My thoughts on all the new sleds

aSRX600guy

aSRX600guy

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Location
Norway, MI
I went to the Novi show on Sunday. Here are my thoughts.

Best looking sled:
Arctic Cat Panther 660 Trail

Ugliest Sled:
Ski Doo Freestyle

Most comfortable sled:
Yamaha Venture Lite

Sleds I'd consider for myself:
Attack GT
Apex RTX
Venture Light
Mnt. Phazer
Phazer FX

Sleds I'd consider for the little lady
Cat Z570 LX
Venture Lite
Panther 660 trail (too bad it wasn't cheaper or came in a 1 up for the 570)

The Revs aren't comfortable for me or my wife. Polaris didn't really jump out at me, and I'm not sure how much I could trust a Polaris with all their bad press with the IQ.

The show wasn't as crowded as in years past (I heard 50% attendance vs. years before), I wonder if the trails will follow suite.

$25 is a lot of money to wander around and pick up brochures. at $10 a head, parking should be included.
 
Did you sit on any of the new A/C with Infinite Rider Position. They were comfortable to. I am debating between a Venture Lite or Phazer GT for my wife and a Phazer FX for myself. I am not sure if a child would fit too good in front or back of me on the Phazer GT or FX. The freestyle is ugly. Somone needs to make a sled like the inviter or something similar for the transistion from a 120 to fullsize. Something midsize for 8-12 year olds. It would also be popular with ice fisherman
 
Another thing I noticed A/C uses 10 different sled engines!
Yamaha makes 3.

I didn't try the IRP, but I wouldn't trust any adjustable seat on a sled to stay adjusted on a rough trail.
 
Ya I was there Sunday as well. Sure was easy to walk around. I was lucky to get in for nada so no complaint there.

I did not sit in a single machine. Ya I'd like a new sled but for the same reason I don't drive car's better than mine, I might want one.

I did get some SKi's from Rich. Fit well and look great.

I spent most of my thime there looking for boots and finally found some after an hour. However instant gratification is not possible since they sold out of size 12's really early in the show.

It was cool browsing around the Yamaha booth but it was odd that no rep paid attention to my presence.

I did not get to the AC booth since I saw one of there mini shows and was not really interested. The 10 motor thing is really odd. You would think a few less might be more cost effective.
 
I had no attention from Reps on Sunday also. My 7 year old son asked if they had any posters he could have and they just brushed him off. A/C booth gave him 2 posters and bull$hited with him a little. My son loves Yamaha and wasn't very happy after that.
 
Get some seat time and your opinions will likely change somewhat. Unless of course you spend your sleddin time sitting in the parling lot. I know this hard to do when you want to buy a sled before the season, but check the northern dealers out. It is likely worth a trip even to just get a rip around a field.

The Apex RTX is really hard to beat for riding hard, but the Rev's give it really stiff competition. Again sitting on it in a show is quite different The A/C sleds are falling behind in ride, but fir and finish is improving. The Venture RS is rally hard to beat for cruising. The Phazer is an incredible chassis, but unless they addressed the vibration you wife likely won't like it. One word of advice, watch out for the hard piece in front of the seat on the Venture lite. It's a real ball buster. Now if they take the Venture lite chassis (minus the femalizer part) and drop the 120 (or a refined version of it) in there, they just might have a real winner.
 
Monday night was packed compared to last year, went the same time and day and it was nuts to butts. I stopped by the Yami booth, then got my parts and left, couldnt take it.

I'd need some seat time on a new phazer before I bought one. Nytro ER will prolly be the next sled sitting next to my Viper.
 
i gotta say it, yamaha doesnt make just 3 engines, there are only 3 4 stroke engines. there is also 3 fan cooled 2 strokes, the 485 fan, 540 fan and the trusty 250
 
polaris dosen't have bad press with the IQ it's the fushion that's whay they dropped the name and some models and redid some stuff on the carbed 600.
 
The sled Yamaha should do for next year would be lighter and lower (thiner seat, shorter cheaper shocks) Phazer with a 350 single 4 stroke air cooled engine from the Grizzly (maybe with a plastic fan screwed to the back of the clutch). I don't think a liquid single would be cheap or light enough to justify the lost power. It would be a great teen entry / transition older kids / Ice shanty / old fart sled. Basicly, a better Freestyle that doesn't look so much like a scolded puppy. It seams to me the biggest cost would be redoing the front plastic. the rest is already there.

Another Phazer varient could be a racer 660 or 700 single direct drive in place of the current 500 gear reduction twin. lots of racing organizations don't like gear reduction engines for sleds. I think it could compete in the 440/500 class.

I'd also like to see Yamaha make an Apex 2-up. I thought they should have done that right from the begining of the RX1

I didn't really bother looking at the triple Yamis because I figure they will be redone after 1 more season. probably as a 8or900 nongear reduction twin in a scaled up Phazer chassis would be my guess. It would also make a good VK replacement, but so would the Venture lite with a couple of tweaks.

I don't ever expect a Turbo Apex, but maybe work with a turbo guy to make a kit that doesn't void the warantee. GM does it with some super chargers kits. some dealers would sure love it.
 
Last edited:
redsnake3 said:
i gotta say it, yamaha doesnt make just 3 engines, there are only 3 4 stroke engines. there is also 3 fan cooled 2 strokes, the 485 fan, 540 fan and the trusty 250
Click to expand...

for you, here in th USA we get nothing but 4 strokes!
 
oh, and PS....My wife saw the new cats at a dealer we were driving by. she decided they looked like the scene in Beetlejuice where they pull their faces down and make their noses pointed and eye-sockets huge lol!!! from now on thats all I think of when I see one! thought that was funny as hell :) the fit/finish on the new cats is impressive though, much more competitive than in recent years, thats for sure
 
I looked at the Jag last spring, and then I went to our show last weekend. The new cat chassis has some nice features BUT I really think the adjustable seat is going to be a disaster. I had to fight with the adjuster handle to get the seat to move up and down. Imagine doing this at -20 with snow and ice in there? Also, It feels solid when down, but when it is top position, the whole seat flexes up and down a lot. That is going to break with a big boy pounding down on it. Also, the adjustable handle bars do not impress me. That little latch thingy that holds the tension mechanism is going to break as well. They are going to have guys going over the front after hitting a deep mogul and the bars slip forward. I have been wrong before, but that is what my common sense is telling me.

The rest of the sled I could live with as long as it was reliable and held together. I am betting they will be plenty fast.
 
I rode a jag last year, was about the same as a vector without the cool sound. not bad, other than the price being the same as an apex and being no where near the same sled :( I think the handlebars will be fine, seat SHOULD be. they said last spring they did some hard testing on it because it was a concern. pretty damn decent sled for a cat, come a LONG ways in one model year!till would take a yami 4 stroke though ;)
 
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