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SteveO Gone

JPS said:
I have friends i ride with 2 on Polaris 850 Assault 2019 and 2020 and 2 on 850 Ski Doo. these sleds are pounded each time they ride them and these guys don't do much matiance zero problems. could they break? sure can but have not yet. they came from the factory without needing much. one guy on Ski Doo had all his shocks re valved from new but he is 300lbs, just tuned for his weight, the sled did come with very good KYB's from the start. the Ski Doo back country and Poo assult came with 1.6 tracks and excellent suspension, unlike what i had to go through with my Sidewinder. I have been buying Yamaha snowmobiles since 1985 540 V MAX and the bottom line is they have fallen way behind. I love my Sidewinder motor but the rest is poor for the amount of money you spend. I wanted 1.6 track ,had to get a XTX so i had to buy a sled with shock package that sucks. the only way to get good shocks is to spring order. Get the sled then start to fix it so you can get back from a long ride. the skis suck so need new skis, clutch roller issues and many clutches needed machining to be able to fix the offset problem then replace the rear tri hub before it came apart and left you stranded. then after 1800 miles it was time to check out the chain case and yes the top gear was worn to the brass, bolts were loose on the tensioner so had to weld them before a big problem happened. Barn of parts have a shaft saver because bearings start to spin on the shafts of the drive train, have to be kidding, within the first 600 miles my center shock shaft broke in half, ruined the remainder of a weekend 600 miles from home, had to have a machine shop make me a shaft out of stainless which also did not hold up because stainless is a bit soft and that one bent so finally had one made out of hard chrome shaft, same material as hyd. shafts and finally no more problem with that. now with 4,000 miles i have really changed everything in the both clutches twine because they really wear parts quick. in the mean time the 2 Ski Doos and 2 Polaris in my riding group have changed a total of 2 belts and thats it.. starting to get hard to be a loyal Yamaha rider atleast for snowmobiles because we are getting the shaft from Yamaha for being a customer, paying the long buck for a poor sled with a good motor. I will be buying 2 new sleds next year to replace my 18 Sidewinder and the Misses 17 XTX Viper and after 35 years on a Yamaha i may be jumping ship because a new Sidewinder comes with the same exact weak chassis and parts as a 2017 had.
Click to expand...

Every one of my friends with an XRS has sent the shocks out. My buddy that had one last year and a new one this year sent both sets out. Normal weight riders. Engine issues seem to be around 7K miles that is when most Doo riders know to trade them in. SOme go longer but not many hard ridden ones. They all have their good and bad no manufacture makes a perfect sled. Its funny as bullet proof as I thought my Apex was going to the Winder my buddy reminded me of A-arm bushings W arms broken rails Ohlins shock wire and adjuster issues wheels wheels and more wheels, driveshaft bearing replace every year, exhaust gaskets and broken flex pipes..... However I didnt blow belts have chaincase issues or worry about the clutches.
 

74Nitro said:
This site is great but highly exagerates Sidewinder problems.
I was out today with a 2018 Polaris 800 and 2019 Polaris 850. The 800 started running poorly, pulled the spark plugs, mag side was gray with metal particles. Call someone to come pick him up.
The 850 and I carried on. At the gas pumps he took six bucks more than me, I was even surprised by that. By the time we got close to home his oil light was on. I can pass him anytime I want with ease on any straight away. The only place his machine is superior to mine is tight bush type trails.
The other thing I like about my Winder is that the chassis/suspension is far less maintenance than any pure Yamaha machine from the past.
Click to expand...
I can say my front and rear suspension seriously looks like new. Granted, crappy winters and only 2600 miles but some rough.... corn, mud, rocks, water, slurry store manure, bare fields, dam woods stumps, tug hill moguls...it's tight as the day I bought it up front and everything is tight
 
74Nitro said:
This site is great but highly exagerates Sidewinder problems.
I was out today with a 2018 Polaris 800 and 2019 Polaris 850. The 800 started running poorly, pulled the spark plugs, mag side was gray with metal particles. Call someone to come pick him up.
The 850 and I carried on. At the gas pumps he took six bucks more than me, I was even surprised by that. By the time we got close to home his oil light was on. I can pass him anytime I want with ease on any straight away. The only place his machine is superior to mine is tight bush type trails.
The other thing I like about my Winder is that the chassis/suspension is far less maintenance than any pure Yamaha machine from the past.
Click to expand...
I can say my front and rear suspension seriously looks like new. Granted, crappy winters and only 2600 miles but some rough.... corn, mud, rocks, water, slurry store manure, bare fields, dam woods stumps, tug hill moguls...it's tight as the day I bought it up front and everything is tight
 
Good luck with the 600, Steve!
Should be a fine sled. I never liked cats, but I have to say my sidewinder is the funnest sled I ever rode, all things considered, the engine to me being the heart of a sled, so it's truly a Yamaha, in a kitty litter box! When I blew the belt the other day, a guy with us said he never saw one snap like that, they usually fray and give warning. From 69 to almost a 100 in an instant it seemed, and boom...you know, I was still smiling! Told him you havent had a real sled yet!
Most of it looks ok..hehehe..
2020-02-24 14.52.24.jpg
2020-02-24 14.52.49.jpg
 
SumpBuster said:
Good luck with the 600, Steve!
Should be a fine sled. I never liked cats, but I have to say my sidewinder is the funnest sled I ever rode, all things considered, the engine to me being the heart of a sled, so it's truly a Yamaha, in a kitty litter box! When I blew the belt the other day, a guy with us said he never saw one snap like that, they usually fray and give warning. From 69 to almost a 100 in an instant it seemed, and boom...you know, I was still smiling! Told him you havent had a real sled yet!
Most of it looks ok..hehehe..
View attachment 153417 View attachment 153418
Click to expand...
Snapped in half, like the two I blew this year.
 
number1kyster said:
Your


Funny, we have has less issue's with our Sidewinder's than we had with our Apex.
Click to expand...

Funny SteveO who started this thread had an Apex also, I’m sure he would agree to disagree?

Tri-hub junk,
bent lower and upper suspension shafts (that can rip a hole in OCD’s tunnel),
driveshaft failures,
Chaincase Bushing, Issues,
Chain tensioner failures,
Clutch explosions,
Primary AND secondary rollers,
Roll over valve POS,
Chinese bearings everywhere,
ECT.....

Unless you drive it like a grandma, the chassis/suspension will not hold up.
The quality and reliability of the Procross chassis isn’t even close to the Jap built sleds, heck just ask RockerDan .....yep he gone 2

:drink:
 
ClutchMaster said:
Funny SteveO who started this thread had an Apex also, I’m sure he would agree to disagree?

Tri-hub junk,
bent lower and upper suspension shafts (that can rip a hole in OCD’s tunnel),
driveshaft failures,
Chaincase Bushing, Issues,
Chain tensioner failures,
Clutch explosions,
Primary AND secondary rollers,
Roll over valve POS,
Chinese bearings everywhere,
ECT.....

Unless you drive it like a grandma, the chassis/suspension will not hold up.
The quality and reliability of the Procross chassis isn’t even close to the Jap built sleds, heck just ask RockerDan .....yep he gone 2

:drink:
Click to expand...
Disagree. The only issues I've had with the sidewinder is chaincase and this is the third year I've been on one.
The 18 I bought new had only the tri-hub, and it is still going as the new owner brought it in for service last week. Gotta check/grease or change the bearings.
 
Sidewinder more dependable than the Apex?? ;)!
 
They're great.......For Barn of Parts. Travis fixing the shortcomings left and right. Funny that he can do what 2 major companies cant
 
Ok this is the sidewinder.
The fwd heat exchanger is a structural piece with the rear engine mounts on it.
The fwd tunnel section is thin and has alot of flex it it. Like having to squeeze the tunnel with a ratchet strap to get the snap rings on the driveshaft. Putting a side preload on the bearings robbing hp.
Take your seat and gas tank off and you will find loose rivets on top of the tunnel where it mounts to the fwd heat exchanger, also loose rivets where the rear section is riveted on also. Dont forget to check the mounting tubes for the rear exchanger because all those rivets will be loose also. This is all with 5000 miles.
All this flex in The center tunnel section has alot to do with chaincase issues.
The chassis is cheaply built.
I strengthened this area on mine and its noticable stronger when riding.

Really liking me sidewinder now that my belt blowing issues are gone.
 
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