2008-2009 TY Mileage - Yamaha1

[yamaha1]

Well so far the '08-'09 season is looking more promising as far as snowfall than the last 10 years or so.

This year I am trying out a 2009 Phazer MTX that I snowchecked back in April of '08. I am coming off of a '05 RS Rage that I had for 3 seasons.

I had a couple of weeks off from work over the Christmas/New Years holidays and was able to get in some riding around my parents farm in eastern ND and then my cousin and I did some riding north of Brainerd MN.

The sled:

2009 Yamaha Phazer MTX
Blue/White
Starting Miles: 0
Modifications/Accessories: Windshield bag, exhaust turnout, GT Windshield (soon after the first ride at -18deg F with the short one)
Modifications/Accessories Planned: RAM mount GPS mount (christmas present), Mountain Addiction Track Rack fuel can, skid plate, Curve XS skis (white w/ blue loops)

Starting Miles:

First day out 12/22/08: I put on about 60 miles in eastern ND around my farm.

12/29/08: My cousin and I hauled the sleds north of Brainerd MN. We stayed at the AmericInn in Pequot Lakes MN. We checked in around noon on Monday and did a 60 mile loop (in red) that afternoon. Then woke up Tuesday to about 5" of fresh snow and put on another 105 miles or so (in blue).

Stopped trailside: '01 SXR 500 and '09 Phazer MTX

So far I really like the new sled. It takes some getting use to the riding style. Has good torque down low and is really fun throwing it around in the powder. Not quite like the trail cruising couch I had before (Rage), the riding style is more aggressive but I like it.

Only one mishap so far.... at one point we were stopped along the trail I looked underneath at the skid to see if I could adjust the preload on the front skid shock and found that one of my marginal snow wheels at the very front of the skid at the bends had delaminated. I am not sure why this happened as it is the better aluminum wheel with rubber. I looked at the track and it looked to be "tracking" ok side to side. So I will have to talk to my dealer and get a warranty claim filed and see if I get a new one. Now with some miles on I will check my track tension and make sure it is "tracking" ok.

Ending Miles/Starting Miles for next ride:

Y1

 

[rxrider]

Great having your own land to ride on
Keep the pics coming from your rides

Jan-Ove
rxrider

 

[yamaha1]

Dates: 01/17/09 & 01/18/09

Location: Local riding, SW of Minneapolis MN along the Minnesota River. Down through the trees and along the river... you would never know you are 20 miles from Minneapolis, and at times right along some of the suburbs.

Conditions: Temps both days were in the low to mid 20 deg F, and Sunday we had snow squals on and off all day. Trails were fairly smooth Saturday morning, but by afternoon and on Sunday they were beat up. The snow was really loose and sugary.

New additions: Curve XS skis
Quick recap... they performed very well and I am very pleased with them. Considering the very loose conditions they did not push in the corners real bad and gave me great control.

More specific write up: http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=68209

Overall Ride:
Didn't put on a ton of miles this weekend, but 90 miles or so this close to the city and inbetween other things going on this weekend is pretty good. I forgot to take a picture of my ending/starting miles for next time (it's 305). So I am now past the recommended break in mileage. It is nice to do some local riding without having to haul and travel long distances to do it. More pics....

Some guys ice fishing on the Minnesota River about 100 yds from open water.

Minnesota River

Elevator on the edge of Shakopee along the trail

Next Ride: Thinking about heading up to ND and riding with my dad for the weekend. Then a weekend off due to other plans and then TY Munising ride here I come!!!

Y1

 

[yamaha1]

Trip: TY Give Away Ride
Location: Munising MI
Accomodations: Comfort Inn
Dates: 2/5/09 thru 2/08/09

My cousin (sxr_yama) and I headed out from Minneapolis on Thursday morning and rolled into Munising around 5:30 local time. This was my second TY ride that I have attended and my cousins first ride. We both had a great time riding and also meeting new people. I was also at the ride as a representative for Curve Industries and had a great time talking to people about the product and gaining feedback.

When we arrived on Thursday we were told that trail conditions were pretty rough, but thanks to the great staff at the Comfort Inn some calls were made and the groomers were out on Friday and Saturday and the trail conditions were pretty good for most of the weekend. Saturday got a little warm (40 deg F) so trails were a little beat up by the end of the day. All in all it was a great trip... more TY rides are definately in my future.

New accessories/modifications:
- Track Rack extra fuel tank from Mountain Addiction

Starting Miles:

Trail Map:

Totallyamaha Members:

My cousin's SXR and my MTX

Some off trail areas south of Munising

Prizes for the give away

Unfortuneatly a week and a half of 45 deg F and rain pretty much ruined any chances of anymore riding in MN, so I am really going to be pumped up for the next trip which is out to Wyoming!!

 

[yamaha1]

Trip: Big Horn Mountains
Location: Burgess Junction Wyoming
Accomodations: Bear Lodge
Near by Accomodations: The Passage Resort
Arrowhead Lodge
Dates: 2/25/09 - 3/1/09

New Accessories: GPS Ram Mount with 12v accessory plug to power it.

We had another great trip out west to Wyoming again this year. This is the 3rd annual trip for the three of us, with different friends making it with each year. This year it was just the three of us.

I headed out of Minneapolis on Tuesday night after work and stopped at my buddies place in Spirit Lake Iowa. We headed out from there on Wednesday morning and went as far as Sheridan WY. Thursday morning we got up and headed up the hill. I unloaded my Phazer MTX while my buddy got his '09 Polaris IQ Shift 600 rental with a 144x2" track. Our other friend showed up Thursday afternoon from Bismarck ND with his '01 Arctic Cat Mountain Cat 800.

We put on 360 miles between Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We had great weather on Thursday and Saturday, but Friday was overcast and snow squalls, so the visibility was tough at times.

On Friday we stopped at Snowshoe Lodge for lunch. The chilli was awesome there!! The only way in to Snowshoe is on snowmobile in the winter. They have a couple of larger cabins and a smaller one... as well as hot tub and sauna. It is a pretty cool setup away from everything.

We then went out and did some cornis jumping...

Friday towards evening we headed west out to Fiberglass Hill... someone on an M7 thought he could make it. It is crazy how things change over night with some snow and wind... this didn't look anything like this on Thursday.

Saturday was a beautiful day and we found some great powder...

We stopped at Ranger Creek Guest Ranch for lunch. Again... great food and the only way in is by snowmobile in the winter. Would love to check this place out in the summer too.

It was a great trip and I didn't want to leave. It is amazing out there.

Ending/Starting Miles:

 

[rxrider]

WOW - breath taking landscapes in Wyoming

 

[yamaha1]

Trip: Curve Industries Test and Trade Event / TY Demo Ride
Location: Gaylord MI and Munising MI
Accomodations: Holiday Inn Express in Gaylord and the Comfort Inn in Munising
Dates: 3/12/09 - 3/15/09

I met up with Nick and Sean of Curve Industries in Gaylord MI on Wednesday evening to help out with the demo ride event they put on that Thursday and Friday. I have been running CurveXS skis this winter and working with them to do some sales reping for the company in the mid-west. It was great working with them and learning more about both the company and the product. It was also fun meeting more TY'ers and other customers and seeing their reactions to the product after they tried them out for themselves on their own sleds.

Thanks to everyone at Mama Leone's in Gaylord MI for letting us setup in the parking lot for this event. Great people and great food there too!

Setting up Thursday morning

We had a pretty good turnout on Thursday, had some people demo the skis on their sleds and had good interest. That evening we worked with a TY'er that had the skis already and had some questions. Nick and Sean tried some different setups and rode with him until 11:30 that night to make sure he was satisfied. Great customer service even after the sale!!

Unfortuneately, we did suffer one breakdown... the rear scissor arm on the '05 Rev snowcross sled broke. So we tore the skid out and brought it into the shop and let it melt off above the floor drain. (aka... the tub in our hotel room)

Friday morning was even better we took even more people out for demo rides. It was awesome to see and hear their responses after trying them out... they were amazed. We packed up that afternoon and headed up to the TY ride in Munising MI, right after having some awesome pizza at Mama Leone's.

Saturday morning we setup shop across from the Yamaha demo trailer in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn in Munising

I headed out with a group of TY'ers to do some riding.

Snow conditions on Saturday morning in Munising were hard and the play areas that were in the open weren't too much fun...

So we went back and found snow that hadn't been ridden on yet and blazed our own trail

We stopped at the Buckhorn for lunch and then headed back to the Comfort Inn.

In the afternoon I headed out with a little smaller group we headed out into the trees where there was good snow and it had softened up due to the warm temps... we had a great time!!! Thanks guys for showing me around

Well unfortuneately this concludes my entries for the season. I would have loved to get more total miles on this year, but I had a blast putting on the miles that I did. It was a great season of riding with my family, friends, TY'ers and again this year I met more new people that make this sport great. I also was able to ride in a number of different states including: ND, MN, WY and MI

I look forward to next season and meeting more new people and also working more with Nick and Sean at Curve Industries and doing some sales reping.

Everyone have a great off season and we will see ya next year.

Ending Miles:

Y1

 

[RedRocket]

Great write-ups! That was very enjoying to read.

 

[yamaha1]

Thanks Red... it is good to hear people appreciate it. I love to read about and see other areas of the country that people ride... it's like riding vicariously through others.

Y1

 

[yamahagirl]

Sounds like a great time working with Sean and Nick ... I am completely impressed with the skis and the service!

 

[sobfrogg]

Nice pics, Great riding with ya.

Next time we will go right to the good stuff.


I like the pic of me starting my run. Thanks for not showing my suck up at the top.

 

[yamadoo]

Thanks for the write up and pics they were great.

I think we met at Hey days a couple years ago. Good to hear from you again.

DID you like the phazer MTX by the end of the year

Yamadoo

 

[hondo]

Nice presentation and superb photos.

Thanks for sharing you experiences! Pretty cool!

 

[yamaha1]

Yamadoo-

Yes, we did meet at Haydays a couple years back. I really do like my Phazer MTX it is a blast to ride and very easy to throw around in the bumps and the powder. The only thing I would have liked is a little more power when we were out west... amazing how much difference there is at 10,000 feet! I am actually torn between selling the Phazer and buying a Nytro XTX or keeping the Phazer and starting to mod it out to try help it perform a little better when climbing out west. It's a tough one... would love to keep the Phazer and add a Nytro XTX, but unfortuneately I don't have that kind of cash.

Keep in touch over the summer... we don't live all that far apart.

Hondo-

Thank you very much for the the compliment... means a lot coming from a world record holder!


I look forward to the beginning of next season at Haydays in September (12&13). Next year should be a blast as well! I will be doing more work next year with Curve Industries and will be a sales rep for the upper midwest. So if you guys are ever interested or have questions about the product let me know. We will also have a booth at Haydays again this year and I hope to do more test and tune demo rides next season as well.

I am glad people enjoy reading about our trips and experiences throughout the season.

I hope everyone has a fun and safe summer season and we will see you all next year!

Y1