Love/hate relationship with my 05 RX1

[polarisconvert]

We landed in St Ignace on Sunday. The trails were flat and fast. We all had a great time. My sled run hard all day. I got my first race with a XP 800R. It was warm out and I don't have the coolant shut off for my carbs yet, kind of forget about it. We stopped for a while and watched some racing. I then lined up with the XP and knew I was in trouble. I could feel my sled was fat. He got me by 4 sleds on the way down. We did a roll on on the way back and he had me by two. My sled still did not feel right. I had a guy in our group run him because the guy on the Xp was a light weight. He beat the XP down and back. The XP got the hole shot but he drove by him at about 50 mph. The kid has a good running F7 that waxed the Xp. We got back on the trail and we were running pretty hard. My sled started to run better and better. It was really over fueled when we raced. I wish it was running like it did later because I don't even think it would be a race. I even pulled the F7 bottom to top on a couple of races.
Any how, half way thru the day I see my slide rails were cracked just like the others that have been posted. Then when I took it off the trailer when I got home either the donuts are gone or the manifold. Maybe both.
I had such a great day and now my sled is going to cost me a bunch of money and time. I wanted this sled because I wanted to ride and not wrench. Before this trip I had to put on new slides and 4 boggie wheels. Again a very common problem. It is one of the best sleds I have ever owned and one of the biggest pile of crap at the same time. Oh and my hand warmers don't work either, big surprise.
Bruce

 

[kinger]

Who ever sold the theme that any snowmobile is maint free was dead wrong. I have found the maint on the yamaha is easier then on others but feel your pain. The 05 mono was problem you might be better off getting a 07+ take off instead of fixing yours. The exhaust is interesting how many miles?

I have a love hate with mine, on the trail LOVE it off the trail HATE it, were doing more and more off trail so I may need to make some adjustments.

 

[polarisconvert]

Kinger

I do mostly trail and love it for that. I have played off trail and it seems to do ok, but may be a problem in deep powder.
The skid is a real problem. I have thought about putting in a Edge or Cat skid.
Not sure removing skid for repairs and replacing donut gaskets would be eaiser that a set of pistons. Maybe a little cheaper.
I have had all makes and never had a issue with skids other than slides and a new wheel bearing here and there.

 

[kinger]

I think you need to just look at what your dealing with. The skid is 4 bolts and out in less then 15 minutes and your working on a bench. Exhaust is a little more time, remove the bars, seat, gas tank (dont need to drain tank just move it off to the side) and your at the donuts. Probably takes a first timer 30-45 minutes to see the donuts. they are cheap, replace and reassemble. Total time for exhaust is probably 1-2 hrs, total time to R&R skid is 30 minutes plus what ever you do on the bench. Vs draining coolant, hunched over replacing pistons, etc on a 2 stroke. Once your done yours is good for another 5000 miles easy.

Look to update the skid with new idlers with bearings, updated rails, etc. They fixed all the issues. If your a highmiler then maybe a different skid is in order. Its up to you and how good you are with installing it.

I guess I'm just trying to say your going to get this with any other sled, so maybe its not idler wheels and slides, but I gurantee its something else will take the wrench time. If you want to ride and not wrench you have to trade sleds every year and even that is not a guarentee. The only thing that keeps me on mine is the engine.

I was hell bent on going ski doo but after I saw a new one rip the a arm out of the subframe crossing a rail road track at 5mph I knew they are at the limit of light weight, it took him over 10 hrs to repair that one.

 

[polarisconvert]

Kinger

I guess you are right. I was pretty upset when I got back. Time is hard to come by for me and the season is short.
This week was packed, no time to work on the sled. Hopefully I can get at it next week. This will be a good time to put on my Boss seat that I have been putting off. Also get my Holtzman kit installed.
Thanks for your help.
Bruce

 

[kinger]

Sweet! Any chance you got a weight of the stock seat vs the boss? Curious if the difference is 10lbs.

Have fun, sometimes wrenching is almost as much fun when the mods work so well afterwards. ie you will LOVE that seat.