Last season on my MP :-(

[Mooseman]

Well boys and girls, this is likely my last season on the MP. I've had her since 2009 through the good, the bad and the ugly. She always brought me home, even with a completely destroyed rear suspension and broken rails, always started (except before I upgraded to the red relay and the recent issue with the ground block) and always brought me joy and pleasure while riding. I've modded it to the hilt and I was still modding it up to this season. And even today, I just got an accessory that will replace the useless (and broken) parking brake (more on that later). I've ridden her 14 000 KM and still counting.

So what am I doing? Well, I'm moving up to this 2010 RS Venture GT on a sweet deal. A dealer in Barrie is getting rid of it and all it needs is a new track. I need a newer, quieter and more comfortable sled for touring. It doesn't have EPS but I can install Barn of Parts' Mechanical Power Steering and I so needed easier steering. Still has fuel injection, which I wanted to stay with. I don't really do a lot of off-trail riding so this will fit my bill. When I took the MP to the cottage, all it did was get stuck in ankle deep slush on the lake. My off-trail riding days are over.

So after this season, I'll just clean her up, fix what needs fixing, swap tracks between the two (putting the original 16" Ripsaw back) and put her up for sale. If I can't get what I want for her, I'll part it out.

I'm getting old and I needed an old guy's sled.

 

[YukonMP]

Congratulations and I'm relieved that it is a Yamaha. I'd have missed you around here. I expect you will really enjoy the new sled. Coincidentally it was a nice deal on a Venture that got me restless a while back but I need more of a utility sled so I expect to have a VK Pro 11 next winter. I'll keep the MP though, it is perfect for a lot of what I do. I just feel it is going to be getting less reliable and I ride daily so I want a back up. A VK opens up some interesting possibilities that I'll be sharing next year if my plans come together.

Anyway, it will be interesting to hear how it goes for you and what mods you do. Between the MP and the boys Phazer you have come to be a real asset to those forums. No doubt you'll keep it up with the Venture. I'm not sure that is exactly an old guys sled, looks like a little more of a red sports car to me.

 

[Mooseman]

Definitely had to be a Yamaha but that is getting harder with the current trend.

Mods? What mods? Of course I'll be modding it. As crazy as it sounds, I haven't seen it yet so I'm buying it sight unseen except for that one pic. After I give it a full inspection and see if the previous owner did anything, I'll build my list. At the very least, I'll move over my HID headlights and the temp gauge.

It would be really sad for me to completely part it out if it came to that.

Heading out this morning to go pick it up near Orillia. I just hope it fits in my enclosed trailer. The MP barely fits in there

 

[BombaPolaYama]

You'll like the new sled for trail riding - I have the TF. I do miss the higher seating position on the TF though, and the TF is still noisy at some speeds; especially below 60kmph.
What's this Barn of Parts Mechanical Power Steering you mentioned? Thanks.

 

[Surestick]

You'll like the new sled for trail riding - I have the TF. I do miss the higher seating position on the TF though, and the TF is still noisy at some speeds; especially below 60kmph.
What's this Barn of Parts Mechanical Power Steering you mentioned? Thanks.

https://www.barnofparts.com/mps-power-steering-new

It changes the leverage you have on the skis to make them easier to turn.

 

[Fro-1]

Well boys and girls, this is likely my last season on the MP. I've had her since 2009 through the good, the bad and the ugly. She always brought me home, even with a completely destroyed rear suspension and broken rails, always started (except before I upgraded to the red relay and the recent issue with the ground block) and always brought me joy and pleasure while riding. I've modded it to the hilt and I was still modding it up to this season. And even today, I just got an accessory that will replace the useless (and broken) parking brake (more on that later). I've ridden her 14 000 KM and still counting.

So what am I doing? Well, I'm moving up to this 2010 RS Venture GT on a sweet deal. A dealer in Barrie is getting rid of it and all it needs is a new track. I need a newer, quieter and more comfortable sled for touring. It doesn't have EPS but I can install Barn of Parts' Mechanical Power Steering and I so needed easier steering. Still has fuel injection, which I wanted to stay with. I don't really do a lot of off-trail riding so this will fit my bill. When I took the MP to the cottage, all it did was get stuck in ankle deep slush on the lake. My off-trail riding days are over.

So after this season, I'll just clean her up, fix what needs fixing, swap tracks between the two (putting the original 16" Ripsaw back) and put her up for sale. If I can't get what I want for her, I'll part it out.

I'm getting old and I needed an old guy's sled.

View attachment 146082

My step brother up in Yellowknife has also gone from the MP this year to the RS Venture GT so he’s been asking me a lot of questions on what to expect as I purchased a new but old-stock ‘16 RS Venture TF last year in Cornwall.
His is the older model without the power steering as well.
Trying to get to my point lol, your comment on going to a quieter machine. The Venture is so quite and smooth that it’s very very hard to get used to “track noise/vibration” highly noticeable at cruising speeds up and around 50kmph to 60kmph.
Being brand new out of the box, I spent my first week of riding changing belts. At first I thought the dealer must have strained the machine and burned the belt giving it a wear spot causing vibration. By the 3rd new belt I realized that wasn’t it and did a google search of course and what I was experiencing was just as many others described. A loud track howling that isn’t something that can be fixed but rather just the experience from every other part of the ride being so quiet and smooth.
I still love the ride and I don’t really notice it anymore.
Only other drawback. The windshield steams/freezes over on the inside due to heat from the engine to a point you can’t really see through it. I’ve found a band-aid for the problem but in some snow/temperature conditions, even my DIY anti-frost idea doesn’t work.
In no way regret buying this machine though!

 

[Mooseman]

Still on the road coming back from picking it up. It's an even better deal than first thought. It came with all the bags, including the much coveted saddle bags, and the rack. Hell yeah! starts and purrs like a kitten. Track is definitely fubared with a bunch of pulled studs so my Crossover is going in. Hope the track noise doesn't get worse with its 1.5" paddles. For $3500, I'm happy!

 

[YukonMP]

View attachment 146107


Only other drawback. The windshield steams/freezes over on the inside due to heat from the engine to a point you can’t really see through it. I’ve found a band-aid for the problem but in some snow/temperature conditions, even my DIY anti-frost idea doesn’t work.
In no way regret buying this machine though!

What is your band-aid?

 

[Fro-1]

What is your band-aid?

May sound silly but I keep a neck pillow like you use for traveling on a bus or airplane stuffed right into the front of the windshield on the dashboard behind the gauges.
I use a black one so it’s not at all noticeable and it stops the steam from rising inside the lower part of the windshield.
On a bumpy or fast ride it tends to work it’s way back from touching up against the windshield so I’m seriously thinking of adding a narrow strip of “stick-on” Velcro to the lower area of the plexiglass to remedy the pillows movement.

 

[Mooseman]

Nothing is silly. If it works, it works. Necessity is the mother of invention. As I get familiar with my new-to-me sled, I'll be modding it too.

How's slider wear on the RS? Noticed that this one has wear at the front curve so likely I'll be adding low snow wheels there. I had put bigger wheels on the MP and that helped slider longevity immensely but wonder if they contribute to the track howl. Somebody in the RS section suggests removing all idler wheels to stop the noise.

 

[Fro-1]

Nothing is silly. If it works, it works. Necessity is the mother of invention. As I get familiar with my new-to-me sled, I'll be modding it too.

How's slider wear on the RS? Noticed that this one has wear at the front curve so likely I'll be adding low snow wheels there. I had put bigger wheels on the MP and that helped slider longevity immensely but wonder if they contribute to the track howl. Somebody in the RS section suggests removing all idler wheels to stop the noise.

Yamaha’s have been famous for easily wearing slides, melting them and even sticking to the cleats of the track since the Bravo long track.
Mainly because yes, Yamaha’s are designed so the sliders take on more of the weight than the wheels. Actually I don’t recall anyone in conversation having the problem of melting and sticking with a Bombardier or Arctic Cat etc. due to their skids being designed the opposite. Wheels slightly lower than the slides.
I myself will accept the howl noise over having to replace slides more often and the risk of melting them.
As for larger idler wheels, well then you are basically re-designing it’s skid to the other 3 manufacturers and I just want to ask you if you did so on your MP, did you go through the wheel bearings any faster?
But we know this of course relates to what your snow conditions are. I myself don’t use any local groomed trail systems. My sled comes out of my garage, crosses the road and I’m on the riverbank which leads to the lake my cabin is on and it’s 54kms of either beaten path from other cabin goers or at most, riding on 6-8 inches of fresh snow on top of that same beaten path that is used over and over again in the middle of the lake by other cabin goers and sleds headed into the mountains for hill climbing.
I don’t have any wear on my slides in any one place more than the other right now. This is my 2nd winter with the sled, lots of life left on them but again this is only 2,500 kms on the machine so far and always used in plenty of snow for lubrication.
Personally I have only seen the wheels removed on the mountain sled skids with deep paddle tracks and anti-ratchet window drivers.
But if you are going to try it on touring sleds like we have by all means let me know if you find it helps.
For the few times I’ve came across people with the track slipped off to the side of their rails, I don’t think I want to try that mod.

 

[carcus1]

I had a 2009 rs venture gt, biggest mistake was selling it and buying a 2009 venture lite! The rs is so comfortable, powerful, it starts in extreme cold, the wind protection is second to none, downside is its not the greatest handling sled, and the track hum will drive you nuts

 

[Fro-1]

I had a 2009 rs venture gt, biggest mistake was selling it and buying a 2009 venture lite! The rs is so comfortable, powerful, it starts in extreme cold, the wind protection is second to none, downside is its not the greatest handling sled, and the track hum will drive you nuts

Could not agree anymore on the starting! In bitter bitter cold they start with the first turn of the key.
I haven’t tried an RS without the power steering but I can’t complain about the handling with my ‘16 that does have it.

 

[Mooseman]

Well crap! Went to start it this morning to unload from the trailer and it wouldn't crank and threw a code 12 (crank position sensor). After a few tries, it eventually started but stalled a couple of times. Read up on it and it's a common issue that requires replacement of the stator with the sensor, which apparently was upgraded. And of course, I have no recourse because it was sold as-is, even if it was a dealer

 

[YukonMP]

Knowing you this won't hold you up long. At least there is lots of winter left. Congratulations on the new to you sled.