Newbie.....

[krm]

JT all of the info you have gotten so far is valuable "BUT" this is a new set up and no one but a few test riders actually know how this package will preform in production trim.

There are guys that do not like the tuner skis but I have tried Simmons, curve and Mohawks and ended up back with the tuners with 8" shaper bars on the outside and 6" regulars on the inside. I have run the bikini windshield on both of mine for 4 years now and would not go to a taller windshield but my gear is motor fist and a BVS helmet not suit from Walmart.

The Sidewinder is a $15000 ish sled that is the most complete package that has ever been brought to the market place and should deliver the power, speed, ride comfort and handling that anyone can ask for. Some of us spent 20 to 25 K on our vipers to get them to the output and ride of this sled. I would recommend that you ride it then make a list of areas you would like to improve. You may find that another $2000 in accessories does not actually help in any way.[/ why *8 " outside not inside .,i'm going to try 4.5 shapers inside 4 " flat top carbide out .

 

[krm]

why 8" runners out not in ?? i'm going to try 4.5 " shapers in and out

 

[Yamadog]

Try them both ways it is a 10 minute swap but the geometry of the front end when the sled is sitting on flat ground and your turn the bars it rolls the skis up onto the outside edge. Also if you have that much power and good front end bite you will get outside ski lift which rolls the ski even more onto the outside edge of the planted ski. I am at 235 hp on 141" XTX with 144 studs and 150 screw in points on the paddles and if you watch the video you will see the sled roll to the outside of the turns but the shaper bars always hold the line. The guy in front of me is about 20 yrs younger and riding a 16 Pro S 800 and said he was going as fast as he could I am just playing with him.

 

[DranttelSS]

JT all of the info you have gotten so far is valuable "BUT" this is a new set up and no one but a few test riders actually know how this package will preform in production trim.

There are guys that do not like the tuner skis but I have tried Simmons, curve and Mohawks and ended up back with the tuners with 8" shaper bars on the outside and 6" regulars on the inside. I have run the bikini windshield on both of mine for 4 years now and would not go to a taller windshield but my gear is motor fist and a BVS helmet not suit from Walmart.

The Sidewinder is a $15000 ish sled that is the most complete package that has ever been brought to the market place and should deliver the power, speed, ride comfort and handling that anyone can ask for. Some of us spent 20 to 25 K on our vipers to get them to the output and ride of this sled. I would recommend that you ride it then make a list of areas you would like to improve. You may find that another $2000 in accessories does not actually help in any way.

Bingo, couldn't have said it better myself.

One thing I might add to your list would be a tether. They are $50 from Yamaha and pretty cheap insurance if you ask me.

Enjoy the new sled!

 

[Yamadog]

Bingo, couldn't have said it better myself.

One thing I might add to your list would be a tether. They are $50 from Yamaha and pretty cheap insurance if you ask me.

Enjoy the new sled!

Yes I run one on each of mine and they are great when you find yourself sitting in a snow bank and the sled is laughing at you!!!!

 

[AXR]

That video looks to be primarily strait trail that is well packed. The tuners will handle great in that. If you ride trails like we have in NY where the turns are all washed out and when the snow is soft you would fly off the trail in a Real turn at those speeds w/tuners. Allot of the trails here are tight like that video but have a ton of big turns. Not all those little swooping ones. I don't know where/how you intend to ride. But just based on the fact you are coming off a Doo I really don't think you will be happy w/the tuners. But in the end it's your $.

 

[NOS-PRO]

My comment "tuners will not work" was for my application. Everyone will have a different answer to their own sleds.

I agree with DranttelSS, enjoy the sled

 

[Yamadog]

I was showing the ski lift to prove that the bite has to come from the outside edge of the ski. I have vids of more tight and twisties but they are not uploaded to you tube. here is another one of my 14 it is a bit more radical in hp and the skis are hardly ever on the ground so it could have any ski with no carbides on it. The point is the 15 even with all the studs I can overdrive a corner set the front down the carbides bite and then punch it to sweep the track around an as long as the ski stays on the ground it will carve the corner.

This is the 14 with the stock single keel that came on them with 8" bergstroms on them and you can watch the sled wash through every turn and I am actually turning it with my feet in the wells and lean to bring it around. I ran Simmons on it with 4 -8" carbides and could not use my hands at night cause of arm pump from heavy steering. The mohawks were better I put them on it later than this video. Even though the corners were a handful you can see that 3 Ski-doo 800's, a ProS 800 and a turbo nitro were left in the dust

 

[cannondale27]

Yamadog is correct about the outside biting in when suspension compresses. These sleds do it less than others but they do force the outside edge down when compressed more than the inside. That is how a Pilot ski works. The outside carbide is doing nothing or very little because its a good 1/2 in up higher than center but once in corner and supension compresses it digs in. I have never tried a Tuner ski other than a short run on a LE With modded suspension. It didnt push bad at all. Makes sense that it would work. Especially with proper shocks which changes everything.

 

[Doc Harley]

No doubt, yamadog.....

so it's all about preference & abilities.......right?

So, I will ride it stock for a bit. Until I decide whT problems I'm having and how do I solve it.

I came from dootalk, where some riders threw everything at the sled they could to make it right.

Was as i guy like me...will try to make things work. Until whatever is it, is an annoyance. Darting, spinning, cold, etc.

I think the biggest thing I'd like to work on is traction. 300 h/p means little if it can't hook up.

 

[Yamadog]

Yup that is it you can be a 5000 hp dragster but if you blow the track off it does no good. My 15 at low boost on pump gas is 235 hp and it was only losing to 320 hp D&D cats by 1 sled length at 660 ft. I made it to 3 test rides for the unveiling of the Viper in 2013 and rode all 3 models extensively. 1 ride no one showed up and the leader took me and 2 other guys out for an hour. So I knew what I was dealing with when mine came in. First it would need a whole lot more power (Turbo) 2. Skis 3. front shocks and that was all I did until I got it on the snow. The 1st real test on it was on the early TY ride in Houghton /Hancock Michigan and it was un-rideable The rear was so harsh it wanted to buck me off on every bump and fuel mileage was so bad on a full tank I ran out going to Pats Yamaha in Greenland at 81 miles 3 miles short of Pat's.

Unfortunately I only rode it 3 weekends and it blew up!!! So with the 2 week down time for rebuild I worked on the fuel system and adding 4th injector and race can, then it really woke up. Now that sled is over 320 hp and will be retired to lake and drag racing

but I stayed with it, worked on the suspension and shock packages and linked the rear skid, and now own 2 and love them and hope I can ride them well into the future.


This is a shot of a buddy on my 2013 Pro R 800 he thinks he is being funny and I freight train him in 4 seconds from dead stop. The 15 XTX with the 1.6" track and the Hygear linkage just rocks back, loads and then shoots you out like a cannon.

 

[Epicsw]

JT all of the info you have gotten so far is valuable "BUT" this is a new set up and no one but a few test riders actually know how this package will preform in production trim.

There are guys that do not like the tuner skis but I have tried Simmons, curve and Mohawks and ended up back with the tuners with 8" shaper bars on the outside and 6" regulars on the inside. I have run the bikini windshield on both of mine for 4 years now and would not go to a taller windshield but my gear is motor fist and a BVS helmet not suit from Walmart.

The Sidewinder is a $15000 ish sled that is the most complete package that has ever been brought to the market place and should deliver the power, speed, ride comfort and handling that anyone can ask for. Some of us spent 20 to 25 K on our vipers to get them to the output and ride of this sled. I would recommend that you ride it then make a list of areas you would like to improve. You may find that another $2000 in accessories does not actually help in any way.

David
This seems so common sensical. I'm glad you pointed it out. We'll written!

 

[Epicsw]

Yup that is it you can be a 5000 hp dragster but if you blow the track off it does no good. My 15 at low boost on pump gas is 235 hp and it was only losing to 320 hp D&D cats by 1 sled length at 660 ft. I made it to 3 test rides for the unveiling of the Viper in 2013 and rode all 3 models extensively. 1 ride no one showed up and the leader took me and 2 other guys out for an hour. So I knew what I was dealing with when mine came in. First it would need a whole lot more power (Turbo) 2. Skis 3. front shocks and that was all I did until I got it on the snow. The 1st real test on it was on the early TY ride in Houghton /Hancock Michigan and it was un-rideable The rear was so harsh it wanted to buck me off on every bump and fuel mileage was so bad on a full tank I ran out going to Pats Yamaha in Greenland at 81 miles 3 miles short of Pat's.

Unfortunately I only rode it 3 weekends and it blew up!!! So with the 2 week down time for rebuild I worked on the fuel system and adding 4th injector and race can, then it really woke up. Now that sled is over 320 hp and will be retired to lake and drag racing

but I stayed with it, worked on the suspension and shock packages and linked the rear skid, and now own 2 and love them and hope I can ride them well into the future.


This is a shot of a buddy on my 2013 Pro R 800 he thinks he is being funny and I freight train him in 4 seconds from dead stop. The 15 XTX with the 1.6" track and the Hygear linkage just rocks back, loads and then shoots you out like a cannon.

That is one awsome display of power! Had to watch that 5 times!

 

[stevewithOCD]

JT all of the info you have gotten so far is valuable "BUT" this is a new set up and no one but a few test riders actually know how this package will preform in production trim.

There are guys that do not like the tuner skis but I have tried Simmons, curve and Mohawks and ended up back with the tuners with 8" shaper bars on the outside and 6" regulars on the inside. I have run the bikini windshield on both of mine for 4 years now and would not go to a taller windshield but my gear is motor fist and a BVS helmet not suit from Walmart.

The Sidewinder is a $15000 ish sled that is the most complete package that has ever been brought to the market place and should deliver the power, speed, ride comfort and handling that anyone can ask for. Some of us spent 20 to 25 K on our vipers to get them to the output and ride of this sled. I would recommend that you ride it then make a list of areas you would like to imperove. You may find that another $2000 in accessories does not actually help in any way.

I agree. Ride it & see what you want to change. Then decide on this site who rides similar to YOU. When i first joined this site, guys would tell me dually's would solve my Apex darting problems. They did. Until i got fast! Then they sucked. It was 1/2 throttle guys telling me that. I don't ride 1/2 throttle!!! My good friend swears by Simmons. I hated them. He brakes in every corner then hits it. I roll thru & carry speed to keep sled neutral.. Different strokes. So after some miles, i'll re-evaluate then check this site 3 times a day & adjust accordingly. Just find your GUY on this site...

 

[Mike P]

Try them both ways it is a 10 minute swap but the geometry of the front end when the sled is sitting on flat ground and your turn the bars it rolls the skis up onto the outside edge. Also if you have that much power and good front end bite you will get outside ski lift which rolls the ski even more onto the outside edge of the planted ski. I am at 235 hp on 141" XTX with 144 studs and 150 screw in points on the paddles and if you watch the video you will see the sled roll to the outside of the turns but the shaper bars always hold the line. The guy in front of me is about 20 yrs younger and riding a 16 Pro S 800 and said he was going as fast as he could I am just playing with him.

View attachment 121784

In the video it may have been the camera angle, but I keep say to myself STAY RIGHT. The trail was a bit tight.
Just my $.02