Lets talk SLEDS

[MOHSHSIHd]

I know there are other threads, but they are all very disorganized and don't provide much usable info.

I am in the market for a real sled for next season. Looking to get something brand new or hardly used.


I have decent sled experience, but on modified trail machines from the mid to late 90s. I have never ridden any of the newer, and more balanced machines, but have ridden in powder.

Looking to use it for ski access. Both on groomers and deep fresh snow. I have no intention of becoming a sledneck and high marking, but would like a machine capable of climbing deep ridges to access the goods.


Lets try and keep this organized:

Sled make and model that you have or have had in the past?
Years sledding?
Terrain that you usually use it on?
Reliability?

[VC]

Sled make and model that you have or have had in the past?

97 Yamaha MM 144. Good first sled. Reliable as most yamaha's. Weak steering column, mine met its end when the steering column snapped, pinning the throttle into a tree at about 50 mph. Pretty funny in retrospect.

01 Polaris RMK 800 SC 151, bone stock. Awesome sled, love the chassis. Sold because alot 800's end up throwing cranks. Put 1500 miles on it and sold it.

04 Skidoo Summit 800 151, awesome sled. Rings have issues in the '04, make sure they're updated. Mine has alot of mods and runs like a raped ape when running well. Right now it likes to use lots of gas, keep it stock and keep it simple.

Years sledding?
4
Terrain that you usually use it on?
Probably 10% Trails, 90% Off.
Reliability?
See Above


In conclusion what I would suggest is 00-03 RMK 700. You can pick them up pretty cheap now. Great sled and reliable.

[advres]

Let's see...

You don't have money for a new edit system and looking for FCS on the cheap.
You were just looking for beat making software.
You want a new sled.

priorities my man, priorities!

[eastvailhucker]

vicious care to chime in on your sled??/

As for me i gots a real beauty.

99 Indy RMK 500, bone stock, 6inch riser, ripped seat, cracked hood , held down with zip ties. But it runs like Big Ben.

I ride mostly mtn terrain, heeeeehhehehe Vail pass.

Yesterday ROOOOOLED!

[Rontele]

vicious care to chime in on your sled??/

Damn, I was going to tell him to share his experience.

[Fejj]

I’ve never used a sled for ski access, only for slednecking and general f-ing around. Years ridden: 13. Sleds owned/ridden:

Early 90s Arctic Cat Jag 440: First sled – reliable, fun for a young kid. Never had many problems except for getting unstuck (at 10-12 yrs old). Rode mostly down cutlines, ditches, trails, lakes and roads. Beat the crap out of it – snowbanks, jumps, ditches – rolled it into a creek…Stolen from the back yard while we were decorating the Christmas tree.

93 Arctic Cat Ext 580: 136” track, fuel injected, fully stock, dubbed a mountain machine at the time. Excellent power, killer reliability. Ridden off-trail only, mostly around town. Taken to the mountains once, definitely had to work at climbing…still fun, but I wanted more track and more displacement. Still starts in the Fall in 2 pulls max.

2002 Polaris RMK 800: 144” track, mostly stock. Ridden mostly up and down cutlines, through farmers’ fields, up the hills that we have around here and the twice-annual trip to the mountains (Valemount/McBride area). Great sled, but when going up to the mountains, messing with the jetting is a real pain and has ruined some days.

I have spent several days on some REV chassis sleds in the mountains, and they felt like the sports car of snowmobiles – responsive, tossable – great for boondocking. You really have to ride them though, if you become complacent you’ll be under the sled in no time.

If I were getting something new or almost new, I would be looking for an 05/06 Summit in a 153 (07s have documented issues and 08s are yet to be proven), or an M8. I have read that wide-track tanks are better for ski-access only, but I know that once I got out there, I would appreciate the added power and fun that a only a trencher can provide.

[eastvailhucker]

ffej---Sweet avatar!

Do you own the dvd? if not i can burn ya a copy

[addict]

Yeah, I'm on a 99 summit 600, 144 track. Rode a 2008 rev platform 800 with a 162 track and 6 inch risers and it was friggen AWESOME. Now I don't wanna go back to mine Mine's fine for the mainly sled touring I do, but the 08 was amazing, really jumped out of the hole, super maneuverable for a long track and light as bejesus. way better for straight up sled skiing.