RXKID
Veteran
The question that needs to be asked is why are you looking at a Yamaha in the first place, You must have issues with the ski-doo or you would stay brand loyal. Every sled company has issues, some bigger than others. One of the benefits of a yamaha is this site and the people who use it, all you have to do is ask and the members will help you solve your problems. Trust me on this there is alot of great information shared on this site.
lucky_7
TY 4 Stroke Guru
RXKID said:
I don't necessarily agree with that. You don't have to have problems to want to switch to something new. Some people may just want the convenience of a 4-stroke.
GIMME SNOW
Expert
I agree with Convert, try one. I wasn't so sure about going with Yamaha this year and the Apex, rode one last winter, the rest is history.
Hey I just picked up my 6th Yamaha in the last 5 years last night. An 07 LTX GT with 490 miles on it. I hear all of you guy's make comments about your sleds no matter what the brand and all I got to say is just like buying a car the manufacturer builds these things with the average Joe rider setup. We are not average Joes. I have ridden everything out there and can tell you they all need work if your going to ride them like we do.
I used to build and maintain formula cars. A chasis was $50 grand (no motor) and when it came into the shop the first thing we did was tear it down to the ground. We re-machined all of the suspension parts changing camber and caster. We welded in re-inforcement tubing to stiffen the frames. we replace the sheet metal to make up for the weight gain on the frames and got the car ready for testing. We would test with up to 10 different shock and spring packages and many different gear sets. We would constantly fight gremlins and re-work set ups.
The average sledder takes 4 trips and covers about 1,000 miles per year. average speed is 50 mph.
I do 1000 miles in a weekend. I bought my first 03 RX-1 and tried to ride it like the SRX and almost found myself in the hospital. With about 4 weeks of tunning work and about $1000 in parts (a monoshock conversion) I had a machine that could out pull all of my buddies, go twice as far on a tank of gas and was comfortable. I then went to work on the front I installed Ohlin shocks a 13 mm sway bar and Simmons skis when this was all done and several days of adjusting to get the balance and proper weight transfer I had a rocket that nothing could touch.
I blew the motor in 07 and found a wrecked Apex. I had an 1100 cc stroker built out of it and installed all of the electronics and Apex parts that would fit on the 03. Piped, clutched, filter kit and fuel accelerator she was around 200 HP normally aspirated and with the overdrive sheaves would record 132 mph on the gps.
My point is that you can ride any sled the way its built and shipped, but if your serious about sledding it takes a little work to make any of them fit your style and if you think that you can take a sled out of a box and and go ditch banging, then onto a groomed flat trail and finish the day with a 120 mph burn across the lake with a stock set up your fooling yourself.
I used to build and maintain formula cars. A chasis was $50 grand (no motor) and when it came into the shop the first thing we did was tear it down to the ground. We re-machined all of the suspension parts changing camber and caster. We welded in re-inforcement tubing to stiffen the frames. we replace the sheet metal to make up for the weight gain on the frames and got the car ready for testing. We would test with up to 10 different shock and spring packages and many different gear sets. We would constantly fight gremlins and re-work set ups.
The average sledder takes 4 trips and covers about 1,000 miles per year. average speed is 50 mph.
I do 1000 miles in a weekend. I bought my first 03 RX-1 and tried to ride it like the SRX and almost found myself in the hospital. With about 4 weeks of tunning work and about $1000 in parts (a monoshock conversion) I had a machine that could out pull all of my buddies, go twice as far on a tank of gas and was comfortable. I then went to work on the front I installed Ohlin shocks a 13 mm sway bar and Simmons skis when this was all done and several days of adjusting to get the balance and proper weight transfer I had a rocket that nothing could touch.
I blew the motor in 07 and found a wrecked Apex. I had an 1100 cc stroker built out of it and installed all of the electronics and Apex parts that would fit on the 03. Piped, clutched, filter kit and fuel accelerator she was around 200 HP normally aspirated and with the overdrive sheaves would record 132 mph on the gps.
My point is that you can ride any sled the way its built and shipped, but if your serious about sledding it takes a little work to make any of them fit your style and if you think that you can take a sled out of a box and and go ditch banging, then onto a groomed flat trail and finish the day with a 120 mph burn across the lake with a stock set up your fooling yourself.
Heritage
Expert
RXKID said:
I have no problem with ski-doo, the ride of my 03 x package is very good (this thing handles the big mogals very well) though it is rather stiff for just trail cruising. handling is also good (a bit of inside ski-lift). What I don't like is that my sled is carbed (no sdi)..it gets 10 mpg on average, and of course I have to buy at least semi synthetic oil which is expensive. I have found that my old 03 600 ho is faster than the 600sdi's (across the lake), I have beaten every one I have raced, by at least 2 sled lengths, which surprised me.
I agree this site is excellent. I am just trying to research, which is best for me. Hearing from guys who owned revs that switched to yamaha is exactly what i was looking for. Because they can relate to what questions I have...so far you guys have been helpful...thank-you.
RSVECTORFREAK
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After reading all the posts and thinking about your riding style it sounds like you need a vector or apex. If cost is a major factor and you don't have to have one of the fastest sleds (lake racing) built then the vector would suit your needs well. My '05 needed some tuning to eliminate the inside ski lift and I added stiffer (Nytro) springs to the rear and the suspension really takes a beating. I have no experience on the mono shock so i can't help you there. As far as clutching goes I opted for a clutch kit and actually lost top end but my corner to corner speed is dead on fast. Did it need one?? Probably not but I clutch all of my sleds to match my preferred riding style. The motors are simply fantastic and was the major selling points for me. It is definitely competitive in it's class and puts alot of larger Hp sleds to shame in 660' runs.
tkuss
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
1. Is hunting and darting a real problem for the vectors, and apex's???
2. what is the problem with the 08 nytro handling?
3. What is the real world speed you guys have been seeing on a vector, vector ltx, nytro..apex, apex ltx??? Are they class competitive???
4. Like my viper..did you guys have to re clutch your sled to get decent performance ???
5. anybody have any engine problems with their 4 strokes??
There are very few problems with the engines, like Yamaha advertises the engines last forever. They don't burn oil. They start up great in very cold weather as well.
I am not a big engine perfomance guy or tuner. All I know is that my apex is fast, I don't really care if it goes 105 or 110, but it tops out somewhere around there on the gps. It is comparable to a 800 2 stroke, Apex fuel mileage is about 13-15mpg, and the Nytro is about 14-17mpg. All depends on how you ride, the numbers can get to be 20mpg or above it you drive nice.
Supposedly the 08 nytros have too aggresive of a front end which can cause the front end to be nervous and darty.
There are two things I think everybody should do if you buy a new Yamaha sled, first is get a pair of aftermarket skis. Yamahas skis are such a basic design, with a set of aftermarkets the sled will not dart, and they turn and float much better. Second is revalve the rear skid shocks. It has been gone through a couple of times on this site that Yamaha valves there shocks terribly, they are now doing it the way polaris did like 10-15 years ago. The ride with revalved shocks will improve TONS by doing this.
So for 500-600$ you will most likely completely eliminate all the negative gripes that most people have with Yamahas in General, and then you can appreciate the many good things the sleds have about them. And really another 500$ on top of a 7000-10000$ sled is alot, but percentage wise it is not to bad, and then you will have it riding and handeling most likely alot better than other manufactures stock sleds.
2. what is the problem with the 08 nytro handling?
3. What is the real world speed you guys have been seeing on a vector, vector ltx, nytro..apex, apex ltx??? Are they class competitive???
4. Like my viper..did you guys have to re clutch your sled to get decent performance ???
5. anybody have any engine problems with their 4 strokes??
There are very few problems with the engines, like Yamaha advertises the engines last forever. They don't burn oil. They start up great in very cold weather as well.
I am not a big engine perfomance guy or tuner. All I know is that my apex is fast, I don't really care if it goes 105 or 110, but it tops out somewhere around there on the gps. It is comparable to a 800 2 stroke, Apex fuel mileage is about 13-15mpg, and the Nytro is about 14-17mpg. All depends on how you ride, the numbers can get to be 20mpg or above it you drive nice.
Supposedly the 08 nytros have too aggresive of a front end which can cause the front end to be nervous and darty.
There are two things I think everybody should do if you buy a new Yamaha sled, first is get a pair of aftermarket skis. Yamahas skis are such a basic design, with a set of aftermarkets the sled will not dart, and they turn and float much better. Second is revalve the rear skid shocks. It has been gone through a couple of times on this site that Yamaha valves there shocks terribly, they are now doing it the way polaris did like 10-15 years ago. The ride with revalved shocks will improve TONS by doing this.
So for 500-600$ you will most likely completely eliminate all the negative gripes that most people have with Yamahas in General, and then you can appreciate the many good things the sleds have about them. And really another 500$ on top of a 7000-10000$ sled is alot, but percentage wise it is not to bad, and then you will have it riding and handeling most likely alot better than other manufactures stock sleds.
lucky_7
TY 4 Stroke Guru
Do you want new or used?
Heritage
Expert
lucky_7 said:
I will go used, but am waiting until after the holidays....I'm in no hurry...I want to make the right decision.
Bullet69
Pro
My buddy who has rode Ski-doo his whole life says that he switched, it would be to Yamaha. He has rode both RX-1 and Vector. I rode Arctic Cat for 20 years and switched. I don't think it matters what anybody says on this site about how good the Yamaha's are, Your only going to buy one if you want to.
Ported Hornet
Expert
I came from a well set up 03.5 Blair Morgan X package REV and I also had a 04 800 HO, so I ran relate to you. I switched to a 07 Apex RTX, which I have ridden for 2 season.
1. Hunting and or darting can be cured with the right runners and a flip of the rubber ski stopper.
2. No experience????
3. My RTX is very competive, I run down my REV and all other REVS I have ran against, sled is very fast in bone stock from. I run 115 gps.
4. This sled is the best out of the box clutched sled that I have been on, Yami bid their home work on this one, on plans for a clutch kit for me.
5. No engine problems what so ever, the things begs to be ran hard. The sleds have a few annoying small problems:
-stock boggie wheels are junk, cheap fix
-sliders wear fast, can be cured with a low snow wheel kit and common sence riding.
-front end bushings wear out quickly, so do the doos
My RTX is not as good of a big bump sled as the Ski-doo REV, but in handles the studders and medium bumps with ease. The sled can easy be ridden in the attack position or you can kick back and cruise on it. I like the seating position much better than the rev. The sled is a excellent trail cruiser/ bomber, when I had to ride my old REV after owning the Apex I was pissed, the REV was not nearly as fast or as much fun!
1. Hunting and or darting can be cured with the right runners and a flip of the rubber ski stopper.
2. No experience????
3. My RTX is very competive, I run down my REV and all other REVS I have ran against, sled is very fast in bone stock from. I run 115 gps.
4. This sled is the best out of the box clutched sled that I have been on, Yami bid their home work on this one, on plans for a clutch kit for me.
5. No engine problems what so ever, the things begs to be ran hard. The sleds have a few annoying small problems:
-stock boggie wheels are junk, cheap fix
-sliders wear fast, can be cured with a low snow wheel kit and common sence riding.
-front end bushings wear out quickly, so do the doos
My RTX is not as good of a big bump sled as the Ski-doo REV, but in handles the studders and medium bumps with ease. The sled can easy be ridden in the attack position or you can kick back and cruise on it. I like the seating position much better than the rev. The sled is a excellent trail cruiser/ bomber, when I had to ride my old REV after owning the Apex I was pissed, the REV was not nearly as fast or as much fun!
Swiss Sledder
TY 4 Stroke God
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Heritage, please update your location in your user profile as this is a site rule. I believe you are located in the Eagle River, WI area.
Heritage
Expert
Swiss Sledder said:
No, Irma/Merrill area
Profile is updated,,hope you like..lol
GotJuice
Expert
>>>tkuss said:
READ ABOVE! This is the real common sense approach! You are correct, Yamaha has serious issue's with shock valving and HAS HAD for EVER! Why they don't look at the ride of the other manufacturers to see where they are off is beyond me......pride perhaps.... I'm not sure , that is the million dollar question. Dually carbides or another brand ski and have your shocks revalved by Pioneer or Carver at 60.00 each and your good to go. The Apex has way more balls then any stock 800 I've ridden, different power delivery...... unexplainable... just go ride one and you'll see. (yes I've ridden them ALL)
If you've done your research on this site you will know the answer to all your questions, no the search button isn't real specific but it does work. If your buying used then chances are they will have replaced the idler wheel problem and might have different ski's already. Have the shocks valved correctly and you'll be happy. cheers.....
Heritage
Expert
GotJuice said:
Exactly what I was thinking...but I didn't want to "stir the pot". As I mentioned earlier, my Viper rode like a buckboard wagon, and I keep reading about ill handling Nytros, and (until 08), a mono shock suspension that wasn't very good in big bumps. So it kinda spooked me about yamaha.
IMO Yamaha makes the highest quality sled, they are normally the most reliable, and dependable...but (and there is a but)..it seems like you always have to spend more money on something..upgrades..etc. In the 90's and early 2000's it was clutching...with my viper the jetting was waaayyyy off from the factory (power valves were also out of sync)..after a little clucthing and the above mentioned work done..it was a rocket..but rode like shizz...the only fix was to get a new rear skid (m-10 etc)...that made no sense to me. Overall I have always felt my yamahas handled well (xtc 700, mm700, viper)..but the rear skid didn't ride as good as cat or doo's that I had ridden...I think you are right about their shock valving and spring combos. And that is what concerns me.
