Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
I got the following as a PM. I asked for permission to post it on the forum and that was granted. We are much better as a team than just me doing it.
Lets help him out
I'm new to this board and currently don't own a sled, yet. I see you're up in Presque Isle. We live in Milwaukee but have a home on East Bay Lake of the Cisco Chain. My buddy came up with a couple sleds for us to ride over the New Year holiday. He brought up a tricked out Thundercat that's either a 2000 or 2001 and a stock 2004 RX-1. Guess which one I liked best. Anyhow, after I got back home I started looking up info on the new Yamaha sleds. I saw they have a new RS line out this year with a 120HP 4-stroke vs the 145hp motor in the RX-1. For my first sled, I don't think I need to go for top-of-the-line.
Anyhow, I was wondering what would be better for the trails up in our area? A Vector or a Rage with the longer track?
Which sled do you have?
I'm also aware that first year products can have some issues. I've been reading about complaints of a TORS problem (what is TORS anyhow?), rattling clutches, excessive hyfax wear and darting/tippyness. What are your thoughts on these problems people have been talking about?
Thanks for your help.
Scott Hansen
Lets help him out
I'm new to this board and currently don't own a sled, yet. I see you're up in Presque Isle. We live in Milwaukee but have a home on East Bay Lake of the Cisco Chain. My buddy came up with a couple sleds for us to ride over the New Year holiday. He brought up a tricked out Thundercat that's either a 2000 or 2001 and a stock 2004 RX-1. Guess which one I liked best. Anyhow, after I got back home I started looking up info on the new Yamaha sleds. I saw they have a new RS line out this year with a 120HP 4-stroke vs the 145hp motor in the RX-1. For my first sled, I don't think I need to go for top-of-the-line.
Anyhow, I was wondering what would be better for the trails up in our area? A Vector or a Rage with the longer track?
Which sled do you have?
I'm also aware that first year products can have some issues. I've been reading about complaints of a TORS problem (what is TORS anyhow?), rattling clutches, excessive hyfax wear and darting/tippyness. What are your thoughts on these problems people have been talking about?
Thanks for your help.
Scott Hansen
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
First off, the problems that you have read about are pretty much NON issues. TORS is a system that wont let it go above idle if your cable freezes or somehow your carb linkages stick open. (In 15 years and well over 25K miles I have never heard of that happening) TORS requires a little slack in the cable, some dealers may have been sloppy in checking that. Dont spend a second worrying about it, it is a one minute fix.
Clutch rattle. ALL clutches have a little slop between the spider buttons and the tracks they ride in. Because it is a 3cyl 4 stroke and you get 240 power pulses, it is more noticable than on other sleds. Actually the biggest reason it is notcible is that these sleds are very quiet. The noise is NOT harmful at all and it is fixable by shimming the clutch buttons, something my dealer will do for free. It is really only noticable at idle.
I got a Vecter ER and I love it. The motor does get a little lazy at 70 and above compaired to an RX1. But it is as good or better than your typical 600-700 2 stroke. But smoother quieter and gobs more torque. A 2 stroke motor might go bad in 5-10K miles. These 4 stroke motors will probably last 50K miles and likely well beyond.
Clutch rattle. ALL clutches have a little slop between the spider buttons and the tracks they ride in. Because it is a 3cyl 4 stroke and you get 240 power pulses, it is more noticable than on other sleds. Actually the biggest reason it is notcible is that these sleds are very quiet. The noise is NOT harmful at all and it is fixable by shimming the clutch buttons, something my dealer will do for free. It is really only noticable at idle.
I got a Vecter ER and I love it. The motor does get a little lazy at 70 and above compaired to an RX1. But it is as good or better than your typical 600-700 2 stroke. But smoother quieter and gobs more torque. A 2 stroke motor might go bad in 5-10K miles. These 4 stroke motors will probably last 50K miles and likely well beyond.
DooFighter
Newbie
Scott, without addressing your issues one at a time, I'll tell you I'm considering a rage/vector for my next sled and I've been riding for 9 years, I've owned 4 polaris', 1 cat and 2 doos in those 9 years. My only issue with the sled (was able to test ride a rage a couple weeks ago) is the clutch "rattle." It was bad with a capital b on the sled I rode, but I understand it can be fixed. Sounded like throwing marbles in a blender, though, and not just at idle. I believe the rs being more quiet is part of the issue, but I think you'd hear that on any sled. It was loud. If money was no object, I'd already own one. BTW, haven't quite decided yet myself on to go with the shortie or the rage.
Scotth
Newbie
Thanks for the input, guys.
Tork, what are your thoughts on the Rage or Vector being a better match for the trails in our area?
Tork, what are your thoughts on the Rage or Vector being a better match for the trails in our area?
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I like the Vector better then the rage when I test drove them....both are great sled....If you are going to off trail here and there I would take the rage...stricly trail rider...Vector all the way...
By the way ...Welcome to the Site
By the way ...Welcome to the Site
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
Ah, I was just going to add on and eventually get to that.
Scott, you are a computer consultant, right? That is good to know.
I personally like the short track. Probably the most fun I have is feeling like Michael Schumacker (he just donated $10 mil to the tsnuami victims by the way) in the tight twisty trails, I do like to do some powder riding though in the fields and on the lake. If you are gonna run really deep powder or powder hill riding get a long track Rage. The shorties do turn quicker though.
I was on the Cisco chain just 9 days ago. Had I known, I would have gladly let you try out the vector. We had 3 05 Rx1 and an 04 Warrior as well bet they would not have minded either.
Yamaha has got a semi going all around for people like you to go on some fairly lengthy high speed rides.
Hyfax wear is so far just like any other Yammie Ive owned and that is the only brand of sled I have ever had. I'm just under 500 miles and they are 30-40% gone.
Scott, you are a computer consultant, right? That is good to know.
I personally like the short track. Probably the most fun I have is feeling like Michael Schumacker (he just donated $10 mil to the tsnuami victims by the way) in the tight twisty trails, I do like to do some powder riding though in the fields and on the lake. If you are gonna run really deep powder or powder hill riding get a long track Rage. The shorties do turn quicker though.
I was on the Cisco chain just 9 days ago. Had I known, I would have gladly let you try out the vector. We had 3 05 Rx1 and an 04 Warrior as well bet they would not have minded either.
Yamaha has got a semi going all around for people like you to go on some fairly lengthy high speed rides.
Hyfax wear is so far just like any other Yammie Ive owned and that is the only brand of sled I have ever had. I'm just under 500 miles and they are 30-40% gone.
Scotth
Newbie
Thanks again for the info. Ya, I checked out their demo rides schedule. I'm going to see if I can be up at our place in February so I can drive down to Minocqua when they're there on the 12th & 13th. I can't make it up for Derby Days in Eagle River next weekend, which would've been great.
What dealer(s) in WI or the U.P. would any of you recommend?
Yes, I'm a computer consultant by trade. Why, do you need a new network installed? :wink:
Oh ya, thanks for the welcome everyone!
What dealer(s) in WI or the U.P. would any of you recommend?
Yes, I'm a computer consultant by trade. Why, do you need a new network installed? :wink:
Oh ya, thanks for the welcome everyone!
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
This is a schedule of the demo rides
http://www.rx1.info/viewtopic.php?t=8692
This is a write up by our well respected Welteracer (Brian who went on one of these demo rides)
Now he is a Warrior guy and loves a fast sled, you woudl think that he would be disapointed with less than RX 1 power, but this is what he writes..... http://www.rx1.info/viewtopic.php?t=8585&highlight=
http://www.rx1.info/viewtopic.php?t=8692
This is a write up by our well respected Welteracer (Brian who went on one of these demo rides)
Now he is a Warrior guy and loves a fast sled, you woudl think that he would be disapointed with less than RX 1 power, but this is what he writes..... http://www.rx1.info/viewtopic.php?t=8585&highlight=
Scotth
Newbie
Thanks for that link.Tork said:
A question I forgot to ask earlier. Is the reverse feature worth having for the $300 retail extra?
Scott
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
To me reverse is well worth the cost, few pounds it adds, and the couple of MPH off the top end. The vector feels very light and flickable but it is only about 12 lbs lighter than the RX1. If you are pretty young and you work out with weights you could probably skip the reverse.
Not to step on anyones toes, but this is a good link to get an idea of some very good pricing. If they are not showing the sale price on all models it likely means they are sold out of that particular one.
http://www.highlandsyamaha.com/newmodels_6_2005.aspx
I buy from Recreation Plus in Twin Lakes WI prolly an hour or so southwest of you, if you put the squeeze on Bob he will come within $100 of Highlands price. Ya got Port Yamaha to the north of you, they are a sponsor of this site so you wanna try and throw money their way if you can. They got some good pricing if you go to the vendor/sponsor section
No clue on who is good in the Northwoods or UP but others will know. In 15 years I have NEVER had any of my sleds to a dealer. Just the typical hyfax etc. which I have always done myself, so I dont even know who is good for service up there.
Not to step on anyones toes, but this is a good link to get an idea of some very good pricing. If they are not showing the sale price on all models it likely means they are sold out of that particular one.
http://www.highlandsyamaha.com/newmodels_6_2005.aspx
I buy from Recreation Plus in Twin Lakes WI prolly an hour or so southwest of you, if you put the squeeze on Bob he will come within $100 of Highlands price. Ya got Port Yamaha to the north of you, they are a sponsor of this site so you wanna try and throw money their way if you can. They got some good pricing if you go to the vendor/sponsor section
No clue on who is good in the Northwoods or UP but others will know. In 15 years I have NEVER had any of my sleds to a dealer. Just the typical hyfax etc. which I have always done myself, so I dont even know who is good for service up there.
Swiss Sledder
TY 4 Stroke God
What he said in spades.MrSled said:
Tork, I agree with you on the TORS that it is a non issue. However, when loading the sleds on trailer the Friday after the freezing rain in Presque Isle, my 05 had some ice and the TORS kicked in. Thanks to this site I knew what the problem was. That was the first time in 4 seasons with Yamaha sleds that this ever happened.
Welcome Scott,
Regarding dealers in the Milwaukee area, I highly recommend Port Yamaha http://www.portyamaha.com/ sponsor of the site and regular participant in the TY rides. It's nice to be able say "Here you ride it and tell me what's wrong." rather than having to wait until after you get back home to describe your issue.
In my case, it was usually something I did to the machine in my efforts to improve it until it didn't work anymore.
Regarding the machines, I have to take a little different view. The Vector is a wonderful play machine, great for chasing around the forest with your buddies. Probably the best choice for a high percentage of riders.
The Rage is more of a cruiser, the kind of machine you want to have when you point to a spot far away on the map, strap on some bags and haul all day and into the night to get there and back. That's what I like to do now so it was the right choice for me.
That being said, if I were buying my first sled, I'd go with a Vector.
Regarding dealers in the Milwaukee area, I highly recommend Port Yamaha http://www.portyamaha.com/ sponsor of the site and regular participant in the TY rides. It's nice to be able say "Here you ride it and tell me what's wrong." rather than having to wait until after you get back home to describe your issue.
In my case, it was usually something I did to the machine in my efforts to improve it until it didn't work anymore.
Regarding the machines, I have to take a little different view. The Vector is a wonderful play machine, great for chasing around the forest with your buddies. Probably the best choice for a high percentage of riders.
The Rage is more of a cruiser, the kind of machine you want to have when you point to a spot far away on the map, strap on some bags and haul all day and into the night to get there and back. That's what I like to do now so it was the right choice for me.
That being said, if I were buying my first sled, I'd go with a Vector.
