Exciter vs Phazer vs SRV540

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570Exciter

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So I am probably purchasing my first sled tomorrow a 1987 570 Exciter, just making sure its the right choice. Most people were saying how reliable they were but I have recently heard of problems with that engine. What are the problems with the 570? There is also a nice 1991 480 Phazer and a 1987 SRV540 in the area to choose from. All are about the same in price and condition. Which would you choose and why?
 

Ya, the first year Exciter wasn't the best, it was pegged with carb, cooling and engine reliability, it had a problem of blowing up but Yamaha issued service bulletins and most
Exciter's should've had them done.

The 91 Phazar ll had a wide front end added in 90, the motor is bullet proof, fan cooled, works good in deep snow (light weight), has about 56hp and responds very well to an after market pipe (12-14hp) and some boysen reeds. Just with those mods you will have about 70hp, great for a first sled.

The SRV is also fan cooled, about 62hp. It's engine also is bullet proof, rides good, not as good as the Phasar in deep snow but still ok. Add a pipe and some reeds and you have around 70-72hp.

If I was buying, I would stay away from the 87 Exciter, and if it was my first sled I would go with the Phasar. IMO.
 
"The SRV is also fan cooled, about 62hp. It's engine also is bullet proof, rides good, not as good as the Phasar in deep snow but still ok. Add a pipe and some reeds and you have around 70-72hp."

I've seen a lot of SRVs blown up - I would go with the phazer II as well! Great sleds.
 
So is everyone going to say Phazer? That was my first thought but the extra power of the Exciter sounded really nice.
 
That generation of ecxciter is heavy and ill handling IMO.

Do you mind if i ask how old you are and how much you have in your budget??
 
29 years, $500, lots of experience on large displacement motorcycles, and I've rode my friends Ski Doo liquid triple and lots of power is not a problem. But I would rather have reliability over power as I will be using it for transportation this winter. Is the PhazerII that much more reliable over the Exciter? The Phazer have 7,000 miles, the Exciter 4800 miles.
 
Out of those three sleds I'd get the Phazer..... Had a total of three in my time and each had over 10,000 miles before I got rid of them...
 
570Exciter said:
29 years, $500, lots of experience on large displacement motorcycles, and I've rode my friends Ski Doo liquid triple and lots of power is not a problem. But I would rather have reliability over power as I will be using it for transportation this winter. Is the PhazerII that much more reliable over the Exciter? The Phazer have 7,000 miles, the Exciter 4800 miles.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you have your mind made up.
there is a little write up in the SUPERTRAX magazine VOL.19 No.4 2008, about their "snowmobile engines we have known and loved.... plus a few we haven't".

Yamaha Exciter 570
"By 1987 Yamaha was under pressure to introduce the "next step" for one bi-jillion snowmobilers who had purchased Phazers. A bigger, faster, liquid cooled "Darth Vader" look a like made sence. The fanfare preceding the arrival of the first new liquid mill from Yamaha in a decade. Unfortunately, Yamaha delivered an engine buyers renamed the "Exploder". Reliability quirks created mayhem and the sled was re-fiddled and re-calibrated by dealers-anxious to build on the Phazer success story. Unfortunately, it never happened. Competitive sleds walked past the 570 often when you were changing a drive belt. Compounding the struggle was an intake system requiring the precision of a zoologist performing a vasectomy on a mosquito to change carb jets."

If you want a sled with more power than the Phazer, look for 91 and up Exciter, Yamaha had them fixed by then. You could also save some more money and buy an early SRX6 or 7 even an earlier SX7.

But it is up to you, if you feel good about the Exciter, go for it. Remeber opionions are like assh-l-s, everyone has one.
 
My first thought was a Phazer, it was also one of the first fast sleds I rode as a kid. Then I saw the Exciter and thought, should be as reliable as a Phazer and faster. Seems like pretty much in terms of reliability no one has anything bad to say about the Phazer but the Exciter sounds like its got more problems than its worth? I mean I want to go fast, but I would rather go pretty fast all the time than real fast sometimes and broken down other times. The Phazer was my first instinctual choice, think I'm probably going to go with that. Guess I'll have to change my log in name...

What about the SS440, there a guy with one of those I could probably get for $200, his uncles was the original owner and its been in his family the whole time. But sounds like the Phazer would out handle it so much its worth the extra coin to get the Phazer:

the Phazer has 7000 miles, the guys has owned it for 7 years, looks like its in great shape other than a tear in the seat and he's only asking $450.

Also on the SVR540, is it going to feal faster than the Phazer? Its got more power but is it heavier?

So I guess now its between the SVR540 and PhazerII 480?

Let me know what ya think? Or if you had one of these sleds and loved it or anything about them, can't find any articles for old snowmobile reviews and we don't have snow so I can't try them.
 
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570Exciter said:
My first thought was a Phazer, it was also one of the first fast sleds I rode as a kid. Then I saw the Exciter and thought, should be as reliable as a Phazer and faster. Seems like pretty much in terms of reliability no one has anything bad to say about the Phazer but the Exciter sounds like its got more problems than its worth? I mean I want to go fast, but I would rather go pretty fast all the time than real fast sometimes and broken down other times. The Phazer was my first instinctual choice, think I'm probably going to go with that. Guess I'll have to change my log in name...

What about the SS440, there a guy with one of those I could probably get for $200, his uncles was the original owner and its been in his family the whole time. But sounds like the Phazer would out handle it so much its worth the extra coin to get the Phazer:

the Phazer has 7000 miles, the guys has owned it for 7 years, looks like its in great shape other than a tear in the seat and he's only asking $450.

Also on the SVR540, is it going to feal faster than the Phazer? Its got more power but is it heavier?

So I guess now its between the SVR540 and PhazerII 480?

Let me know what ya think? Or if you had one of these sleds and loved it or anything about them, can't find any articles for old snowmobile reviews and we don't have snow so I can't try them.
Click to expand...

Go into "All other Yamaha Sleds" forum and ask about the Phazer, you will probably get alot more responces, ask about the 87 Exciter and the SRV.
I had a 86 SRV, loved it, had about 18,000klics on it when I sold it.
Remember, you could put a cheap quiet can pipe on the Phazer (check classifieds $100)( boysen reeds $50) if you wanted more performance and stock reliability.
 
I´ve have own exciters, rode lot of with phazer and still own srv.

Hands down srv all the way. Shorterand lighter than exciter, better skid than phazer as fast as exciter if both stock. Have ridden several times with exciter wot long time and no difference. On the hard surface anyway

But choose sled what U self like best....it s all about how it feels to you.
 
The Phazer 2 is the best choice. Most reliable and easy to work on it if you need to. Definately add the pipe and set-up the clutch for it.

The SS might be a nice second sled for $200, but not as a primary sled: no suspension.

The SRV is a nice machine, but their cranks are known for breaking and cost over $750 just to buy a replacement. The SRV also has a small tank with poor milage; you will get exactly 75 miles per tank if you ride aggressive.

The Exciter will probably need the most small reapirs, which will add up to a big bill over a short time. Plus the reputation of an 87 will limit it's re-sale.

Let us know what you decide! (and if the SS is on the west side of the state, let me know, I'd buy it for my kids!)
 
Don't get a 570. Look at the other sleds and determine which has had the best preventive maintenance and care. Those motors will be losing crank bearings at any given time if they hav'nt been fogged and stored well. Good luck!
 
Would a modified Phazer out perform an SRV? Think its gonna be the Phazer, the better gas mileage would be nice. What kind of mileage does the SRV get?
 
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I had a 82 SRV....7 gallon tank, 10 miles to the gallon, 12 if you were really REALLY lucky....best advice on the SRV, never, I repeat NEVER pass a gas station.
 
i just put together a 86 phazer 2 yrs ago. out of 2 sleds got 1. sold 1 for $50. only got $50. in it RUNS GREAT! shes ben rideing it every winter no broblem! ;)! :brr
 
Phazer (Especially, the Phazer II's) Best bang for the Buck EVER Period.......... I have owned from New a 1985 SRV, 1988 & 1990 Exciters, 1990,1991 and a 1995 Phazer II. The SRV along with other Yamaha's from that period suffered from Yamaha's absurdly small gas tanks ! ? ! The 83 up SRV's did have the original Pro-Action rear suspension which was #1 in the day..... The Early Exciters could be very reliable in the Right hands.... Add a Pipe with clutching / jetting and maybe a cold air intake to a Phazer and they will fly in the twisties !
 
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