Sleds of our past

First snowmobile I ever rode on was my uncles '88 Exciter. It was the first and last time he would let me ride it seeing how I almost drove it into his snowmobile trailer, damn that thing was fast. After that my other uncle let me ride his '89 SRV. Now that thing was a blast to ride. Few years later I rode a dinosaur, you guys are gonna love this, a '76 John Deere Liquifire 340. That thing rocked! Rode like one too! Finally my parents bought a '85 SS440 and a '90 Phazer II. Rest is history! They may be old, but the old ones awesome to ride.
 
My first sled that was mine was a 85 Bravo...it was a great first sled, light, and go anywere...when you are 12. My first ride that I can remember was on a '74 Polaris Colt with my dad. Then it was a Pantera 5000.
But my own list is this way,
'85 Yamaha Bravo
'92 Indy 650
'96 Mach Z 780
NOW! 98 Yamaha SRX 700
 
Well , im 16, just bought my first sled last juin when i was 15. Good deal in the middle of summer. lol I bought a 01 srx 700. Love it, never gettin rid of it.
 
Here's the sleds in my family since I was old enough to ride:

1978 Elan
1984 Bravo
1986 Bravo Transporter
1989 Skidoo MXLT
1990 Phazer II
1989 Exciter
1992 Vmax-4
1993 Exciter II SX
1995 Vmax-4

The sleds that I purchased:

1996 Polaris XCR 600
1998 Polaris XC 700
2001 Polaris XCR 800
2001 SRX 700

Currently have:

2001 SRX 780 big bore
200? SRX 1136 prostock
2000 SRX 700 project sled
 
My first sled rides were on a 69 Snow Cruiser and a 73 Olympique (spent years hauling wood with the neighbours). First sled I rode was a 7? Elan. First sled purchased for me and my sister was a 1980 AC Lynx, this sled taught me about sled steering and all the parts that can regularly come loose. Next was a 78 Olympic with a transplanted 440. At age 12 this sled taught me to never let my dad by a used sled without me, and a little about poor wiring. In 1989 we got a new 1990 Indy Sport (I was holding out for a 400) This sled taught me that by keeping the throttle pinned I could generally keep up with my friends. Never had a problem with it though. In 94 I bought a 92 RXL (I always wanted a Polaris Triple) This sled introduced me to fast, as well as the joys of blown pistons. Lots of them. I still love the sound of a Polaris Triple.
In 98 the house I bought had a 68 Sno-Bug on it, this is when I started to like old sleds. January 2001 when I was working at the Yammi dealer, I bought the mechanic's best friend's 2000 SRX. This sled introduced me to 'Really fast'. A few years later I bought the girlfriend a 68 Snow- Cruiser (She loves it)
Other sleds I've been given or bought cheap and parted out or restored and sold.
83 Enticer.
2 Citation 4500s
75 Yamaha GS
? Yamaha Exciter
78 Moto-Ski Futura 440
7? Sno Jet w/ Yammi 438.

Current sleds:
2000 SRX
1968 Sno Bug
1969 Snow Cruiser (another for parts)

Holding out for:
1973 Alouette Super Brute.
 
I came up the ladder riding sleds that my cousins owned..Arctic Cat and Skiroule..Finally got my first sled and it was a 76 Ski-doo Olympic and then a 78 Ski-doo TNT.Don't know why,but somehow I then turned to Yamaha..I wasn't to impressed with the Doo's.Then got a 78 440 Exciter and that thing was bullet proof and fun to ride.Then after that came the 81 440 SRX..great sled to.Traded that SRX in and got a Tri-moto 175 after and rode that thing silly.Left the sport for many years and came back with a 2001 SX600R and then it's big brother the 2002 SRX.
Forgot to mention in between the Tri Moto and SXR,I got a 76 Pantera5000 jut to fool around with,sort of taken off the wife's Uncle's hands.
 
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My first sled was a 76 john deere liquifire 340 that my neighbor gave me because he got it stuck in his yard, cracked the clutch and didn't feel like fixing it. I fixed that and rode it for a season, fell in love with sledding and bought an 86 phazer. Absolutely love the phazer, and still have it. Then I had a 96xltsp which actually was a great sled until I snapped the crank at 13,000 miles. Sold that and bought a 1998 msrx. Then I picked up a 78 srx 440 to get into vintage racing and I always thought they looked cool. Shortly after that I found a nice 93 exciter sx and just had to have it.

Needless to say I have kept, and will keep, every yamaha I end up with... I still want to add a vmax 4 to the mix.
 
my first sled was a mach 1, dont rember what year, but i do remember that i thought it looked like a platipus. well about 3 rides into my first season with it the oil line split and popped the motor. sold it and got my 02 srx 700.
 
Since i started riding a few years back Ive owned a few sleds:
1969?(might be wrong on year didnt care enough about sled to find out anything about it but she was my first)ski doo elan 340 single bought it for 50 bucks had to re wire it and it still runs to this day even after its been sitting for awhile, but i havent ridden it in years as the skid is destroyed from jumping snowbanks with it bwahahaha

Than I owned a 96 polaris xlt"special" 600 triple I traded an old blaster for this sled one summer it had quite a bit of work done to it(I was told it had strom heads but i never had it apart and wouldnt know the differance anyways as it was the only xlt I ever owned)it was fast though I hit a huge rock one day playing aroun in uncharted territory and long story short that was the end of her

Than I owned a 97 ZL600 f.i. good sled, great ride, but not fast enough for me i was tired of getting dusted lol

After that it was a 97 ZRT600,great ride, fast, but now reliability was an issue, I dont want to get into details but lets just say im glad we parted ways

And than one day after almost two years of not owning my own sled my buddy(needing money for court) sells me his 02 blaster(built right up)and tells me if interested he had a sled for sale real cheap(800 dollars start crying now lol)and it was mint had less than 2k miles on it and had been garage kept and dealer maintained all its life from when he bought it brand new(thats right im second owner with papers in hand as well as all receipts)So never having been into Yamaha sleds before I see this beast sitting in his garage a 98 srx 700 and it was love at first sight lmao.The way the scoop protruded from the cowl alone had me sold on it and I hadnt even heard it run yet!After the first ride(realizing it was the fastest sled I had ever rode)I very quickly dispatched 800 dollars from my wallet now Ill never own another sled(well if I can help it)I just rode my buddies 09 nytro with full exhaust and power commander and I still prefer mine over his, not to mention I can still whoop him on the trail while having that wondefully beautiful two stroke wail singing to my ears!
 
Old sleds

Liked them so much I keep a few around for " Lake effect days" Riding Michigans best trails, county roads !
 

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