Need opinion on 4 strokes

[G]

Everything mrbb states is true. An Apex has a very perceptable drone at certain speeds. But it also sounds really good when you are holding it wide open. Trade offs. All sleds are trade offs. There is no perfect sled. On the older sit down non-rider forward sleds the weight is more noticable. In my own personal opinion there are three main reasons the industry has gone to rider forward. Weight distribution being #1. After that better control. And finally rider forward sleds are a lot more forgiving to one's back. A normal person will become much less fatigued riding any of the new rider forward sleds whether it is a 2 or 4. However you can still have fun on a 2006 sled no matter what color it is. Look for something with low miles. High miles on any sled mean maintenence. The motor on a 14 year old 4's might last a long time but everything else will wear out.

 

[whitedust]

I don’t know anyone that has done a top end rebuild on a Yamaha 4s snowmobile engine. I have 12000 plus miles on my 2012 xtx and no need to rebuild the top end. Certainly Nick Keller and Kip would know how many top ends they do but I don’t know of any in my sphere of friends.

 

[slimcake]

Nick Keller's "Mary Jane" would have made it the full 99,956 miles if he wouldn't have broke the timing chain. That is what he told me. Said the internals looked great. I think it was around 60 some thousand when that broke. They are impressive. For the record I have a 850 Polaris coming. I think I have many more years of 2 stroke in me before I "retire" to a 4 stroke...

 

[harvest1121]

I am a big Yamaha 4 stroke person. Had 13k on my 2015 Viper they are having starting problems with the high miles machines. Something with the head shims so time will tell. But I did buy another new Viper have to like that 5 year warranty.

 

[POLARISDAN]

I switched to a 4 stroke a couple years , will never go back to a 2. It's time to ban those nasty smelling , gas guzzling , noisy unreliable dinosaurs.

ur on crack bro

4 strokes on my boat yami only
never on my sleds

 

[snobuilder]

4 stroke Yamahas.... smooth, fast, quiet and manageable . 2 stroke Polaris' buzzy, fast, flickable and fun.
The higher mile Yamahas with power steering are getting more affordable. Non PS ...2011 and earlier, are great machines as well.
70,000 + miles on Yamaha 4 strokes here. Some maintenance needed, but well worth the smooth clean power

 

[slowsi00]

Power Steering = no weight up front. especially on tight groomed trail. One handed in the twists all day. Power steering is a HUGE upgrade.

 

[mrbb]

Power Steering = no weight up front. especially on tight groomed trail. One handed in the twists all day. Power steering is a HUGE upgrade.

I agree, I wish more makers offered it, as right now I don't even think Yamaha does
its gone bye bye
and heck the whole comp[any might be out of the game on sleds soon period, as not looking like there big in sled as they once were!
a shame to me, but winters have NOT been good lately in more and more places
MT states are all that seem consistent anymore and even there snow can NOT be what it was!

 

[whitedust]

I agree, I wish more makers offered it, as right now I don't even think Yamaha does
its gone bye bye
and heck the whole comp[any might be out of the game on sleds soon period, as not looking like there big in sled as they once were!
a shame to me, but winters have NOT been good lately in more and more places
MT states are all that seem consistent anymore and even there snow can NOT be what it was!

There is a modification for the pro cross called mechanical power steering that changes the geometry of the steering linkage to make trail riding easier to steer. Pats had a kit and was going to install on a demo Sidewinder. I liked the Sidewinder a lot but lacked EPS which I like. Seems to me Yamaha and AC should have used EPS on the pro cross and would have sold more sleds.

 

[mrbb]

There is a modification for the pro cross called mechanical power steering that changes the geometry of the steering linkage to make trail riding easier to steer. Pats had a kit and was going to install on a demo Sidewinder. I liked the Sidewinder a lot but lacked EPS which I like. Seems to me Yamaha and AC should have used EPS on the pro cross and would have sold more sleds.

I think it would have been a great option to have, but honestly, due to the fact Yamaha isn't still adding it, I have to think its due to so few wanted it,
so many snowmobilers get caught up in weight numbers and want them as low as can be
lower weight sells more sleds than power steering, so I gather that is why its not on sleds

for how often I ride slow twisty trails, its not worth the hassle or added costs to add an after market one to a sled,
but again, if I had the option and deal was right, I wouldn;t care about the added weight of it, over the added easy it could offer, but I might be a odd ball over the normal rider/buyer in today's market
and they do tend to target the popular more than the odd ball buyers

 

[chunk06]

I got a good buy on a 14 Viper with warranty left so I picked it up to try one out. Impressive on groomed trails , but that’s where it stops. Riding ditches and fields to get to the trails where not fun. Got it stuck once and it was **** to get out. Tipped it over once in a ditch and I almost had to roll it completely over to get it up right. Had the starter issue that took out the stator even though the dealer said it was the updated reflash, two weeks out. I can not figure out why they had these issues on the early vipers when they used this engine for years in other sleds. Only upside to me was being able to run wide open down the river with no worries, but my wife snuck past me on her Indy 600! So in my opinion unless you’re a high mile groomed trail rider the smokers are still the way to go

 

[harvest1121]

I do not think the Viper needs power steering my average day is 250-350 not tired at all. I had a 2008 Ski doo Xp then went to a Nytro that was a change. The Nytro needed power steering.

 

[POLARISDAN]

I got a good buy on a 14 Viper with warranty left so I picked it up to try one out. Impressive on groomed trails , but that’s where it stops. Riding ditches and fields to get to the trails where not fun. Got it stuck once and it was **** to get out. Tipped it over once in a ditch and I almost had to roll it completely over to get it up right. Had the starter issue that took out the stator even though the dealer said it was the updated reflash, two weeks out. I can not figure out why they had these issues on the early vipers when they used this engine for years in other sleds. Only upside to me was being able to run wide open down the river with no worries, but my wife snuck past me on her Indy 600! So in my opinion unless you’re a high mile groomed trail rider the smokers are still the way to go

smokers? unless its michigan legal bud my 800 got none

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I do not think the Viper needs power steering my average day is 250-350 not tired at all. I had a 2008 Ski doo Xp then went to a Nytro that was a change. The Nytro needed power steering.

sorry i call bs(about 350)

 

[harvest1121]

smokers? unless its michigan legal bud my 800 got none

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sorry i call bs(about 350)

I get up and ride at 8 am not 3 pm ask Frank (Fuji)

 

[POLARISDAN]

I get up and ride at 8 am not 3 pm ask Frank (Fuji)

yea frankie is a miler too..but nobody AVERAGES that kind of miles..and isnt sore..if frankie aint got a hot tub hes toast..and i still say that a little tall tale

 

[snobuilder]

yea frankie is a miler too..but nobody AVERAGES that kind of miles..and isnt sore..if frankie aint got a hot tub hes toast..and i still say that a little tall tale

Jezus...you want to be callin out tall tales? I thought you was a snow mo biler?...LOL...BTW ...any 4 stroke experience? even better Yamaha strokes?...with all of the UP grades you like to run, you owe it to yourself to get on one for 350...maybe more.

 

[slimcake]

Hey come on now kids. I did 880 miles in two days and all that was sore was my neck and my wallet. That's was on a 800 poo smoker. Nick Keller will back it up. 350 ain't hard inda yoop. Won't be sore at all if it's weekday riding. Come on baby I need to scratch my itch!! If we all could get together and ride it would be awesome!!

 

[POLARISDAN]

Hey come on now kids. I did 880 miles in two days and all that was sore was my neck and my wallet. That's was on a 800 poo smoker. Nick Keller will back it up. 350 ain't hard inda yoop. Won't be sore at all if it's weekday riding. Come on baby I need to scratch my itch!! If we all could get together and ride it would be awesome!!

ur gonna ride with SB? are u gonna bring the firearms? hahaha..yea.. i dont know..maybe im da puss..be curious what guys average..i ride so many days that im gud at 125-150..anything more is rare..plus i like to socialize..so sitting on a horse all day beating myself to death aint what its all about..alot of it..just not all of it..

 

[1fujifilm]

yea frankie is a miler too..but nobody AVERAGES that kind of miles..and isnt sore..if frankie aint got a hot tub hes toast..and i still say that a little tall tale

I am too old and fat not to need a hot tub, generally stay somewhere that has one (I like the Ramada and Super 8 in Hancock/Houghton).
One time I hit 340-360 in one day but it was a perfect storm. Wetmore, MI to Raco, MI via Grand Marais, MI and Paradise, MI and back to Wetmore. Also, took the loop near where the Fitzgerald went down.
How did I do it, mid-week ride, new 600 E-tec sled and a day that snowed about 10 inches over the day that filled in all the bumps perfectly.
Man, I want to do that ride again if the signs line up again, makes me feel young again.

Maybe this year, I am back on a 120 track from a 137 and hope to handle the twisties a little easier on the arms.

Bear

 

[old abe]

You'll never make that run on that new ride bear as too many stops for fuel, eh??? Ha ha!!!