What year of sled do I have?

[dremmick]

Last year I bought a sled from a guy that works at yamaha. He designs tunnel prototypes in his garage (his garage has so many parts laying around) This sled is a yamaha factory prototype/demo sled. Apparently they make a few hundred of these. This sled has no vin number. So it's registered as a homeade sled. The question is how do I tell if it's a 08 rtx vs 09? Any dead giveaways? Also is it legal to purchase a vin plate from someone?

 

[Dimebag]

Check the subframe. The 09 model has a reinforcement plate on the center of the frame. I can post a pic of the frame when i get home if you dont understand what i mean.

 

[kviper]

Something sounds fishey! Yamaha cuts out the vin's because they don't want them in the hands of the general public. They do let some of them out to a couple select people for part's so you could have a sled put together from many part's. I am thinking your sled was not supposed to have surfaced! In Wisconsin all you need to do is make up a plate, your own vin consisting of number's and a couple leter's, Rivet it over the hole and as long as it does not match another vin number they will register it.

 

[pro116]

kviper is on the money.The sleds are not supposed to make it to the public.Sounds like some one is in trouble if yamaha finds out.
Some states you might have troubles trying to get a vin because the Dnr are going to think its stolen.
Your best to buy a tunnel from some one and cut out the vin# and put it on yours then get it registered.

 

[revster]

I think we needs some pics of this rocket. Maybe it is a retired race sled.

 

[#1Wolverine]

I have a knife thread and needle laying around work as a plastic surgeon in spare time. You sure its not a chop shop. lol

 

[dremmick]

here are some pics

 

[revster]

Looks like a 2008 with shox and windshield off a 2009 SE.

 

[dremmick]

How can you tell its an 08 from pics? Well the guy lied cause he told me its and 09

 

[rlcofmn]

Hard to tell from the angle, but it looks like 08 spindles and a 09 subframe. If you look at the side of the spindle and the 3 points (upper ball joint, lower ball and ski bolt) are in a line then they are 08's, if the ski bolt is slightly rearward of a line between the two ball joints then they are 09 or newer.

For the subframe it was mentioned above how to tell the difference, but since so many sleds have newer subframe's I would not use that as a indicator.

 

[revster]

How can you tell its an 08 from pics? Well the guy lied cause he told me its and 09

I can't say for sure. If he said it's an 09 it might be. Parts can be swapped pretty easy. He has obviously swapped some of the parts since those front shox are not stock on that sled. Those shox came on the SE starting in 2009 but the SE has a different tunnel so that sled isn't a SE for sure.

 

[dremmick]

Does anyone have a spare vin plate lying around? Ha ha

 

[dremmick]

Did I get hosed buying this for 5 grand? the snowmobile does have a valid minnesota registration. Just no vin on sled.

 

[pro116]

These sleds don't come with vin plates,They are stamped in the tunnel.Is there a vin # behind the plate someone pop riveted on your tunnel?
It has an aftermarket helix on the secondary too.

 

[dremmick]

No clue if there is one. I could in rivet it. Could someone take a pic of there vin so I get an idea what it looks like?