. Setting up the shocks, preload etc and that thing should rail.