Phazer first timer review

[HONDAFIXER]

I found if you pull up the limiter strap a couple holes and put woody dually runners on Phazers it will dramatically improve the handling. A lot less tippy with the limiter strap pulled up

 

[phaze5]

you have to start riding with newbs, haha it will make ya feel good hahaa

 

[madthumper]

Put some USI triplethreats on today. Handling was MUCH improved though a little heavier steering than I would like at slower speeds(I'm trying to set this up for my daughter). I've got some old precisions laying around here that I may try as well. Funny that guys have said they work good on the Phazer...I took them off every Rev I had 'cuz they didn't work very well at all. May put the USI's on my 1200 too and the pilots from that on the Phazer.

Like the original Rev, I think all this thing needs to make it handle decent is some skis.

Ordered the tunnel cover from excell today as well as that ice build up has got to go.

 

[Yellowknife]

Nice review. Way to rack on the miles while you had it!

 

[strangeland2]

I got my first ride last week end and mostly agree with the OP's review. My previous sled was a 05 t660 st. I loved almost everything about that sled and still kind of regret selling it. The Phazer definitely had the advantage in the headlight department this was my favorite thing on the whole sled. Even though the highbeams aimed at the tree tops the low beams were amazing. The advantage went to the Phazer again on junk trails. I could have ridden the beat up trails just as fast on my 660 but I was no where near as beat up doing it on the Phazer.

The biggest downfall of the Phazer for me was the horrible seat. This alone had me hurting more than any rough trails ever on my 660. I found myself standing on the groomed trails just to give my junk a break from the seat. Riding the Phazer standing is perfect. The heavy steering was kind of a love hate thing. It also had me pretty sore but I kind of liked it so undecided if I ll try to do any thing about that.

I know everyone raves about the Yamaha sound but I absolutely hate it. Id take that quiet car engine in my old 660 any day. Noise doesnt equal performance to me and I dont understand why they purposely make these things sound like this.

Aside from these (in my opinion) flaws the Phazer is definitely a great machine at a pretty good price.

 

[Ruckus]

Its difficult to make a high revving 2 cylinder quiet.

 

[woolyviper]

a phazer takes different input to get it to handle. I have simmons skis, and my phazer likes a little sharper turn in the corners, so when i can i cheat a half sled width into the center and then turn a little sharper at the apex of the corner - i can close up 2 sled lengths in a corner on any machine with this technique.

I added the big windshield and that cured the coldness - and the hand warmers are hot.

Yes it is quite boring on long grades and the way i ride, 15 mpg is about what i get all the time.

to ride powder, you need to change the track and go with a 1.375 to 1.50 and then it handles just about anything you can throw at it.

phazer suspension needs to be adjusted - it took me a whole season to figure out my adjustments and ended up wrecking my first one because i took too much preload out of the gytr front shocks - the 09 has much less ski lift - not sure if it's the floats or a castor camber change but it is noticeably better than the 07.

you have to change the skis out - the stock skis just push thru the corners - my son commented how well my simmons turn on the asphalt and cement compared to his c&a's on his nytro - plus you need the floatation if you are doing any offtrail.

it's a different sled and i originally bought a phazer as a second machine, but once i rode it, i sold my viper. I do miss the ability to crack 100 mph on the grades, but other than that it's years ahead of the old style sleds.

I ride for fun, I like to do as much off trail as i can, but i'm old and i can't handle a 600 or 700 lbs machine off trail, so I ride the phazer - I could have gone nytro or vector last spring when i bought new, but i didn't even think twice about buying a new phazer.

if you are looking for high top speed or are going to be racing 600 or 700 class sleds, it's not the machine for you. if you want an agile machine with a ton of torque the phazer is the right sled - i ride with nytros, crossfires, switchbacks, dragons and shifts, and if i cant keep up, it's not the sleds fault (I can't rail thru the narrow twisty trails lined with trees since i hit one - fast enough to keep up).

 

[phaze5]

i got my near miss on video lol its happened a couple times to me but all were averted, thats the worst part the steering, it just sucks,

 

[Ricketts]

Something else I like about the Phazer...our insurance rates skyrocket for sleds over 600cc, so my rates are dirt cheap for a 500 with 80hp.

 

[woolyviper]

Something else I like about the Phazer...our insurance rates skyrocket for sleds over 600cc, so my rates are dirt cheap for a 500 with 80hp.

true dat

 

[benjamingvsu]

Bring this back up - Last week I rented a Vector LTX GT, and pubished a review over on the RS subforum. I really enjoyed that sled and found it much more entertaining in areas that I wished I had more power on the Phazer.

Next up I need to try the Nytro, as I thought the Vector would be better with a bit higher riser/seat - so maybe the Nytro would be better for me. Just not sure I would want to do 400 mile days on the Nytro.

Vectors are hard to find, especially less than 8K for the EFI ones, I could get a Phazer and a Venture 2 up for that price!

looking forward to seeing what Yamaha will come out with for 2012.

 

[Vmax540]

"Handling: Smooth trails awesome, stutter bumps awesome - rode 45-55 sitting down, didn't feel anything. On a poor trail with big bumps the sled performed poorly."

Cornering: I never felt like the sled was tippy, steering effort was easy. Would like hooked end or wider bars, I felt like I could have turned tighter with them. I enjoyed being able to easily move around and control the sled, much easier than my other sleds and it seemed to beg me to ride it hard. Even when pounding the corners and bumps hard I felt in control.

Setup ?

 

[who8that]

This thread is from ovr 2 years ago.

 

[blueironranger]

"Handling: Smooth trails awesome, stutter bumps awesome - rode 45-55 sitting down, didn't feel anything. On a poor trail with big bumps the sled performed poorly."

Cornering: I never felt like the sled was tippy, steering effort was easy. Would like hooked end or wider bars, I felt like I could have turned tighter with them. I enjoyed being able to easily move around and control the sled, much easier than my other sleds and it seemed to beg me to ride it hard. Even when pounding the corners and bumps hard I felt in control.

Setup ?

By the sounds of it, it was a BASE 09' model since it didn't have hooked bars. It probably had mushy shocks like my MTX which handles studders amazingly well but lacks in the big bump department. 09' Had upgraded "gas charged" shocks instead of "hydraulic" but they are still non-rebuildable. Like wise, I feel my MTX is pretty easy to control in the corners and it WILL lift the inside ski before it pushes, the ski lift is very predictable AND controllable.