Just picked up my new 03 RX1 Mountain any advice / mods

[RX1-M]

I just picked up my new 2003 Yamaha RX1 Mountain do you guys have any advice. I know it is the rx1-ton but other than weight what mods would you recommend besides a turbo.... Thanks in advance (Sled is pretty cool for the 10 minute test ride I put on it when I got it home)

Nick

 

[tmk50]

I just picked up my new 2003 Yamaha RX1 Mountain do you guys have any advice. I know it is the rx1-ton but other than weight what mods would you recommend besides a turbo.... Thanks in advance (Sled is pretty cool for the 10 minute test ride I put on it when I got it home)

Nick

Congrats on the new sled -

Browse through the site and do some searches - plenty of info. Make sure your dealer has done all of the things that yamaha has released service bulletins on for the 03 mountain (hood bumpers, rear drop bracket rivets, float bowls) - and have them order you the rear heat exchanger kit if you want some additional cooling.

 

[Pinball Wizzard]

Welcome , alot depends on how much you want to spend.

First thing pull out the tool box and storage.
skis are a must / I like the SLP Powder pros
exhaust / white knuckle has two nice options
ecp filter kit works nice (lots of discusion on this in forum)
Turbo if you want to spend the money
Light weight battery and relocation
I really like the look of the boss seat (never liked the factory)
The speed shop has a great deal on them now

If you do alot of sidhilling raise the handle bars


Lots of other ideas but this should get you started
Ride it at learn how to ride it is the best advice.

 

[Kachess]

I'd love to know what you paid. If you plan to climb I'd definitely recommend getting rid of weight. The work is easy but it will cost 3K to get equal to other 800 mountain sleds. If you will mainly be on trails listen to the cluthing and supension guys for advice. The float bowls are a must and should be covered by yamaha. Carburator water and fuel shutoffs are simple and cheap. They should be covered, but I paid for them myself. I have never overheated except once during breakin. Once the engine losens up it seems to run plenty cool. We usually have pretty soft snow, but I use Holtz ice scratchers when it does gets hard. I do it to save my hyfaxes, but have consequently never had a cooling issue. With the money I've spent to get weight off my sled I'd just as soon not add any in the form of a rear exchanger if I don't need it. I'd wait till you break the engine in, maybe try ice sctratchers, and then decide on the rear heat exchanger.

 

[RX1-M]

Actually the sled is not brand new just new to me It has 1055 miles and has a few upgrades already. It has the air filters, transfer kit, extros, and exhaust gutted. The sled is mint and I only gave $4700 for it.

 

[kmer]

1) Follow the wires from your ignition key into the steering column area. Make sure the wires aren't getting pinched or scraped when you turn full left lock, otherwise, they can ground out and you'll blow a fuse. You can simply re-route the wires out of harms way or add protective coating like heater hose. ... $1

2) Also check the wire group that runs through the bulkhead casting on the righthand side of the toolbox in the nose. Make sure its not rubbing on the aluminum. Zip tie some heater hose onto the wire group to protect them. ... $1

3) Check your drive axle bearing, clutch side. Pull the seal cover off with a pick. See if its rusty and consider replacing it. .... $20

4) Check your jackshaft bearing, clutch side. Make sure the shim that goes between the bearing and jackshaft is snug. You may want to consider replacing the shim with the '04 parts. ... $80

5) Check to see that tunnel bracket (big ugly black one near the rear) has received the reinforcing bolts update. Check for loose rivets in this area. ... $Free

6) Check the oil when its warmed up. Keep it just over the 'E' mark. $2

7) Add fuel and RIDE, while your buddies figure out if it's they should order up some new pistons, heads, crank, etc. ... $Priceless

 

[RX1-M]

Thanks for the info kmer

 

[kmer]

Glad to help. Any one of those things can ruin your day. :wink:

 

[Convert]

Kelly! Kelly! Kelly! you forgot one thing :lol: the overflow reservoir for coolant! never add unless you can't see green these things need a bigger reservoir if you fill it to normal level you'll just lose it anyway most of us have found it stays put at about 1/2 inch from the bottom. If your gonna ride around here you better consider a different track or you'll be going through sliders in a hurry Where did you do that test ride anyway last time i looked out the window it was all gone :lol:

 

[kmer]

Kelly! Kelly! Kelly! you forgot one thing :lol: the overflow reservoir for coolant! never add unless you can't see green these things need a bigger reservoir if you fill it to normal level you'll just lose it anyway most of us have found it stays put at about 1/2 inch from the bottom. If your gonna ride around here you better consider a different track or you'll be going through sliders in a hurry Where did you do that test ride anyway last time i looked out the window it was all gone :lol:

I used to subscribe to the 'just-enough-juice-in-the-bottle' theory... that is, until I bled the system. Did you take a look under the hood of my sweetie? She's full to the cold line and has been maintaining it all winter. Last winter I went through 2L of coolant 'topping it off'. Now....nothing. 8)

With the engine warm and running, I jacked the back end sky high and opened the bolt on the rear cross-over tube. It seems to have taken care of the problem. 8)

You're right though, it's worth a mention. So.... :roll:

8.) Watch your coolant level. If you constantly feel like 'adding', maybe you need to bleed the system. :wink:

And since you mentioned 'sliders'...

9.) If you feel that you need to change your sliders cause they are getting near the wear limit..... you may want to reconsider, the last few millimeters last FOREVER.

How's that, Convert? :?:

As for snow... I still am stepping down two feet to get into my house (nobody shoveled while I was away in MN :? ). In summer, it's a foot high step UP.

 

[RX1-M]

There is a stretch by my place that is covered by trees where i tested it out at the beginning of this week but it is gone as of today !! Anyway I am heading up to bayfield county in northern Wisconsin to do a lil bit of trail riding before the season ends april 1 There is said to be some hard pack still in the chequamegon natl forest. I guess I will find out tomorrow Oh I go out west to wyoming a few times a year so that is why I got the mountain version After riding out in wyoming it almost sucks riding the trails back home !!

 

[RX1MN Flatlander]

If your riding trails the rear cooler is a must! Get a seat from an 04 if you can get your hands on one for a decent price. Longer sway bar links and soften up the front end springs when you put the longer links on!!!! If you are doing significant trail riding cut your track down. I cut the lugs down to 1.5" with a reciprocating saw. Took about an hour, haven't had a problem with slides overheating on the trails since!!!!

 

[smokeless1]

specifically

It has been mentioned here already, but specifically, the machines don't come with fuel shut offs, and if you trailer the machine with more than half a tank of fuel, the floats could jiggle and let fuel run into the engine and dilute the oil. You won't know it, but with oil cut down with gas, you are going to shorten the life of your engine significantly.

Secondly, the heated carbs need attention. The hose to the carbs are too big. They allow way too much coolant into the carbs and that causes hard start issues, unless you grab the throttle and pull it open when you try and start it. Solution is to put a valve shutoff in the line and reduce the flow by about 80%.

This machine is seriously under radiated. It will put the hot light on, if you let it idle while talking to somebody you pass on the trail, or running in low snow conditions. Scratchers help, but the answer to keep the machine running for years is to cool her down. She needs more radiator. Most add a rear heat exchanger to accomplish this. I see that polaris' new superduper rig puts all that and a radiator in the front of the unit. Here is the deal. If you are going to pedal the machine before it gets 10k miles on it, then maybe don't worry about it. But if you intend to keep the unit for a long time, then you need to reduce the heat big time. I live in mo-town, and all the engineers I know put lower temp thermostats in there cars and trucks as soon as they get them because they know that the high heat kills those machines quicker than jack. Emissions work better too in high heat. But the low heat will make the units last and last.

So do yourself a favor and lighten the sled in other ways, but don't skimp on the rear heat exchanger. It needs it and will run better with the added cooler. And the guy you sell the sled to someday will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

BTW I own two artichoke four stroke non-turbos and they never over heat no matter how long you let them idle. My 04 mountain overheats in 5 minutes of low snow conditions, such as hardpack trail riding to get to the snow fields, and snow that is not light and fluffy, such as late season stuff that has alot of ice crystalization.