Why I started riding a Yamaha again.

[Turblue]

So just wanted to do a blurb on why I went back to Yamaha, compared to the previous sleds I have owned. First off I’ve been riding since I was able to walk....now in my 40’s, ive seen a lot change in the sledding industry. It’s actually amazing the technology available for the these sleds. Reliability isnt even a question anymore...they just flat out work.

I grew up on a snojet sst440 and a 1986 Yamaha Enticer. Drove those sleds until you could see Saskatchewan stubble through the skis....Lol. From there I bought my very first brand new sled...1995 Yamaha Vmax 600...this sled is what I had when I transitioned from flat farm riding, to the mountains. Wow...big eye opener there. From there I went to a new 1997 Skidoo 670 summit...man this thing was night and day difference in the mountains, compared to the Vmax 600. Then I bought a used 1999 Polaris rmk 700...ended up installing a 151 on it and it worked well.

A buddy of mine bought a Yamaha RX1 and we all laughed...man that thing is a tank. Then he turbocharged it and did some chassis work....ahhh yeah...I want one.....unbelievable...the power was addictive. So, I sold the Polaris and bought a new 2006 Yamaha Apex turbo...this sled was a lot of fun...road it for almost 6 year. Had done quite a bit of modding to it in that time. The downfall to this sled was it’s weight...so I traded it for a used 2008 Yamaha nytro...I can honestly say this sled wasn’t that much fun...I think it’s was mostly because of the m10 rear suspension, but I was pretty excited the day I seen it leave.

From there I bought a used 2013 pro rmk and used 2015 skidoo xm summit 174. Out of all these sleds handling wise the skidoo xm was the funnest sled I rode to date. Power wise and just all around thrills would go to the the apex forsure.......But, I wasn’t completely happy with these sleds...at 230 plus gear.... I alway felt the 800 two stroke mill just wasn’t powerful enough. I rode a few buddies 2 stroke turbos , but never did care for the throttle response and reliability was always in the back of my mind. Plus your sticking more money to make them work. So what to do...mmmm the Yamaha Viper with a turbo didn’t sound very appealing from what I read. Plus again I was tired of sinking money into a sled just to try to make it work better.

Yamaha introduces the Sidewinder...factory turbo...hmmm. People were pretty skeptical with any Yamaha mountain sled at this point due to the weight penalty....even the couple dealers I talked to weren’t pushing them at all...they actually didn’t really know much about them. So I started digging for some answers. I heard that the Yamaha demo tour coming locally...ah...yeah ...I need to try one of these for Myself and form my own opinion.

Well all I can say is the rest is history...you can read a detailed report on what I thought about the sled in my other post here. This sled is everything I was looking for ...perfect power and great handling. The power is smooth and manageable, compared to the arm ripping power of previous turbo 4 strokes I’ve had.

We typically ride steep trees in our group......I still get impressed with what this sled is capable of...just when I think..nope not going to make it out...it does it with ease. Is it heavier than a 2 stroke...yes, but not by much wet and in the snow. The biggest way I gauged riding this sled was...at the end of the day I wasn’t dog dead tired ...like the apex days...... Still felt great.


So after a full winter I still am truly amazed how this sled works, and until you try one ...you won’t know what your missing out on.

 

[bjd68]

Would have to agree with u there I got a chance on the sidewinder for a day and it surprised me in every way that’s probably why I’m looking for a used one !

 

[1200]

Sounds cool .i to been sledin since 90 s in the mountain s also. have had all the brands on t3 now . Yes its slow but chugges along. Looking for something faster i rode a sidewinder last season seemed like it needed a 174 and a skid what u think? What mods should be done ?

 

[Lund]

Sounds cool .i to been sledin since 90 s in the mountain s also. have had all the brands on t3 now . Yes its slow but chugges along. Looking for something faster i rode a sidewinder last season seemed like it needed a 174 and a skid what u think? What mods should be done ?

I see your in Kelowna, if you ride Greystokes you won't like the Winder, especially on a 174. The Sidewinder is a BIG terrain sled, Eagles/Turtle, Area51, Icefields and set up on a 174 and there is nothing you won't be able to conquer thats rideable in BC. The issue is, you would have more fun on a lighter 800 in smaller tighter terrain, like Greystokes, Hunters range type terrain.
Something to think about before switching

 

[Lund]

Turblue
Your history sounds similar, i started back in the 70's on a new A/C Panther, it was not my first sled a 76 Skiroule was. But not to make this into a long story, i bounced back and forth from Cat to Yamaha through out the 80's and 90's till 2000 where i took a giant leap in to the unknown and bought 2 Skidoo Summit highmarks. For the next 10 years i tied myself to Skidoo and finally after 10 years of endless warranties and let downs/break downs and tow out's went back to Yamaha and with all honesty have had very very few claims or issues with all the Yamaha's i have ever owned over the years.
I have had more issues with Cat's but not even close to the issues i have had with Doo's.

Today i have a Yamaha and a Cat, both 2017 models and no worries to think about.

I have never owned a Polaris, maybe i will one day.

 

[Turblue]

Sounds cool .i to been sledin since 90 s in the mountain s also. have had all the brands on t3 now . Yes its slow but chugges along. Looking for something faster i rode a sidewinder last season seemed like it needed a 174 and a skid what u think? What mods should be done ?

I did do a 174 on mine....I seem to think with my size it helps. I feel you do lose some of the playfulness from the sled going longer. I probably wouldn’t of done it but found a smoking deal on all the parts. As for terrain, as Lund said these sleds do shine in the big country....Where I typically ride that doesn’t exist, it’s tight tree riding all the time and have a blast. I think I’ve been to Sicamous once with this sled.

 

[tex78]

I did do a 174 on mine....I seem to think with my size it helps. I feel you do lose some of the playfulness from the sled going longer. I probably wouldn’t of done it but found a smoking deal on all the parts. As for terrain, as Lund said these sleds do shine in the big country....Where I typically ride that doesn’t exist, it’s tight tree riding all the time and have a blast. I think I’ve been to Sicamous once with this sled.

Just once??, we got some of the best tree riding around

 

[Turblue]

Lol ...I know right....we rode eagles burnt area for 2 days and Mt Mcrae in revy. Don’t get me wrong ...I’d ride Sicamous all the time, but kids sports and the 8 hr drive keeps me away.

 

[Lund]

Lol ...I know right....we rode eagles burnt area for 2 days and Mt Mcrae in revy. Don’t get me wrong ...I’d ride Sicamous all the time, but kids sports and the 8 hr drive keeps me away.

Message me if your in the area, it would be nice to ride with another Winder rider.
I was out in the Koot for a week last season, rode several areas between Cranbrook and Golden. There was plenty of tree riding to do to get out into the alpine. The tree riding is different in that area, as they are small and fairly spaced compared to my area, lots of poplar in the area we rode. Doctor creek and big alpine, was caught in an avy there and we lost 2 sleds.

 

[Turblue]

Message me if your in the area, it would be nice to ride with another Winder rider.
I was out in the Koot for a week last season, rode several areas between Cranbrook and Golden. There was plenty of tree riding to do to get out into the alpine. The tree riding is different in that area, as they are small and fairly spaced compared to my area, lots of poplar in the area we rode. Doctor creek and big alpine, was caught in an avy there and we lost 2 sleds.

That would be awesome to have a tour guide...I’ve rode a few areas over the years but always looking for new terrain....I like exploring for the breathtaking views. So far seen Eagles, Blue Lake, Boulder, Frisbee, Turtle(thx RS for letting us tag along) Keystone , Area 51, Mt Mcrae, Quarts Creek, Fernie(my main area), Crowsnest Pass, Cooke city MT, West Yellowstone MT, Island Park ID. I really enjoy the back country loops and not see another sled all day.

 

[Turblue]

I started this thread for a couple reasons.....First off, people keep asking why did I go back to a heavier 4 stroke sled? and how do I like it? Second, for people that have went back to Yamaha or have stayed for that matter...what are the main reasons you chose to ride a Yamaha? Power, price, reliability, just because...etc

For myself....I’ve pretty much stated the reasons why over various post, but to sum it up it’s a very exciting sled to ride, 4 stroke longevity and reliability, great handling, didn’t need to sink a pile of money into it to get what I was looking for, and it’s different then what everyone else is riding typically in our area.

So let hear why you have made the switch and post some pictures of your iron.

 

[Lund]

I started this thread for a couple reasons.....First off, people keep asking why did I go back to a heavier 4 stroke sled? and how do I like it? Second, for people that have went back to Yamaha or have stayed for that matter...what are the main reasons you chose to ride a Yamaha? Power, price, reliability, just because...etc

For myself....I’ve pretty much stated the reasons why over various post, but to sum it up it’s a very exciting sled to ride, 4 stroke longevity and reliability, great handling, didn’t need to sink a pile of money into it to get what I was looking for, and it’s different then what everyone else is riding typically in our area.

So let hear why you have made the switch and post some pictures of your iron.

Its been my way for many years now not to fallow the crowd, why ride what everyone else rides. While most sledders will argue over whats what and their ride is dominant over another similar ride in different clothing ...LOL ....there is no argument about the 4stroke ride, its different, very different.
Yes it gets the looks, check over and questions and on the hill's it turns heads, because its different among the flock of sheep.
There is no denying

 

[0neoldfart]

Kinda like a black sheep here - I own the Cat version of the Sidewinder (17 King Cat). I started riding on an old Lynx, had lots of used Rupps, Ski-Roules, etc until my 1st mtn sled: a 79 Blizzard 7500 with some plastic paddles bolted to the track. Thus began a long ride on ski-doo until 2007, when I bought an M1000 SnoPro that I spent a ton of money on - loved that sled. Have had a summit, ProRMK, M800, and M1100T since then - the 4s torque bit me hard, nothing quite like it. The newest offering (Sidewinder/King Cat) is lighter then my modded M1100 was, and was just more fun to ride (playful is the word I'm looking for). As long as I'm able to ride, I'll likely be on a 4S turbo...

 

[Catchme]

We always had arctic cats growing up but the Vmax was the sled to have. Always wanted to own one and found this one last year. Great for just having fun in the pasture and a pleasure ride. The guy I bought it from completely rebuilt it. Looks like it came off the showroom floor.

 

[Joholio]

We are big Yamaha fans around here, with four dirt bikes, a quad and an 87 Enticer. All excellent running, low maintenance units. We are looking at a mint Phazer buddy might sell to us here. My 15 T3 Doo will either get handed down or sold and Im stuck between a 2020 Doo or a Sidewinder... the few minutes I have on one were impressive, I would like to spend a whole day on one, then make a call. Good thread here

 

[Got boost want snow]

I began riding early 70's on a sno jet. My dad was the dealer, moved on to Kawasaki when they bought sno jet. I cross country raced, sno crossed and drag raced mostly with sno jet and Kawasaki sleds. My first yamaha was a 92 vmax 4 it had quad pipes, reeds and a 136 track fun sled but heavy. Then came my 03 RX1 I rode it for over 10,000 km in the mountains non-Turboed. Awesome sled but heavy. Turboed apex was next I still have it and the giggle factor is still second to none. Love this sled in nipple deep powder, it makes your elbows hurt from hanging on. Very close to 10,000 km on my apex at approx 290hp. I have now also got a 2015 viper with a 180 kit. This sled works well and out does the stock 800 2 strokes. The torque of the four stroke is so addictive and when you boost them it becomes a drug!! The reliability of the four stroke was another reason I have stayed with Yamaha. I did get to go on the power tour and ride the winder. Awesome sled!

 

[Lund]

It seem's like alot of people riding 4strokes today are of similar age. I also started in the mid 70's.
Growing up as a kid in Sherbrooke Valcourt Quebec. Snowmobiling was in the blood line.
I moved to BC and brought the addiction with me. Buying a 76 Ski-Roule and then in 1978 buying a new out of the show room A/C Panther. This was the beginning of an incredible sledding career.
I bought my first Yamaha in 1984, first year of the Phazer. Bought another in 86 and in 87. Then bought my first liquid cooled sled, 89 Exciter.
In the 90's i rode mostly Arctic Cat's, 700 Wildcat, the beginning of the first big bore twins and the 900 Thundercat triple...ooh that sweet sound. In 97 i was riding a Yamaha again 700 MountainMax, then in 99 bought another Cat, the mighty 1000 Thundercat.
Then a big change, as i was tied up in the hill climb scene as a private player and was offered a full sponsorship by BRP.
With that came 2 new 2000 Ski-doo Highmarks, but in 2004 i did ride a Cat M900 while hill climbing for BRP with Ski-doo.
Till 2004, where BRP and i entered a contract as one of their western test rider's.The agreement ended in 2008, as i could no longer support the business ethics and had lost faith in their product. It was best for someone else to take over.
In 2010 went back to Yamaha with a full build Nytro and today my wife rides an Arctic Cat and i'm on you know.

So there you have it.

Why i started riding a Yamaha again as the OP stated, well, it was a relief after spending almost 10 years with BRP.
Their product might be getting better, i don't know. But their business ethics are to be desired.

As for 4strokes, i have been riding big sleds for ever, i ride with my wife mostly and nothing is more important to me as a turn key ride that will take me back every time trouble free. Plus, with nothing to prove and i prefer watching the young gun's busting their ****.

 

[Turblue]

Awesome history stories fellas....I always curious what makes guys lean towards Yamaha’s....maybe when the rx1 came out there were definitely guys jumping on the band wagon.....but not so much now a days.

 

[Lund]

One of the things i find about sledder's in general and maybe this might apply to older rider's but more so young riders. I consider a young rider to be under 45-50 years old. Is the weight thing with sleds.
Sledders get really hung up on that and ignore many other things.
Fact is we are not all 175lbs and 5'9". LOL. Ya ok some need a diet but that is not true for everyone. I see plenty of 5'6" guys weighing in well over the 200 mark, just as i see plenty of string beans out there.
I'm over 6ft, like 6'2" or 3" and 225 nothing on. In my younger years i was nearly an inch taller and heavier.
The point is my sled option because of design are limited. Ya give me a G4 or an Axys, i guarantee i would not make a season before i'ed either break the suspension or chassi. Plus most likely poop the engine prematurely from hauling my weight around all day at WOT.

Them little people might critic us and our Yamaha's but they are sour with life i think in general, really all they can do is buy big lifted trucks, when it come's to sled's, SIZE MATTER's...

FYI, i'm well over the 250 mark geared up, probably close to 275lbs.

 

[Lunch_Box]

I had an M1000 back in 2007 and rode that for a couple of seasons before getting rid of it. Always loved the boosted 4 strokes but it wasn't in the budget, so would just watch the Boost movies by Veedy and enjoy. Got back into sledding last season and looked at all the makes; BRP was out straight away, can't support Quebec if they can't support oil. Got it down between the Polaris and Yamaha, read some reviews and talked to some people at the sled show and didn't hear anything negative about the Sidewinder other than weight. Im 6'2" and 215lbs so the weight wasn't a concern. After a couple learning days back sledding again and getting it setup it has been great. Added some power and lost some weight half way through the season and never looked back. Only 2 stroke I can see getting in the future would be one for the wife.

I always find it funny at the guys wanting the light weight sled, or talking about their headlight delete to shave down a few lbs but then you look at them and 90% are over weight.