10,000 miles or 5 years is a pretty good life for a 2 stroke trail sled, assuming you ride 2000 miles/year, take reasonably good care of it, etc. I know they can go longer, but assuming that's a good life for a trail sled without dumping any money into it, how long will a mountain sled last, provided you only ride it in decent conditions? Seems like you would be hard-pressed to put 100 miles a day on one riding out West, and you're normally riding in deep snow (i.e., not snirt), not hitting the moguls all day, etc. I know that the strain on the engine is greater climbing, etc., but it seems to me that you should be able to get a greater life out of a mountain sled riding off trail than a trail sled riding on trail, just as a result of riding fewer miles and not riding in marginal conditions, provided you don't need the latest and greatest every couple years. If you're riding 10 days a year off-trail, could you expect to get 10 years out of one?
How long do mtn sled hold up?
- Thread starter Hoosier
- Start date
ohiosledder
Active member
I'm curious as well to hear the answers, since I have no experience with mountain sleds. My guess is the opposite, that they do not last as long as trail sleds. Kind of like how its always said that cars with highway miles compared to ones with mostly city miles last longer. The starting and climbing with everything under high stress seems like it would wear a sled down faster. Anyway, just my guess, from a non mountain guy. Good topic.
It is impossible to say, but in my opinion mountain miles take a toll on a motor much more than trail miles. Mountain and Trail chassis will both fall apart if abused. Mountain riding requires much more full throttle, high load, low ground speed, high underhood temp riding that hitting the trails. 80 miles is a big day off trail. But with any type of riding, there are guys whos sleds are still in good shape after 2 years, and others that are all junked up, and that comes down to the rider, and not the sled. In regards to getting 10 years out of one without doing some fixin', no chance. With mountain/offtrail riding comes broken parts.
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It depends your definition "life" Mtn sleds will sometimes have less miles but i think the motors and suspension have the same strains. I think a mtn sleds or trail sleds will have the same life span either way. Maintenence and how the owner rides is the key to any sled living a long and happy life.
lookin4snow
New member
Mountains are Way Harder on Sleds
Mountain sleds are ridden under significantly more stress than trail sleds. The goal in the mountains is powder riding, and that means full throttle all the time. The sleds are set up to run at peak hp at peak rpm and that’s where we run them. My dealer mechanic figures that 2,000 miles on a mountain sled is the equivalent of 4,000 miles on a trail sled.
I have a 2006 Summit 800 that has 3,000 miles on it. At 2,000 miles a bearing went in the motor and took out the crank – and everything connected to it. So, in goes a new short block. At 2,700 miles, my primary started coming apart due to bushing wear on the moving sheave. There is so much heat generated under the hood of a mountain sled (we try to control with venting and clutching, but it is inevitable the way the sleds are written) that the clutch parts wear much quicker. So, I had to rebuild the primary, at a cost of around $500.
Ask anyone who has ridden out west this year in lean snow conditions how many trees, rocks, and stumps they have hit. Tweaked front ends are the rule not the exception on mountain sleds. Never know what is lurking in the fresh stuff.
The great debate here will be whether the true wear in the motor comes from storage or from riding hard. My bearing in the motor likely went due to rust or corrosion. I will tell you that the sled has always been properly pickled for the summer. A friend just launched a couple pistons in his mountain sled, and the reason for it going appears to be traced back to water in the fuel or bad gas (first ride of the season, first 10 miles – proper summarization and pre-season prep).
I will tell you that when I order my 800 e-tec Summit that I will purchase the longest warranty I can. I would also recommend the same to anyone buying a mountain sled, regardless of the brand.
Mountain sleds are ridden under significantly more stress than trail sleds. The goal in the mountains is powder riding, and that means full throttle all the time. The sleds are set up to run at peak hp at peak rpm and that’s where we run them. My dealer mechanic figures that 2,000 miles on a mountain sled is the equivalent of 4,000 miles on a trail sled.
I have a 2006 Summit 800 that has 3,000 miles on it. At 2,000 miles a bearing went in the motor and took out the crank – and everything connected to it. So, in goes a new short block. At 2,700 miles, my primary started coming apart due to bushing wear on the moving sheave. There is so much heat generated under the hood of a mountain sled (we try to control with venting and clutching, but it is inevitable the way the sleds are written) that the clutch parts wear much quicker. So, I had to rebuild the primary, at a cost of around $500.
Ask anyone who has ridden out west this year in lean snow conditions how many trees, rocks, and stumps they have hit. Tweaked front ends are the rule not the exception on mountain sleds. Never know what is lurking in the fresh stuff.
The great debate here will be whether the true wear in the motor comes from storage or from riding hard. My bearing in the motor likely went due to rust or corrosion. I will tell you that the sled has always been properly pickled for the summer. A friend just launched a couple pistons in his mountain sled, and the reason for it going appears to be traced back to water in the fuel or bad gas (first ride of the season, first 10 miles – proper summarization and pre-season prep).
I will tell you that when I order my 800 e-tec Summit that I will purchase the longest warranty I can. I would also recommend the same to anyone buying a mountain sled, regardless of the brand.
latebraker
New member
Correct me if I am wrong isnt this why the newer sleds have hour meters on them? My current and last polaris do/did, cant speak for other brands. . Isnt the hour meter kind of a way to monitor usage for off trail/mountain use?
I agree with most of the posters above. A mountain sled ridden exclusively out west will get a pounding. When you are out there you duct tape the throttle ALL the time (but compression is lower so maybe not quite the same on the motor - I don't know). Everything else though especially clutches is spinning at peak RPM.
I have to be honest though - a mountian sled around here though really does not get the same workout. When riding off trail in the UP you get on the throttle here and there but not a whole lot and usually for very short periods of time (there are just too many trees!).
As far as chassis and suspension in my opinion the biggest factor there is maintenance. right now is the worst time of year too. On the first chance of a warm day take the sled and rinse it down with water. Things sitting in humid garages in spring corrode like nobody's business!
So it really depends who is riding it and where.
Blutooth
I have to be honest though - a mountian sled around here though really does not get the same workout. When riding off trail in the UP you get on the throttle here and there but not a whole lot and usually for very short periods of time (there are just too many trees!).
As far as chassis and suspension in my opinion the biggest factor there is maintenance. right now is the worst time of year too. On the first chance of a warm day take the sled and rinse it down with water. Things sitting in humid garages in spring corrode like nobody's business!
So it really depends who is riding it and where.
Blutooth
My guess is you would see similar hours on trail sleds vs. mtn sleds, the hour meter makes an interesting point!
A general observation I noticed out west (one time) it seemed like the vintage and numbers of sleds on the mtn was relatively the same as to what you would see on the trails around the midwest.
A general observation I noticed out west (one time) it seemed like the vintage and numbers of sleds on the mtn was relatively the same as to what you would see on the trails around the midwest.
polarisrider1
New member
Good question! Lots of variables. Hard to answer specifically. I have arguments for both. So answer is, "It depends".
Based on my expeirence with my mtn sled, I would say mine would last longer than a trail sled. I am lucky to get out west once every other year, maybe. So, most of my riding is in the U.P. Like blutooth said, you are not on the throttle all the time, like out west. Plus, I am not on the trails very much, so my suspension is not taking the abuse of constant trail riding, and the bumps that come with it. This is my 4th winter season on my 07, it now has 6300 miles or so, and compression is 120 in both cylinders. I may put a new top end in it this summer, just to give me something to do. 
I don't know when I see a sled for sale that is listed as mostly UP MI I get a diff vision of what the sled has been treated like.when off trail I pound the piss out of my sleds if brush or tree under 2in I just drive over it. bouncing off rocks wood piles climbing trees bouncing off trees .yeah may not get WOT unless climbing hills but still getting well used and abused now I don't think I could get the wife's trail sled in to some of my honey holes if I tried so I guess that is why I go through 3 crossover sleds to 1 of the wife's trail sleds. and that is 1 more reason I don't need a 4 stroke my 2 stroke power plants are running great when the rest of the sled is getting lose
My M8 is now three years old and just flipped 1500 miles and has about 150 hours on it. About 300 miles of that is in the Rockies, the balance is all Yooper time.
A large majority of the time the engine isn't working hard in the UP as the actual time to make a full throttle hillclimb is only a few seconds. The rest of the time is running 10-15 mph down a logging road.
As for condition, it's in nicer shape than any trail sled I've had with this many miles. Beyond the minor scratches on the hood decals from tree branches, it looks like a brand new sled on the outside and under the hood. The suspension is still like new (greased at least once every 150 miles), running the original belt and changed plugs at the beginning of the season for no particular reason.
Like any machine, how you maintain and drive it makes all the difference. Some people ride them hard and put them away wet. Others can eat off the engine - That would be me.
A large majority of the time the engine isn't working hard in the UP as the actual time to make a full throttle hillclimb is only a few seconds. The rest of the time is running 10-15 mph down a logging road.
As for condition, it's in nicer shape than any trail sled I've had with this many miles. Beyond the minor scratches on the hood decals from tree branches, it looks like a brand new sled on the outside and under the hood. The suspension is still like new (greased at least once every 150 miles), running the original belt and changed plugs at the beginning of the season for no particular reason.
Like any machine, how you maintain and drive it makes all the difference. Some people ride them hard and put them away wet. Others can eat off the engine - That would be me.
I would have to say that the sleds we take out west are abused alot more than the sleds we ride back here in the up. when we are out west we have only put 80miles on in 3 days of ridin but ill garantee that those miles are put on with the trigger to the bars. if we ride back in the up we'll put on 80 miles and it isn't half throttle to get those miles. I would say as far as damages I have hit more under the snow in the up than out west. I have never had to roll my sled over on it's hood to get it unstuck in the up but have had to dozens of times. just my .02
Lots of interesting posts! I was trying to think through the differences in costs for trail riding vs. mountain riding. I was thinking that if the mountain sleds lasted longer (less depreciation per year), plus you tend to go through a lot less gas and oil, that it might actually not be more expensive to ride in the West vs. trail ride in the midwest. I currently live in Indianapolis, so I have a long hike to ride no matter where I'm going...I made one trip to the togwotee area a few years back and it definitely got in my blood. I do still love riding trails though....I only get on a sled about 8 days a year or so (usually two trips), so maybe I should reconsider renting instead of owning.
I supposed crossovers are something to consider also, particularly now that fuel injection is common so that you don't have to mess with the carbs for different elevations.
I supposed crossovers are something to consider also, particularly now that fuel injection is common so that you don't have to mess with the carbs for different elevations.
booondocker
New member
I think this story is yet to play out. As more and more 4 strokes get turned loose, I believe the mileage on the sleds will become less and less a factor. If I was going to "pin throttle" all day long, I would want a 4 stroke if I were using my own sled because I think that they will stand up better over time with hard engine use.
As others mentioned you go where "no man" has gone before, expect a bottom that goes away on you from time to time and hitting stuff will do damage. Midwest riding in the high hills and low mountains, you have to watch out for those trees that move in front of you and though I don't run over 2 inch trees like EZRA does, you would be surprised what a 3/4 inch sapling will do to cause foul language to erupt from your mouth doin a turn around or an "up and over" a downed tree.
I would say that a trail sled gets more miles, but less wear except on tracks and skis. Any amount of off trail work puts a far bigger load on the motor and even if you travel where someone went weeks before and evidence is not even noticed, it makes a difference and the motor doesn't work as hard.
For me just ripping down a trail mile after mile gets boring. I need to slow down and look at stuff, and explore. 80 miles is a good day exploring in uncharted snow. If you are thinking that one type of riding could rationalize a better deal saving sleds over another, I just don't think that will be a factor on resale or rational for buying sooner, or buying later down the road.
They both have pluses and minus' and are all things to all people...and that's a good thing.
Skill level is very important in this process too, as a beginner can ride trail all week long and not mess up a sled, but one trip off trial, and the "How in the heck did that get there...." show up in vast numbers. But if you are going to use it....stuff will happen....you deal with it and fix it and get it back running again, and move on. Otherwise, get out a fishing rod and live life in a slower lane.
As others mentioned you go where "no man" has gone before, expect a bottom that goes away on you from time to time and hitting stuff will do damage. Midwest riding in the high hills and low mountains, you have to watch out for those trees that move in front of you and though I don't run over 2 inch trees like EZRA does, you would be surprised what a 3/4 inch sapling will do to cause foul language to erupt from your mouth doin a turn around or an "up and over" a downed tree.
I would say that a trail sled gets more miles, but less wear except on tracks and skis. Any amount of off trail work puts a far bigger load on the motor and even if you travel where someone went weeks before and evidence is not even noticed, it makes a difference and the motor doesn't work as hard.
For me just ripping down a trail mile after mile gets boring. I need to slow down and look at stuff, and explore. 80 miles is a good day exploring in uncharted snow. If you are thinking that one type of riding could rationalize a better deal saving sleds over another, I just don't think that will be a factor on resale or rational for buying sooner, or buying later down the road.
They both have pluses and minus' and are all things to all people...and that's a good thing.
Skill level is very important in this process too, as a beginner can ride trail all week long and not mess up a sled, but one trip off trial, and the "How in the heck did that get there...." show up in vast numbers. But if you are going to use it....stuff will happen....you deal with it and fix it and get it back running again, and move on. Otherwise, get out a fishing rod and live life in a slower lane.
polarisrider1
New member
that was well said.