Mm Purchase Advice

Fluid

Fluid

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
19
Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Hi all,

I posted this up on the main as well, But may be better suited here...


I am looking at 3 Mountain max's.
1997 600
1999 600
2000 600.

Which is the Twin and which are Triples?

I no they are not intended for Eastern Trail riding, But my use will be more off trail. Can I set these things up to handle O.K. on Hard pack. I am also looking at Venture's, which I would install a single seat, to shed wieght.

All comments appreciated!

M.
 

2000 has better track angle for getting up on top of the snow better. Check lug height, if I remember correctly, 97 was 136" by 1 1/2" paddles, 2000 was 141" by 2" paddles, cannot remember what 99 was but I assume 136" by 2". Why not buy a 700 mtn. viper, it is a lot more sled. I had a 2000-700cc triple mm and it did not even remotely compare to my viper. would be worth a extra $1000 IMO. Buy the best sled you can afford so you are happy with it longer.
 
Last edited:
Fluid said:
I will have a look at the Viper as well... How will it handle on trails?

M.
Click to expand...
Not particularly well.
2inch lug =crappy Hyfax life unless scratchers are added
skinny ski stance + no sway bar+ higher rise bars= not a whole lot of fun on the trails

All opinions are just that, these are mine.
 
If 70% of your riding will be on trails get a trail sled and or the other way around. Any mtn sled on the trails needs to be rode with a little caution. They are tippy in corners and the track will grab instead of slide in the corners and throw you. They do handle the bumps very well. scratchers are a must with a 2" track.
 
I have a 2000 MM 700 and love it! Like everyone else said, the on-trail riding aspect is not very good. I took two 100 mile ride last year on the trails because I had some friends from Detroit come and visit me and completely burned thru a set of slides. The cornering is less than desirable, you definately have to be light on the throttle if the trails are narrow and twisty. Also as already stated, they do ride very nice in the bumps. Out of the three you have listed, I would definately go with the 2000 600 MM. I know two people that have them and they are great sleds, but the group I ride with sticks mainly to the untracked roads and deep-woods powder exploring. My .02 for what it is worth...
 
if you get a mtn max or mtn viper and still run a lot of groomed trails/lakes , run simmons ski's with their snow deflectors that mount on the skis, anti-ratchet drivers (adjust the track to be loose), this all equals more hp to the snow, engine will run cooler and you should get about 3,000 miles per set of hyfax.
 
I made a mistake on the 97... Its a 700 not a 600.

I made a mistake on the 97... Its a 700 not a 600.

I just saw the 97 MM 700. It has 12000KM on it. It was extremely clean.
The Sales guy said, more or less the same thing you have said. Newer ones are far better designed and are "TIPPY" on groomed trails.

What do you thinK?

Thanks for all the feedback.
M.
 

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The 2000 MM has a lot less angle of attack on the track, has the 141 X 2" and they transfer much better. They where a great improvement over the previous years.
 
I had a 2000 MM600 before my viper mtn. It was a great sled. I never found it to be difficult to handle on the trails. It came with the sway bar stock so it wasnt too tippy. After i removed it, it was definitely more tippy but a big improvement off trail. Another reason to get the 2000 would be the updated steering post from the 199x years that were prone to breaking. Ice scratchers are a good idea if you run on hardpack trails a lot, they will make the sled run cooler and save hifax wear.
 
Looking at 97MM700

Hi all,

Happy T.G. To our Neighbours.

I will be looking at a 97 MM 700 This weekend. It has 7000KM,and is clean, clean. At least thats the way it looks from the pics. 2 up seat included, Low windshield, Upgraded skis.
I have enjoyed my re-search on the site. Great Job Folks!

Please let me know your opinions... What should I watch for.

Thanks all,

M.
 
I have owned a 97 700 Mmax, currently have a 99 700 Mmax & 03 Viper mnt. and have ridden a few 2000 & newer 700 Mmax's (144 X 2')

97 700 Mmax:Track = 1.5 X 136"
Pros: Best for trails of the three you mentioned.
- Lowest rear profile in the rear over the 99 & 2000,s
- 1.5 lug Changed Hyfax at 6500 miles
Top speed was better (lower track profile)
Softer ride than the 99 700
Cons: Weak trailing arms. Yamaha corrected on 98's
Steel skis are junk. Ran SLP ultra's then Simmons.
Track angle 23deg. 17deg. much better (Deep snow)
Carbs are not heated.
Rear shock is junk changed out with KYB re-buildable.

I sold that machine with over 7K miles on it. Just put the simmons skis on and a new seat cover. The engine was bullet proof. The carbs had iced up on occasion when running deep powder. When new, the dealer had set the gearing up for sea level. The speedo would peg on long runs 110-120. I blew a few belts. Later in deep snow I cooked three belts in a day. The dealer re-geared. 85-90 tops after that but no more belt problem. The 99 offered more for my riding style.

99 700 Mmax:Track = 2 X 136"
Pros: Re-enforced trailing arms
Higher clearance in rear
2" track
Heated carbs
Plastic skis (still installed simmons)
Cons: (compaired to 2000 & newer)
Track angle 23 instead of 17 deg.
Yokohama track no very good.
Broke sterring post (97 - 99 weak design at the top)
Ride: Even with another KYB in rear it is stiffer than the 97. The 2000 & newer just plain couples better and is a better suspension.

Currently have 6400 miles. Changed Hyfax at 5K. Camoplast Challenger made 100 percent diff. in climbing. Hooks & hand grip improvments, MBRP can, Simmons a little tricky in crusted snow in spring.

03 Viper Mnt: Just picked up with 350 miles on it. MP roller secondary, MP trackion kit, Engine torque stop kit. Installed Power Mad riser & pivot, Simmons skis, Boss seat O/O. Tripple pips next? Need snow to ride.

My $.02; Looks like you may have your mind set on the 97. This machine looks to have some miles on it. Expect to spend some on clutch work and maybe the engines top end. Look that undercarriage over well. I would go with a 700 over the 600 any day.The gas milege diff. is negative. A Mountain Max gets better mileage than most other manufacturers of that era. If more than 50 percent of your riding will be on packed trails, stay with the shorter track. If you expect to be boondocking/trail riding then maybe a 144 or 141 X 1-1/4" Ripsaw is for you.
 
Fluid, where do you ride? I used to ride in Northern Ontario, in the Muskoka area, a few times a year. For riding in this type of area, with some trail and lake riding, as well as off trail riding, I wouldn't go with a MM. I have an '01. It's OK as a mountain sled, but lacking on the trails. You won't be riding "bottomless" powder, the gearing of a MM isn't optomized for the trail, and tall lugs will cook hyfax the first time you run a lake. Having said that the earlier, 136" 1.5 lug would probably survive and be considerably better than the 144 x 2 of the later sleds.

If you are riding these kinds of areas, I'd think about a getting a "trail" sled and picking up a set of rail extensions and tunnel extension (if necessary) and putting about a 136 x 1.25 under it. The wider ski stance of a trail sled would be nicer on trails or hard pack, you can corner alot faster. Plus you keep the gearing you can use for speed runs.

You didn't say where you will be riding and how much you want to spend, or if you are comfortable swinging a wrench and doing some mods yourself. If you can let us know this it would help. Having said all this, if you can get that '97 you were looking at for a very good price (it would have to be low given the miles), there is noting wrong with giving it a try for a season, it may suit you well. Any other make I'd tell you to run from with those miles...but with a Yamaha...maybe. It's still a lot of miles for a two stroke, I understand pistion skirts can be an issue after 6K miles or so, but the lower end (the expensive part) is rock solid.

Good luck, let us know what you do.

Bri
 
Bri,

You hit the nail on the head, as far as riding.
I will watch for 2 up and convert to single seat and invest in good track. Or extend Trail Sled.
I will be mostly off trail at the cottage. I want to spend $3K-$4K.
I dont mind Wrenches as I have many other toys that require non stop maintenance.

Thanks for your help.
 
Fluid, I kind of miss that kind of riding! A fast trail banzi, playing in some open fields/meadows, then a speed run across a lake, topped with a Labbats at the end of the trail! I'm new to mountain riding here in the west and still not proficient, but man it's a ball. Coming off of trail riding it's a whole different world, my first time riding with some of the guys out here I felt lost, couldn't manuver worth a darn off trail, didn't know how to climb a serious hill, what the heck is this highmarking all about? I thought I was pretty agressive on a sled, but these guys are nuts!

From what I recall, 3-5 feet total snow on the ground at one time in that area (Muskoka) would be alot, with a pretty firm base, some powder, and rolling, gentle hills. The things I noticed with my MM vs my old trail sled was that while the MM will handle trails and get you were you need to go, it's tippier than a trail sled, due to the narrower ski stance, and a bit tougher to turn due to the longer track. You don't get that "slot car" feeling of whipping a trail sled on a groomed trail, but that's not what they are optomized for. Do you run lakes much? One issue is that the mountain sleds are geared somewhat lower (numerically higher) than a trail sled, you'll be rpm limited, rather than HP limited for top speed. In either of these cases, the MM will get you where you want to go, just not quite as quickly as a trail sled.

If the largest share of your riding will be in the woods and fields playing in virgin snow, that narrowness and track length will work just as well for you as it does here in the mountains. And from your posts, it sounds like this might be the case. And the stock 141 track(or 136 on the earlier sleds) I would think would be great for the amount of snow you see, you should be able to run around anywhere and not worry about getting stuck. Riding conditions vary so much, around here a 141 is a short track. You might want to talk with one of your local dealers and see what guys that ride like you want to are riding.

I'm sure not knocking the MM, I really like mine.

BTW, what's the conversion from US$ to CDN now? The '97 you were talking about would be considerably less than that around here in USD, '00-01's are $2-3k. Also, I took more time to read your posts this time, I was thinking the sled you were looking at was 7000 miles, not km, there should be a lot of life left in that motor from what I understand.

If you get the sled at the right price, you can always do some mods to dial it in for what you need. For $3-4k I'd think you could get a 00 or later MM (with the improvements the other guys mentioned), swap a-arms for the wider stance and swap gears, change to a shorter lug track(the 141/144 x 1/4 Ripsaw that cos mentioned) (trade off yours) and have a really great machine for your conditions, without spending a lot of money or time. The MM suspension is a pretty darned good trail suspension, and more than enough for the off-trail conditions I think you'll see.

Please let us know what you decide.

Bri
 
Bri,

The sled got sold... The guy who showed up before me bought it, Oh well.

Sleds are cheaper in the States for sure. and the Canadian Dollar is High these days. I will look at the newer MM.
2000 in the trader right now.

Got a childhood Friend that is in Boise... He went in 86 to play Football and never came back. I only see him every couple of years. I hear its great country.
I will watch for 2 up sleds also, convert to one up...

Thanks for your comments.

M.
 
Fluid, what's it take to bring a used sled into Canada from the states? You could hop down to the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area in an hour or so (thats my old stomping grounds) and pick one up. I have no idea if the savings make it worth while.

BTW, I'm in the northern part of Idaho, never made it to Boise. That's changing next weekend, I'm running down to pick up a used RX-1 mountain. Somewhere around 500 miles each way, I'm not looking forward to the drive.
 
What about Long tracking a 99 sxr 600-700. Are these good models?
Kits are available
I found a few for sale and could get a good deal on one.

Sxr, Has the longer suspension?


M.
 
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