VK Riser and Goldfinger

[Joner]

I totally agree with you. I stuck with the 3" so I wouldn't have to start changing cables. I'm tall and the extra height would be even better. I like the tilt riser they have on the Expedition. I'd like to see something like that on the VK. It might get power steering this year and fuel injection, but I won't hold my breath. New skid is problem #1.

 

[stewartb]

I disagree with you about the skid. The ProAction skid is comfortable and rugged. It's one of the features that keeps me on a Yamaha.

As for cables? A local Parker store can make brake lines to fit and a local motorcycle shop can probably extend your throttle and E brake cables to whatever length you want. The local Harley shop is extending my stock throttle cable right now.

 

[VKbcnorth]

That's a good idea about the motorcycle shop. The only question now is whether the stock steering post could take the extra strain of 6" of riser height. My local dealer says that a 3" riser addition will wear out the steering post bushing quickly. But he also said that a 3" riser would not work at all - proved that wrong already.

 

[stewartb]

The Harley shop had it finished two hours after I dropped it off. $50. Perfect fit and the cable looks identical to a factory cable. Sweet.

 

[Joner]

If the skid was rugged they wouldn't have had to put a recall on both the front and rear pivots. I bottoms very quickly. I brought mine back in pieces last year. It was totally under build for the weight of the machine. Thankfully it collapsed when I was going very slow as I'm sure my wife and I would have been throw from the machine when the studs grabbed the tunnel. The Venture TF skid stretched to 20" would be a great improvement as the rear shock is more vertical rather than horizontal like in the procraption.

 

[stewartb]

If yours is bottoming out you should make appropriate adjustments before it self-destructs. Simple stuff. Mine, on the soft setting, hauls me, my wife, and about 70# of stuff in two Rubbermaid totes strapped double on the rack while pulling a freight sled. Last time we rode like that we bottomed once after dropping off an ice ridge that surprised me. Hardly reason to readjust the settings but I have that option.

I have lots of miles on three Vikings and find the skid a great asset considering the comfort it offers with the load pulling capacity it endures. Mine have out-performed several friends' Polaris WideTracks and SkiDoo Super Widetracks. If they hadn't I wouldn't have bought another one. But they did. No offense, but if you're so unhappy you should buy a different machine. They're out there. Life's too short to spend it being unhappy.

Literally the only things I've changed on my Pro was to add a 2" riser so I could stand without hunching and wired in a Lead Dog helmet headlight jack. It's snowing here and wife has to work all day so off we'll go into the night tonight. She'll be on her Renegade and I'll be towing freight behind the Viking. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[WANN4STROKE]

StewartB

Where do you do most of your riding?

David

 

[stewartb]

Big Su/Yentna, and the surrounding area. Cabin in 16B. Arctic Man for a week in April. I prefer to use river corridors than to park with the masses at Petersville, although I occasionally go there, too. My XTX in the avatar is gone. My go-fast riding is on a SkiDoo for now. It should graduate from AMDS with a new bulkhead and right side front suspension later today! No machine is bullet-proof.

 

[Joner]

Without this turning into a pissing match, as this has nothing to do with this thread, Ive had a VK since 94 and for you to suggest I don't know how to adjustment the suspension is a stretch. If you do as you say loaded up with two people and stuff short chopping bumps will bottom the suspension out at an significant speed. Maybe you drive around at 20 mph and slow down for every bump, or perhaps you own the one miracle pro with a suspension that doesn't bottom out. No offense but the suspension is out dated and was taken from the fan cooler and put under a machine that is 200lbs heavier. Do the math. I use it as a truly multi-purpose machine for hauling, grooming, and riding and probably expect too much from it in the riding department. I'll have to start driving like grandpa and wear my pants high and the suspension will be perfect. The 2011 has no changes again.

 

[stewartb]

No pissing match here. Just differing opinions.

I have no time for stuff I don't like. So it went for the XTXs. Poof. Gone. In with the SkiDoos. I like the VK for what I use it for. Snowcross star isn't on that list. If it was I'd be disappointed.

Have a great winter.

 

[WANN4STROKE]

Stewart,

We go to Skwenta(buddy has a cabin there and his mom owns Shell Lake Lodge) a great deal. I ride an Apex Mtn but 2 of my partners ride vikings.

David

 

[stewartb]

I just got the call that the SkiDoo is finished but I'm taking the Viking tonight. A couple of friends and I will likely go riding up toward Puntilla next weekend if the weather cooperates. That usually includes a Crown & Coke at Zoe's. That place is always Yamaha central but I'll watch for an Apex Mtn. Have you been toward the Hayes or the Happy? A racer buddy tells me the Steps and the Puntilla hill are in rough shape.

 

[VKbcnorth]

Joner - sure would like to hear more about your skid failure. What broke exactly? Do you have any photos? Was there an immediate cause for it to break? And did you change anything to keep it from breaking again?

 

[WANN4STROKE]

Stewart,

HAven't talked with any racers this year. We were there last weekend. Plan on going to Puntilla during Iditarod weekend. Do you ever make it to the Shell Lake bonfire?

David

 

[Joner]

I wouldn't worry about your skid as it was updated in 07. They beefed up the part that failed on mine by building some triangular suppots behind the bracket rather than just spot welding it to the side on the pivot. You'll see yours is much stronger built. I have the updates now, but wasn't aware of it before. All you 06 guys should ask for these things as when it goes your back bumper will kiss the the ground and you'll stop in a hurry. When it tears off the control rod on the opposite side breaks and my top shaft actually snapped in half where the control rod attached.