Saw ALL the sleds last night at show

[excallibur101]

Also to mention you spend more time riding your sled,not having to worry about carrying it over your shoulders or having it towed where I could understand why the guys with two stroke complain about the weight

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

Viper rtx is 610lbs wet an studded on am snow scales

 

[Tayley]

Went to show in NH last night to look at what i hope is my next expensive toy; the SIDEWINDER. I went with open eyes & gave all 4 factories their due. Here are some observations on all. I was VERY impressed with Polaris & Doo. Except for the view from the front, i like every thing about MXZ 850. LOTS of great features including adjustable handlebars, adjustable carbides & new footwells for different positioning. Their display was very impressive & they knew their chit. New motor is tempting, but my friend had to punch me in arm to remind me how much i DON'T want a 2-stroke. Took 2 punches, but still tempting. The cutaway motor explains a lot of the new tech, but also made me realize they may be pushing the 2-stroke to the edge. Polaris was also nice display with all models including 174' Mountain animal. VERY impressive piece right there. Lots of great graphics/colors & prices were best at the show. The cutaway motor claims all this new tech, but to be honest, looks like a 90's motor with new gadgets on it. 2 more punches to arm & off to Cat section. Lots of alcohol consumption in this area. I thought of grabbing a beer so i could co-habitat with these fellows, but i was driving 2 hours home. Needless to say after a lot of slurring & bragging about their sled, I came away un-impressed. Didn't like the colors, price was as high if not more than Yamaha's & they could't explain how this self adjusting clutch works. That brings me to the WINDER! Well first of all, the display was bland. Dealer just got this sled so they knew very little. I knew more from being on this site. THANKS MR. SLED!! Make no bones about it, this a VIPER with a new motor. Shame on Yamaha for throwing a sled at a guy with no info about their product. I had to go back to Cat section to find things out. Makes me start to wonder when Poo & Doo knew every little screw on those sleds & Yamaha had no clue how to drain chain oil. Cat guy knew also, i just could't understand him. Back to the WINDER. You have to suck chain case out like an inboard motor. I DON'T like that. I blew 2 chain cases on my 1st Ape & i'm a stickler. I drain flush drain & flush again every year. I don't like the footwells & i feel like my knees will hit the cowling & un-like Doo & Poo I don't have much of a choice to adjust. I don't trust this cooling system yet. I'm a little skeptical. Just feels like i'm going to be pulling over a lot to let cool down. I'm putting my faith with Yamaha with these clutches. They say they're new, but look EXACTLY like mine with rollers on it. Belt is very loose & is easily changeable, but awfully weird. Again i hope they know what they're doing. ALSO Yamaha is the ONLY one I can't get an "ice-ripper" track. MO' money. IN CONCLUSION: If Polaris & Doo would give me a 150hp 4-stroke, I would buy it. Cat & Yam are EXACTLY same except for ski's & clutches. THAT'S IT! I will continue to do more research & ask more questions in Viper section. It will come down to pricing & dealer & track options, but i feel in my gut......I"LL BE BLUE...i just hope i won't be "blue"...

Thanks for the honest no blinder review. I will get to see them next weekend. My money is going on a 850 or Sidewinder. After hearing the sidewinder is just another hyped up yamacat it most likely will be a 850. I was really hoping it would have less Cat DNA. The new Yamaha motor will be sweet. If all I was doing was lake riding it would be a easy decision.

 

[hibshman25]

Power isn't much different than any the mpi vipers. Just delivered differently and more useable and safer?

I think the biggest advantage of the sidewinder vs mpi viper is that its a turn key sled and go. The sidewinder electronics take care of itself. No need to be watching gauges and always tinkering. I think as a whole most guys just want to load the sled up and go ride. That's the reason I ride 4 strokes to begin with. When I spend hours in truck to go ride last thing I want to worry about is my sled making it through the whole trip. Sure a 4 stroke can fail, but odds are against it.

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

Agree, just funny at people doubting the power of this thing. I also have feeling actual power will be much higher than the turbo vipers. Otherwise the sales pitch is gone lol

 

[Sledroll]

Thanks for the honest no blinder review. I will get to see them next weekend. My money is going on a 850 or Sidewinder. After hearing the sidewinder is just another hyped up yamacat it most likely will be a 850. I was really hoping it would have less Cat DNA. The new Yamaha motor will be sweet. If all I was doing was lake riding it would be a easy decision.

" just another hyped up yamacat " Seriously !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[yamadoo]

40-50 lbs that's 6 gallons of gas!!!! I would never ride my sled with a full tank of gas!! That's what I say to some idiots who want to make their whole decision on weight. But the best line is the Old Turk line of , "where I'm from we ride our sleds we don't carry them". now in the mountains I get it.

Good write up Steve

 

[Tony S.]

" just another hyped up yamacat " Seriously !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed. Has anyone been reading about the Sidewinder powerplant?? It has a constant pressure management system so no lag- it feels like a S/C or a larger N/A motor. And sounds good too.

A state of the art Yamaha engine.

A 2-stroke 850 is not in the same universe.

 

[stevewithOCD]

Thanks for the honest no blinder review. I will get to see them next weekend. My money is going on a 850 or Sidewinder. After hearing the sidewinder is just another hyped up yamacat it most likely will be a 850. I was really hoping it would have less Cat DNA. The new Yamaha motor will be sweet. If all I was doing was lake riding it would be a easy decision.

Well although i liked ALOT about the new Doo, I definitely am not buying one. I stated if Poo & Doo had 150hp 4-strokes i'd consider. NO 2-smoke for me! I'm up in St. Valin Quebec right now on a back pack run laughing at the oil ''struggles'' these Doo boys are going through right now as we speak. I went in the hot tub while they walked to Wal-Mart to get oil. To call this new Sidewinder a lake runner is absolutely absurd. Now i've hardly ridden a Viper or Cat chassis to compare to a Doo, which i've ridden plenty of, but ALOT of people praise it & swear by it. The CAT DNA, well i'm still a little skeptical, but again i want a 150hp-ish 4-stroke. Doo & Poo don't have that. So here i am...may have to re-name me ''stevewithSCD". That would be stevewith(sidewinder compulsive disorder''....

 

[stevewithOCD]

BTW Tayley, i'm not judging your choice. The Ski-Doo was hot, i'm just 4-stroke now. While in the hot tub... LOL

 

[Phatboyc]

How is Mont Valin? Probably the last place with good condition right now?

My buddy has a a new Reneggade 600 Etec. I hate following him. He says he doesn't smell but of course it the ones behind that smells the crap. Now I just bough a 800 Etec I am expecting it smells even more.

 

[snowbeast]

Went to show in NH last night to look at what i hope is my next expensive toy; the SIDEWINDER. I went with open eyes & gave all 4 factories their due. Here are some observations on all. I was VERY impressed with Polaris & Doo. Except for the view from the front, i like every thing about MXZ 850. LOTS of great features including adjustable handlebars, adjustable carbides & new footwells for different positioning. Their display was very impressive & they knew their chit. New motor is tempting, but my friend had to punch me in arm to remind me how much i DON'T want a 2-stroke. Took 2 punches, but still tempting. The cutaway motor explains a lot of the new tech, but also made me realize they may be pushing the 2-stroke to the edge. Polaris was also nice display with all models including 174' Mountain animal. VERY impressive piece right there. Lots of great graphics/colors & prices were best at the show. The cutaway motor claims all this new tech, but to be honest, looks like a 90's motor with new gadgets on it. 2 more punches to arm & off to Cat section. Lots of alcohol consumption in this area. I thought of grabbing a beer so i could co-habitat with these fellows, but i was driving 2 hours home. Needless to say after a lot of slurring & bragging about their sled, I came away un-impressed. Didn't like the colors, price was as high if not more than Yamaha's & they could't explain how this self adjusting clutch works. That brings me to the WINDER! Well first of all, the display was bland. Dealer just got this sled so they knew very little. I knew more from being on this site. THANKS MR. SLED!! Make no bones about it, this a VIPER with a new motor. Shame on Yamaha for throwing a sled at a guy with no info about their product. I had to go back to Cat section to find things out. Makes me start to wonder when Poo & Doo knew every little screw on those sleds & Yamaha had no clue how to drain chain oil. Cat guy knew also, i just could't understand him. Back to the WINDER. You have to suck chain case out like an inboard motor. I DON'T like that. I blew 2 chain cases on my 1st Ape & i'm a stickler. I drain flush drain & flush again every year. I don't like the footwells & i feel like my knees will hit the cowling & un-like Doo & Poo I don't have much of a choice to adjust. I don't trust this cooling system yet. I'm a little skeptical. Just feels like i'm going to be pulling over a lot to let cool down. I'm putting my faith with Yamaha with these clutches. They say they're new, but look EXACTLY like mine with rollers on it. Belt is very loose & is easily changeable, but awfully weird. Again i hope they know what they're doing. ALSO Yamaha is the ONLY one I can't get an "ice-ripper" track. MO' money. IN CONCLUSION: If Polaris & Doo would give me a 150hp 4-stroke, I would buy it. Cat & Yam are EXACTLY same except for ski's & clutches. THAT'S IT! I will continue to do more research & ask more questions in Viper section. It will come down to pricing & dealer & track options, but i feel in my gut......I"LL BE BLUE...i just hope i won't be "blue"...

I don't think you will have any more chaincase issues,you only stated it happened on your apex's,now I remember my 06 apex rtx leaking,so my dealer had to install a thicker cover,as there vendor had made some errors on milling out there cases,and the covers had very little area,to have seal work correct,that was fixed end of story,now ahead to 2017,this motor will not have any over heat issues like some turbo's I know well,it is a special motor created for this application and made purpose built for the turbo,they have taken all the precautions to keep as much heat out of the motor and clutch area as possible,ya the emptying of chaincase is a piece of work,and that is about the only thing I don't like about it,but I don't drain my chaincase every year,but I am also not worried about it either,we do have a 3 year warrenty on this chaincase so why frit about that little thing,as far as the footwells go,well I don't have that problem,but I do remember a friend who used to run huge moon boots,and only sled he could get those snow shoes into was the old cat huge sturipps,heck the old poo sleds we had those were tight for my small shoes not big flippers.Did the dealer even take the side panels off and the hood,to show you how easy it was??

 

[snowbeast]

Your gut feel on the 850 2-stroke is correct. They are continuing to stretch the same rubber band with that engine. Ski doo dealer said "they really can't get more power."

Compared to the 800 it has a longer stroke for another 50cc. Cheaper to do, but a bad idea. It's amazing that people still like 2-strokes. The entire point is for a weight savings. Those 850's are 600 lbs wet, with a narrow powerband and maybe 160hp if the stars align. That's not light, and not that powerful.

I'll take 4-strokes and another 40-50 pounds any day. The difference between 2s and 4s is now within a tank of gas. The marketing and talk of these trail sleds with respect to their weight is so overblown, it's silly.

And by the way my 700 lb XTX eats them up anytime, anywhere.

Aint that the truth,now the only thing you do not want to do with our apex xtx,is get it really stuck going up a slight hill,lol ask me why,well I dropped one of my testicals while trying to deadlift it out,i was along out back of my house busting out a small trail,which my neighbor had already tore it up with his large side by side with tracks,so I was trying to stay inside his track area,and for the most part it worked,until I got to a small hill and because of its trees hanging into trail,i had to slow down to grab branches to swing out of my way,as to not scratch the crap out of my new sled,or knock me off,well that did it,it slowed me enough,that the 1.25 track just dug a hole,and thanflipped up on its side trapping me under it,that ticked me off,so I benchpressed the sled enough to get out from under,but than I had to still flip it back up right and try and dig out around it,ok not going to happen with no shovel to help,and finally upright,no good just sucked itself right back down into hole,called a friend,said stop by my house,grab wifes 600 classic poo and my comeslong,he did,and we got it right out,but not by yourself,now that is when I really liked my wifes little 600 poo,could take and swing it around with one hand in trail,the apex took both of us struggling somewhat,sense I was alredy beat up and out of breath,my point is,if you are going to play off trail,make sure there is at least two guys and a light weight two stroke would be my choice,but I don't do that,so my choice is Yamaha 4-strokes.

 

[stevewithOCD]

I don't think you will have any more chaincase issues,you only stated it happened on your apex's,now I remember my 06 apex rtx leaking,so my dealer had to install a thicker cover,as there vendor had made some errors on milling out there cases,and the covers had very little area,to have seal work correct,that was fixed end of story,now ahead to 2017,this motor will not have any over heat issues like some turbo's I know well,it is a special motor created for this application and made purpose built for the turbo,they have taken all the precautions to keep as much heat out of the motor and clutch area as possible,ya the emptying of chaincase is a piece of work,and that is about the only thing I don't like about it,but I don't drain my chaincase every year,but I am also not worried about it either,we do have a 3 year warrenty on this chaincase so why frit about that little thing,as far as the footwells go,well I don't have that problem,but I do remember a friend who used to run huge moon boots,and only sled he could get those snow shoes into was the old cat huge sturipps,heck the old poo sleds we had those were tight for my small shoes not big flippers.Did the dealer even take the side panels off and the hood,to show you how easy it was??

I know, but my brain plays mind tricks with me. I like draining & flushing. The non-drain plug is not a deal breaker, just annoying. OVEREDUCATIONALIZATION!!! A word I made up that describes when smart educated people make the decisions in the world because they have a "degree". When us blue collar regular Joe's would have said "hey put a drain plug in"...to actually drain the oil

 

[yamadoo]

Even "light sleds" when packed with snow and tied down by roots over the skis while your standing thigh deep in wet melting snow are HEAVY and tough/ impossible to move alone. Like Turk has always said we should ride our sleds not lift and carry them.

I you want to know why ....... I recently found this out AGAIN the hard way.

Riding the very edge were the trail was smoother and there was loose snow............BOOM I drop/ get sucked off the edge of a 3 ft 90 degree little cliff at the edge of the trail - snow was LEVEL, birch tree trunk dead ahead so on binders and NOW stuck. Cant even walk up the edge with out using my hands, much less ride. It was 46 degrees the track and whole sled was full of the watery snow and I couldn't even lift the back end of my sled ie viper to reposition, couldn't walk around to pack snow under the track., I swore just one ski of the front end weighed more than a thousand pounds. I am not a little guy can throw my sleds including a Venture GT around the garage no problem. I was stuck, it was heavy thankfully a Ski Doo Rev guy and his girl stopped and helped me out. Eventually he pulled from above on the trail; I had one hand on the throttle the other pulling on the rear bumper. We had to dig down to the skis only to find them wrapped UNDER ROOTS we both tore out one at a time........no wonder so 'HEAVY" It was another adventure riding ALONE thinking I am fine............I can be an IDIOT.........Thanks skidoo guy! I feel better after that like going to confession LOL