upset with the current trend in sleds

S

siudog

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Joined
Feb 15, 2004
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60
Age
61
Location
Channahon, IL
Just a quick vent... I closely follow the dirt bike arena, and I see a similarity that is bugging me. Sleds seem to be getting WAY cheaper as they get lighter and though performance is getting better, there is too much of a trade off in reliability and strength to make me desire a newer sled. Not so much Yamaha, but the other brands. Less and smaller bolts, thinner metal and plastic, smaller brakes, and smaller machines in general. I can't take a trip anymore w/o seeing pieces of (primarily) Ski-Doos littering the trail. A side panel here, a "windshield" there, etc. I'm not talking about crash damage either, the junk seems to fall off at the slightest sneeze. Ever look at your newer machine's windshield while riding? It's probably bending at 60+. I'm all for CAD designs, and FEAs that show chassis are better, but carving every ounce is no substitute for an old fashioned stout platform. Like MX bikes, we are getting to a point of having to be 150# to be comfy on the machine. Am I wrong to think that we are getting sleds that are too "disposable", will drive up insurance costs, and that we are paying more for less? I have talked to a lot of guys that have new sleds that admittedly look cool but every one of them seem to long for some sled the used to have. Horror stories of bent this, cracked that, seem to come up more than the good things on these new machines, and lots of engine management system failures too. Give me my '89 El Tigre EXT. You could drive that sucker through a brick wall w/o a scratch!
 
We the public consumer are the driving force for current trends. The published weight of the sled has become a very important indicator to the average puschaser of snowmobiles for how well it will handle and ride. We need to get more of the public to ride the current model Yamaha sleds and prove for themselves that lighter does not mean better. That said, Yamaha recognizes the need to continue to lighten their sleds for many consumers who will still look closely at weights of the sleds.

All of the companies need to do more and more field testing with average joe's doing the testing. Liability is of course a big issue in this arena.
 
Im with Ding,

If you want performance and a 4stroke expect the weight.

If you cant handle the weight, most likely you cant handle the power. :rofl:
 
Everything is getting cheap, not just sleds. I for one would love to see a quality ANYTHING made that I can afford. Cars, sleds, bikes, tools. I could add the name Craftsman to your list of "used to be good, but is junk today". I am saddened by this trend. Corporate profits and shareholder return drive the manufacturer without regard to LONG TERM REPUTATION. Look at what Wal-mart did to Rubbermaid. Used to make good trash cans, but today - crap. My 12-year old Rubbermaid cans are still in use, the 5 year old ones are cut into pieces and in the landfill already.

I'm with ya man. I'm also sick of it. I would rather put my $$$ in a can and burn it than waste it on crap. At least I would get heat.
 
It is a throw-away world we now live in. Can't get a watch fixed anymore, can't get shoes repaired anymore. Won't be long and you will drive a car 50,000 miles take it to a recycle center, they will give you X amount of dollars and you will go buy another............same with sleds. The technology is changing so fast now-a-days, that old is 2 months...........HUMM, that makes me an antique.
 
i have to agree i bent the lower a arm on the right side of my nytro and bent the bolt. just riding moguls, and not nearly as agressive as the vid shows.
 
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