11,000 mile review the good and bad.

[ryama]

My tuned turd of a 900 will outrun any stock Winder until I'm topped out. Tuned Winders I don't stand a chance. Just got off the dyno today and made 218hp with stock hardware with a turn on the stock FPR to increase fuel pressure a bit. Had the sleds out on the lake this past weekend. I ran 115.8 and the 300hp tuned winders were running 120-122. 330hp winder went 125ish. These were trail sleds. The 330hp lowered "prepped"winder went wayyyy faster.

Really?????

 

[Motorhead]

My tuned turd of a 900 will outrun any stock Winder until I'm topped out. Tuned Winders I don't stand a chance. Just got off the dyno today and made 218hp with stock hardware with a turn on the stock FPR to increase fuel pressure a bit. Had the sleds out on the lake this past weekend. I ran 115.8 and the 300hp tuned winders were running 120-122. 330hp winder went 125ish. These were trail sleds. The 330hp lowered "prepped"winder went wayyyy faster.

Sounds like your happy with that so good for you. Now you know where and who to run so keep on tweeking.

Very slow speeds by all, what length and conditions? Surely not ice unless you are talking short distances.

Can’t wait for another season on my mild 260 hp pump fuel Winder! Just enough to satisfy my needs...

 

[vmxrdr]

What motivates a guy who has switched brands to post negative review of his Yamaha on TY then throw in positive digs about really slow weird throttle new skidoo on here? I totally discounted the input when I saw he put big boy skid springs in to make the shocks work better, a revalve/rebuild would be twice as effective. A heavier rate ctr spring so the chassis pivots in the ctr and loads skiis going into a corner would have been better. Glowing 50 mile review of doo sounds like talking points from dootalk. I have put lots of miles on the tall tippy xrs setup and found base models with non adjustable pilots way better. Even skidootrax tv says the adjustable carbide pilots are terrible for crap sakes. If sketchy handling at high speed is your game combined with artificial throttle response I think you have done the right thing by switching camps.

 

[GAS]

What motivates a guy who has switched brands to post negative review of his Yamaha on TY then throw in positive digs about really slow weird throttle new skidoo on here? I totally discounted the input when I saw he put big boy skid springs in to make the shocks work better, a revalve/rebuild would be twice as effective. A heavier rate ctr spring so the chassis pivots in the ctr and loads skiis going into a corner would have been better. Glowing 50 mile review of doo sounds like talking points from dootalk. I have put lots of miles on the tall tippy xrs setup and found base models with non adjustable pilots way better. Even skidootrax tv says the adjustable carbide pilots are terrible for crap sakes. If sketchy handling at high speed is your game combined with artificial throttle response I think you have done the right thing by switching camps.

Sorry I hurt your feelings.

 

[Turboflash]

I had a look over on Dootalk a few days ago and saw that someone posted these 900T's can't even get to the HP of a stock sidewinder without hardware changes.
Is that true?
Geez, that sucks.

I've heard too. I've heard the problem is the turbo is so small (even smaller than 998) that to get to 998 power reliably, you need to get a bigger one. Don't know if that's true but that's what I heard.

 

[74Nitro]

Sorry I hurt your feelings.

Some people here are easily offended. Your review is fair enough. Winders do have some issues, like most sleds.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

I've heard too. I've heard the problem is the turbo is so small (even smaller than 998) that to get to 998 power reliably, you need to get a bigger one. Don't know if that's true but that's what I heard.

Very true the turbo on the 900t is very small. Likely the reason a muffler change does not yield much gain. I see Dave now has his MID PIPE out between the turbo and muffler, which will makes some gains apparently. Also we will start seeing lots of tuners slapping on the turbo from our 998 to the 900t.

Not a fan of being brand loyal, and Ive owned more DOOs then Yams, but these are my two fave brands. The older I get the less brand loyal i become, and don't mind trying them all. Only one I still need to own is a POO. For me I like to swap often with buds, so I get a good taste of how they all work.

This season a bud in the group has a 900t, so I will get lots of seat time with it. I truly loved my Winder and how I got it handling,transferring, and powered up. But Im the first to admit bone stock it was nothing amazing. By the time it got tuned and set up by me, it became a blast. So riding the bone stock 900t is nothing wonderful either, and the iTC takes all my attention(negatively) away from its good points. There is alot of good there to be had IMO possibly with more HP and a tune "MAY" go a long way to helping the awkward feeling/reacting iTC(throttle by wire).

Sorta mad at myself for jumping back to the 2s since Im not really a 2s fan at all, but felt it was a better choice for this upcoming season then taking the chance on the iTC. Hearing some oil usage horror stories is what has me contemplating my decision. Sure sounds like BRP is covering their #*$&@ with the 4 year warranty and just upped the oil pumps! Grrr....

At any rate, I tend to trade up every season or two on avrg. I doubt this 2 smoker will stay around more then one season, although I do like the fun factor on them(rode buds a bunch) on my tight trail system. I just hate the company more and more though, they just keep charging more and more for less and less it seams. G4 does handle alot better then its predecessor(XS/XR) IMO, and so that will be a nice change.

Certainly am following along with Dave and the other tuners on their 900t projects. Doo being so popular is a goldmine for the tuners, so I can see the appeal for them. Abit over 200hp seems to be where a simple tune will end up without hardware. Honestly for me its less about the big power and more about the throttle working better. It has decent power, will never be in the same arena as the 998. If big power is wanted then the 998 is the best way to go, although we have to put up with all the annoyances that the procross engineered chassie has, and we all read about daily here. Lots of those DOO guys just want to ride and not wrench, so I get it.

I find the price point interesting, now that Cat offers their killer spring pricing, a Tcat will be close to same if not cheaper then a new 900t doo, Depending on what dealer you work with.

Dan

 

[ClutchMaster]

I've heard too. I've heard the problem is the turbo is so small (even smaller than 998) that to get to 998 power reliably, you need to get a bigger one. Don't know if that's true but that's what I heard.

Absolutely true, tinsey wiensey turbo is the biggest issue. Ultimate pump gas power tho will always be less than a Sidewinder with similar mods, due to the fact your base horsepower is lower. Kinda like comparing a pump gas 1200 doo to a Winder.

 

[race24x]

I agree with most on here the throttle needs to be reprogrammed by someone who rides

 

[rtx moose]

rode a 900t last year,i would take my apex over that anyday except over moguls..its a dog..and who said that it will keep up with a winder?LOL!!!

 

[KnappAttack]

Lets be honest, the small turbo on the Winder is nothing to write home about either! Want big power you need a bigger turbo and intercooler anyhow. The 998 over 240HP overheats and beats the crap out of the air in the intake anyways for trail use. Same as the 900t over 180HP.

Best pure big power trail sleds are Doo 1200's, Apex or RX-1 if you are going to a bigger turbo anyway. And who'd ever go back to a Apex or RX-1 after a 1200 Doo or Winder. Ya, the Suzuki twin lawnmower makes good power with a bigger turbo, but what an awful sounding engine and still the worst POS Cat early ProCross chassis.

Doo needs the 1200 back in the lineup with a turbo! A real MachZ! Without the ITC throttle and a better front end!

 

[74Nitro]

Lets be honest, the small turbo on the Winder is nothing to write home about either! Want big power you need a bigger turbo and intercooler anyhow. The 998 over 240HP overheats and beats the crap out of the air in the intake anyways for trail use. Same as the 900t over 180HP.

Best pure big power trail sleds are Doo 1200's, Apex or RX-1 if you are going to a bigger turbo anyway. And who'd ever go back to a Apex or RX-1 after a 1200 Doo or Winder. Ya, the Suzuki twin lawnmower makes good power with a bigger turbo, but what an awful sounding engine and still the worst POS Cat early ProCross chassis.

Doo needs the 1200 back in the lineup with a turbo! A real MachZ! Without the ITC throttle and a better front end!

Does that explain why a Winder with only a 3lb increase in boost along with a trail muffler will make 250HP, while 16 lbs with a trail muffler only takes it to 265-270?

 

[74Nitro]

Mike, over a decade ago I kept wondering why Yamaha wasn't bumping up the displacement of the Apex to 1050, like they had in the sport boat engines, which were otherwise almost identical.
It now seems that ALL manufacturers have eliminated anything over 999cc, so I guess HP junkies can only dream, or shell out big bucks.

 

[Crazy Canuk]

Mike, over a decade ago I kept wondering why Yamaha wasn't bumping up the displacement of the Apex to 1050, like they had in the sport boat engines, which were otherwise almost identical.
It now seems that ALL manufacturers have eliminated anything over 999cc, so I guess HP junkies can only dream, or shell out big bucks.

I wonder if it is for insurance/liability issues. My 998 Turbo is less expensive to insure than my 1049 Viper was.

 

[Deeppow16]

I wonder if it is for insurance/liability issues. My 998 Turbo is less expensive to insure than my 1049 Viper was.

I think the EPA stepped in and said no power sports vehicles can be over 1000cc any more. Which is the reason everyone stops short of 1000 and now turbos are being added to make up the difference.