Saw the factory race Sleds on Sunday and Sat night.
Born about 40 years too early I guess.
Talk about stuff on it. I relate to that – when we raced ovals as a kid – we got a lot of comments about the adjustment devices we had on the sled. Years later – my son raced 125cc shifter karts----same thing –you guys go fast cause you got wires and stuff all over your kart. The blue factory sled was full of stuff.
I didn’t talk to the team even thou a guy wanted to introduce me to them – well I did ask a question about the track, that’s all – as I noticed it was the same new low durometer one Bender was running in Bracebridge. Not sure if this is stock...but I liked how the last 4" of rail had no slider on it. I would have had the studs - in not the same location however.
The skid rails on one were billet robust and the other was reinforced stock almost. Both looked to have stock configurations. I couldn’t get a good look under the hood – but I could see a lot of carbon fibre in the engine area. The front tube support section looked made – chrome molly I suspect not sure – I couldn’t get in there to bang on it to tell for sure. Usually factory sleds use a couple gauge thinner aluminium than stock – but its hard to tell by looking. It did not look heavy in any way.
The sound was nice – but could not tell what pipe they had. The exhaust tube under the seat looked about stock size. They can make more HP than the factory road race bikes thanks to the CVT but it didn’t have that monster HP sound. I think they held back and just gave them enough to slightly better the 2/’s. The main job is to make the sled work. One of the sleds was not crisp on the race track - it had a slight miss.
Don’t get excited here - there are a ton of good things with this sled – I’m just giving what I see –what I think needs to be done to go faster – that’s just my makeup. Haden and the Polaris dude – not much wrong with them – they had the factory sound – a lot like Benders sled. Mike V was about a needle size too small - but all he had to do was finish to win 1st overall.
The Yamaha turners are young guys, its hard to beat Benders depth who does the up front Polaris sleds. The front end design of most sleds is the same - but the Yamaha setup was opposite to Benders placement of things, I noticed. On the sleds first lap by it was obvious it was a twitchy machine.
They had the typical new clutching sound – which is actually very very common today and all the articles you read are that way. The engine is at full rpm and the clutch gets loaded and moves yet the engine rpms don’t change.
I have driven setups like that and it makes the sled very hard to turn sharp. I prefer them to work together. We got to race a factory SSR one weekend (years ago) with that clutch setup – I think I still have a burn on my hand where I grabbed the belt.
By the sound of the shift – I think they use those heel clicker things. Uggg! They have shaft rpm info – but with the belt slipping in the primary – it looks like its getting to what they are after.
Its really hard on the race drivers – the thing is so bloody fast and with all the jumps – it’s a full time job just to hang on. I liked the way they rode.
It trenched easy – but must have hooked up somehow – as they were first up the loooong hill. The competition was Haden and the Polaris who is a good mid to ¼ front runners on the factory circuit. The only place he (Haden) could get by was the flatter section where his Doo attacked the terrain with ease.
So other than the twitching and clutch - the sled looked great. When the races weren’t on - I just kind of sat way out of the way and starred at the race sled. It has all that stuff on it. I’ve said it before – they just need to figure it out and seeing it – that’s all they need to do – its looks sooooo good and wants to go.
Then….I got to drive the new consumer Nytro – don’t get me wrong – I could ride that thing for a week straight – but I did feel what I saw in the race sled immediately. The guide asked me after – so I told him – he said it’s a high performance sled, that why… oh well ..can’t argue with a pro.
As a final note – I got to drive the Apex – the white one. I’m at a loss for words – that is the sled for anybody looking for a high performance trail sled. Kind of hung back a bit like I did on the Nytro to give it a good rip…. Attacked a burm sideways so it world force the ski up and go off balance – the sled gave me the confidence to keep it pinned as it ripped along on almost a 45 degree angle-. It just did what I told it to, it felt soooo good riding it. It wakes up all your senses including hearing.
And the sound – wow – the next best thing is standing 200 feet away from an F1 outboard race boat going by at WOT, but quieter. That – is the best sled in its class in the world at this time – period!
Born about 40 years too early I guess.
Talk about stuff on it. I relate to that – when we raced ovals as a kid – we got a lot of comments about the adjustment devices we had on the sled. Years later – my son raced 125cc shifter karts----same thing –you guys go fast cause you got wires and stuff all over your kart. The blue factory sled was full of stuff.
I didn’t talk to the team even thou a guy wanted to introduce me to them – well I did ask a question about the track, that’s all – as I noticed it was the same new low durometer one Bender was running in Bracebridge. Not sure if this is stock...but I liked how the last 4" of rail had no slider on it. I would have had the studs - in not the same location however.
The skid rails on one were billet robust and the other was reinforced stock almost. Both looked to have stock configurations. I couldn’t get a good look under the hood – but I could see a lot of carbon fibre in the engine area. The front tube support section looked made – chrome molly I suspect not sure – I couldn’t get in there to bang on it to tell for sure. Usually factory sleds use a couple gauge thinner aluminium than stock – but its hard to tell by looking. It did not look heavy in any way.
The sound was nice – but could not tell what pipe they had. The exhaust tube under the seat looked about stock size. They can make more HP than the factory road race bikes thanks to the CVT but it didn’t have that monster HP sound. I think they held back and just gave them enough to slightly better the 2/’s. The main job is to make the sled work. One of the sleds was not crisp on the race track - it had a slight miss.
Don’t get excited here - there are a ton of good things with this sled – I’m just giving what I see –what I think needs to be done to go faster – that’s just my makeup. Haden and the Polaris dude – not much wrong with them – they had the factory sound – a lot like Benders sled. Mike V was about a needle size too small - but all he had to do was finish to win 1st overall.
The Yamaha turners are young guys, its hard to beat Benders depth who does the up front Polaris sleds. The front end design of most sleds is the same - but the Yamaha setup was opposite to Benders placement of things, I noticed. On the sleds first lap by it was obvious it was a twitchy machine.
They had the typical new clutching sound – which is actually very very common today and all the articles you read are that way. The engine is at full rpm and the clutch gets loaded and moves yet the engine rpms don’t change.
I have driven setups like that and it makes the sled very hard to turn sharp. I prefer them to work together. We got to race a factory SSR one weekend (years ago) with that clutch setup – I think I still have a burn on my hand where I grabbed the belt.
By the sound of the shift – I think they use those heel clicker things. Uggg! They have shaft rpm info – but with the belt slipping in the primary – it looks like its getting to what they are after.
Its really hard on the race drivers – the thing is so bloody fast and with all the jumps – it’s a full time job just to hang on. I liked the way they rode.
It trenched easy – but must have hooked up somehow – as they were first up the loooong hill. The competition was Haden and the Polaris who is a good mid to ¼ front runners on the factory circuit. The only place he (Haden) could get by was the flatter section where his Doo attacked the terrain with ease.
So other than the twitching and clutch - the sled looked great. When the races weren’t on - I just kind of sat way out of the way and starred at the race sled. It has all that stuff on it. I’ve said it before – they just need to figure it out and seeing it – that’s all they need to do – its looks sooooo good and wants to go.
Then….I got to drive the new consumer Nytro – don’t get me wrong – I could ride that thing for a week straight – but I did feel what I saw in the race sled immediately. The guide asked me after – so I told him – he said it’s a high performance sled, that why… oh well ..can’t argue with a pro.
As a final note – I got to drive the Apex – the white one. I’m at a loss for words – that is the sled for anybody looking for a high performance trail sled. Kind of hung back a bit like I did on the Nytro to give it a good rip…. Attacked a burm sideways so it world force the ski up and go off balance – the sled gave me the confidence to keep it pinned as it ripped along on almost a 45 degree angle-. It just did what I told it to, it felt soooo good riding it. It wakes up all your senses including hearing.
And the sound – wow – the next best thing is standing 200 feet away from an F1 outboard race boat going by at WOT, but quieter. That – is the best sled in its class in the world at this time – period!
