yamahaex50
Extreme
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2005
- Messages
- 106
- Reaction score
- 37
- Points
- 733
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- Sidewinder LTX-LE
My wife and I spent the week in the UP, rode out of Paradise to Grand Marais, Pine Stump, Lighthouse, Soo, etc. Got 540 miles in with the Mrs. and 185 without. I will be posting the same as below on the 300 page dootalk thread.
What I have ridden > 500 miles in my riding career: 1987 Exciter (hence the username), early 90's polaris indy xlt extra 12( I think it was 12), 2005 renegade 600 ( studded), 2009 yamaha vector, 2010 yamaha apex. I have been on sleds my whole life pretty much.
My set up: Sidewinder LTX-LE. C&A RZRs with Slim Jims. 144 extreme max 1.4s in the woodys 144 pattern, double and single backers up the middle. Qs3's set to 2 all the way round.
Here are my thoughts:
Turbo Bolts: I took the sled to get that resolved on the way UP with the artic cat bulletin in hand. Took a few hours, but all is good in that department so far. I checked them twice after.
Rollers: They appear to be fine at this point. I may put the hauck ones in though.
Belt: Still original
Clutches: I checked them after a few of the days, one day they were warm when we pushed it home a little hard because we were a little behind schedule ( a warm day). The next day they were cool when we got home ( a cooler day). I did notice the foam under them was getting wet every day though.
Had its 500 mile service done by the same dealer that did the recall. Seemed to be a real PITA to get to the chaincase change, but there were some metal shavings in there for sure, so glad I got it done.
Suspension: The first two days were pretty chopped up so I had a chance to really test out the QS3's. They really shined here. I wasn't pounding it, but I wasn't babying it either. It was really quite nice.
The heat: I was surprised by how fast it would heat up ( less so because of what I have read on here). Since I was with the Mrs. I was waiting quite a bit the first few days and it would shut it self down 2-3 min. after I would stop. Granted it was 32-35 degrees those days ( it was slightly better later in the week when it was 10-15 degrees). At one point I moved it a foot to keep it from shutting down, but then the temp light came on so I had to shut it down anyway. Let it sit for a minute, maybe 2 and took off, it was fine. Its equally "surprising" how fast it cools right off once you move. Even at 25-30 mph it cools off quickly. It only got hot on "its own" when we were coming through Brimley really slow ( irritates me the way that trail is routed right on the road with 0 snow, the lake is not an option yet either)
The engine sound: My helmet sucks.. but... The apex drone was annoying for sure, but the "grind" of this engine at low speeds is hard to get used to, at first I was wondering if something was wrong, but then remembered hearing how the viper sounded at low speeds, so all is good. Once you ramp up the speed >40/50 its much better.
The Vibration: I did notice a few times, mostly at lower speeds, some vibration in the tunnel, not sure if that is normal or not.
The handling: As I said above, the first few days were chopped up, but it was turning and moving around just great really. So much easier to move around than the apex was (granted I didnt have EPS on that apex). One apex rider I saw on the trail asked me about that very thing( he commented the apex was like moving around a dresser). I told him it was night and day, and it really was. Come day 3 we had less traffic and some fresh groom. It was interesting because I felt like it was starting to push a little bit, but then I realized I had not really been "leaning into" it much the first few days because of the trail chop. So, I simply just had to lean a little and it would turn very well. Sometimes I would have to kick the rear end out a little with some power to get it far to the right, but I rarely felt I was pushing to the other side of the trail on a bend. Got some inside ski lift less than 5 times the whole week, a few times I was really trying to do it as well. On the "hard steering" issue, I really didnt think it was at all 95% of the time. If i was being lazy or slowing down waiting on someone I would notice it was harder <25mph maybe, but not unbearable. Taking a turn at any sort of speed was really quite effortless. I did notice I may have to turn it a little past where I thought it needed to be to make some of the bends though, but it always reacted when I did. The last day it had snowed about 2 feet of fresh powder so it pushed a little then, but so did the two ski-doos in my group (one a studded 850 tnt).
The power: Frankly, its amazing. No matter where you hit this thing in in the mph range it lets you know it. I hit it at 30,60,90 and my arms knew I had hit it. Conditions ( and my riding partner most of the week) were not exactly conducive to high speed runs, but the few times I had a chance to open it up I was still under 300 miles so I didn't want to totally mash it. That being said, I have never gone from 50-100 or 70-105 so fast. I let off it at 105 4-5 times and there is no doubt there was plenty more to go. No doubt 115 is an easy get, possibly even 120. After the first day or two I actually told my wife it may be "too much" for me. Then I got used to it, lol. I will push it on my next trip UP.
I am heading back UP in 3 weeks for a backpack trip into the peninsula. I am guessing the 850 tnt guy in my group and I may switch for a day to see what each other thinks.
I think that covers everything I thought of during the week. Knock on wood on the issues that others are having ( rollers, belts, bolts, fuel rails). Any other things I have forgotten that you want to know, just ask.
What I have ridden > 500 miles in my riding career: 1987 Exciter (hence the username), early 90's polaris indy xlt extra 12( I think it was 12), 2005 renegade 600 ( studded), 2009 yamaha vector, 2010 yamaha apex. I have been on sleds my whole life pretty much.
My set up: Sidewinder LTX-LE. C&A RZRs with Slim Jims. 144 extreme max 1.4s in the woodys 144 pattern, double and single backers up the middle. Qs3's set to 2 all the way round.
Here are my thoughts:
Turbo Bolts: I took the sled to get that resolved on the way UP with the artic cat bulletin in hand. Took a few hours, but all is good in that department so far. I checked them twice after.
Rollers: They appear to be fine at this point. I may put the hauck ones in though.
Belt: Still original
Clutches: I checked them after a few of the days, one day they were warm when we pushed it home a little hard because we were a little behind schedule ( a warm day). The next day they were cool when we got home ( a cooler day). I did notice the foam under them was getting wet every day though.
Had its 500 mile service done by the same dealer that did the recall. Seemed to be a real PITA to get to the chaincase change, but there were some metal shavings in there for sure, so glad I got it done.
Suspension: The first two days were pretty chopped up so I had a chance to really test out the QS3's. They really shined here. I wasn't pounding it, but I wasn't babying it either. It was really quite nice.
The heat: I was surprised by how fast it would heat up ( less so because of what I have read on here). Since I was with the Mrs. I was waiting quite a bit the first few days and it would shut it self down 2-3 min. after I would stop. Granted it was 32-35 degrees those days ( it was slightly better later in the week when it was 10-15 degrees). At one point I moved it a foot to keep it from shutting down, but then the temp light came on so I had to shut it down anyway. Let it sit for a minute, maybe 2 and took off, it was fine. Its equally "surprising" how fast it cools right off once you move. Even at 25-30 mph it cools off quickly. It only got hot on "its own" when we were coming through Brimley really slow ( irritates me the way that trail is routed right on the road with 0 snow, the lake is not an option yet either)
The engine sound: My helmet sucks.. but... The apex drone was annoying for sure, but the "grind" of this engine at low speeds is hard to get used to, at first I was wondering if something was wrong, but then remembered hearing how the viper sounded at low speeds, so all is good. Once you ramp up the speed >40/50 its much better.
The Vibration: I did notice a few times, mostly at lower speeds, some vibration in the tunnel, not sure if that is normal or not.
The handling: As I said above, the first few days were chopped up, but it was turning and moving around just great really. So much easier to move around than the apex was (granted I didnt have EPS on that apex). One apex rider I saw on the trail asked me about that very thing( he commented the apex was like moving around a dresser). I told him it was night and day, and it really was. Come day 3 we had less traffic and some fresh groom. It was interesting because I felt like it was starting to push a little bit, but then I realized I had not really been "leaning into" it much the first few days because of the trail chop. So, I simply just had to lean a little and it would turn very well. Sometimes I would have to kick the rear end out a little with some power to get it far to the right, but I rarely felt I was pushing to the other side of the trail on a bend. Got some inside ski lift less than 5 times the whole week, a few times I was really trying to do it as well. On the "hard steering" issue, I really didnt think it was at all 95% of the time. If i was being lazy or slowing down waiting on someone I would notice it was harder <25mph maybe, but not unbearable. Taking a turn at any sort of speed was really quite effortless. I did notice I may have to turn it a little past where I thought it needed to be to make some of the bends though, but it always reacted when I did. The last day it had snowed about 2 feet of fresh powder so it pushed a little then, but so did the two ski-doos in my group (one a studded 850 tnt).
The power: Frankly, its amazing. No matter where you hit this thing in in the mph range it lets you know it. I hit it at 30,60,90 and my arms knew I had hit it. Conditions ( and my riding partner most of the week) were not exactly conducive to high speed runs, but the few times I had a chance to open it up I was still under 300 miles so I didn't want to totally mash it. That being said, I have never gone from 50-100 or 70-105 so fast. I let off it at 105 4-5 times and there is no doubt there was plenty more to go. No doubt 115 is an easy get, possibly even 120. After the first day or two I actually told my wife it may be "too much" for me. Then I got used to it, lol. I will push it on my next trip UP.
I am heading back UP in 3 weeks for a backpack trip into the peninsula. I am guessing the 850 tnt guy in my group and I may switch for a day to see what each other thinks.
I think that covers everything I thought of during the week. Knock on wood on the issues that others are having ( rollers, belts, bolts, fuel rails). Any other things I have forgotten that you want to know, just ask.
