Which is more reliable, SXR or Viper both are 700 engines. but one red head and other powervalve? Other wise machines look very similar in the suspension. Different ski's and seat designs. obviouse different hood designs also. Viper seems to set lower, maybe just the way shocks are set though. The viper seat is definatly 1" lower? What are your thoughts. Al
The viper will require maintainance on the valves once or twice a year depending how you ride. Both should be equal when it comes to dependability. I would think the viper should ride nicer than the sxr....
mopar1rules
Active member
sx-r (red heads) seem to out live the viper engine, but both will give long life if properly maintained.
unchained
New member
An SRX is more reliable IMO but its a toss up
SWEDE
New member
The mechanic at a local dealer here claims the redheads can be as reliable as the four strokes.Quite a claim huh, they have had sx 700's in with over 30,000 miles.Bottom line is yami builds a quality product and there all good.I firmly believe that how there warmed up and maintained over the life of the machine is the biggest factor, especially on a two stroke.
The SX/SXR tripples are very reliable. I have two that are piped,ported,heads done,spacers,boost bottles, ect ect. We have snow drag raced + trail rode these sleds for many years when they were 121"[they are now 144"]. My brother in law has a 1997 SX 700 with over 15,000 miles on it and it has never been apart! The only advantage I could see with a Viper would be the looks of the sled and probably fuel mileage, but with a SX/SXR Red Head you wouldn't have those pesky power valves to clean!
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rsvectorer
New member
The viper is better, if you get the upgrade suspention, they had it at the dealers for the first couple years. the viper s had the upgrade already in it. there nice trail sleds. i wouldnt go as far as more reliable, then a four stroke, well at first my vector had a reverse jit but in it, when my mom owned it, and the messed up the chain case gasket, so up in canada for a trip she leaked the hole way, but not yamahas mistake. now i bought the vector from her and she bought my step dads viper and he bought enougher viper. when she had the vector she rode the viper. she sayed she didnt like the way it rode, comparison to the viper. Her viper blow a crank this winter with well over 8000 miles on it. the sled when we bought it had 2000 but the guy never broke 60, blow a piston that year, when my step dad owned it. the sled wasnt used to running 90 on a trail. and the new viper is in very nice condition, only 1500 miles and its a viper s. the owner was from are small town and we knew him, and how he rode. the red viper (my moms has the upgrade suspention) same as the newer one. the red viper has a new enigine now, and is ready for this year!!!!!! there really good trail sleds and with are 2 vipers and a vector i think we have the best trail sleds for how hard we ride on trails
rsvectorer
New member
the power vaulves are king for a sled like the viper, not that hard to clean if you know how. and with yamalube there not as dirty as if you switch and run something diffrent.
unchained
New member
sorry I misread it the first timeunchained said:
xsivhp
Active member
I have a buddy with 15000 on his sxr .... I hope my viper makes it that far!
red heads will give a 4 stroke a run for it,s money on reliability.
Gorkon
New member
Got a 98 SRX Mountain with 9600 ks, just re-ringed it, still runs like top. You want four stroke reliability from a two stroke though, V-Max-4 is nothing to be sneezed at. Amen to Yamaha building a quality product. G.
mopar1rules
Active member
Turk said:
yeppers.....
IMO, the red head motor is the best/most reliable motor that yamaha ever built.Thanks guys, I hope I didn't make a wrong decision to add Viper to the fleet. I am sure it will be fine. I plan on using Turk's Clutching recommendations, just as the other the performace really improved. I am just worried about the engine not the chassie. Allan
alswagg said:
No need to worry about that Vipers engine reliability...remember we are comparing between Yamaha tripples ! Its like splitting hairs! Now if we were comparing the Yamaha 2 strokes to other brands we are talking in Light Years!
LOL