Hi, first time poster on the TY forums, but have posted on the 4 stroke page before. I have a 2006 apex gt that I love, and I am checking out an 02 sxviper that most likely will be coming home with me tomorrow. I am getting the viper because I want to be able to ride with my girlfriend and she loves my apex and I always wanted a triple. My question is about riding position. Everywhere I search online is riding position for off trail or casual riding. I have found a good riding position on my apex for aggressive riding on the trails (safely of course) but can't find out what good aggressive riding positions are for the pre rider forward sleds. I have seen my buddy who has been sledding since the 90s ride with his knees on the running boards and feet backwards. anybody go any tips? I doubt I will be going super fast with this sled because I'll ride the apex if I am going with the boys, but I also would appreciate input on position for the rider centered apex.
Rider Positioning for trails on older vs newer sleds
- Thread starter Donnyvan
- Start date
well i put a bunch of rides in on a 05 sx venture 700 every year and still ride some old iron on the trails.
1st thing you will want, if not already done, is to add a +2" bar riser as it helps you sit more upright. stock bar position keeps you bent over more and in my case, hurts my back after a long day.
next thing i find that helps is boots with less ankle support. i have 2 sets of klim boots and i can only run the older broken in set as when they are stiff/new it hurts me to bend my ankle back in some of the riding positions i use.
on the one up sleds, i tend to slide my butt all over the seat. on long straights/lakes i tend to slide all the way back as far as i can (short arms). in the twistys, i tend to be about 1/2 my reach back as i can lean into the corners better for best performance. this is all with my feet hooked into the footwells as i do have short legs.
brother with stiff boots, ended up riding with his heels by his butt and knees forward and would keep me in sight as i am the more agressive rider. i do reccomend knee/shin protectors when riding this way as my knees and shins are shot from work.
1st thing you will want, if not already done, is to add a +2" bar riser as it helps you sit more upright. stock bar position keeps you bent over more and in my case, hurts my back after a long day.
next thing i find that helps is boots with less ankle support. i have 2 sets of klim boots and i can only run the older broken in set as when they are stiff/new it hurts me to bend my ankle back in some of the riding positions i use.
on the one up sleds, i tend to slide my butt all over the seat. on long straights/lakes i tend to slide all the way back as far as i can (short arms). in the twistys, i tend to be about 1/2 my reach back as i can lean into the corners better for best performance. this is all with my feet hooked into the footwells as i do have short legs.
brother with stiff boots, ended up riding with his heels by his butt and knees forward and would keep me in sight as i am the more agressive rider. i do reccomend knee/shin protectors when riding this way as my knees and shins are shot from work.
I wouldn't even consider the Apex center riding by todays standards. I class it about exactly in between the new sleds of today and a machine like the Viper you are looking at. The 02 Viper will be far less comfortable than the Apex, and the Apex is far less comfortable than the sleds of today, but still a cool sled.
If you are looking to make the 02 Viper more comfortable you will need an aftermarket seat and handlebar riser.
I'm not looking for comfort as I cannot imagine I will ride the viper for more than an hour at a time, as I'd only ride it when my girlfriend is on my apex and an hour is a long ride for her. If I'm going all day with the boys I take the apex and I am very comfortable. just looking at different riding positions for aggressive twisty trails as I want to learn to be faster.
You guys are silly.
I have never felt "uncomfortable" on these sleds.
To me, the newer sleds are like riding a utility 4 wheeler with engine braking.
Just not for me.
If you want to be aggressive on the trails, all you have to do is lean.
Its all it takes. Put your body weight where it needs to be quickly.
When riding like that, I tend to keep my feet farther back on the running boards, almost on my toes, so to speak.
I have zero problems riding aggressive with these sleds.
But, I think its more of what Im used to, compared to what someone else is used to.
I have never felt "uncomfortable" on these sleds.
To me, the newer sleds are like riding a utility 4 wheeler with engine braking.
Just not for me.
If you want to be aggressive on the trails, all you have to do is lean.
Its all it takes. Put your body weight where it needs to be quickly.
When riding like that, I tend to keep my feet farther back on the running boards, almost on my toes, so to speak.
I have zero problems riding aggressive with these sleds.
But, I think its more of what Im used to, compared to what someone else is used to.
Ok, I think I was misunderstanding what you were getting at. One thing I will say is that the old sleds where you sit low will get through a corner incredibly well, way better than any new rider forward sled. But that is the only thing they do well. I find them incredibly uncomfortable compared to new sleds.
I ended up purchasing the 02 viper (no studs) as my backup but besides leaning in, I am finding little information on how to position my body to be quick? I am a motorcycle and dirtbike rider and I can find tips for days on perfect body positioning for corning but if I lookup anything for snowmobiling its all about how to side hill or other off trail stuff. I live in michigan (lower) so I don't need to know how to ride a mountain. I am mostly wondering about foot positioning, body english, taking a corner with/without studs fastest (sliding or keeping traction?), arm positioning, hand positioning on bars. I am a technical person and am eager to learn more.
just lean into the corner similar as to on a motorcycle. keep both hands on the bars and drive how you are comfortable taking the corners leaning in. i tend to move my butt down off of the side and have been seen with it hanging down beside the running boards with my shoulders out farther. both hands still on the bars and both feet still in the foot wells. tip for sleds is to push off the foot well with your foot on the outside of the corner. gf learned that one and picked up 15 mph trail riding.
when you're hanging off the side are you putting your weight further forward or keeping it in a more neutral position? Since I am used to bikes, I am used to loading up the front brake to put extra weight on the front for traction but since a snowmobile doesn't have front brakes, should I be trying to maintain constant throttle or be engine braking through the corner until I can see me exit line and open up? Do I do my breaking before the corner, into the corner, or through the corner? my apex stays fairly glued to the trail under acceleration but I've ridden some friends sleds that will lift the skis easily so I obviously wait to punch it until pretty much out of the corner. I like the pushing off the outside footwell idea. While trying different strategies I found loading up all my weight onto the inside leg and my outside leg would only have enough weight on it to make sure I don't fall off.
Boy, its easy for me to do, but hard to explain.
I do not run studs in any of my sleds, because of the fact that it allows the ass end to slide in a controlled way.
I also run pretty decent carbides in the skis. That keeps front end from pushing, and allows the rear to slide around.
I control how much I want the back end to come around with the throttle.
One you ride it, it will all become evident on what it wants from you.
I do not run studs in any of my sleds, because of the fact that it allows the ass end to slide in a controlled way.
I also run pretty decent carbides in the skis. That keeps front end from pushing, and allows the rear to slide around.
I control how much I want the back end to come around with the throttle.
One you ride it, it will all become evident on what it wants from you.
my weight does end up more forward but i mainly do it to stop inside ski lift on the corners.
all my sleds are set so that on engine braking/decel they plant the skis to steer. you punch throttle on mine and it will try or lift the skis depending on traction/speed. i tend to roll onto and off of the throttle as it helps keep mouguls from forming on the trails. i roll onto it when i see the exit line i am using. i tend not to use the brake at all on my 4 stroke sleds as i got 19000 mi on the stock brakes on my 11 apex xtx. i do touch the brake on the 2 stoke sleds a tiny bit to match the speeds needed for conditions. i engine brake down to the speed i want and hold the throttle fairly constant through the corner as i do not use studs and like to keep traction for control in corners. i run stud boy shaper bars with 6" carbide on all my skis that i can get them for.