(season 2008-2009) TY mileage IKE

[Ike]

So, finally got around and brought my Vmax-4 from Kemijärvi to my house here in Sodankylä. I´ve been sledding 3 weeks now, but at work. Didn´t feel right to go and find every rock and tree stump from the trails with my Vmax-4. I let others to do that.

As you can see from the pics, sun does not shine here anymore... It´s dark.

Took my kids for a spin today around local trails.

My older son on the sled.

My odometer reading after the first 36 km´s for this season.

Today´s ride in numbers:

mileage: 36 km
weather: light snowfall, -9c
total mileage 08-09: 36km

Since it is our independence day today. We also took candels to my grandfathers resting place at the local cemetary. It´s a kind of national tradition to remember ww2 veterans every 6th of december.

Ike

 

[Ike]

Today we also rode with my kids. The older one is almost 8 and the younger is 5. Both are really into sledding and fun to have with me. I think I have sometime soon find a 250 - 300 cc fanner for the older one. Old ET´s or Bravo´s should be good.

Pics of my smaller Yammieguys

We did 50 km´s today. 25 each.

Today´s ride in numbers:

mileage: 44 km
weather: fog, low clouds -4c
total mileage 08-09: 80 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

Installed a red skidplate to my Vmax. It took about 1,5 hoursto do it by myself.

I think the skidplate was meant to a 600 / 500 Vmax, but heyy, nobody´s looking underneath my sled... The shop where I bought the plate said it would fit Vmax-4, but I kinda knew they were talking bull. No one here keeps a stock of parts for theese sleds. I know that now.

fitting it

All done. I think it looks good.

Ike

 

[Ike]

I was out today preparing winter road base for next year. By riding ATV / sled on top of the peatlands and that way freezing them to ice, we create a good base for a winter road for logging etc.

No sunlight at all, weather was nice. Not too cold. Icy fog was a problem though. My helmet froze pretty good, so I had to stop few times let it melt off. In theese weather conditions I rreally need an electric shield...

Some pics:

Peatland

Melting the ice. Warm exhaust pipes work well.

Having lunch. Hot drinks and home made cookies.

Timber on the side of the logging road.

mileage: 59 km
weather: icy fog, low clouds -6c
total mileage 08-09: 139 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

I did some riding during Christmas time and new year. Not too many km´s. Weather was fine. Enough snow in the woods and some nice spruce trees to look at.

Looking for a christmas tree with my kids.

Here we are riding on our clubs snocross tracl. Just to make the fresh new snow settle down so it can take the riding in the weekend.

Racers around the area are coming to ride on the track. Just dial in their sleds and have some good time.

mileage: 57 km
weather: clear sky, -14c
total mileage 08-09: 196 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

Yesterday I went to our clubs snowcross track to see my brother and cousin. They came from Rovaniemi to ride here.

I also managed to hit one milestone with my Vmax-4. Now it has over 10 000km on the clock.

Weather was nice and some fresh snow too.

I test rode the 550 fan cooled Lynx what my cousin has. He rides it at cross country races. And I also rode the 800 rev what my brother got for the bumpy trails and snowcross tracks. They both have great suspension and can take some serious beating. The 800 rotax felt kinda strange after my 4-cylinder sled. Rotax falls to it´s knees when my Vmax-4 is just starting to get into the best powerzone.

Anyway, some pics :

mileage: 55 km
weather: icy fog, low clouds -3c
total mileage 08-09: 251 km

 

[srxbully]

nice reading & nice sled. but it looks like you got a worn bushing here in this pic.how many miles is on the 4 in us??

All done. I think it looks good.

Ike[/QUOTE]

 

[Ike]

nice reading & nice sled. but it looks like you got a worn bushing here in this pic.how many miles is on the 4 in us??

It´s only 6200 miles, but most of them are outside trails or at really bad / bumpy trails.

Yeah, all the TSS bushings will be changed soon. But also the camera angle makes the skis look in wierd kinda way. It´s not too sloppy but it has some slack on it. Nose heavy sled...

Ike

 

[srxbully]

i like that long track version.i had a 96 with the xtc suspension..does the long track really work that much with that sled being so heavy??i would still be afraid to go in to deep stuff with it & get stuck.

 

[Ike]

i like that long track version.i had a 96 with the xtc suspension..does the long track really work that much with that sled being so heavy??i would still be afraid to go in to deep stuff with it & get stuck.

Actually the TSS front suspension and the 136 track makes the V4 pretty good going in the deep for it´s size. There are no trailing arms to gather snow, and it has plenty of power. This 136 compared to a 121 is night and day difference, but ofcourse it is not and 151 REAL mountainsled.

And what comes to the lifting the thing, I´ve always said that when that day comes that I´m not able to lift the nose of my sled out of the snow, I´ll park it for good. . .It´s heavy but when I put my back to it it usually works. Still riding it.

Ike

 

[Ike]

weather today... -33c . Not that fun anymore. Also the map shows the snow depth here.

Ike

 

[Ike]

I rode with my kids for 30 km´s today, Finally the weather gave in and temps turned warmer. It was pretty much dull when the temps were -25 or colder.

Anyway, got come riding done. Been thinking real hard about buying a new 4-stroke. Oh well.

mileage: 30 km
weather: sunny, clear -9c
total mileage 08-09: 281 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

So, I´ve been thinking real hard about getting a newer ride. Always liked the 4-cylinder 4-strokes...

Friend of mine and I talked a while back about his Warrior GT, and that he felt it was bit too much for him (weight and power wise). So, I joked about buying it from him. To my surprize, he called me a week ago and said that if I wanted that sled, we could talk about making a deal. Here is the result then :

I bought it.

Rode 130 km´s on it today. FEELS pretty good.

Some things that I noticed compared to my old Vmax-4:

-Handwarmers suck. Vmax-4 has top notch warmers, and this thing is COLD. And the Warrior GT has no cover angainst wind. Again, Vmax-4 is better here.

-Suspension needs tweaking and tuning for my size and riding style on the 4-stroke. No comparison there, much better than the old V4 (dough!).

-Way too much ski pressure for my liking. It´s harder to turn than my V4.

-And the track must be changed. Stock ripsaw just don´t cut it. I´ll probably go for a 144 track with 1,5 inch paddles on the 4-stroke.

It has a skid plate, wide ski skins and a tow hitch allready. I´ll probably install a engine preheater to it later.

My Vmax-4 will be ridden only on sunny spring sundays, like the big V8 musclecars.. I´ll never sell it. Too much warm feeling towards it I guess.

mileage: 130 km
weather: blowing snow, -17c
total mileage 08-09: 411 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

crappy mobilephone pic since my camera ran out of battery today. First ride with the RX Warrior at work. Needs a bigger lug track, 2 inch riser to the handlebars, other than that it feels pretty right for me.

mileage: 45 km
weather: cloudy, -6 c
total mileage 08-09: 456 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

Went to work with my sled yesterday. Nice sunny day and lots of fresh snow. Made work seem like freetime LOL!

mileage: 50 km
weather: sunny, -7 c
total mileage 08-09: 506 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

Parked along side of the trail.

Got out of the office today. Did 56 km´s of riding. Warrior is beginning to feel even better now that the km´s add up.

mileage: 56 km
weather: low clouds, -6 c
total mileage 08-09: 562 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

I went with a friend of mine today to the nearest fjell. Nice crispy winter weather and some fresh powder were on order today. Trails were pretty beat near the town, but were in quite good condition 20 km´s out of the town. I guess the heaviest traffic is between the gas stations.

Some pics from Kaarestunturi:

Low windshields in theese temps are not the ideal solution. I´m not yet having trouble with the weak handwarmes of the 4-stroke. It has a windshield compared to my friends F8 anyway...

Warm exhaustpipe in good use.

mileage: 92 km
weather: clear skies, sunny, -16 c
total mileage 08-09: 654 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

Map of the trails what we rode today.

Ike

 

[Ike]

We were making base for new iceroads over peatlands last friday. winter is almost in it´s best time here. Sunny, weather is getting warmer ( a bit ) and lots of snow,

and when it ready it should look something like this

mileage: 13 km
weather: blowing snow, -7c
total mileage 08-09: 418 km

Ike

 

[Ike]

Last friday I was checking my workers out in the field. Took my sled there and did some riding too from worksite to worksite. 54 km´s in total. Lots of iceroads and thinning areas.

We have nice amout of snow

Timber on the side of the iceroad

Sunset pics.

mileage: 54 km
weather: sunny -19c
total mileage 08-09: 472 km

Ike