Muskoka Riders....suspension help?

[RTX Meirda]

Help.....

I just rode in the Muskoka area on their rough trails.....I do not know why they are saving the groomers....there is lots of snow!

Anyway...

The sled beat the crap out of me.

The main complaint is the steering..... the trails in the Dorset area are tight with hills and valleys.

The effort to turn the handlebars is crazy...if I cannot get it fixed I will trade this for a Viper or an SRX.

I have the sled set up like my SRX was, when I get to a straightaway....they skis are in the air until I let off the throddle...when I put the skis down, the ski pressure is un believable....darting and following other ski tracks.

I do not even want to take my hands off the handlebars to adjust my handwarmers.

I did put Woody's aggressive 8" carbides, and since then the problems have started. The old carbides were completely gone and were terrible in icy sections of coarse.

What is everone else running for carbides....do you need less becaus of the weight of the motor on the skis?

Thanks.

 

[LazyBastard]

1: You need to do the SHIM thing to eliminate darting.
2: Those skis suck. Try some simmons.
3: Straight-rate springs with zero preload.
4: Adjust front limiter straps and center spring preload to match the ski spring preload.


I rode muskoka all weekend, handling was *superb*. The only bad thing was that my track shredded.

 

[RTX Meirda]

Lazy:

How much effort does it take to pull on your handle bars?

Have you squatted the rear suspension at all?

I have compressed the progressive section in the front springs and have zero preload on them.

I also have loosened the straps and have the transfer rods set at full transfer with the bottom spacers out as well.

Do the simmons skis have a less agressive profile?

Thanks

 

[LazyBastard]

It takes little enough effort that I don't notice it. My buddy has a 98 VMax 600, and it feels about the same, except that it feels like the entire machine is just heavier (funny, isn't it?).
I have the back of the rear suspension out as far as it goes, it will be going up higher if the long track deal works out, the front of the rear suspension is shrunk down to increase ski pressure.
If your objective is to reduce ski pressure, put extra extra thick lower spacers in, then it will down couple earlier, limiting ski pressure.
The simmons skis seem to hold the snow better than the stock skis, which have been transplanted onto my Exciter.

 

[RTX Meirda]

I am going to get some spacers made up from aluminum to put between the front shocks and the springs so that I can get the sled lower.

What should I do with the rear suspension? Would it be an advantage to soften the front or back spring?

 

[LazyBastard]

The front of the back suspension, and the control rods will alter front-end handling characteristics.

 

[LydonRX-1]

Whats funny is they had the trails marked as closed, on the web site..yet my friend said that the OPP were set up on the trail from Gravenhurst to Bracerbridge. The lake i'm on is part of the Top trail, yet it is not staked. All the trails branching out of this Top trail are not groomed, and the new $60000 bridge across Hwy 11, is still closed off. Beacause of this I have to travel a 1/2 hr to get to any starting point were i can just ride without crossing a road. I think the Muskoka clubs, have become to big, and too profitable. There is no consderation for the riders anymore, they've become fat cats. I think it would be quicker just to burn the $195 dollars i spent on the permit. I plan on supporting another trail system next year...one that places the members first!!!! i will tell all my riding buddies to do the same!

 

[LazyBastard]

The trails from gravenhurst to bracebridge are marked *on trail* as open. I have no idea why the hell the bridge is still closed. The markers leading to that trail were confusing, and we ended up going to the bridge. Thats when my idiot friend decided that he'd lost his wallet, which led us to the place with the cops. Damned cops.

BTW: A lot of the trails *are* groomed. Just have to find them. Also, you should buy your permits earlier, saves $35.

 

[RTX Meirda]

I heard that they were not sure which club was going to take care of the bridge....sounds like they both do not want to take care of it.

It is supposed to be open in 2 weeks.

I found COPS too.... just south of Deerhurst Resort on the Friday.

They check very closely at the VIN'S etc.

They had a video camera as well!

 

[LazyBastard]

Holy crap, sounds like a bunch of real a**holes!

The cops we met didn't even look at two of us, on RX1 and VMax, but singled out the guy on the piece of s**t skidoo formula plus 535 who just happened to loose all his papers minutes before. We managed to convince them that the papers were lost, so they said ok and let us leave.

 

[RTX Meirda]

Just came back from our 2nd Muskoka trip.

TOTALLY NEW SLED!!!!

I am so happy....I actually prefer to ride it over my Dad's Viper.

I think the shim for the front ski was the answer.

I also put the white spacer at the bottom of the transfer rods back....plus I added another thinner one.

I also deciced to add the front springs 2.3 straight rate.

What a machine....I am very comfident on this sled now.

Thanks for all of the info guys.

Everyone has been a great help!!!