First ride of the season...

[1nc 2000]

Good to hear about the first ride of the season!
No riding for me until my broken leg gets better... maybe March if I am lucky.
Ya we have snow and trail is 2 blocks from my house...
Center shock makes a huge difference on these sleds. Hpg center shock with stock spring, stingray spring and cat spring were all tried. Cat spring was liked best for my riding style.
Upgraded to qs3 kashima coated shock for center with hygear dual rate spring setup.
Really liking this. Eats bumps nice.

Doc, my summer trail cruiser

 

[KnappAttack]

Do you have a 2023 XTX-LE or a 2023 LTX-LE? Your post says "23 XTX-LE" but your signature shows "2023 Yamaha Sidewinder LTX-LE, w/QS3R's & EPS".

I also have a 2017 LTX SE that I have been riding for the last 3 seasons and we just bought a 2025 LTX LE last spring (haven't ridden it yet). I am looking forward to seeing what this EPS is all about. FYI - as far as I know, if you install the front SRX dual-rate springs, you have to install them with the tight coils down or they will interfere with the reservoir on the QS3 & QS3R shocks.

I have read concerns with the spring divider wearing into the shock body on the center shock on the LE models. Based on a tip from Cannondale, I bought a roll of a specific type of 4" wide thin teflon tape that I plan on wrapping around the shock body to try to keep the wear off it. I have plenty of that tape if you or anyone else here is interested in any.

There you go, been so long since I've bought and ridden it I don't even know what I have. LOL! Its a LTX-LE.

You're going to think you've died and gone to heaven with the new LE. The EPS is the real deal, and the new LE sled's ride so plush its crazy. Way better than the base SE's ride and handling I can tell you that. I get them all thru the shop so I get to test them all. I've noticed some slight wear on the center shock from the divider, but its never been an issue for me or the sleds I've had thru the shop. I have read the stories here about it however. As has been said, in good snow I don't see it as an issue at all, but if you have some special teflon tape by all means do the prevention with it.

 

[STAIN]

SXS's don't scratch that itch for me. I have bought Jeeps for that kind of money or much, much less.
NOTHING beats snowmobiling.
I have run 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, street bikes, enduro bikes, built a few cars, played baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, golf in all manner of leagues. It has all come and gone. Snowmobiling is the ONLY thing I have done my whole life, and I don't see it changing!

 

[RobX-1]

I will also concur with @STAIN and will even add PWC's to the list of things I have tried to scratch that itch but nothing beats snowmobiling. We live near a lake and I thought a PWC would be the ticket since they are similar to riding a snowmobile and would even get more seasonal use out of it but they have come and gone. I live in OH where snow is not expected so having to drive/trailer to snowmobile has always been in the cards. My only complaint is when I am unable to ride as many miles as it took me to drive to where I am snowmobiling. That's where these crappy winters factor in but I'm in this for the long haul.

 

[Doc Harley]

SXS's don't scratch that itch for me. I have bought Jeeps for that kind of money or much, much less.
NOTHING beats snowmobiling.
I have run 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, street bikes, enduro bikes, built a few cars, played baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, golf in all manner of leagues. It has all come and gone. Snowmobiling is the ONLY thing I have done my whole life, and I don't see it changing!

I will also concur with @STAIN and will even add PWC's to the list of things I have tried to scratch that itch but nothing beats snowmobiling. We live near a lake and I thought a PWC would be the ticket since they are similar to riding a snowmobile and would even get more seasonal use out of it but they have come and gone. I live in OH where snow is not expected so having to drive/trailer to snowmobile has always been in the cards. My only complaint is when I am unable to ride as many miles as it took me to drive to where I am snowmobiling. That's where these crappy winters factor in but I'm in this for the long haul.

I understand...WTF is it about snowmobiling that keeps us hooked like some sick drug?!?! I hate it!! Lol.

 

[journeyman]

SXS's don't scratch that itch for me. I have bought Jeeps for that kind of money or much, much less.
NOTHING beats snowmobiling.
I have run 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, street bikes, enduro bikes, built a few cars, played baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, golf in all manner of leagues. It has all come and gone. Snowmobiling is the ONLY thing I have done my whole life, and I don't see it changing!

That's exactly how I feel too. I have had snowmobiles in my life since I was about 6 years old and I'm 62 now.

One of my friends that probably doesn't visit this site much these days dumped all his sleds and went all in with the SxS world. 1st he bought the Can Am Maverick with the lower HP turbo, then he switched to the Maverick X3 all black turbo, has probably another $12-15K invested into it. Then he bought an International Toterhome. It has a camper in the middle and a toy hauler drive up garage in the back. I have no idea what he paid for that rig, he has never disclosed it. Now he just bought a 4 seater Can AM HD11 Lone Star series for $40k. He said the HD11 is too tall for the toy hauler and needs to buy a trailer and probably a better truck. All together I am thinking he has $160-175k invested at minimum and soon to go higher. His investment makes snowmobiling look cheap IMHO.

 

[sideshowBob]

I understand...WTF is it about snowmobiling that keeps us hooked like some sick drug?!?! I hate it!! Lol.

Sledding is one of the last loosely regulated power sporting activities.
Where else can you have the freedom to blast in open spaces above 100mph, line up and drag race your buddies, aggressively challenge winding trails, wrench endlessly to personalize and hopefully improve on your ride, boondock through the trees in bottomless snow , feel sore, beat up, and tired all with a massive smile at the end of the day.
I have been riding sleds now for in excess of 60 years and look forward to every new season.

 

[Doc Harley]

Sledding is one of the last loosely regulated power sporting activities.
Where else can you have the freedom to blast in open spaces above 100mph, line up and drag race your buddies, aggressively challenge winding trails, wrench endlessly to personalize and hopefully improve on your ride, boondock through the trees in bottomless snow , feel sore, beat up, and tired all with a massive smile at the end of the day.
I have been riding sleds now for in excess of 60 years and look forward to every new season.

There's one thing you've overlooked. We are trying to relive all those positive memories that were created when we were young. That's the high we are trying to reach.

Sidenote: i did some rving in a 5th wheel toy hauler during early retirement, but I hauled a bike. Best of times! Due to a market shift i was able to sell it for more then I paid. Bought it new. Prices are $70-$150k typically, yes they can definitely go higher.

 

[number1kyster]

SXS's don't scratch that itch for me. I have bought Jeeps for that kind of money or much, much less.
NOTHING beats snowmobiling.
I have run 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, street bikes, enduro bikes, built a few cars, played baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, golf in all manner of leagues. It has all come and gone. Snowmobiling is the ONLY thing I have done my whole life, and I don't see it changing!

I am right there with you. My mind can wander in the offseason, but within the 1st mile of every season, I am all in on snowmobiling.

 

[74Nitro]

I understand...WTF is it about snowmobiling that keeps us hooked like some sick drug?!?! I hate it!! Lol.

It's just really unique in that we get to go places where some machines can't go, and very quickly.
No bugs or dust is also a plus.

 

[KnappAttack]

Sledding is one of the last loosely regulated power sporting activities.
Where else can you have the freedom to blast in open spaces above 100mph, line up and drag race your buddies, aggressively challenge winding trails, wrench endlessly to personalize and hopefully improve on your ride, boondock through the trees in bottomless snow , feel sore, beat up, and tired all with a massive smile at the end of the day.
I have been riding sleds now for in excess of 60 years and look forward to every new season.

You must be really-really old Bob! I've only been riding them for 53 years! Guess I'm just a spring chicken. LOL

Exactly what it's all about for me. I enjoy the thrill of speed and acceleration snowmobiling provides, love the big winding trails and roller coaster feeling along with the bit of wrenching and improving upon the machine. I'm sure the winter will come, but man it can be cruel at times. This is supposed to be the year where we get all the cold and snow together according to the predictions, let's hope it comes to fruition and we can all get out there soon.

 

[74Nitro]

This is how I spent last Friday night.
Blowing off my barn roof....ugh.

 

[74Nitro]

Sledding is one of the last loosely regulated power sporting activities.
Where else can you have the freedom to blast in open spaces above 100mph, line up and drag race your buddies, aggressively challenge winding trails, wrench endlessly to personalize and hopefully improve on your ride, boondock through the trees in bottomless snow , feel sore, beat up, and tired all with a massive smile at the end of the day.
I have been riding sleds now for in excess of 60 years and look forward to every new season.

So true Bob, you drive like that on or in any other vehicle, you're gonna be cuffed and face lots of fines lol.

 

[acpantera]

Dad got me started in snowmobiling in 1975, I sold out in 1984, then back in it in 1993, then sold out in 2008, then bought back in 2019. Now in my 60's I'll probably be all done for good the next time I sell out or cash in. I love snowmobiling but it's a poisonous love affair.

 

[74Nitro]

Lol! I guess I am getting to be a Geezer in the sport of mostly old guys
We got our first sled for Christmas in 1965...a 1965 Snow Cruiser that I was obsessed with and I have fond memories of my Dad and I working on it together and I have since done all my own mods and wrenching.
My first race was 1965 with my Dad on the back at a Winter Carnival unfortunately we finished second to a damn Ski Doo but the sledding hunger fuse was lit for me and I have been obsessed with sledding ever since.
Basically for just shy of 50 years I competed yearly in amateur racing at winter carnivals, a sponsored Winnipeg St Paul race thrown in with mostly successful results up until the Covid years. I would roll into the local carnivals, by myself, with 4 sleds and enter every class they had. My 440 SRX ,650 Indy Mod, Vmax 4 Mod, Improved stock 600 SX, and later even my Tuned SW were mostly undefeated at the Snow Drags in their classes.
I have constantly owned sleds since the first sled I purchased myself a 1972 440 Gran Prix Moto Ski that I still have and my Gran Children ride.
I did a 40+++ year career as a Bush Pilot, AirLine Pilot and only a maxed out B777 rolling down the runway for a 12 hour plus flight could come close to giving me the rush a Mod Vmax 4, SC Apex, or my current SW gives me.
I always pinched myself on how lucky I was that after Flying the "Triple" to Narita Japan then sitting in the "Jet Lag Bar" having a beer and only a day later I would be riding the remote trails with my buddies and sons in Northern Ontario....
Its all good!
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And I bet you never thought you'd be riding a Cat someday....
Either did I!