When i was 9 my dad bought a skidoo tnt. *I liked it and drove the crap out of it when he finnally let me. *

But all i wanted was a yamaha v-max. *I thought they were the neatest thing. *My dad finally was going to buy a new sled for the first time. *I wanted Yamaha and he wanted skidoo because thats all he ever drove when he was a kid. *So he bought a Skidoo. *I though it was the neatest thing and ever since then thats all i own. *Not one skidoo has ever broke down on me since that tnt which broke down once a weekend. *

But nothing captured my brand loyalty like my 98 500 mxz. *What a machine. *I was smoking 580 cats 550 cats and it was just plain awsome. *It never broke down and now it has 9987.6km on it and compression test is 151/151. *It still hauls. And it corners like its on rails. *great sled.

I still like yamaha but ive ridden the SRX and SX viper and to me IMO the skidoo sleds offer me more and are designed better for my style of riding.

I guess you could say that since the family started out with Ski-doo, I developed a bad case of yellow underwear http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Before our 2nd season, Dad bought a '71 Elan for Mom. She rode it one weekend and said she hated it. It wouldn't steer. She had driven his '70 335 Oly As anyone who has ridden an Elan knows, there is quite a bit of body englished in driving one. She just wanted to sit there and ride *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

My dad started out in 71 with a Viking then he bought another one in 73. *After Viking went out of business he bought a cat and we have been a cat family since. *I was blackballed in 93 when I bought a new Formula Plus 580. *I rode it for one year and dumped it at a loss. *I worked on that thing trying to get it to where I could bang the trails and finally gave up. *My dad's old 73 Cheetah was a better trail sled. *I picked up a 95 EXT then a 96 ZRT600 and finally a 98 ZR600. *I will never stray again.

I was always a polaris guy having owned a couple of indys and an edge and i loved them, but last year the doos looked too #### good to resist anymore so i tried a couple of mxz`s and i really liked it so i bought one. *It was the looks of the ski doo that got me first but after i drove one i just loved the way they ride, handle,and haul a$$, so i dont know if i am really loyal to just one brand because i really like the new ski doos and polaris has been really good to me over the years too so i guess i hold two brands dear to my heart. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

All my friends ride Doos and they know how to fix anything on them. Why buy something else when your friends will work on your Ski-Doo for only parts? Besides Ski-Doo being the best sled out there.
* * * * * * Ryan

I used to go on a couple sled trips a year, as time allowed (had just started my own business) after 3 years on rentals that were all Cats I had to get my own machines, I was hooked. At that time my opinion of Cats were not too high, they were fancooled, not very powerful, and LOUD. So when I was going to buy sleds for me and the wife, I started looking at used machines with no preference except no Cats. I ended up getting a 2000 Polaris Supersport (leftover) for the ole lady which she absolutely LOVES, it has about 4500 miles on it now, and the only problem I had was at about 15 miles the recoil spring broke. I ended up with a 98 Ski-Doo FIII 600 that I got with about 900 miles on it and it now has about 5700 miles on it, and the only problem I had with that one was at about 3500 miles the front arm of the rear suspension snapped, needless to say the new one was an updated design! I have been happy with both, I would also consider a Yamaha for a sled, but I still dont think I am ready to try owning a Cat, the just dont appeal to me much.

Pops liked scorpion but when they went under a friend of his said the slide rail on the cats was the best so dad bought a couple. Since then we have had good luck with them, and if it aint broke dont fix it right. I'll keep riding cats till they Pi*s me off...

I owned or rode almost anything growing up. *Relatives had all makes(colt, JD trail fire/liquifire, blizzard, intruder, tnt, eltigre, etc.)so I had a chance to ride them all and liked which ever one was running at the time the best. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
The first sled I started taking to radar runs was my old mans 77 AC cross country cat. *I spend allot of time watching him and my uncles mess around with it and that is the sled that I learned the most about. *Ever since then I learned more and more about cat and the new models and decided to stick with what I know. *That is the main reason I have stuck with cat for so long. *I like other sleds, but would need to learn allot of new things about the clutching etc., mainly doo (mach Z)since that is the sled I see my self on next. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I started with polaris when i was 15.It was a indy sport. since then i've had a indy 400,500,eltiger 5000,formula 583. I currently ride a xcr800 and love it.It's only has 2700m but it has been flawless like my other polaris's.the artic cat gave me promblems with the head and the skiidoo just was a really poor sled.

I was not brought up around snowmobiles. *I had to find things out for myself. *

I first bought a 92 Yamaha Exciter. *Was a nice sled for it's time. *Plus it was cheap. No probs and ran good.

A friend of mine had picked up a new 1996 Ski-Doo F-III. *I got to ride it for about 100 miles and fell in love with it. *Smooth power, nice ride, and tons of fun. *Right then and there I knew it was time to send the Yami down the road. *

After the Yami sale I bought a new 1997 Mach Z. *( F-III was fast...but I wanted more ) *To this date I still run the Mach Z and don't think I will ever change brands. *( If you saw some of the ski-doo forum posts, you would have seen the Ski-Doo tatt down my leg )

I bought all Doos so far and can't complain at all.The Doos really look great and are IMO the most dependable.Got a great dealer (2 time dealer of the nation) What really got me into Doos first off was my best freind has a buddy up north that sells and services Pols. Cats and Doos.So I talked to him about which brand is the all around best sled and he said Doos.

we had doo's back when i was a kid 6 years old, but my old man fazed out after a couple years. in 71 my farm equipment dealer uncle started selling yamahas and after what i would say were some of the worst winters in history he quit that in about 78. was fun though because at 12 years old i was on his race team and i got to hangout with the older guys that seemed to know everything about sleds in fact one fellow used to race factory ski-doo. never rode a sled from 76 till 99, it was a few friends that were going north and said they would loan me a sled but who borrows a sled ? and i made ten mllion excuses but luckily i was one excuse short. i said i was too busy to leave with them on wednesday but thursday would be good and it was too bad they were going to have to leave without me. then on the tuesday before all were leaving one of the guys called me and said he can't go wednesday but could leave thursday with me, i was in the corner then with no excuse and would never borrow a sled. so i said to him i'll call him back in an hour and i called around looking to buy a sled. first thing i thought was buy a polaris because all those guys have polaris and i am in a business that getting the same brand would be better. seriously the polaris dealers that hour did not want to sell a sled, i am sure that i couldn't have even stole one from them that day it seemed that they were all set on getting on to something else. even tried to buy a yamaha that hour too because i thought well atleast i can say i am familiar with the yamaha but the dealer had nothing to sell. so after coming up empty handed a challenge came into my mind i thought how stupid can these guys be so i called the doo dealers and almost came up without one. i bought the sled over the phone and went wednesday night to get it, i also needed the complete from helmet to boots so i got that too. the riding was good but where we stayed
http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif *in parry sound the CRANE LAKE LODGE because they had rippers. the sled is a 500 mxz.

Hey Paul, that wasn't you out riding with Brett Lindros was it? *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

revrnd,
*that little trick of his happened the year after we were there if my memory is correct. it's funny that you know where he cracked up and that is the place we stayed. lindros was there on one of the nights we were there "but" the rippers came back to our dump cabin. i went to sleep.

Hum.. Started out with a run down john deer. *Never realy got to ride it. Got me 78 Tnt. nice little sled. Fixed it also more than i rode it. Next sled was a 86 formula plus. Rode alot! *by know I'm realy into the sport. So I wanna get me one of those yellow ones! So i get 98 MxZ 670. Wee! Fast sled. But again spent more time fixing it then riding it seems. *So by that time my buddies where riding cat's. And them seemed to be pulling me off the trail most of the time. So i got rid of that yeller one and got me a green machine! haven't looked back since!!

I make it my point to keep "abreast" of things. As Hank Snow once said, "I've Been Everywhere Man" *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Places I've snowmobiled at:

To the north: Hearst
To the west: D'ville
To the east: Cloyne
To the south: North Oshawa

Lindros must be a fixture up there, we were at Bass Lake Restaurant on Lake Joseph for lunch one day and he was there.

revrnd,
*i think their family cottage is on otter lake.

Well, I started out when I was 5, on a 80 something Kitty cat, and I thought those things were fast! *I soon moved onto a 81 Yamaha Enticer 300, not a bad sled, it took whatever I gave it, I probably rolled it about 10 times a season. *I then was able to ride on a 89 Jag 340, still, not a bad sled, very trustworthy, able to pull the skis, with ease. *I still have the Jag now, and I mainly ride the ole 93 Phazer, I just CAN'T GET ENOUGH of it, although my Newest V Max is Much nicer suspension wise (Of coarse&#33http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif *I'm probably going to stick with Yamaha for life, unless I get a very good deal on a different brand

Started out getting rides on my dads 70 something polaris then when I got old enough my brother and I rode it around the farm. *My dad decided we needed to sleds and got me a 94 Jag 440. *Then later on he got my brother a 97 Jag 440. *The local dealer had always been good to me so I stuck with AC. *Since I have bought a 97 Cougar 550 and my first new sled a 00 ZR500 holdover.

How did you find the cloyne area revrnd?I rode up there for a number of years and found it to be some of the best http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif And thats after riding most of ontario like yourself.The trails are fairly wide(i worked enough weekends cutting em to know)
smooth and not over travelled with johnny sno-cross coming
at you around every corner. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/nervous.gif

I also had to find out things for myself. *I got into sledding when I bought a friends 80 JD Sportfire. *Already a neglected antique when I bought it, just about everything was falling apart on the sled. *It always ran well though. *After that one short (and snow deprived) season, I ended up taking a job in Dallas, TX., and had to move out of Denver. *I once again got re acquainted with the sport just last February. *Man how much I missed it. *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/inlove.gif

I'm watching the outcome of the NPS snowmobile regulations to be decided this fall. *It will have a direct bearing on what I purchase. *I really liked the Yamaha Mountain Max that I rode, and am leaning towards the RX-1 if the snowmobile ban is overturned in the national park system. *Otherwise, we'll see what can be had relatively inexpensively.

I really enjoy it over there. We try to do it at least once a season. It's about a 180 mile round trip from Apsley, a good day's ride. The trail along the powerline has sort of been messed up with the logging the last couple of years. The Skootamatta Access Road is excellent. One day we are riding along the cottage road heading west towards the airstrip. There's a car stopped in the middle of the road with just enough room to get by. Our group passes the car on both sides. * http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif It was a couple of young lads sparking up a joint *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

Didn't make it over there this year. Got as far east as the airport where the Mazinaw trail meets Old Hastings (good place for racing)

I STARTED OUT ON A 76' JAG WHEN I WAS IN 3rd GRADE I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE A CAT MAN FOR EVER, YEAH RIGHT, THEN WHEN I GOT TO 8th GRADE IT WAS TIME FOR A DIFFERANT SLED I WAS GOING TO GET A ZR 580 EFI BUT THEN MY BUDDY WHOS DAD WORKED FOR POLARIS TOLD ME HOW GOOD THEY WERE AND THAT I SHOULD GET ONE SO I DID A 95' INDY 500 I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD FOR A YEAR THEN I WANTED SOMETHING BETTER SO THIS YEAR I AM BUYING A 03' 440 PRO X, SO NOW I AM A POLARIS GUY AND MOST LIKELY WILL NOT CHANGE

http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/withstupid.gif

Started out riding with the parents, *mother had a articcat, *father had a cat. * Later got to ride a cat by myself, *then had a rupp 440 nitro to ride on, *that blew up. *So back to cat been that way ever since.

I got started in 2000 by myself. *It started with my brothers buddy (in 99&#39http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif taking me for a ride on his 98' XLT 600 special. *We were cranking about 103mph down a hilly road. *I was hooked. *So I looked around and my dad was talking to guys at work. *I ended up buying a 97' MXZ 440 fan. *I LOVE IT!

was originally a polaris man, but i tried a skidoo mxz 600 this year because i couldnt afford my RMK i was giong to buy. *so ended getting an mxz.

I started riding with a friend who's family had yamaha's. The first sled I bought was Artic Cat, but since 93 I've had Ski-doo's. I just sold my 670mxz and I'll probably stick with Ski-doo on the next one.

Owned *Ski-doo's from *1971 to 1992.. Then changed to Polaris in 93, and have had very good results with them..The wife and I run two sleds, and have totalled 42,496 miles on the Polaris sleds we've owned with only minor problems..(keep a log of miles every year) Plus the Polaris dealer is second to none in our area..Edfield Motors.... http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

What made me buy doo was the whole package, The look, the power, the power to weight ratio, the suspension, handling, reliability, new technologies and last but not least, dealership. I've based my choice on people who rode the 4 brands and went with doo. We all have doo's now in our family (75 olympic, 98 summitX, 95 formula stx 583, summit 600 99, a REV 800 comming next year and my mxz670) and a part for some belt tearing from the summits, we did not have anything brake from these sleds yet.

When I was a kid growing up 30 min north of the frozen tundra of Green Bay, Wisconsin *my family was not into sleds or toys of any sorts. *I bummed rides with friends and their families and was always interested in sledding. *One of my goals after college was to buy some toys including a sled. *Nearly 8 years after I graduated I finally got the wife to let me go buy one this season.

I really wanted a ski-doo cause my friends swore by them but I was also looking at getting a Polaris as well cause of a good financing deal and doo’s weren’t having any in Oct 2001 *I went in on Halloween to the dealer about 1 hr before the end of some big Polaris deal and was set to buy a 500 XC SP because no payments until April and some cash back. *Well I asked for a baseball cap which costs $20 to be thrown in the deal and some 18 yr. old punk would not give me one after I wanted to drop $5750 on the sled. *He came back and told me that my credit application would need to be processed on Nov 1 cause the lines were busy. *I freaked out cause the deal was good only through that day and he then told me about 1 hr before I came in Polaris extended the deal for a month. *Well I didn’t come back cause I was pissed about the $20 hat and boy am I glad cause for that because #1, we got no snow, #2 I got exactly what I wanted a 2002 Ski-Doo 500MXZ Sport RER for $5200 because I waited until like Feb to buy one since we had a bad winter.

Now I am waiting to get the wife (I mean myself) a new 600HO RER Ski-Doo REV for next year and continue in the “Doo Family”.

When I decided to get back into sleds a couple of years ago after being in Florida for 15 years, I looked for a 600 twin sled. The manufacturer didn't matter. I put my wife on the trail of finding one. She let me know after two days of searching that she could only find Skidoos that were leftovers. I said ok, what do they have, and she replied "Well, they have a 700 twin, an 800 Formula III and a Mach Z 800 with RER." The sales girl told my wife " Your husband should get the Mach Z with the RER since reverse is the only way to go for riding." So my wife said, " I think you should get the Mach Z cause it has reverse" Of course, I immediatley agreed. *She phoned the sales girl and said she wanted to buy it for her husband. Needless to say, I now let my wife do all the shopping for me! The Mach has been awesome beyond belief. It is an EXCEPTIONAL runner. I have never been beaten by any other sled that is near stock. (Mine is bone stock, no studs, well....., almost bone stock.) I have talked with Bill Cudney and we have decided it just is one of those sleds where it all came together and the thing is just fast. Lucky me!!!! I have 1800 miles on it and about 800 were at wide open throttle. I have abused the motor beyond belief. I usually ride on the lakes at WOT. I have run so much Klotz Nitro through the motor it should have blown up. ( Hey, I have to win somehow!!&#33http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif It still runs like new! *I love the sled, it just flat out runs and has had no repairs at all.

Man! SWRules This thread is AWESOME! :inlove: I've been reading the old threads in reverse tonight. Glad I did! :D Machzzzz1 Now I Know why you said what you did about my MXZ 500! :inlove:

When I was 10, in 1967, Dad bought a 1968 Polaris Colt. It had an 18 hp Sachs one lunger. The thing weighed a ton, and got stuck all the time. :) Our family all got on the sled wagon then as well. Mom's brother bought a 1968 Polaris Colt too, her other Borther had a 1967 Ski-Daddler, Grandpa bought a 399 Moto-Ski Zephyr, and Grandma got a Ski-Doo 12/3 a year later.

Within a year or so, we were all driving Ski-Doo's. Elans, Oly's in 12/3, 335, and a1967 10 hp, Nordics were very popular with a few others that wern't already brand hooked on Johnson, and Chapparal, or Scorpion. Ski-Doo seemed to have less problems mechanically, and over 6 years of riding the crap out of them, I decided in October of 2002 to buy my first sled in 29 years. A 2002 Ski-Doo MXZ 500 Trail. :inlove:

Started out on a kitty cat when I was five. Graduated to a 76 Jag 3000 and rode that for about 7 years. After that my uncle started up a Doo dealership and I bought my first sled that wasn't a cat. Yes coming from a Cat family and was looked at as a little weird by who's to say their wrong. I have been on a Doo ever since.

My 86 SRVs reliabilty and the way it looks after 27000kms and I owned 4 Yamahas over the years and feel that Yamaha are built to last :p are the reason I like Yamaha :D

The reason I like Skidoo,dad,friends have had great luck with them,and they also look great and run great after years of abuse :p

I don't mind Polaris I had 3 and they treated me good,they tend to take abuse too aand still look good :)

The reason I am wary of Cat is my friends Cats were never the most reliable and after years of abuse they tend to fall apart and not look the best. ;)

As you can see I am not to brand loyal,I would buy any brand if the deal was right,but I am more partial to Yamaha and SkiDoo :sly:

I've got to agree with Freeze, I'm riding a '02 viper and a '03 REV. I've had Yamis, Doos and a Cat but never felt as good on or about anything other than a Yamaha or a Doo. ;) The fit, finish and feel of durability is in my opinion better.

Our family always ran Doo`s for the twenty years I lived there.I bought a 9700
piston eater (i mean doo) in 88 that was may last as the dealer couldn`t fix
it right and they still can`t.The local A.C. dealer opened then and set a level
of service that can`t be touched.He works on all makes till 1most nites,7-days
a week.Been running cat ever scents then.I guess it wouldn`t matter what he
sold alot of us would be dooing the same(no yamaha`s though).

I'm probably the only guy on this forum that was brought into sledding by his wife. My family never had them as toys in the winter as we were always gone on Hockey trips.

Well the wife was hooked on Skidoo, even though she grew up on Polaris. She said it was the soft ride of the Doo that impressed her the most. I trust her gut instincts a lot so we went with Doo. See Sig below. I've riden all the other brands and have just purchased a new Polaris. I went with Polaris this time around because I was intrigued (sp) by the ProX and everyone I know who has a Polaris has had nothing but good luck with them. I really think they make a solid product.

To me, its a flip of the coin, DOO/Polaris , you can't go wrong. No matter what segment you are picking from.

It's funny, I used to cringe at Ski-doos in the eighties, I guess they slowly improved. Then I read something about the top guy clearing house and hiring new people and boy, to me that's when their product really started coming together.

I use to have a couple of Yamaha 340 long tracks and Yamahas were the best sleds that ever came up north. Soon everybody was riding Yamahas.

Then I got a 1997 583 Summit and that was neatest thing I ever owned. It had the best power by far of anything I had ever ridden steadily. I'd ridden piped triples of various persuasions that might have had more power, but nothing did everything as well.

I can't say that sled was the best at anything, but it really ran hard on the trails, the road, the lake and climbed as good as anything that year except the 670 Summit and the 700 RMK. The thing I liked about it the most though, was the technology looked good and performed flawlessly. I've got over 11,000 km on it and this last year I've been letting others drive it now that I'm riding a 700 Summit. To say it's been reliable is an understatement. In that many miles, I've had the airbox off one time, and I can't really remember why. I've never touched the carbs, the plugs have always burnt a nice brown. I get better mileage than almost all the sleds I travel with, way better than the 700 RMK of that year, my neighbor had one, we rode together lots.

I wanted a ski-doo because they had Rotax engines and that should say enough, but their S-2000 was a chassis that was finally worthy of those fine powerplants.

I liked the fact that the engine was made in Austria; I picture men shuffling about in white lab coats and data processors in typical German/Austrian/Swiss tradition of excellence. I don't know if it means a thing, but I put enouth faith in those engineers and the French Canadians who build the sleds to ride my Summit far and wide alone in the mountains of North Central British Columbia.

Breaking trail and climbing distant mountain faces at night, no less. Reckless behaviour? Perhaps, but going out a long way by yourself in that part of the country is nothing out of the ordinary. Trappers and forestry people, and biolgist and others do it all the time. You just have to be able to make it back on your own steam, so I always had rations. If you have doubts, don't go.

It's funny the question came up today, because I spent part of today pulling the skidframe from my 583 and I changed the limiter strap, put on only the second set of sliders since I've owned it, and now I see that some of the wheel bearings are notchy sounding so they're getting changed tomorrow. I've got a different disk in it and an MBRP can and that's it. I'll probably be putting precision skis on it this year.

Nothing's ever broke, no bolt has ever come loose. This thing is as reliable as a Husqvarna chain saw, only more fun. Enough said.

well the reason i started to look at cats was the "green" sled i thought they looked like the coolest things on the snow and then i actually learned about all sleds and i still like cat with doo in close second.. and i have yet to own a green cat they have all been black hehe

I first got into sledding in 87 with a 75 tnt that I bought for $700.00 . It lasted 7hours and blew up . The next sleds were 74 artic lnx, then eltiger 6000 [that lasted 4 hrs ] than blew up . Then in 89 I decided I loved the sport and bought a 90 ext 530 brand new . That was a good machine but thats when the tripple crazed years were amongst us, and I had to have one . So I bought a 92 rxl 650 [sold the ext] and what a peace of junk, it was a horrible sled that was in the shop more then the snow.Then came the the 94 mach z , and witch I gladly traded in the rxl . I finally got my wife into sledding and got her a formula s 380 so we had those two . Then came the twin craze again , so the mach was change to a 97mxz670 , then the wife wanted more power so she got a polaris indy 500 [ ya I know ] but its been a good sled . I guess i was talked into the touring when I got stupit and sold the mxz and bought a grand touring 700 se, and had a bad time with it . Now I'm stuck with a 98 formula 500 and the wife has the indy 500 still, sold the touring and bought the 500 in99 new.The bad winters we have had in the past few years really have slowed the craze down, but I am still loyal to the sport. :D

Wife and her friends from work got me into it last year.She got us a deal for 2 sleds and a trailer last year Polaris indy classic 500 '90 something and a bombadier.
Had a blast although really hard to start the Bombadier.
This year we found to Cats from a dealer; 2002 z440es, and 2002 Panther 570 esr 2-up.
Haven't rode them yet, but the Cat people on this site seem the most loyal to their brand.
I'll let you know.
Joe

I'll ride whatever gets me home every night.

Started riding in '79 on a '78 Liquifire...that was a pretty good sled, but we only had it for 2 yrs when dad decided to upgrade. We were referred to a Cat dealer and ended up taking 2 new sleds home, a Pantera for dad and a Jag 4000 for me. Five sleds later, it's been nothing but Cat's, for the simple reason that they've never caused me ANY problems, except for the ZRT...prob had to do w/it being a 2 yr leftover...have reason to believe the dealer didn't do all he should have to make sure everything was lubed, since all my probs dealt with bearings and setup issues. The other 4 Cats have never been to the dealer. I have no problem switching brands if I have a good reason, but why try to fix something if it's not broke. If I were to switch, it would be Poo first, since one of my friends has been riding them for years w/very few probs, none of my friends have Doo's, and a couple of my buddies have had probs w/thier Yammi's.

I didn't get into the sport til the mid 90's when I bought a Mach Z. I had been involved, three of my closest friends race ski-doos, but I didn't buy a sled til my mach z. I went with ski-doo because I was in tight with both people who race them and I also know the owner of a performance shop who does all ski-doo (I promised I wouldn't mention names in case they conflicted with my opinions). After putting three thousand miles on, the crank in my Mach Z snapped (PTO bearing) causing severe engine damage and that was the end of my Z. After that I began to notice that all of the guys I ride with had problems too. I saw a 670 HO blow twice in one season (completely stock), another PTO bearing failure, and lots of odds and ends going here and there. They never cared because they would fix them like it was nothing. Eventually two of the racers bought 99 SRX's and they rode them just as hard as anything else and went problem free so I bought a used one at an auction after going several seasons without a sled. I have had much better luck since and so have they. One of them still has his 99 with 8000 miles and still no problems and no major maintainence has been done. He is determined to go as long as he can to see what the sled can take. The other bought a 2001. I still like ski-doo but I will not buy one til they fix the many problems I have been seeing first hand with the new twins. I had very good luck with Yamaha and its hard to not like them after what I have been through.

My dad started with a 69 Ski-doo that is still running today! When I decided to get into snowmobiling 5 years ago the majority of the sleds in our area were Ski-doo. Plus I am buying Canadian when I buy Ski-doo! All 3 of the above made my decision.
We currently have 3 Ski-doo's in our stable:
1998 FormulaZ 583
2000 MXZ 700
2002 MXZ 700.

I began riding when i was three on my old man's 78' Moto-ski Supersonic 340 free air with twin pipes. He then bought a brand new Ultrasonic in 82' and its still runs to this day. Ever since i been able to walk ive been around snowmachines and they've all been Bombardier. I just bought a 97 Mach 1 having blown up my 92 Mach 1 XTC with 19000Kms! What a sled. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great year of riding.

Thanks




Live, Breath, Love Snomobiling SWRules

Got my first sled a 1970 295 Panther in 1975,had Cats ever since :D

Well my dad used to race ski-doo in the 70s and got out in the late 70s completely . He bought a 79 Elan for me and my bro in 90 and have owned all ski-doo except one Indy Trail which did it's job well for 2 years. Ski-Doo all the way.

when i was a very young kid my parents had ski-doo's a 77 or 78 everest 440,a 73 tnt and a 79 moto ski futura 440.so as a young kid i was a SKI-DOO NUT.but in the mid 80's polaris was making sweet sleds and our dealer sold both ski-doo and polaris,i was 11 years old in 86 and my dad traded of one of them doo's on a brand new 86 indy trail,it was the greatest sled i had ever seen,the dealer couldn't sell them doo's back in the 80's as far as ride and handling doo didn't have a fighting chance against the polaris sleds so the dealer dropped the ski-doo line around 1986 and went with polaris.i remember going and watching cross country racing and seeing all them polaris indy's out racing and i just thought they were the greatest sleds ever ,since then our family has been POLARIS FAITHFULS.after many polaris sleds between me and my brothers we have had great sucsess with the product.last season i bought a used 99 mx-z 600 but i kept my polaris,this year the doo is up for sale and i am sticking with what works for me.POLARIS SLEDS RULE.

I used to drive yammy's, then I got a lemon phazer.

Buddy of mine let me take out his AC 600 EFI and I love it. No more messing with jets, works every time, never stalls. Flawless EFI system. EFI has been around for years, can't beat it. The Wishbone suspension up front is the best in the business. Only if AC would offer the M10 like Polaris, they would be set.

Only down side is that you can't modify EFI systems from 2001 and on.

Oh well, maybe I am better off. This way I won't blow my engine cause I piped it.

Just my two cents.

newf

Well, I lived in Holland most of my life (until 2 years ago), then moved to the south/middle of Sweden where there aren't much sleds, I haven't seen one there anyway. Then got a girlfriend in the north of Sweden, she dumped me but her brother was cool and sled maniac. First sled ever I got to ride was his friends 700cc Yamaha, don't remember the type but I think it was an SXViper..

Well anyway, totally hooked up to sledding now, I moved to the north of Sweden so I could ride. Yes this was actually one of the reasons for me to move over 1000 km. I had just finished a nice project involving a lot of cash, so I had to get a sled. I was looking for a "beginners" sled, a 440 would've been totally okay for me. But when I saw the Mach Z 800, I was totally in love.. So I bought it! I have to confess, I still was nervous when riding it just before I sold it last week.. Mostly because I didn't have any insurance on it this year and I really didn't want to crash it into a tree right before selling it ;)

Now I'm looking for something cheap.. Just to move my ### around in the forest. No racing for me this year :(

But the next "real" sled will for sure be a Doo again!
Even if would just be to #### of a friend that rides AC. Hehe, he's be riding all his life and thought he had THE sled, and after taking a test ride on my Mach, his comments were "This thingy is a bit more violent than what I have.. Damn you!". My comment back: "Ski Doo"

we have had yammies since 72,this year i bought polaris............my dad is gonna disown me lol