Going to pick up another sled...need opinions

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tcomet

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Getting Another Sled (SRX or Viper)...need opinions

Hey Guys!

I have decided to get another sled. I currently have an 02 Viper and an 00 Cat ZR600.
I have decided to pick up another Yamaha and had narrowed it down to two sleds.

One is a 1999 SRX 700 with 4500 Miles. In good shape, looks to be well taken care of, Ohlins shocks.

The other is an 02 Viper with 3600 Miles, Also in good shape and looks to be well taken care of but honestly, probably not as clean as the SRX.

The prices on both sleds are what I would consider fair with the Viper being a few bucks more. Both are in stock form with no rebuilds that I know of.

For the sake of this question I would like to approach it like I dont already have a viper because it would be easy to say "if you like it, why not get another" I do like my viper but whose to say I wouldnt like the SRX more.

I have never ridden an SRX before so would like your opinions of the two. My riding consists mostly of groomed trails....not too much "rough stuff but some or lakes for that matter"

Want to get some honest feedback...at the end of the day, one of these will probably replace that cat
 
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yep go with the SRX for sure..you'll love the pull.Just make sure your jetting is correct for that year..may want to go to 2001 SRX specs for jetting to be safe.
 
a clutched viper is a great all around trail sled stock.

a srx is a great sled clutched also, but it will beat you up in the rough sections and its definitely more nose heavy and noticeable when you get into trails.
I would say in my opinion ,wait and opt to get a 2000-02 srx only because the headlight alone!!! The old 98-99 single bulb is like riding with a flashlight on the hood after your used to riding a viper with dual bulbs. At times I swear the srx seems to outrun the shine of the headlight on the old ones....lol

the 2000-02 srx is a great sled, reliable, minor clutch tweaking and it will haul some good speeds on smooth trails, or lakes, very good gas mpg also. ;)!
 
I agree with Don, I had an 02 Viper, then got an 98 SRX, headlight is horrible on the SRX compared to the Viper... if you are on rough trails, Viper over the SRX again... if you have nice smooth trails and dont run much at night, get the SRX... heck, why not pick up the Viper and triple pipe it, when you want to cruise ya got the stocker, when ya want to feel the speed ya got the piped one...


btw, I ended up selling my SRX eventually and keeping the Viper, they are kind of a sleeper out on the trails so ya surprise a lot of buddies.
 
Gonna throw a curveball here, skip the srx and viper and pick up a sxr 700 redhead. I just sold mine this summer and picked up a 02 srx. Great sled, faster than anyone needs, corners well but tht sxr I had floated like a butterfly down the trails. Triple pipe it, and uve got a rocking setup. I'm sure others on here will agree with me.
 
srxr700 said:
Gonna throw a curveball here, skip the srx and viper and pick up a sxr 700 redhead. I just sold mine this summer and picked up a 02 srx. Great sled, faster than anyone needs, corners well but tht sxr I had floated like a butterfly down the trails. Triple pipe it, and uve got a rocking setup. I'm sure others on here will agree with me.
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I agree! For all around riding, go with an SXR, no powervalves to clean, great suspension, light weight, all around fun. Plus usually cheaper. If you like deep snow, off trail, two tracks, check out a SXR 700 Al
 
i agree with don also, wait for a 2000 or newer srx. that headlight hakes quite a difference. vipers are a little better suspension but once uv'e tripped the trigger on an well setup srx notheing else will ever satisfy. its easier and more reliable to upgrade an srx suspension than to take a viper and give it the power of the srx
 
tcomet said:
One is a 1999 SRX 700 with 4500 Miles. In good shape, looks to be well taken care of, Ohlins shocks.

The other is an 02 Viper with 3600 Miles, Also in good shape and looks to be well taken care of but honestly, probably not as clean as the SRX.
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Between these two the way they sit right now, I'd pick up the Viper.
 
tcomet said:
My riding consists mostly of groomed trails....not too much "rough stuff but some or lakes for that matter"
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Another reason why I'd have to give it to the viper. Now if you did more lake riding, that might be a different story. Might....being the key word here. Beings that the SRX is a 99. Not that theres anything wrong with em. It's just that the Viper is more...........trail-able.
 
I'd almost go the other way than everyone else...already have a Viper, why get the same thing again?
Take the Viper when you're going to be riding rough trails, take the SRX when the trails are groomed or doing lots of drag racing.
 
mod-it said:
I'd almost go the other way than everyone else...already have a Viper, why get the same thing again?
Take the Viper when you're going to be riding rough trails, take the SRX when the trails are groomed or doing lots of drag racing.
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X2 ;)!
 
Suprised no one else has mentioned crank. Per tech pages 99's still had crank issues. Says something like "dont stud and you should be okay" I am the worlds biggest fan of the SRX....2000 or newer. I was tempted on a 99 with 7000 miles for a grand. Ended up passing it up as owner had no idea if any thing had ben done with crank
 
First snowmobile I ever rode was a modified SRX. Everything else is just slow. You already have a Viper ya? I'd get an SRX.

I keep reading posts about headlights. Why does a dual headlight make that much difference? Does it make it go faster?
 
Thank you all so much for the input so far.

Sounds like trying to find an 2000 + SRX would be the way to go.

I noticed the headlight thing has come up quite a bit on the 98-99 SRX. Are there any ways around that? Aftermarket options perhaps....is it really that bad?

Also (me being curious again) if the crank was welded per the Yamaha recall....could one expect the same reliability as the 2000 + SRX's? Assuming they are taken care of.....

And just to add to this.....in the interim, if I were to run across a screaming deal on an 98-99 SRX while looking for a newer one.....would you pass?
 
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One thing to consider is maintenance. I would rather have two of the same because you only have to learn one sled rather then two different machines (although similar). If you ever bent one you can use it as a parts machine for the other.

You could pipe one viper getting similar pwr to the SRX but still have easier maintenance due to one kind of machine and also a possible parts machine should something happen.

My vipers have been extremely reliable.
 
tcomet said:
Thank you all so much for the input so far.

Sounds like trying to find an 2000 + SRX would be the way to go.

I noticed the headlight thing has come up quite a bit on the 98-99 SRX. Are there any ways around that? Aftermarket options perhaps....is it really that bad?

Also (me being curious again) if the crank was welded per the Yamaha recall....could one expect the same reliability as the 2000 + SRX's? Assuming they are taken care of.....

And just to add to this.....in the interim, if I were to run across a screaming deal on an 98-99 SRX while looking for a newer one.....would you pass?
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Headlight: well, since you already have a viper with the dual bulb light, it will be about half of what your used to seeing now! I know it never seemed like a big deal to me either till you ride one after the other, its a BIG differance.

most all the cranks have been fixed in the 98 sleds, not that many 99's needed them as they used a differnt fit and locking compound, 98's were the majority. They can be welded the same as the 2000-02 are if it ever needed it, not that big of a deal really.

As for a smoking deal, heck everyone is up for one of those but the best thing to do is ride a 98-99 at night and see the differance. Theres some guys here upgrading the single bulb sled to a dual bulb and using the 35 watt headlight bulbs,(you need the headlight assembly, dash cowl and new windshield to do it, plus add a extra headlight plug or use a newer harneess for lights) anymore and youll be taxing the stator too much. The 98-99 srx only has a 175watt system where as the 2000-02 uses a 300watt system.
 
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