It was bad enough when Yamaha snubbed us on the LE shock package with a bait and switch. Now those of us who have stuck with it are facing extremely disappointing top speed results.
My RTX LE hits the wall at mid 70's on the speedometer with 80 mph being the highest trail speed that I have seen. I have tried 2 different known clutching combinations with no major difference. I'm not the only one and I'm guessing that the only reason that the web is not a buzz over this is that many have not had snow to ride theirs.
I'm not throwing in the towel yet. The plan is to do a total clutch swap from a machine known to run past 100 mph with relative ease.
Yamaha may have snubbed me with zero response to my my well written letter documenting the shock fiasco, but they need to take notice before the crapstorm of angry owners hits...
P.S. Yamaha we have property in Hazelhurst and would gladly meet up with the guys from the northwoods testing facility some weekend.
My RTX LE hits the wall at mid 70's on the speedometer with 80 mph being the highest trail speed that I have seen. I have tried 2 different known clutching combinations with no major difference. I'm not the only one and I'm guessing that the only reason that the web is not a buzz over this is that many have not had snow to ride theirs.
I'm not throwing in the towel yet. The plan is to do a total clutch swap from a machine known to run past 100 mph with relative ease.
Yamaha may have snubbed me with zero response to my my well written letter documenting the shock fiasco, but they need to take notice before the crapstorm of angry owners hits...
P.S. Yamaha we have property in Hazelhurst and would gladly meet up with the guys from the northwoods testing facility some weekend.
buddah
Lifetime Member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2003
- Messages
- 1,483
- Location
- Wetmore, MI
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- '17 Sidewinder B-TX LE
So how many miles you got on it so far? If your answer is less than 1500 or so, don't go biotching too strong cause it isn't even CLOSE to being broken in as yet.........
weasel33
Expert
Buddah, my brother and I each have a rtx le and mine is totally stock, I can't get the thing past 74 mph on a downhill. My brother who has the Ulmers clutch kit was able to get it to a whopping 77 mph. We both have 320 miles on them but if you think this thing is gonna gain twenty some mph when broken in your dreaming. We rode with a 14 viper xtx and a 2001 Polaris 600 and they crushed us. Xtx hits around 94 mph and it only has 520 miles on it. Polaris has 6000 miles on it and hit 92 mph . Please share with us if you have a secret to make these things go faster. It's pretty embarrassing that a 15000 dollar sled just got whooped up on by a fourteen year old sled. TD is absolutely right, yamaha jammed it up our azzez with the shocks, are they going to jamb it up our azzez with a poorly clutched, improperly geared sled also. And according to you by the time my sled hits 520 miles I should be able to pick up 20 mph, boy do I hope your right. Also, just for your info buddah, his viper hit 91 with around 10 miles on it! Thanks for your opinion but if that's your fix, keep it to yourself!!!
wileya
Pro
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2009
- Messages
- 125
- Location
- Forest, Ontario
- Country
- Canada
- Snowmobile
- 15 sr viper rtx se
wondering if your getting drag from somewhere in the suspension?
There is about 11% change in gearing between the std and LE models. Funny how close this is to the difference in top speed between models when they are struggling. How many std model guys struggled at or around 90mph? The geared down sleds hit the same wall only at a lower speeds.
I'm putting my faith in Ulmer on the aftermarket vendor side and Cannondale/NOS-PRO on the enthusiast side to find the solution.
I'm putting my faith in Ulmer on the aftermarket vendor side and Cannondale/NOS-PRO on the enthusiast side to find the solution.
1tp
Extreme
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2014
- Messages
- 120
- Age
- 57
- Location
- Central Wisconsin
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- 2015 Viper R-TX LE Clutched and Canned
2014 Viper L-TX SE Clutched
Blue/White RTX-LE's are geared differently. I think that may be your problem.
Something is dragging or binding we will find it and correct it.
In meantime keep cleaning those clutches.
They must all drag 
Still no snow, but can only get 70 mph on a half mile run. Only 50 miles on it, and not going to put Ulmers kit on till I get a couple hundred on it.
Looking forward to you guys testing it.
Still no snow, but can only get 70 mph on a half mile run. Only 50 miles on it, and not going to put Ulmers kit on till I get a couple hundred on it.
Looking forward to you guys testing it.
sneakattak88
Expert
mine with 600 miles hits a wall at 83 mph.
jetpilot785
Pro
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2014
- Messages
- 131
We have 3 2014 LTX SE vipers and all 3 are stuck between 82-88mph on varied trail conditions. All three of us were all out yesterday running each other on snow covered lakes and all 3 were dead even. I could feel mine spinning the track and then it would hook and then spin and then hook etc etc and from what we all described, we all were feeling the same thing. We left today to return home from our trip but my buddy who stayed up there in Old Forge said he was able to get his bone stock sled with bone stock clutching to 95 on the speedo on a clean piece of ice. So even on a perfect piece of plowed ice, it can't even hit 100mph. Oh well, good thing 98% of my riding is in the low and midrange which this sled is known for. I'm very happy with the sled so far and since I don't find too many places to get the thing over 90 mph, I can deal with it. If I was a big Canada guy or lake guy, I would have put a turbo on it by now.
I'm not sure what it means but for what it's worth, I saw a video of a viper with full exhaust (headers and muffler), cold air intake, power commander 5, clutch kit etc only squeak out 106.5mph on a radar gun on clean ice. That's a good $2000-2500 worth of goodies to only muster 106. I can't remember what company it was but it was a well known company and it was their advertisement video so it wasn't some yahoo like me dicking around on a lake with a radar gun. Not sure what Allen Ulmer does that's so magical but he advertises 113-115 mph on a naturally aspirated viper. BTW, 2 out of 3 of the vipers we have, have the Ulmer secondary machining and torsion spring and clutch kits and neither one can break 100mph. Maybe they both would have on that same ice my buddy Jon got 95 out of his bone stocker but so far, the big triple digits have eluded us on normal trail conditions.
I'm not sure what it means but for what it's worth, I saw a video of a viper with full exhaust (headers and muffler), cold air intake, power commander 5, clutch kit etc only squeak out 106.5mph on a radar gun on clean ice. That's a good $2000-2500 worth of goodies to only muster 106. I can't remember what company it was but it was a well known company and it was their advertisement video so it wasn't some yahoo like me dicking around on a lake with a radar gun. Not sure what Allen Ulmer does that's so magical but he advertises 113-115 mph on a naturally aspirated viper. BTW, 2 out of 3 of the vipers we have, have the Ulmer secondary machining and torsion spring and clutch kits and neither one can break 100mph. Maybe they both would have on that same ice my buddy Jon got 95 out of his bone stocker but so far, the big triple digits have eluded us on normal trail conditions.
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fiddlersgreen
Lifetime Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2009
- Messages
- 538
- Location
- Newfoundland...The Rock
- Country
- Canada
- Snowmobile
- Viper xtx le
Don't know about the break in period but I noticed a big difference from the first day riding to the end of the next day and only getting better. Can't comment to numbers on top speed as that's not what I'm into but I know it sure feels like the thing is getting stronger with every ride. BTW I have a xtx le.
If it's a high top speed your looking for You can have as much hp and clutching as you like but if your geared too low your finished before you start.
IMHO!!
If it's a high top speed your looking for You can have as much hp and clutching as you like but if your geared too low your finished before you start.
IMHO!!
weasel33
Expert
I don't think the suspension is a hang up for mine or my brothers, in my trailer I can pull the thing with one hand. Unless there is something going on while under power. TD, if you run cannon dales or nos-pros clutches please report back ASAP.
Of course but do the math. Gearing is a factor but only because the clutches aren't shifting properly. Enough said.
There are two threads now. Grab a camera. Take some video. Give us some accurate measurements. It doesn't pay to talk about it. Do something or just wait till next weekend. It's not just LE owners fighting inconsistency. We all have been there.
There are two threads now. Grab a camera. Take some video. Give us some accurate measurements. It doesn't pay to talk about it. Do something or just wait till next weekend. It's not just LE owners fighting inconsistency. We all have been there.
Groomer08
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Dont know what your doing wrong bub, ive seen 86 on the xtx, and its only at 296miles, and thats only like 2 seconds pinned on a rr bed.
I imagine if i held it full brick for a minute i could see mid to upper 90s.
How tight is your track?
I imagine if i held it full brick for a minute i could see mid to upper 90s.
How tight is your track?
