jp@weknowsnow
Expert
HYFLYR said:
thats great to hear. thanks for posting your thoughts!
I had some of the same e-start only reservations when I went with my Vector. Then I started thinking about and recalled all the broken starter ropes and recoil starters I've dealt with over the past 20 years and decided that as long as I maintain my battery and connections, the chances are I will have far fewer problems.
So far I've had no issues. My Vector always starts right up so I've not had a time where i ran my battery down cranking it over int he winter. This summer I started it after it sat for 2.5 months and I could tell it began turning over a bit slower since it didn't fire right up. No different than anything else I own with e-start. I bought a fancy charger from my dealer and it has worked great for all my e-start toys.
I think if you were in a real jamb, you could always wrap a rope around the drive clutch and pull it over. I've heard of people doing that before with sucess. In super cold weather you may need starting fluid to help get it going but I wouldn't let e-start only disuade you from a Yamaha. Some of the new MX bikes (KTM) are now coming with e-start. I bet in a few years, it will be hard to find anything that doesn't have e-start.
So far I've had no issues. My Vector always starts right up so I've not had a time where i ran my battery down cranking it over int he winter. This summer I started it after it sat for 2.5 months and I could tell it began turning over a bit slower since it didn't fire right up. No different than anything else I own with e-start. I bought a fancy charger from my dealer and it has worked great for all my e-start toys.
I think if you were in a real jamb, you could always wrap a rope around the drive clutch and pull it over. I've heard of people doing that before with sucess. In super cold weather you may need starting fluid to help get it going but I wouldn't let e-start only disuade you from a Yamaha. Some of the new MX bikes (KTM) are now coming with e-start. I bet in a few years, it will be hard to find anything that doesn't have e-start.
jp@weknowsnow
Expert
anyone know if the phazers come with an extra belt? or do they want you
to buy one from yamaha at $60 bones??
to buy one from yamaha at $60 bones??
grapeape said:
smaller battery?? you dont need no battery, just wrap some string around the clutch and pull. i had to do it at our races one weekend when the battery was dead. so i dont see it bein a problem pulling over the phazer.
ski-bum
Expert
jp@weknowsnow said:
jp, I have logged 4000 miles of mostly backcountry on an Apex this year, and about 8000 miles on an RX1 before that. Never had a problem with the electric start and have no reservations trusting it. In fact, In very cold weather, below -20F, I have started the sled after a few cranks and watched the 2 stroke boys pull on theirs for 20 minutes while I warm up.
Also you can start without too much trouble by wrapping a piece of webbing around the clutch, and carry a small set of jumper cables if you have another sled to jump you.
I snow camp off my sled, and it is not uncommon for us to go out 50 miles into the backcountry. For this type of stuff I trust the reliability of the four stroke much more than the two strokes I have ridden in the past.
I also like the quieter exhaust and lack of blue smoke and smell that I used to get on the two stroke. I get far fewer dirty looks from the more traditional backcountry travellers. Now the smell of 2 strokes ahead of me bothers me sometimes.
That being said, I backcountry ski off the sled all the time. I think the Phazer will be a fun sled to get you out to areas you would not be able to access otherwise, but I don't think (in stock form) it will have the power to punch trail in three or four feet of powder for miles on end, or haul your buddies up the hill all day unless you are in spring conditions. The rev800 is a great sled and is well suited to what I imagine you will use it for. Apex mtn is the first choice, but takes an experienced rider to handle in the backcounry, but you will have a learning curve to deal with no matter which way you go.
Good luck, ski-bum
ski-bum
Expert
They don't usually come with a spare belt, or cover. When you are negotiating price with the dealer you can usually talk them into throwing a belt in, or get them to make you a deal on a cover or whatever.
jp@weknowsnow said:
jp@weknowsnow
Expert
ski-bum: thanks alot for your thoughts, i'm planning to use the mtn lite for backcountry camping and access. gonna be boondocking and having fun on it as well.. but mostly we use the snowshoes or skins to get us up the gnarly steep exposed stuff. this is my first sled i've ever owned so i'll have a learning curve no matter what. my buddy just got a 04 rx-1 mountain with 200 miles on it and we are planning on using that for most of the heavy duty towing, tandom riding. guess i'll order a belt
i know i made the right choice by going with the mtn lite and 4 stroke tech. low pollution and reliablity are huge for me in the backcountry. i think i'll see my mtn lite in the next week or two.. woot!
what do you use for a ski/board rack?
i know i made the right choice by going with the mtn lite and 4 stroke tech. low pollution and reliablity are huge for me in the backcountry. i think i'll see my mtn lite in the next week or two.. woot!
what do you use for a ski/board rack?
ski-bum
Expert
For ski rack I have fold out brackets mounted under the front of the running boards and bars that I can clip into the back of the tunnel near the bumper. This system works well, there is no danger of getting cloths lined, you have full use of your running boards and can ride and play all day and forget they are there. We don't carry anyone with snowboards too often, but if I do we throw it on a pack or strap it across the tunnel for short hops. Cheetah Factory Racing makes racks that sound like they work well for snow boards ( www.cheetahfactoryracing.com ) but they stick up a little too high for my taste...I like to be able to bail off the back of the sled if I need to without worrying about my crotch catching on something, and also I worry about the sled flopping over on top of somebody and stabbing them with that rack sticking out. Probably not a big deal for just cruising, but we tend to ride pretty hard when not making turns....cornice drops, trees, one way chutes...the less you have sticking out there that can cut you up the better.
HYFLYR
TY 4 Stroke Guru
jp@weknowsnow, on the yamaha website there is a section like accesories or something like that and yamaha was selling a snowboard rack that looked somewhat small and actually very sleek. It holds two boards from what i can tell. I was thinking about purchasing it because i too ride alittle and wanted a rack system and this one was by far the smallest and best looking in my opinion. Just cant find it now but i will let you know when i do. Later, Andrew
jp@weknowsnow
Expert
thanks ... yeah i saw that rack and ordered it. it's been discontinued.. they took it off the yam site. i'm making my own, copying the yam design
the good news is i just got back from the dealer and my mtn lite is in CA, on its way to colorado. should have in a next week or sooner
the good news is i just got back from the dealer and my mtn lite is in CA, on its way to colorado. should have in a next week or sooner
HYFLYR
TY 4 Stroke Guru
Nice webpage jp, i like what i see!
later, Andrew
later, Andrew
go200mph
Expert
1 think to remember when you get the mountain lite. Lots of pics.
Phazer dude
Extreme
any one get a mtn lite yet....if you did post the pics.
PowerValve-700
Extreme
jp@weknowsnow said:
I can't believe they discontinued the rack! I thought it was something new for this year?
jp@weknowsnow
Expert
i'll post lots of pics for sure. they told me it will be here in a few days
any requests on areas to photo in detail?
hyflyr- thanks, your lucky up in AK! hey check this out, if you ever
go to turnagain pass check out this avalanche path and danger zone
map i setup. http://backcountrymaps.com/ft_maps/show/32
any requests on areas to photo in detail?
hyflyr- thanks, your lucky up in AK! hey check this out, if you ever
go to turnagain pass check out this avalanche path and danger zone
map i setup. http://backcountrymaps.com/ft_maps/show/32
