For the past few years I've been off the trails and mainly just boondocking with long track sleds. This spring the snow was pretty good so I revisited the groomed trails with an SRX and a VX800. Even though I've had newer sleds, I've kept these just because they were tremendous sleds in their day and are still a kick to ride. So, I'm wondering if the SRX is still considered a fast trail sled? I know it can ride like a lumber wagon and best not to go exploring with it, but is there anything out there that can perform like a slot car on a smooth trail like the SRX? Not looking to embellish the SRX, just wondering what else has evolved.
xsivhp
Active member
Nothing new handles like the older sleds, you just sit so much lower on them the low center of gravity makes them easy to ride fast on smooth trails.
low slung
Active member
MXZ 600 Carb is about as close your going to get in a modern sled to that slot car like handling(zero ski lift).Any other modern sled has some ski lift,just goes with the nature of the rider-forward step up.The Turbo SRX has some good reviews since the suspension sits lower but the weight is there to keep it planted.I still don,t think it would keep up with a well tuned 700SRX on a smooth twisty river
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MXZ 600 Carb is about as close your going to get in a modern sled to that slot car like handling(zero ski lift).Any other modern sled has some ski lift,just goes with the nature of the rider-forward step up.The Turbo SRX has some good reviews since the suspension sits lower but the weight is there to keep it planted.I still don,t think it would keep up with a well tuned 700SRX on a smooth twisty river
You really think a 700SRX can run with the new Sidewinder SRX???? or any Sidewinder???? I understand what you're saying about the course but I figured those Sidewinders were the real deal nowadays.
low slung
Active member
Straight line or very bumpy terrain?No question the Sidewinder/Cat/SRX would leave behind the 700SRX but a very smooth but very twisty river run i give the corner speeds to the old school SRX.
MatthewRJensen
New member
I’ve got an SX Viper, which is similar to the SRX in terms of the engine, excluding triple pipes and a slightly different crank. It’s got around 125 horsepower and it rides nicer than the SRX due to having more suspension travel. The Viper is stupid fast for being 18 years old and keeps up with my buddy’s Ski-Doo Renegade 1200 no problem, which is also so fast it’ll almost throw you off when you punch it. The SRX has more power than the Viper, so I’d definitely say it’s still considered a fast sled, they’re very fast sleds. I also seriously believe the old sleds handled much better than the new ones, with their lower center of gravity and zero ski lift. My Viper is easier to ride, and much more predictable than any other machine I’ve ridden. I’ve tried other newer Ski-Doos and since they sit so much higher, I don’t feel as comfortable around corners on the trails. It could be just because I’m not used to the higher ride height and heavier steering, but my buddy’s MXZ 1200 lifts a ski around most corners while my Viper stays completely flat. Then again, the Ski-Doo having single carbides and my Viper having dual carbides could affect that as well.
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shaggyzr2
Active member
It's common sense.....old srx = lower center of gravity, anything lower will corner better. it's like comparing a pickup truck to a corvette going through a corner.
I've bought and sold quite a few sleds over the years (including Yamaha 4 strokes), did some Yamaha and Cat demo rides and had a few guys let me try out their "new" sleds. But I never got rid of my SRXs - just because they had something the others didn't. Thought I'd like the Ski Doo until I bought one. The Sidewinder got my attention, though. But what the heck, if those SRXs will still run with the pack, I'll be happy to keep them on the trail.
New sleds, to me, feel like i’m riding a utility 4 wheeler.
Doesn’t feel right, chassis or the motor.
Really dislike engine braking.
I need a hood to open as well...lol
Now, if someone could figure out how to get that new turbo on the old SRX...
Doesn’t feel right, chassis or the motor.
Really dislike engine braking.
I need a hood to open as well...lol
Now, if someone could figure out how to get that new turbo on the old SRX...
shaggyzr2
Active member
When I ride a new rider forward sled....it feels like I'm riding a bar stool down the trail. lol
LOL. Good one. Chassis-wise, the past few years it seems to me the designers are all following whatever Doo comes up with. I started riding in the late '60s so maybe my bones kinda conformed to the traditional position. But, I'm all for tech and improvements. I have/had the rider forward sleds and like them for just poking around in the woods, not really going fast at all, where you gotta stand up a lot and survey for the best route. It can be a pain to do stuff on the engine (no hood, just a bunch of panels). We really don't get a lot of deep powder here but I did get the chance to try a rider forward mountain sled after a big snow dump a few weeks ago, doing the wrong foot forward turns and all that stuff - that's a workout but was fun. Got me thinking about how we regularly got around in even deeper snow back in the '70s with traditional seating, lower HP, no suspension short tracks - can't say if there was a technique, we just did it somehow. And no, I don't want to go back.
I have an 04 viper, I always lift the inside ski. But if youre not, then the guy behind you, will be in front.
BornYamaha
Member
Love my 2003 viper for all the reasons you mentioned. For what it is worth you should just try one of the new Polaris with the external shock in the back. By some magic they really feel stable in the trails cornering. Not anything like any other newer higher seat position sleds I have been on. I think it has something do do with how low they got the engine in the chassis. I have never had anything but Yamaha but I had the opportunity to ride one a couple years ago and was impressed. They don't take the turns any better than the old sleds we love but they are in the ballpark plus you can ride them longer more comfortably. There really isn't any sled out there ,without a turbo, that would be significantly faster than a well setup 700 SRX. Some a little faster but not a lot.
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WildMax;724133 Got me thinking about how we regularly got around in even deeper snow back in the '70s with traditional seating said: