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a_user

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What about the SXR and SRX's?

Hi All,

I know this is probably the thousandth time this question has been asked, but I am new here and didn’t find much in the searches.

I am looking to get back into the sport this year after being away from it for a few. I really don’t have a preference as far as brand of sled goes but have been leaning more towards arctic cat and skidoo more due to the availability of the machines in this area and my previous seat time experience with them. I know the ergonomics and have a general taste of the handling characteristics within my year range and there is lots of information on them.

With that being said however there have been some pretty decent deals come up on Yamaha sxr and srx’s, some vmax’s and some vipers. I am looking at a 700cc sled, preferably an sXr due to the improved ride characteristics over the srx, if I decide to pursue this direction.

My real questions are as follows: I have always noticed that yamaha’s seem to have a much lower ride height then the other brands. This concerns me. I am 6’3 and 200lbs. I am concerned the ride and suspension travel is going to make for some rough trail riding and ditch banging compared with say, an MXZ or ZR. My next concern is based around the weight of these machines. I have always heard Yamaha’s are typically heavier then other sleds, in some cases, much. Is the sxr a triple or dual cylinder engine? I know srx is a triple.

I know the yamaha’s have a reliable and very beefy powerband and typically better on gas then other brands (2 strokes). But Im not sure what else really sets them apart. Also they don’t seem to hold the same resale value as other brands. At least in my area.
I am looking at 99-01 and currently have my eyes on a 2001 sxr 700.

Any information you would be able to provide on these sleds and why one might chose one would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
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yes the sxr is a triple ....and has a lil more travel in the suspension ,,,i am olny 150 and my srx rides nice i have rode with my wifr on back she is like 120 and still rode ok ...with the rite shocks and settings you would be fine ....the reason you dont see as many for sale is cause once you buy one you wont want to sell it ,,,,lol .ya they are a little heavier just means they are built to take a beating ..buy a yamaha you wont be upset
 
I'm 6' 235 lbs and I dont find the SRX to ride to rough, I like it quite a bit... To me If your looking to buy a sled, and of the years when the sxr's, srx's and vipers were around I would definately be buying one of them compared to another brand. IMO they are a better built machine and put together better then the competition... now thats only my opinion but I have 10 000km on my machine and I havnt had one single problem with it at all. Normal maintenance but everything else has been extremely good.... Buy a Yammy you wont regret it
 
Im 6' 240lb and i have a SXr 700. I find the ride is not bad at all and i have a bad back. A friend of mine has a SXr 700 with over 10,000 miles on it and has never had a problem. People have said yamaha has a bad suspension but i dont find this true. You cant beat a yamaha SXr or viper for reliabilty. :winterrul
 
Yamaha is the way to go, If you maintain them you will rarely have a problem. My srx suspension works good for the trail and boondocking I do with it. 6' 3" 180 lbs.
 
Thanks for the replies I have received so far, its been encouraging and I really appreciate it!

I have a question though, for those of you who have stated they consider the suspension to be okay in their books, have you guys ridden other brands in the same year ranges to compare? how much better is the sxr suspension than the srx? Also if you wished to increase the travel and put a different shock on roughly what are you looking at cost wise to do it? How does the Yamaha milage compare with competitor's in this class and year range?

Thanks guys!
 
i recently bought a 98 srx-december 07.previous to that i mainly rode polaris.a 2000 xc500 is the newest model.when i got the srx,i got it home loaded up the next morning and went riding.initially i thought wow this thing rips.then about 60 miles into the ride i noticed it would dart all over once i hit about 50-60 mph.so i rode the day out,came home and did some looking and found the front arm on the rear suspension broke-called the w arm.long story short i replaced it,went out again and WOW!imo it rides as good as any ive ridden.ive had 99 arctic cats and they ride a little smoother but they feel sort of cheaply constructed to me.the srx has i think 9 inches of rear travel compared to artic cat at 13.imo the newer yamahas FEEL very solid and sip gas compared others i had.i think i got 13-14 mpg on the srx compared to 9-10 on the polaris and cats.im 5-11 180 pounds.lastly the yamahas have their own distinct growl thats badas3!!
 
a_user: I don't have a good feel for your answers to the following . . .
  • What type of riding you do most? smooth trail - rough trail - off trail
  • If a trail rider, do you prefer twisty trail or straight line?
  • What conditions? ice - hardpack - loose snow - deep powder
  • How do you ride? agreesive - moderate - timid
  • Do you stand up a lot or sit down most of the time?
  • What is your budget?
  • Do you work on your own machines? If so, for fun or only when required?
  • Why those years? Budget or some other concern?
There have been many changes to rider ergonomics since 2001 that may be very attractive to you depending on you riding style and conditions.
 
I chose the Yamaha Viper for reliability mostly. They are very well built and run very smooth. With the twins from other brands there is alway's a vibration. At the end of a ride it feels like my hands are numb. The viper rides very nice on groomed trail and corners on rails. Off trail i would prefer a better suspention. Some Viper and SRX owners swap out the rear suspention with M10 or Polaris skids. It all depends on your riding style and were you mostly ride. I'm 6'2" 200lbs and the only thing i did was install a bar riser to make it a bit more comfortable standing up and easyer to hit the jumps. The suspention works good for how i ride but i'm thinking of swapping out the rear skid for something better in the future. My 700 gets the same mileage as my uncles ZR600. He loves it when we trade. Can't get him off the Viper.
 
Hi Ding,

This is a very good question and one that proves highly relevant. I ride in Southwestern Ontario which is mostly trails. A lot of narrow trails, some wide. They can get pretty choppy. With that being said though I live close enough where I can actually ride from my house to the trails which does mean some boon-docking and ditch-banging.

I ride between aggressive and moderate. I grew up racing MX and know how to handle a machine...as such I like to drive them and not just ride them. I know for a fact I will be putting a bar riser on any machine I get and likely a 3" at that (whatever can avoid having to mod the existing cables but without going so tall its uncomfortable when riding sitting down).

I have liked the MXZ's and ZR's I have ridden because I have always felt they sat a little higher with slightly higher bar positioning and slightly higher rear end. In comparison to a sxr/srx though this may be unjust. I found these machines relativly simple to muscle around. Admittedly though, I haven't ridden a newer sxr. The last yamaha I rode was like an 89 phazer or something. So I will admit that I am not real familiar with the newer yamaha designs from a seat time perspective.

I have no problem wrenching on my own sleds. In fact the one boon to Yamaha is the reliability of their sleds. Although I have not ridden any yamaha newer then 15 years old everyone i talk to so their build quality and reliability are pretty much unmatched (including of course the guys on here). The one nod up to Yamaha in this case is I would much rather have a sled that is going to be running during these short winter seasons vs. dealing with problems every couple rides. Yes, every machine will have problems depending on the care they receive but I am comparing apples to apples here.

My budget is 2500-3000 cdn. I dont want to spend much more then that as I am just getting back into the sport and have other hobbies I rate a higher priority (atv'ing). If I could afford it, I would likely end up going with the newer rider forward designs of the Apex or something...but thats out of my range for this season.

Thanks so much for everyone's time to this point.



Ding said:
a_user: I don't have a good feel for your answers to the following . . .
  • What type of riding you do most? smooth trail - rough trail - off trail
  • If a trail rider, do you prefer twisty trail or straight line?
  • What conditions? ice - hardpack - loose snow - deep powder
  • How do you ride? agreesive - moderate - timid
  • Do you stand up a lot or sit down most of the time?
  • What is your budget?
  • Do you work on your own machines? If so, for fun or only when required?
  • Why those years? Budget or some other concern?
There have been many changes to rider ergonomics since 2001 that may be very attractive to you depending on you riding style and conditions.
Click to expand...
 
From what I know about you . . .

I would find a Viper in good condition. Like others mentioned above, other than the SRX there is not a smoother 2 stroke engine out there by far. The Viper is a better starting point for what you need to do to it unless you want the extra power of the SRX.

I have 2 buddies that picked up Vipers in very good condition for $1150, and $1300 USD respectively here in Michigan this summer. Prices are going up as the season draws near.

Then buy a better skid for $500 or less (costs almost that much to freshen up a used one completely) like the low mileage Nytro RTX skid listed here on TY for $400 + shipping. Or find one of the other great skids used for $300 - $400 on other forums or even ebay. There are a ton of guys on here who can help you with the install.

Raise the seat 3 inches for less than $100 (less than $50 if you build it - yourself plans in Tech section)

Raise the bars 4 inches - you should be able to reroute your cables or buy longer ones - even if you do both still under $200.

Extend the track (can tie in with a new skid) for under $600.

What a beautiful sled and in your price range, did I mention how the engine purrs. I really really like the Viper and SRX engines.

Just don't let yourself ride one of the new Yamaha 4 strokes - now those engines are on a whole nother level altogether . . .
 
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Thanks for the info Ding. Keep in mind however, north of the border prices rise substantially here in Canada. Hard to believe but true, take your average sled price US and add 700-1000 to it for the same year and condition here in Canada.

Secondly I think a good Viper is out of my price range. Especially with the suggested mods and improvements. Im not looking really looking for a sled to spend another a 1500 on aftermarket parts, mods and accessories. Chances are I will not keep it more then one season maybe two and it will probably be reallocated as a second machine.

I do appreciate your advice and suggestions however and they make perfect sense if the circumstances were different and more open to that avenue of approach.
 
You should be able to find a nice SXR in your price range. Rock solid reliable and no power valves to clean. Not as fast as the Viper or SRX but the ride will be better than the SRX. Pretty mutch the same ride as the Viper. Exept the 04 Viper S that comes with Ohlin front shocks.
 
My sx-r gets between 13-16 mpg for average trail riding.I have put nearly 6000 miles on it over the last few seasons and it has been super with zero problems!
 
Wanted to say thanks to all those who took some to post their opinions and suggestions. Your replies have been valued and appreciated.
 
In my opinion, the "availability" says it all.

Why are all those poolaris' and skidoos available, and nobody sells their YAMMY's?

I still have my 1982 Bravo for god sakes...not selling it, same with the SRX that went over 15,000K last year, still causes envy from other 700's....
 
i have an 02 srx ,i'm 42 and don't have a problem with the ride (but have others cry about it) I also prefer low sleds ,that handle!( i ride ontario groomed trails and have no need for a snocross sled ,precision handling is more important) i hate rev's (feel like a sea doo to me) they sit to high and do not inspire confidence when coming up on a corner fast......the motor in the srx is second to none .sxr is very similar but lighter feel but not the steam ....but your sounding like a Viper guy to me ....look south of the border at craigslist or something you'll find a deal.....eastern Ontario yammies carry a better resale
 
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