The Great Weight Debate

[jpgmtech]

Just looking through spec sheets, found something interesting:
2011 to 2013 Summit X Weights:
154 track - 459lbs
163 track - 464lbs

2010 Summit X:
154 track - 446lbs
163 track - 452lbs

2008 to 2009 Summit X:
154 track - 429lbs
163 track - 434lbs

I know the tracks have changed. Also know that the e-tecs are slightly heavier powerplants (I've been told 5lbs but don't know how accurate that is...)

Bottom line is, the 2012 Pro RMK 155 claimed dry weight of 431 lbs - us Doo boys had beat with 429lbs back in 2008, if the literature is to be totally trusted. And, if the literature is to be trusted, we can take a 2009 Summit X, put an aftermarket belt drive and lightweight exhaust can on it and bring weight lower the new RMK's claimed 417 lbs, all while still making more horsepower than the Polaris with the 800 Powertek R.

Interesting...

 

[shockman]

I just took off a ported 154 stock 2010 and put on the stock 2.5" 2012 track, it is 7lb's heavier

 

[Summitric]

16" wide track versus 15" track wide........... Weight difference = ??

But unsurmountable in extra climbing ability and floatation...........

 

[jpgmtech]

16" wide track versus 15" track wide........... Weight difference = ??

But unsurmountable in extra climbing ability and floatation...........

Definitely, we've tested all those tracks and the 162x16x2.5 non-ported is huge advantage over the earlier tracks. We've done side-by side with an otherwise stock 2010 Summit 800 Powertek fitted with a 162x16x2.25 track and a 2012 Pro RMK with a 155x15x2.4 track, and the Summit will blow by it on a hillclimb in soft conditions. When there is already a sled track laid down, the gap narrows somewhat, but the Summit will still outclimb it. We get the sense that the track is the major difference.

 

[jaredszakacs]

nice thanks for this thread! thats some good info you got going on and it is so true with the xp's remove that massive exhaust can put a belt drive on and the weight is gone! on mine all i did was took the muffler off for an mbrp stinger and put new bmp pipe and y-pipe on with all the stock piping off and the new piping on I lost about 13 pounds. then I stripped all the foam off the side panels and under the hood and lost another 4 pounds of dry foam (imagine when wet). so there is rougly 17 pounds give or take. that is only minor things taken off suposedly the new air intake coming for the etec cory micku was saying will be close to another 20 punds out by the time it is all installed! that number maybe a bit off but still 37 pounds taken off just by some minor minor add ons and take offs is quite a big difference! especially when the lightweight products being put on are adding a few ponies here and there!

 

[jpgmtech]

Yep, I keep thinking that the agressive weight loss program Polaris is pursuing is already in the XP owner's grasp since 2008. Rode with Cory in December, and let's just say that he left the Polaris in the trailer...

 

[Rioplay]

nice thanks for this thread! thats some good info you got going on and it is so true with the xp's remove that massive exhaust can put a belt drive on and the weight is gone! on mine all i did was took the muffler off for an mbrp stinger and put new bmp pipe and y-pipe on with all the stock piping off and the new piping on I lost about 13 pounds. then I stripped all the foam off the side panels and under the hood and lost another 4 pounds of dry foam (imagine when wet). so there is rougly 17 pounds give or take. that is only minor things taken off suposedly the new air intake coming for the etec cory micku was saying will be close to another 20 punds out by the time it is all installed! that number maybe a bit off but still 37 pounds taken off just by some minor minor add ons and take offs is quite a big difference! especially when the lightweight products being put on are adding a few ponies here and there!

So once the new RMK takes off all these same features because every manufacturer has them will that mean it will be under 400lbs? Just saying if one can do it so can another!

 

[jpgmtech]

So once the new RMK takes off all these same features because every manufacturer has them will that mean it will be under 400lbs? Just saying if one can do it so can another!

If the new Polaris muffler is as light as claimed, then there isn't much weight to be saved by installing a lightweight muffler on the Polaris, and it already has the belt drive.

If you put a lightweight exhaust can on an XP along with an aftermarket belt drive and have the skinny ported track of similar specification as the Polaris, the weight of the XP should actually be similar to the Polaris, if not lighter.

Again, all going by published dry weights here.

 

[Barker]

Why don't half the people riding just loose 50lbs that would help them out alot! I'm sure we just buy the brand of sled because we like that brand, if your buying a sled cause it's lighter just buy the rmk why go through the truble stripping your doo! if you stripped the same stuff off the Polaris it would be even lighter then the doo! You bought the doo because you like doo's and people buy Polaris because they like polaris! has nothing to do with weight or you would of bought Polaris stripped it and would of been lighter then a stripped doo!! This whose is lighter is BS! it's who can ride! If your at the bottom of the hill and the guy on the polaris went higher then you! Switch sleds the same guy on the Polaris will out climb you on your doo!

 

[etecheaven]

cant wait to how little money it would take to make a 2013 summit 154 close in weight to the claimed 417lbs from a pro 155. Im sure less then $1500.00 in mods and you will have weight for weight, but with alot more power and alot more track.

Ill wait for 2014 so these mods will be available, plus im sure doo will drop weight as well in response to the sales this next year.

 

[Sprint5]

We could do the same thing with the new sleds as well. You just have to put a ported track back on the 2013 and it would weight the same as the 09 summit x

 

[Sprint5]

cant wait to how little money it would take to make a 2013 summit 154 close in weight to the claimed 417lbs from a pro 155. Im sure less then $1500.00 in mods and you will have weight for weight, but with alot more power and alot more track.

Ill wait for 2014 so these mods will be available, plus im sure doo will drop weight as well in response to the sales this next year.

No they wont. the ereason for making them heavy was to make them stronger and more reliable by replacing the ported track with non ported track and a few other little things. Making them weigh more is for the better in the long run.

 

[lilduke]

my friend who is service manager at yamaha laughs about all the guys that wiegh 300lbs that come in and spend tons of money to lose20lbs off there sled...lol go to the gym!!!

 

[recguy]

You can make anything light, it just costs money. Ride it stock and if your not happy quit spending money and change brands.

 

[takethebounce]

The weight difference between 2008 XP's and current models is well documented. The scales BRP was using in 2008 were a little off, then came the additional bracing required, track changes, seat changes, thicker plastic, new skis, additional differences in the Etec vs Ptek weight, additional exhaust weight and so the list goes on. So big deal, the sled became heavier and also gained more HP, improved reliability and better handling.

Polaris came along with a very light weight mountain sled and has sold a ton of them. Great on them. There isn't really much more they can do to make that sled lighter. The SLP designed exhaust, the narrow boards, the lightweight everything including a silly carbon bumper that breaks the first time you touch it. So no, you can not go and remove an equal amount of weight from a stock Polaris as you can a stock Doo.

Is it easy to drop 25-30lbs from a Doo, yes. Anything more than that and you will start spending a few dollars on though.

I have in my garage a Pro RMK and a Summit X. You can look at the sleds as much as you want and not tell there is a weight difference. You can pick up the sled if you really wanted to or were capable of doing so and likely wouldn't be able to know how much weight difference there is. The only place the weight difference is evident is on the scale and this continues to be important to a lot of people yet most riders are still not capable to riding the sled to its maximum ability.

Why does Cat's sleds rarely come into these conversations? I honestly don't visit Cat threads and don't know much about them, have very limited seat time on M chassis and no seat time on a new Cat as I don't ride with people who own them. I used to own a few Cat's in the 90's but once I came out West I went right back to Doo's.

At the end of the day all that really matters is what performs best for that particular rider in the snow. I also can't drop 50 pounds, I'd like to put on 10 if anything

 

[Sprint5]

my friend who is service manager at yamaha laughs about all the guys that wiegh 300lbs that come in and spend tons of money to lose20lbs off there sled...lol go to the gym!!!

Hahaha! There is nothing more true.

 

[maxwell]

Hoooolllyyyy fackkk are we really having this conversation. Who cares!!!!

Some good points made.

#1- hit the gym

#2 - no one on this site can outride a new rmk or a new doo. So what does it matter.

Doo now has a 2.5" 16 wide track. Have you ever lifted one of those suckers? Heavy! Probly 15lbs heavier than the polaris track. So ya we can dumb ourselves down. Decrease our engine HP and advancements to a basic ineficient fuelly and ditch 10hp. then we can add a 15 inch wide crap track. Remove stock canister and bingo 420lbs! And add some lame carbon fiber parts that don't holdup.

Ask the polaris riders how well there runningboards and pyramid frames are holding up!

Oh and have fun finding that NASA glue when you need it thee most.

No thanks. Ill take a few extra bolts and a solid well built sled. Not some hackjob lightweight over hyped junk.





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[jpgmtech]

The weight difference between 2008 XP's and current models is well documented. The scales BRP was using in 2008 were a little off, then came the additional bracing required, track changes, seat changes, thicker plastic, new skis, additional differences in the Etec vs Ptek weight, additional exhaust weight and so the list goes on. So big deal, the sled became heavier and also gained more HP, improved reliability and better handling.

Polaris came along with a very light weight mountain sled and has sold a ton of them. Great on them. There isn't really much more they can do to make that sled lighter. The SLP designed exhaust, the narrow boards, the lightweight everything including a silly carbon bumper that breaks the first time you touch it. So no, you can not go and remove an equal amount of weight from a stock Polaris as you can a stock Doo.

Is it easy to drop 25-30lbs from a Doo, yes. Anything more than that and you will start spending a few dollars on though.

I have in my garage a Pro RMK and a Summit X. You can look at the sleds as much as you want and not tell there is a weight difference. You can pick up the sled if you really wanted to or were capable of doing so and likely wouldn't be able to know how much weight difference there is. The only place the weight difference is evident is on the scale and this continues to be important to a lot of people yet most riders are still not capable to riding the sled to its maximum ability.

Why does Cat's sleds rarely come into these conversations? I honestly don't visit Cat threads and don't know much about them, have very limited seat time on M chassis and no seat time on a new Cat as I don't ride with people who own them. I used to own a few Cat's in the 90's but once I came out West I went right back to Doo's.

At the end of the day all that really matters is what performs best for that particular rider in the snow. I also can't drop 50 pounds, I'd like to put on 10 if anything

I also cannot hit the gym and loose 50lbs. But weight difference on a sled is very tangible when riding it. Even 20lbs can be noticed in the snow, sled-to-sled with the same basic chassis setup. 40-50lbs is actually quite dramatic.

 

[Barker]

Who cares about the weight! Just ride the thing and fun! If your want to go higher up the shoot buy a Yamaha tank turbo it 400 HP the heaviet sled out there and plow your way to the top!!! Why dose the heaviest go the highest??

 

[takethebounce]

I also cannot hit the gym and loose 50lbs. But weight difference on a sled is very tangible when riding it. Even 20lbs can be noticed in the snow, sled-to-sled with the same basic chassis setup. 40-50lbs is actually quite dramatic.

In deep snow you sled is likely carrying 30-40 pounds of snow and ice around with it. All that snow/ice in the skid, under the cooler, all along the boards. I don't hear people complaing how heavy their sled is on a deep power day compared to any other day. I call BS that someone is going to notice a sled that is 20 lbs heavier in the snow.

A Doo jerry can is atleast 25-30 pounds full. I can notice the weight on the rear of the sled when sidehilling steep slopes as that weight might make the sled wash out quicker so I compensate by standing further forward, but riding around in deep snow its not noticeable.