Hey guys, need some help. Here is the situation. A co-worker and his brother-in-law just purchased a place in the northwoods of Wisconsin (somewhere near Eagle River) and they are going to buy 2 new sleds. Both are in late 30''s and pretty big guys, 6''2" 240 and 6''3" 230. Neither have even sat on a snowmobile, so they asked me for some help. I think they are leaning toward Yamaha because of dependability among other things. Ski-Doo is still a possibility but I think they will end up with 2 new Yamahas. The question is what to get. They will ride in Wisconsin and the U.P. probably all or almost all on the trail system. Will the Vector have enough power. How does the Vector compare with my Viper? Would you recommend the longer track of a Warrior or Rage vs. the Rx1 or Vector? Money is not a factor for these guys. They don''t want to work on the sleds themselves, which is why I kinda steered them towards Yamaha. Any help and comments would be appreciated.
I would push them toward a Vector...smooth power great ride and faster then a Viper. I dont think I would push them into a RX1 seeing that they are only newbies on the snow, I would hate for them to get into trouble with the power of the RX1.
I might have them consider a Rage but if they are strictly trail riders a 136 will push slightly and effect handling. You want their riding experience on a Yamaha top notch.
FYI, the guys are not that big....LOL thats my size
I might have them consider a Rage but if they are strictly trail riders a 136 will push slightly and effect handling. You want their riding experience on a Yamaha top notch.
FYI, the guys are not that big....LOL thats my size
I think everyone needs to experience old school before a modern machine. How bout a couple of old enticer 340's???!!!
just kiddin around
just kiddin around
98srx6
New member
Maybe they should start learning to ride on some beginner friendly sled that isnt going to let them get into trouble before they realize it.
I dont think anybody should learn how to ride on high horsepower machines the way that many new riders do these days.
I dont think anybody should learn how to ride on high horsepower machines the way that many new riders do these days.
While that's very true, guys in their late 30's, not constrained by money issues, are not going to be very happy for very long on a beginner sled. Hopefully, they survived to their late 30's by learning a little common sense along the way. In my case it was survivng through my late 30's to learn a little but that's a different set of stories.98srx6 said:
Otherwise, I agree with Mr. Sled on all counts, I'd recommend the Vector. I know first hand that the Rage is going to push a bit in the corners compared to the short tracks. I rode mine around the yard and had the skis really tear up the sod trying to turn where my short track machines never had that trouble.
Hebi
New member
Not everyone needs a lot of power to have fun. Im in my mid 20s and I had a blast the past 2 winters on a '90 Phazer II.
While I agree that the RS Vector is an amazing machine, I think its too much sled for a beginner. Its not a matter of too much power, its a matter of weight and having the skill to control that weight.
I would steer them towards a Phazer 500, a Vmax 500, a SX/SXr 600 or an SX Venom. Those sleds would be much better because they are lighter and have a little less power than a Vector.
They could buy any of of those sleds (could probably get one heck of a deal on a Venom), ride them for 5 years and then get whatever they want. At that point they would have the experience to know how a sled will react and will be much better prepared for something a little faster, more powerfull and heavier like an RS Vector or an RX-1.
Hebi
While I agree that the RS Vector is an amazing machine, I think its too much sled for a beginner. Its not a matter of too much power, its a matter of weight and having the skill to control that weight.
I would steer them towards a Phazer 500, a Vmax 500, a SX/SXr 600 or an SX Venom. Those sleds would be much better because they are lighter and have a little less power than a Vector.
They could buy any of of those sleds (could probably get one heck of a deal on a Venom), ride them for 5 years and then get whatever they want. At that point they would have the experience to know how a sled will react and will be much better prepared for something a little faster, more powerfull and heavier like an RS Vector or an RX-1.
Hebi
I agree there are some great used sleds out there, but he did ask about the 4 strokes and I had to jump all over it...LOL 
bluehammer
New member
Have them just rent a couple of sleds from a local dealer and let them get a feel for it for a weekend or two. After that, they might know which way to go with which horsepower .
If they can make it to one of the TY rides...Yamaha may be there with some 05 demos...I just have not received the confirmation on what TY rides yet.
I jumped all over the "Money is not a factor" thing then figured in "lack of hassle".
My RX1 spoiled me with all the things I didn't have to do to go riding. No more hunting for injector oil at bars and gas stops because I forgot to fill the tank. No more carrying spare spark plugs. No more back ache pull starting my sled on a sub-zero morning. Even my drive belt lasted over 4,000 miles.
That being said, my favorite "beginner sled" was the Phazer 500. I bought one new for the '99 season and used it to train my kids, coworkers, friends and their families. Easy to pull start, easy to ride, light weight and nimble.
Looking at it from my own perspective, if I were just starting and didn't have loyalty to any brand already, I would do as bluehammer suggests and rent different sleds for a few weekends to get the feel for the sport.
Then I'd buy a Vector....
My RX1 spoiled me with all the things I didn't have to do to go riding. No more hunting for injector oil at bars and gas stops because I forgot to fill the tank. No more carrying spare spark plugs. No more back ache pull starting my sled on a sub-zero morning. Even my drive belt lasted over 4,000 miles.
That being said, my favorite "beginner sled" was the Phazer 500. I bought one new for the '99 season and used it to train my kids, coworkers, friends and their families. Easy to pull start, easy to ride, light weight and nimble.
Looking at it from my own perspective, if I were just starting and didn't have loyalty to any brand already, I would do as bluehammer suggests and rent different sleds for a few weekends to get the feel for the sport.
Then I'd buy a Vector....
Thanks for the comments so far. A couple of further thoughts, tell me what you guys think. When they saw the RX1 they were in love.
Is the suspension on the RX1 (monoshock) a lot better than the suspension on the Vector.
For what it is worth My first sled was a ZR600 and then I went to a Viper and I never had any problem with the power of either. I think as long as they have a respect for the power of the machine they will be fine. I will make sure they understand how powerful and fast they are and give them plenty of get acquainted time on whatever they buy.
What do you guys think about the longer track sleds ( Warrior or Rage) for the moguls of Wisconsin and the U.P. Are the suspensions on the Vector and RX1 signifigantly better than the suspension on my Viper? If the sled pushes a little, can't they just add a little extra carbide up front?
Is the suspension on the RX1 (monoshock) a lot better than the suspension on the Vector.
For what it is worth My first sled was a ZR600 and then I went to a Viper and I never had any problem with the power of either. I think as long as they have a respect for the power of the machine they will be fine. I will make sure they understand how powerful and fast they are and give them plenty of get acquainted time on whatever they buy.
What do you guys think about the longer track sleds ( Warrior or Rage) for the moguls of Wisconsin and the U.P. Are the suspensions on the Vector and RX1 signifigantly better than the suspension on my Viper? If the sled pushes a little, can't they just add a little extra carbide up front?
The RX1 and Vector skids are both first year production, nobody really knows how they'll perform or hold up to normal usage.
The Rage and Warrior skids are relatively proven in that they've had a season of use and are returning for an encore.
You're correct in that the longer track sleds can be made to turn with carbide and ski pressure adjustment, the short track sleds will just turn easier in the same conditions. The longer track sleds will bridge some of the moguls better than a shorty but they can be a handful if you're riding a bit too hot and the back end starts "swapping".
The Rage and Warrior skids are relatively proven in that they've had a season of use and are returning for an encore.
You're correct in that the longer track sleds can be made to turn with carbide and ski pressure adjustment, the short track sleds will just turn easier in the same conditions. The longer track sleds will bridge some of the moguls better than a shorty but they can be a handful if you're riding a bit too hot and the back end starts "swapping".
Hebi
New member
Hai, I too loved my Phazer. In a way, even though I traded up to a sled that in superior in almost every way, I was sad to see it go.
I also agree that renting a sled for a weekend or 2 is a great idea. It gives you a chance to ride a smaller, less-powerfull sled so that you can get somewhat of an idea of how to drive a snowmobile.
I still say even after that to find an older sled, and ride that for 5 years to make certain that you are going to stick with snowmobiling for the long haul.
Snowmobiling is one of the greatest, yet at the same time most frustrating sports you could ever get into. Snowmobiling is great because it doesnt have many of the rules that you would have if you had a motorcycle or a car. You can ride at 30 mph or 130 mph, its all in the conditions and how you feel on any given day. There have been many days when I have gotten home after a hard day of work and went out and rode for a few hours. Those are days when I rode harder than I thought I was capable of riding, but it helped me to relase some of the frustrations of life.
At the same time, I have had many years when I spend $5000 on a new sled only to have good riding conditions never materialize. This left me with a very bitter feeling and oftentimes caused me to consider trading my sled in for an ATV or motorcycle. Once I even went so far as to sell my sled, only to have the conditions change giving us excellent riding conditions less than a month later. An ATV is a lot of fun, but when the snow flies a sled is a million times more fun. Ive gotten to the point now where I have decided that I am going to focus my money on snowmobiling and snowmobile alone. Ive we dont get ridable conditions, the money I put aside for gas will just sit another year in the bank and my sled and my truck will last me at least another year longer because my sled wont get the normal wear 'n tear from a winter of riding and my truck wont have to make 4 or 5 trips up to Minocqua and back (500 miles round trip).
I must admit though, I havent met many people who ride a snowmobile and dont like the experience. I have used a line I heard once from a tatoo artist when I introduce people to snowmobiling. I tell them after they ride my sled, "welcome to the addiction"...
Hebi
I also agree that renting a sled for a weekend or 2 is a great idea. It gives you a chance to ride a smaller, less-powerfull sled so that you can get somewhat of an idea of how to drive a snowmobile.
I still say even after that to find an older sled, and ride that for 5 years to make certain that you are going to stick with snowmobiling for the long haul.
Snowmobiling is one of the greatest, yet at the same time most frustrating sports you could ever get into. Snowmobiling is great because it doesnt have many of the rules that you would have if you had a motorcycle or a car. You can ride at 30 mph or 130 mph, its all in the conditions and how you feel on any given day. There have been many days when I have gotten home after a hard day of work and went out and rode for a few hours. Those are days when I rode harder than I thought I was capable of riding, but it helped me to relase some of the frustrations of life.
At the same time, I have had many years when I spend $5000 on a new sled only to have good riding conditions never materialize. This left me with a very bitter feeling and oftentimes caused me to consider trading my sled in for an ATV or motorcycle. Once I even went so far as to sell my sled, only to have the conditions change giving us excellent riding conditions less than a month later. An ATV is a lot of fun, but when the snow flies a sled is a million times more fun. Ive gotten to the point now where I have decided that I am going to focus my money on snowmobiling and snowmobile alone. Ive we dont get ridable conditions, the money I put aside for gas will just sit another year in the bank and my sled and my truck will last me at least another year longer because my sled wont get the normal wear 'n tear from a winter of riding and my truck wont have to make 4 or 5 trips up to Minocqua and back (500 miles round trip).
I must admit though, I havent met many people who ride a snowmobile and dont like the experience. I have used a line I heard once from a tatoo artist when I introduce people to snowmobiling. I tell them after they ride my sled, "welcome to the addiction"...
Hebi
better off to start small as almost everyone is suggesting. i had a buddy in high school who went and jumpedinto the sport. i advised him to start 440cc or lower so he could learn some handling tricks that work on all sleds. (this was about 10 yrs ago, damn im gettin old) he went and bought a formula plus that was about 2 yrs old. by the end of his 1st season there wasnt an un-marked peice left on that sled. he just gripped and ripped and he had lots of close calls with trees, fences etc cause it got away from him in the corners. i was still runnin my dads et250 1979 and he just couldnt belive how i handled that sled. i was dead last off the lake but i was always 1st comin out of the trail . so start small and move up later. they are still makin a 600 venture tripple this year get them to buy that. good trail ride and handlind with eletric start and reverse. if they want speed it can be setup for more later with pipes etc. just my .02 
. so start small and move up later. they are still makin a 600 venture tripple this year get them to buy that. good trail ride and handlind with eletric start and reverse. if they want speed it can be setup for more later with pipes etc. just my .02
Gee Main, you gotta go bringing reality into a fun discussion. My battlescars and old wounds are reminding me of when I re-entered the sport about 10 years ago, equipped with more dollars than sense, after giving it up in the late 70's due to college, career, marriage and kids.Maim said:
The guys at Port Yamaha started giving the term "Steved" to any machine brought to the shop that was bent, folded, spindled and/or mutilated. I wasn't smart enough to stop doing that after my first season, it took me a few years to learn that the throttle was not a binary on/off device. The size and power of the machine didn't matter, I balled them all up, big and small.
Thankfully, for me, my family and the rest of the world, I grew out of that phase and now just enjoy the ride and marvel at how nice the scenery looks at something less than a blur all of the time.
I guess the point is none of us can really make a machine recomendation for somebody we don't know. I know many folks who would be able to handle any machine produced and still others who would be dangerous on a Kitty Cat.
Fun discussion though