Wicked day on a Sidewinder!

[Turblue]

17 has the same led headlights, I believe the panels are the same... as for the D&R it will improve the attack angle which keeps you on top of the snow better. There's a reason why one of the main sled mods back in the day was a drop and roll...it flat out works better. From my experience with them. That being said the 17 I test rode for a day work very well getting on top of the snow...I was impressed.

2017 on the top bottom 2 2018

 

[Frosted flakes]

Never really heard or understood the drop and roll until lately with a lot of the mod builders. Been a 2 smoke guy all my life and this Sidewinder caught my eye and as I journey further down this rabbit hole, I'm getting sucked in further and further. My riding buddies tell me all the time, they will disown me if I get a 4S.

"I'm not throwing my back out to get the tank unstuck!"

Now with more mountain riding experience, I think I'm ready to make the leap of faith. Just wish I could have hooked up with the power tour to get some real seat time before dropping the $17k.

 

[Frosted flakes]

Did they change the bulkhead? Looking at Turblue 17 pics to 18 pics, the intercooler piping is on the outside of the bulkhead versus inside on the 17.

 

[Turblue]

The 17 I rode it was on the outside not sure why the 17 pic doesn't show it. Riding a 4stroke is like nothing else, the power is addictive.....you will enjoy it.

 

[Lund]

Never really heard or understood the drop and roll until lately with a lot of the mod builders. Been a 2 smoke guy all my life and this Sidewinder caught my eye and as I journey further down this rabbit hole, I'm getting sucked in further and further. My riding buddies tell me all the time, they will disown me if I get a 4S.

"I'm not throwing my back out to get the tank unstuck!"

Now with more mountain riding experience, I think I'm ready to make the leap of faith. Just wish I could have hooked up with the power tour to get some real seat time before dropping the $17k.

Drop and roll is a concept that was started way back in the 90s for the purpose of installing lug tracks and as sleds evolved into mountain sleds to fit the required tracks the concept was adapted into the chassis. One of the differences between a trail chassis and a mountain chassis thus it could be called a mountain specific chassis.
There is on this thread a lot of hype on it and it kinda makes me laugh a bit.
The whole idea of it has been skewed now because it's real purpose is to allow better track clearance between the top of the lugs and the tunnel, especially the bulkhead area to install a track with large lugs. Also increasing the clearance allows for improved snow evacuation under the tunnel.
The D&R can improved the sleds ability to get on top of snow but it is mostly on sleds that already struggle you would notice most(tend to trench a lot).
As for the bigger driver's 8t vs 7t, the over all gear ratio has to be the same on both 17 and 18 as they use the same motors and clutches and so on.
So this means the gear ratio on the 18 had to be lowered substantially to make up for the 8t drivers use. (the bigger driver is the same as gearing up)
Other then a slightly shallower approach angle there are no other benefits to it. And no you will not gain track speed from the 8t LOL

I'm surprised they went that rout, i think people would had been much happier with better running boards personally. If they had to choose between D&R and boards, bet most would take boards.

 

[Frosted flakes]

Lund what your saying with D&R is more of a sales ploe? 8T drivers are good if they would have kept the current gear ratio, or bad because it would have not generated the desire track speed, so that why they gear down? Sorry, just trying to wrap my head around that. Trying to absorb as much info as possible to make the most informed decision before buying. Boards aren't a big deal to me, cut them off and put on whatever the latest and greatest is. But coming with great factory boards would be awesome!

 

[Frosted flakes]

If I'm high jacking this thread, let me know and I will create another one, just figure I would ask question where all the cool kids hang out

 

[Lund]

Lund what your saying with D&R is more of a sales ploe? 8T drivers are good if they would have kept the current gear ratio, or bad because it would have not generated the desire track speed, so that why they gear down? Sorry, just trying to wrap my head around that. Trying to absorb as much info as possible to make the most informed decision before buying. Boards aren't a big deal to me, cut them off and put on whatever the latest and greatest is. But coming with great factory boards would be awesome!

All i'm saying is this is first time i have heard anything about the SW ability to get up on snow. I believe in refinements but not before the bigger issues are taken care of. One of the biggest complaint of this chassis you hear constantly has been poor running boards.
Correct about the 8t, the overall ratio cannot change because the power doesn't change, so the gearing has to be compensated to maintain the ratio's.

Don't get me wrong, its going to be a great sled and i believe Yamaha/Cat is breaking new grounds here.

 

[Pistonbroke]

All i'm saying is this is first time i have heard anything about the SW ability to get up on snow. I believe in refinements but not before the bigger issues are taken care of. One of the biggest complaint of this chassis you hear constantly has been poor running boards.
Correct about the 8t, the overall ratio cannot change because the power doesn't change, so the gearing has to be compensated to maintain the ratio's.

Don't get me wrong, its going to be a great sled and i believe Yamaha/Cat is breaking new grounds here.

You also get some folks who like to pick at the fringes of theoretical physics and claim that the 8T drivers offer less rolling resistance than a 7T ....but I digress.

 

[Lund]

You also get some folks who like to pick at the fringes of theoretical physics and claim that the 8T drivers offer less rolling resistance than a 7T ....but I digress.

I 100% agree

 

[Frosted flakes]

That seems like inside joke or an argument many moons ago. LOL

 

[174mcx]

When talking about drivers, don't forget to consider track pitch. You take the number of teeth and multply it by the pitch to get a diameter of the driver. You need that to work out final gear ratio as well. Just for your information, I never looked to see if the 18 sidewinder has a different pitch or not just adding knowledge.

 

[Lund]

To add also you need to consider the air gap between the top of the lug and the bulk head.
If the air gap tightens the more resistance and power is needed to turn the track as snow will have a harder time escaping, the lugs will act more like a conveyor pulling snow out.
Im sure they consider this and adjusted accordingly.

 

[Frosted flakes]

Dropping the drive shaft a 1.125" seems like a lot, do you think their trying to compensate for a 3.2 or 3.5 track in the future? My 2.6 on my M8 looks to have room to go up to a 3" easily.

 

[contagius]

Anybody have any comparisons between sidewinder and king cat?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Turblue]

Just a side comparison on the D&R chain case, can see the different angles pretty good

 

[Frosted flakes]

In the Yamaha 3 minute video, does anyone know who the riders are?

 

[climbmax]

3- 150lb models.

 

[Frosted flakes]

That why they need me to go do the shoot rides. My 6' 235# stature is more real world and my riding skills represent most of us older gentlemen. LOL

 

[Frosted flakes]

Does the intercooler piping get knock around when jumping, wheeling, or anytime the front end is out of the snow? It looks so close to the upper a arm.