Hey guys, im new to this forum and sport. i was wondering what is in yamahas stable as far as current sleds, and whats your opinion as well as the general opinion of them (IE the rx-1 is at the top of its game, the rx-1 sucks etc etc.). excuse me if im being to general, but i relaly am pretty new to this and i've already read all the relevant info at the factory sites, so now i'd like the consumer opinions.

personally i love my yamaha srx700. i want a warrior so bad but to bad i cant afford one:( . from what ive heard arctic cats are heavy, but they have great suspension. ive driven a zr580, thundercat, and f7. there great until you get stuck. the zr took me quite a bit to get it out. my yammie i can pick of really easy if i get stuck in powder but thats hardly every.:) every one has there own pros and cons about which sled is the best. you should rent a few and get a feal for what you like. not every 1 likes yammies or cats,polaris, ect, ect. its all about perosnal preference.:)

Originally posted by rjp1795@Oct 11 2004, 01:09 PM
personally i love my yamaha srx700. i want a warrior so bad but to bad i cant afford one:( . from what ive heard arctic cats are heavy, but they have great suspension. ive driven a zr580, thundercat, and f7. there great until you get stuck. the zr took me quite a bit to get it out. my yammie i can pick of really easy if i get stuck in powder but thats hardly every.:) every one has there own pros and cons about which sled is the best. you should rent a few and get a feal for what you like. not every 1 likes yammies or cats,polaris, ect, ect. its all about perosnal preference.:)
351994



The newer sleds are sooo nice. Don't listen to the hoppla about weight. All of these machines are too heavy if you get them stuck. I own the heavy weight champion, the RX-1 Mountain, and when we get them stuck we need a wench to get it out. And we have stuck them sometimes 5 or 6 times in a day. Deep powder and no alternative routes will make you regret that you bought it. But when it is rightside up and going, you love them. I don't like the manufacturer support, as the 04 I bought had issues with overheating and the factory would not do anything about it except design a correction for it and then charge you $100 to buy the fix and let you fix it yourself.

Articats are better backed, but their fit and finish isn't quite as good. I own 2 four strokes with EFI and they start up in any weather and ride so economically, I have to check everyone elses gas gauge to make sure we don't run out of gas, and I usually have 1/2 tank when the others are looking for the gas pumps. They ride nicely pull hard and are very quiet. They don't sound like chainsaws with the mufflers ripped off. And you don't smell like an oil can at the end of the day.

I bought a Polaris switchback late last spring to balance out the stables and I like everything I see so far (except the oil use) and the PERC is a must have for the group I ride with. Getting off the sled and pulling it around is not my idea of getting warmed up. Too old and not enough backpower to do the job.

One last thing. I have a strain guage which can weigh a sled or anything else up to 5,000 pounds, and there is only 85 pounds difference between the switchback and the RX-1. So until they build a 350 lb 4 stroker with reverse, I will tell you that I am all set on sleds for the next 10 years. And I take a shovel and a winch for the times I might need them, which is often.

Since you are new to the sport I will give you my general way of looking at it. Every sled manufacturer is good...it all depends on what you want out of the machine. With Yamaha you get great quality. As far as the feel goes...they are trail machines. The type of sled you could go well over 200 miles in a day on (they have a decent blend of comfort and performance). The four strokes last a lot longer (as their new 5 year warrantee reveals) and are less likely to leave you stranded on the side of the trail. I am planning on ordering a 2006 RX-1 this spring mainly due to their reliability and build quality. As far as performance...you can't expect to be the first one across the lake on an RX-1 (although with a good clutch kit you would be surprised how well you can do) but they are fast enough so that when you are not head to head with someone you would never know the difference, and they have great top end power.
With the new suspension the handling will be great. The older Rx-1's weren't bad but they were more of a cruiser type feel and had a tendency to lift the inside ski in the corners. Reliable sources have told me the new set up with the new rear skid will fix this. I call these sources reliable because the gave me accurate preseason assessments of the RX-1 for the past 2 years. As far as the weight issue...I have ridden many RX-1's and with the suspension properly tuned you don't feel the weight. Yes...if you have to pick up the machine you will obviously notice the difference. Other areas where you would feel it would be if you are the type of guy who will spend a significant amount of time jumping snowbanks in the parking lot, other than that...if you stick to maintained trails then the weight is irrelevant so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The rest of the line-up is similar to the RX-1 but the machines are lighter and have a different suspension. The RX-1 is a little more of an aggressive rider's machine in comparison to the Vector and Rage. I think for the most part the feel is a little more towards the comfort side on the Vector.
Whatever you decide...yamaha puts an emphasis on quality and reliability. If you are looking for something to ride all day on and put the miles on then I would go with a yammy. The ride is good, the new suspension is easy to adjust, and it won't break down. You might not be the first one across the lake but it will be easy to ride for miles on end, and its less likely you will get stuck in the middle of nowhere. If you into jumping snowbanks and riding like you just came off a snowcross track then you may want to look elswhere.

Like the guys above have said, the new Yamaha's aren't for everyone. You won't see the racer-wannabe crowd rushing out to their local Yamaha dealer anytime soon.... If you're looking for something to jump, break trails, or 'ditch-bang', you'd better keep looking. While the new Vector might be a little more managable than an RX-1, I still think it would be a handful over a 2 stroke.

Having said that, if you're a trail rider (like most of us), then Yamaha has a few excellent choices. My vote has to go to the new Vector. No - I've never ridden one, but I've ridden RX-1's quite a bit, and can only imagine how great that sled would be on a diet. I love the power of RX-1, but I could live with the 25HP loss. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get a chance to ride one this year...

Anyways, enjoy this site! And good luck in your search for the perfect sled....

i was just thinking that the venture 2up could use the rx1's bigger motor but maybe a 600 is big enough.it has a 900cc motor that has a three cylinder 4stroke engine that is equivilant to a 600 for those who don't know.the removable back seat is a welcome site for those of us who embarass easily also.......... :blush: