taking the plunge 4 stroke ?

[skdoo500adr]

I have a 07 Polaris FST and a 09 Yamaha Vector. Both 4 stroke trail sleds that are reliable, very good on gas, no oil smell, and perform on the trails very well. It will be hard to go back to the 2 strokes. They are heavier only when you have to lift them...lol

 

[jakester]

Saber,I have a 2008 APEX GT LTX that I don't get to ride enough.Great sled, like new 2000 miles on it. I'm in Northern IL. Don't know if you are looking for new or used. I had both my sleds and trailer for sale on here earlier in the year,but with the new format I didn't know how to bump them. Good luck with a four stroke you'll love it.

 

[attack_06]

attack

anybody found a better steering fix ski skags etc cant corner in woods to good

 

[whitedust]

Bergstrom triple points with skis savers & shims will correct any front end handling problems with Attack. Many JD sledders use Bergstrom triple points as work well on all sleds.

 

[yamahauler]

I would try the Vector as well. Save you some cash and make sure you go with the GT as you can adjust the suspension as you are riding down the trail just by pressing the button with your left thumb, it is great.

Can't beat the reliability on the 4s.

I would take a pad of paper with when you test drive and when you are done sit down right away and write down what rocks and what doesn't. Test the drive the next and do the same. Then make a list with the pros and cons of ease of maintenance, costs to maintain, etc....list them side by side. Add it up and you'll have your answer to with one you will buy.

 

[dab102999]

Bergstrom triple points with skis savers & shims will correct any front end handling problems with Attack. Many JD sledders use Bergstrom triple points as work well on all sleds.

Don't let the price scare you either. Everyone I talk to that has them say they last easily as long as four sets of regular carbides. My sled is set up with slydog skis and shimmed and I have no problem with the way it handles but at the end of the year I am gunna order Bergstroms.

 

[dcsnomo]

I made the move to a Cat Z1 non turbo 4 stroke this season. I am a trail rider, I am a big guy, I like to go fast, and the only time I go off trail is to stop for a burger and a beer. I am not a ditch banging, boondocking, hill climbing, fire breathing, clutch tuning rocket pilot.

Why did I buy a 4 stroke? Well, was looking for a comfortable ride (big, roomy), power, longevity of engine. Also nice to get better mileage, no oil cost, and no smell.

My Z1 (so far) appears to satisfy my needs. I can go all day and be comfortable (yes, I know there are 2 strokes that can do that, too). It is powerful, clean running, and fast. It puts a smile on my face easily.

It is heavy, but if weight was an issue I would go on a diet and not blame the sled. I think the worrisome thing about the sled is the complexity. With the old Polaris Indy if it farted you would just pull off the exhaust and fix it. Not with this one! While I am sure my buddy and I will figure it out, it is complex.

For me, the issue was not 4s vs 2s. The sled I liked, the sled that fit, the sled that I kept coming back to was the Z1. It happened to be a 4s and I thought that was a positive for long term, year after year trail riding.

 

[ubee]

Yamaha 4 stroke the best! just gas and go.I like the fact you can pull the trigger on the lakes and let her rip wide open for miles.Every 2 smoke I ever owned from singles, doubles,triples would burn down if it held it wide open for more than a mile or so! pulling up to the gas pump is nice,no oil,87octane, and only half the fuel that the rest use! Yamahauler,you seem to know your yami suspensions and product well! Your either a engineer or have inside information!! lmaso!!

 

[anonomoose]

Leave CAT??? Had Cat, then Yammers, then Polaris machines, and now back to CAT. Not leave'n any more. Reliable, and dependable and affordable....(well 2 ouda three isn't bad, eh?)

After a few hundred miles, on the TZ1 144, all I can say is wow....maybe too much power, but handles so well and is put together so much better that I couldn't believe it was American Made.

It is crazy fast tho....leaving roosters going 45 or 50 is crazy stuff. But every now and again, it is fun to put the blood back to your backbone and see a blur....

That being said, there is no finer suspension in the biz and when you hit that key for the first time....yikes.....you know this isn't an after-thought machine.

Check'em out....they are that good.

(oh and if 177 squirrels isn't enough....send the chip to speedworx and for a few more clams they will up the squirrel cage to 230 on pump gas)

 

[saber1]

a lot of info to digest. I knew this would happen now I am torn.I am looking for new or any left overs .So i am going to take some rides on both cats and Yamahas in the next 2wks or so then make up my own mind.But at least i have it narrowed down to 2 sleds Apex gt ltx and the Z1.From what i have been hearing though the Apex will need some tweeking to get the cornering dialed in like maybe new skis and bars?

 

[srt20]

Yamaha 4 stroke the best! just gas and go.I like the fact you can pull the trigger on the lakes and let her rip wide open for miles.Every 2 smoke I ever owned from singles, doubles,triples would burn down if it held it wide open for more than a mile or so! pulling up to the gas pump is nice,no oil,87octane, and only half the fuel that the rest use! Yamahauler,you seem to know your yami suspensions and product well! Your either a engineer or have inside information!! lmaso!!

C'mon man! Really? You must not have maintained your 2s very well. Mine and all my buddies have no problem running wide open the long way across Lake Goegbic. Same with the rivers down here.

 

[srt20]

a lot of info to digest. I knew this would happen now I am torn.I am looking for new or any left overs .So i am going to take some rides on both cats and Yamahas in the next 2wks or so then make up my own mind.But at least i have it narrowed down to 2 sleds Apex gt ltx and the Z1.From what i have been hearing though the Apex will need some tweeking to get the cornering dialed in like maybe new skis and bars?

Great idea! I bought a Yammi 4s without ever riding one. Biggest waste of money Ive done to date. Im not bashing 4s, they just werent for me or my riding buddies.

Go ride em all and make up your own mind. I listened to people online, and bought what was recommended. Worst 2700 miles of my life. Ya live and learn.

 

[uncle_ed]

I made the switch to a 4 stroke a few seasons ago and bought a 2007 Apex Gt. I was seeking dependability and did not want to find myself mid-season and broke down again. I found the power to be great but traction out of the hole near impossible. I can see why they might consider lengthing the track to overcome the weight up front. I have not driven a 136 yamaha but the doo 137 I did ride seemed to push slightly compared to a 121. I had a machine with a 128 and push was negligable so that might be a good set up for the new Apex. Engine breaking of the Apex is huge and differs from any 2-stroke I have riden before. You get used to just letting off the gas to slow down and ride the gas all the rest of the time, breaking very little. The machine handles good and when set up right has a great ride and hides the weight good when trail riding. After a long day of riding I still know I was riding a heavier sled than most especially when I get back on a light weight machine and ride. My nephew has an XP 800r and I enjoy that for a change of pace and like things about that sled (and some I dont) and prefer characteristics of mine over it also. Gas milage is good on my Apex but I hear the new doo`s are bragging better milage than 4 strokes with the 2 strokes now and with oil consumption down also with the e-tec technology it has me thinking of that machine in a few years if they prove to be as dependable as what I have now. Dependability is key for me so that is what will drive what I do in the future. I dont know what you are looking for in a new sled but it sounds like there is alot of new stuff coming out for 2011 so check it out!!

 

[whitedust]

Carbides

a lot of info to digest. I knew this would happen now I am torn.I am looking for new or any left overs .So i am going to take some rides on both cats and Yamahas in the next 2wks or so then make up my own mind.But at least i have it narrowed down to 2 sleds Apex gt ltx and the Z1.From what i have been hearing though the Apex will need some tweeking to get the cornering dialed in like maybe new skis and bars?

Any new 4s you buy you will be changing carbides from stock junk carbides if dealer even lets you out the door with 3 inch OEM bars .lol You don't need to change skis just go with Bergstrom Triple Points & Apex LTX GT will be a 1 handed crusier. Mine is. Luv the engine breaking & a good point about Apex. Use it in turns & coming up to stop signs. The brake is just a touch here & there but very different from 2s so does need to be said when stand up riding or on your head when let off gas. Adjust to it & very useful for hot trail riding.

 

[whitedust]

here you go http://www.bergstromskegs.com/

 

[Team Elkhorn]

X2 on stock carbides, I couldnt get those staggered dooly things off my sleds fast enuff.
saber, let me know if you catch a ride on the Z1,what you think. As that prob. be my next sled. When we ordered our new sleds in 07 I got the 2s engines. I thought they would be the last ones i could buy. I thought there was no way they could keep up with 2s emissions. Kudos to the manufacturers for stepping up. Any way, let me know what you think of the power, handling etc. Prob. time for me to go 4s also.
Or anyone else that has a Z1. (Id kill myself on a TZ1. You only hear about the CFs and Ms since most guys off trail on here.
Thanks Dave

 

[lvr1000]

I am going to see if i can get a hold of one to test ride .Dont give up on me yet.

Saber, I thought I would be a 2 stroker forever until the wife got her Z1. It's amazing how light that 4stroke feels on the trails. I just had to get the turbo. She has over 7000 miles on hers and I just turn 4000 on mine, NO REGRETS! Both are equiped the Bergstrom Triple points, SkiSavers and shimmed--no darting. Another benefit is I don't have to buy the misses new riding gear ever year "cause the stuff gets dirty and stinky" I still have a tweaked T-cat that I wear a completely different set of gear (including boots and helmet) when I ride it.

 

[indyxcr]

Some people hate them some love them, I can not say until I drive a new 4 stroke Yamaha, I have heard the front end sucks, that why they are coming out with a new front end with power steering only about $15,000 how many would you like.

 

[rocketman356]

Take a look @ the 4tec renegade

 

[whitedust]

2011 Apex too expensive for me ...wonder how they are selling? Apex LTX GT 2010 & down non currents looking really good to me now. Grab one if you can find one. 2011 $15K MSRP is crazy high for any new sled. Doo 1200 4tek also looking good unless 2011 price goes way up too.