03 RX1 or 03 Viper??

T

Todd M

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Looking to upgrade from my 485 Venture to either a used Yamaha 700 2 stroke or 4 stroke. The RX1 is $1500 more, similar mileage. I do mostly groomed trail riding.

Is it worth the extra $1500 to get the 4 stroke?

Cheers,
 

really depends on what you do for riding and what trails you are looking at riding on. it is all groomed trails and reasonably wide, then I would grab the rx1 for the fuel savings and long term reliability. the viper is a great sled, I have had one since new in 03. I just lost my crank bearing. just because of the fuels we are getting right now and the fact I always ride groomed trails, I would love to get a 4 stroke. dad has an 05 vector and I am seeing those for $3-$4k in my area. to me, its a bargain and the 4 stroke would work GREAT for me. hope that helps!
 
Todd M said:
The RX1 is $1500 more, similar mileage. I do mostly groomed trail riding.

Is it worth the extra $1500 to get the 4 stroke?

Cheers,
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Quite frankly yes, if all you do is ride groomed trails. Go for the 4 stroke and don't think twice. The RX1 is a heavy sled, but the motor is bulletproof and will last forever. Motor easily will outlive the chassis. And in the long run you will save a lot of $ going 4 stroke in oil and gas $ savings. No question.
 
If this waqs between an apex and a viper, I may think the choice was tough, but between the rx-ton and the viper, I'd pick the viper any day. The rx is too heavy to be any fun if you ever do want to venture off trail or do anything other than just point and go. Also, with the rx, you're sitting really low, not like the new sleds. I don't find it fun or very rideable that way. With the viper, thrown on a boss seat and you're good to go. The rx also isn't fuel injected, neither is the viper, but if I was going 4 stroke, I thing I'd prefer fuel injected. Finally, as for the gas savings. I ride my 600 with 2 apexes and I am consistantly putting less fuel in mine then they have to in theirs, not by much, but it's less. I know everyone is going to say the rx 1 has more power for the fuel, and it does. But the point others were making was that the fuel savings would make it pay for itself. The only savings imo would be the oil, but I probably burnt a max of $150 in oil this year, which would take a long time to payback the $1500 difference. Anyway, even if the prices were the same, if I was planning to keep it, I would buy the viper. I just think it would be hard to have any real fun on the rx ton. Jmho.
 
^ WTF are you talking about.

Personaly Id walk around the viper for the 4 stroke. As for saying its not fun to ride blah blah blah.... My sled is a riot to ride and I love to ride the rx1 just as much, im no big guy at 5'8 and 150 lbs if im lucky and had ZERO issues throwing the rx around. The sled does get better gas mileage, no oil to worry about, no blown engines which seems like the topic of the year around here! I cant stand the people that trash talk the sled and have little to no time on one! I ride with all skidoos and the rx1 has no problem bangin around with them. As far as the low seating comment lol the viper sits the same way, and guess what yep thats right you can get aftermarket parts to make the seating better just like the viper. Ive logged thousands of miles on the rx1 because id of rather rode that than my SRX which is far from stock.

If I were you id look for an '04 rx they can be had cheap if you look.

Rx1 gets my vote!
 
well said topgunn. all my same feelings! also, no powervalves to clean. no topend work. throw a good set of skis on it, maybe a mono ( I would do that on either sled, they both benefit from better skis and a skid) and you have a sled you can ride for THOUSANDS of worry free miles. less maint means more time on the trail. and like I said, if you are always on a groomed trail the weight is really not a penalty.
 
Thanks for the replys!
After researching both sleds I think I'll save a bit more & get the RX1. The durability of the four stroke gets my choice after reading about the low speed piston burns on the viper. Still keeping the Venture for the wife & trail blazing, that sled is great in powder..
Maybe a 136 extension someday, I always liked the ride of a longtrack.

Cheers, ;)!
 
I dont think you will be disappointed if you are a trail rider. best bet is to try one first if you can, and it takes a bit of adjustment to learn how to ride it with the engine braking and low end tq. but I really think you would like it as a trail sled!!
 
Do the clutches on 4 strokes last longer? It seems like they would have less vibration to deal with.
 
Make sure if ya can and ask if it burns oil they did have problems with rings the first year. Sorry,that was the rx1 i was talking about.
 
I am right there with Topgun, I had 15,000 miles on my viper and the same on the RX1. the only place the viper was more fun was the small narrow tight and twistes. I ride mostly all groomed trails and the RX1 with a filter intake kit and ripsaw track with pics would rock with the best of them! The Motor rules in all aspects! Watch some 03's has they used some oil, mine used about 1 qt per 1,000 miles other than that gas and ride!
 
TopGunnSrx said:
^ WTF are you talking about.

Personaly Id walk around the viper for the 4 stroke. As for saying its not fun to ride blah blah blah.... My sled is a riot to ride and I love to ride the rx1 just as much, im no big guy at 5'8 and 150 lbs if im lucky and had ZERO issues throwing the rx around. The sled does get better gas mileage, no oil to worry about, no blown engines which seems like the topic of the year around here! I cant stand the people that trash talk the sled and have little to no time on one! I ride with all skidoos and the rx1 has no problem bangin around with them. As far as the low seating comment lol the viper sits the same way, and guess what yep thats right you can get aftermarket parts to make the seating better just like the viper. Ive logged thousands of miles on the rx1 because id of rather rode that than my SRX which is far from stock.

If I were you id look for an '04 rx they can be had cheap if you look.
Rx1 gets my vote!
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Ditto X2, I am 6' 175 lbs and have no issues with my 03 RX when riding because of weight. I'm not sportin Popeye arms or some muscle man build but I am fit. Don't know why the 4 strokes get bashed on the weight thing so bad. I guess there must be more jelly beans riding snowmobiles than I am aware of. I say if ya can pull the rope to start a Viper you should be able to turn a key on a 4 stroke. The weight difference between an RX and a Viper isn't that much when compared with the total weight of each machine.

As far as the seat on the early Rx's, yes they sat low for a guy my height. My son is 5'7 and had no issues with it. If ya need more hight on the seat throw on an 05 (and up) seat and it will be perfect.

No other issues but I have run Vipers on the lake. If you don't have mirrors on your RX you will never see them again. I also run right with or ahead of SRX's and Apex's on the big end depending on conditions (stock for stock).

The RX was and is a great sled.

opsled
 
I have 15k on my Viper,but I can tell you that if I'd of had the money when I bought it I'd have 15k on an RX1 right now.I'd still take an RX1(even an 03 with the updates done)in a heartbeat.
 
and if you can find an 05 even better, the monoshock makes a world of difference! just get or make sure the skid updates were done to an 05 with the monoshock
 
03viperguy said:
and if you can find an 05 even better, the monoshock makes a world of difference! just get or make sure the skid updates were done to an 05 with the monoshock
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Nice sled for sure. My son bought the candy red one last year at a swap meet for $3600.

4500 miles, cover, reverse, new track, studs and carbides.

It sat there all day with a $4500 price tag on it. Son had $3800 on him and made the offer. Sold.... Could have sold it for $4000 3 times while loading it on the trailer.

There are bargians out there.

opsled
 
If a stock viper has a decent track they are pretty dead even in a race. The top end of both are equal and the viper will smoke the rx1 on the trail. My pick would be the rx1 with a expert x under her, but then again I never had a expet x under my viper. Hard choice if you ever want to go screwing around in a field you would want or miss if you had both( the viper).
 
red devil said:
If a stock viper has a decent track they are pretty dead even in a race. The top end of both are equal and the viper will smoke the rx1 on the trail. My pick would be the rx1 with a expert x under her, but then again I never had a expet x under my viper. Hard choice if you ever want to go screwing around in a field you would want or miss if you had both( the viper).
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Really????

Glad my Rx doesn't know this info and I will try to keep it out of my mind as well the next time I see one wanting to go.

Don't get me wrong, Vipers are great sleds but Really??? Maybe in the tight stuff but anywhere else?? not likely.

opsled
 
Well let me know why wouldn't they be equal in a race or even on top end? In the trails the viper will smoke the rx1. opsled the top end of both sleds are dead even even with filters on the rx1 and clutch kit bla bla bla!! Not just blowing smoke I own both and just stating an honest reply I would even be wondering which one I would choose. REALLY?????
 
Well I guess they make em different in the pococo's or you either have one fast viper or one slow RX1.

My 03 is all stock with exception of one tooth down in gearing. It had a Bender clutch kit in it when I bought it at 556 miles in 04. I didn't like it. Took it out and put it back to stock. It's faster and easier to ride now. Don't know what you have in yours but not all of them were good.

I ride with Vipers and have raced them on the river.

They are great sleds and do carve a corner better than the RX. On the big trails and curves at the river the RX will run from every Viper I've seen. On the big end it ain't close.


opsled
 
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