How Much Horsepower?

[Sasquatch]

I really liked me 150hp Cat 800 triple and my 172hp Cat triple and both my 142hp Warrior and my 163hp Apex where awesome. All where great on the lakes and pipelines, the 105hp 600 was perfect for the trails but suffered on lakes and pipelines. Lets just go with 150 and up!

 

[VX1R]

When I saw the title of this thread I couldn't help but think of these famous quotes from the late, great Mark Donohue:

If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower.
(It's OK to sub "a trench" for "two black stripes")

No, it will never have enough power until I can spin the wheels at the end of the straightaway in high gear. Too much power is never enough.
(It's OK to sub "track" for "wheels")

We're far from having too much horsepower...my definition of too much horsepower is when all four wheels are spinning in every gear.
(Once again it's alright to sub "track" for "four wheels")

For anyone who's not familiar with him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Donohue

This doesn't have anything to do with the poll on the thread asking how much hp does a new sled need, but whenever I hear the phrase "How much Horsepower do you need" I can't help thinking of these responses.

 

[Yamadog]

Yup constantly looking back to see if I left a black track mark!!!!!

 

[sideshowBob]

Haven't seen anything yet that has too much hp....even 90,000++++ hp per side in a Boeing 777 .
These sleds we ride could always use more hp and lighter weight.
Its all about the power to weight ratio.

 

[Rich Kay]

Question that it will really end up being is how much is a sled gona cost before you wish they would go back and just make a 100hp sled so you can afford one again....

 

[cannondale27]

Question that it will really end up being is how much is a sled gona cost before you wish they would go back and just make a 100hp sled so you can afford one again....

Phazer just needs a decent front end to fit that bill. Lower COG would help that sled sell also.

 

[stevewithOCD]

This is a trick question.
I only NEED about 130 hp.
I thought i was happy with 150 hp.
Now that i've got 200, i think i want 300.
I'll let you know in 3 months if i'm happy with 230.

 

[T-Bone]

Question that it will really end up being is how much is a sled gona cost before you wish they would go back and just make a 100hp sled so you can afford one again....

Bingo!! That really is one of the issues the manufactures are dealing with. People say sleds cost too much but they want more HP every year. Think about the sleds that we’re offered in mid 90’s the XLT, MxZ, Zr, SXR and the horsepower they had (95-110). Those sled were a blast to ride sure they had their issues but they were reasonably priced fun sled. That’s when the sled industry was at its peak in terms of units sold worldwide. I know that the manufactures forced dealers to take way more sleds than they could sell and that led to excess inventory problems. But those were the hay days when sleds were affordable.

 

[cannondale27]

Bingo!! That really is one of the issues the manufactures are dealing with. People say sleds cost too much but they want more HP every year. Think about the sleds that we’re offered in mid 90’s the XLT, MxZ, Zr, SXR and the horsepower they had (95-110). Those sled were a blast to ride sure they had their issues but they were reasonably priced fun sled. That’s when the sled industry was at its peak in terms of units sold worldwide. I know that the manufactures forced dealers to take way more sleds than they could sell and that led to excess inventory problems. But those were the hay days when sleds were affordable.

They were affordable only if you dont count the day you had to take off work after a big ride! I was only in my 20's and 30's and in great shape. Still felt like I was through 10 rounds with Tyson! Now at 50 can ride more miles and wake up ready for more or work the next day. Price you have to pay.

 

[blueironranger]

Bingo!! That really is one of the issues the manufactures are dealing with. People say sleds cost too much but they want more HP every year. Think about the sleds that we’re offered in mid 90’s the XLT, MxZ, Zr, SXR and the horsepower they had (95-110). Those sled were a blast to ride sure they had their issues but they were reasonably priced fun sled. That’s when the sled industry was at its peak in terms of units sold worldwide. I know that the manufactures forced dealers to take way more sleds than they could sell and that led to excess inventory problems. But those were the hay days when sleds were affordable.

YEP, 100ish HP and all of them over the 500 lbs dry. The trails were littered with 500-600 class sleds and very few had the big dogs. Now I see more 800 class + sleds than anything else, and I think its the lack of interest from the younger generation and no REAL bang for the buck sled. My Viper more than enough for me, heck my Phazer did well on the tight n' twisty's around me in Northern Minnesota but definitely lacked power for playing in the UP, hence the Viper. I'd love a new lighter 100ish HP 4 stroke, but it would need to be at or under the 8000$ mark for a base model.

 

[SumpBuster]

Riding a 40hp Rupp is better than going to work. Lol

American, or nitro? Lol

 

[SumpBuster]

You don't have to use it, but it's certainly nice to have. For a 200 hp sled, it's certainly extremely well mannered.

 

[Sasquatch]

I think the hp reflects the trails. I'm saying this because the hp craze seemed to follow the groomed trails. As trials became a way to get from one place to another and the distances grew so did the hp. I got out of sledding to raise a family and as I watched the magazine I saw the groomed trails increasing the hp increasing the suspension travel increasing and I liked the idea of touring like a bike from burg to burg stopping for gas and grub, maybe a weekend ride and add hotel.

So I bought a 1998 800 triple triple 150hp 136inch two up. It rode and handled like a dream. It would hold 90 95 at less then full throttle on GPS riding double on the not so smooth lake. At the same time though the old style riding and stopping to cook and play games or just BS was dying out. My 1998 Pantera was 10,500 two years later the 2000 Pantera 1000 triple triple 172hp was 12,200.

The sport seemed to get split into fisherman and touring riders and love or hate the trails went with it. The family riders sided with the fishermen and against trails they lamented that sleds and trails where to expensive, trails where full of throttle jockeys and not safe for family's. The family dynamic of trail riding went out the window and they stayed home. I went to a poker derby that was moved off its traditional route because the groomed trails used some of them now. So the derby was through the bush and across some swamps and lakes and trail was broke and marked just before the derby.

Well we rode 50 miles to the derby and throttled around the trail collecting our cards and when we powered our way past a large group stopped with a fire going, I looked over and saw my parents and their friends with some of my younger siblings and their friends staring at us roaring by. There where old Elans, Enticers, Citations, Futura's, Polaris Colts and trapper sleds galore. That was me years ago enjoying a different part of sledding, now I was throttle on to the next card, the end of the derby a quick bite at the local choke and puke and a 50 mile ride home. We left at noon rode the derby and back home before supper. My parents left at 9:00 am drove to the derby and unloaded the sleds spent the day on the derby ate on the trail mingled with friends ate supper at the hall and got home around 9:00pm. I heard stories about the group of throttle jockeys tearing up the trails and I was of course one of those! That was when I saw the rift, the split from the old way and the new. It never got better only worse till here we are today, 20,000 dollar sleds and nothing left under 15,000 out of Yamaha but a work sled at 12,000 even Cats 3000 and 6000 cheapest at 14000!

 

[maim]

i learned the old school way but on a trap line and ice fishing while going to camp. i always have enjoyed the ride and the destination as well. as i got older, i did not always have time for the destination but always took time for the ride when i had it. now i take the time for the ride to relax as well as get something done when i have a chance. nomatter what the hp sled i ride, i always make sure i have enjoy myself on the ride as the miles are not as important.

 

[Berg570]

200+

Its better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it!