Best Mountain Sled for a 13 year old?

WatchThis!!! · Jan 23, 2008

Well yes I am 13, But What are your kids riding? I ride the insane Ruby Mtns
of Nevada. So it's gotta be 700-800 cc w/ some mods. I try to ride every saturday to get better. I love snowmobiling.

Also, if there are any other kids on SW please message me and give me details about your ride.

Thanks in advance.

Nate · Jan 23, 2008

M7 or Dragon 7

or if you want to go cheaper, 04-06 Rev 600

WatchThis!!! · Jan 23, 2008

Im currently riding a Viper Mtn. 700 this season.

Its been thrashed over 5 years and im looking to update.

FEZ · Jan 23, 2008

Well my first "mountain sled" was a 1980 Yamaha Exciter 440 with the track turned around for better bite

WatchThis!!! · Jan 23, 2008

Haha, now what do you ride?

FEZ · Jan 24, 2008

I ride a very well dialed in "stock" 00' 700 RMK 144.

It keeps me smiling and that is all that really matters.

J-Roc · Jan 24, 2008

I'll second Nate on the M chassis. I started out on a 700 RMK. Worked well, but I think you owe it to yourself to ride a new chassis. They flat out ROCK.

Good luck.

By the way, how tall are you, and what do you weigh? That might help the choice a bit.

Teth-Air · Jan 24, 2008

My 13 yr old kid is 85 lbs. soaking wet, after lunch and with his helmet on. So what I'm saying is he's a little guy but he's tough and he outrides many adults. He rides my 03 Summit ZX 800HO. Sure it weighs 600 lbs. full of fuel but this sled is tough and reliable. He side hills it and throws it around easier than my 08 XP! The trick was Simmons skis, very light front shocks and wider than stock handle bars. It is very easy on the arms (except the pull starter). Yes 1/2 the time I have to pull start it for him cause the high compression. There must be some thought about the "wreck" factor. A machine for a 13 yr old should not cost too much and should be tough as it is just a matter of time before it's rolled down a hill or crashed into a tree.

Dogmeat · Jan 24, 2008

If I had a 13 year old kid and I was going to buy him a sled this year I'd probably be looking for a 2-3 year old 600 ... REV, RMK, M6, it wouldn't really matter, whichever I could get in the best shape and best deal on.

Then if he wanted a bigger sled or a mod sled he could get a job and pay for the rest of it himself

**** I was riding a 1984 Yamaha SRV in 1993 when I was 13

Cat Kid · Jan 24, 2008

When I was your age I was riding a mountain cat 600 out west...but that was 7 years ago and I was new to mountain riding. since you already ride a viper, I'd say get an M7/8 because they are really easy to ride handling wise. I just rode the XP for 4 days and was pretty impressed with it (lots of power and super light) but I'm not sure they are a smart buy right now because of all the issues people are having. The air intake on the XP also likes to plug up and choke the motor in deep stuff. Don't get an 06 RMK, they will be a hand full for you to carve with (I rode it whe I was 18 and 5'11, and it gave me a work out) not saying you can't do it, but there are better choices that will be more enjoyable. I guess the new RMKs have made some improvments in the last couple years, but I haven't ridden them.

Since your still pretty young I'd say don't be affraid to get a shorter track, like a 141 or 144. They are a lot more manuverable and IMO you won't need the floatation of a 150"+ track until you get bigger and heavier. With a 144 at your age I think you'll still be able to climb with anybody and you won't get as tired as you would trying to man handle a big pig like a 151"+

travydog · Jan 24, 2008

my 10 year old son did real good on my 1998 rmk 700 until I hit a rock and totaled it hahahh and that was his first sled to ride, i am looking at a 2003 rmk 800 and we will see how good he does on that.

travydog · Jan 24, 2008

travydog said:
my 10 year old son did real good on my 1998 rmk 700 until I hit a rock and totaled it hahahh and that was his first sled to ride, i am looking at a 2003 rmk 800 and we will see how good he does on that.

oh ya and when i was his age i rode a 1976 john deere cyclone big and heavy and not much for shocks on it just on shock on the track and springs in the front now that was how to learn to ride hahahahahh

SledheadBKM · Jan 24, 2008

my son is 12 and has been on a 04 rmk 700-144 for 2 seasons now. he tried an m6 153 last year and hated it. i had him ride an 07 rmk 600-155 last weekend and he loved it, so it looks like i need to find 1 next year for him

christian · Jan 24, 2008

I need to be adopted!!!!!!

I wish I was riding 6-800's at 11 years old.

khaddon2110 · Jan 24, 2008

Teth-Air said:
There must be some thought about the "wreck" factor. A machine for a 13 yr old should not cost too much and should be tough as it is just a matter of time before it's rolled down a hill or crashed into a tree.

LOL! When is the last time this happened in our group? Oh, Last weekend. And the time before that. Well, the weekend before.... And so it goes

PowderProject · Jan 24, 2008

xp 800 you may as well put him on something light and fast right away. He will kill it on the xp. My wife (5'3" 110lbs.) has a 144" 600 rev that I have done a lot of work on. She got on my xp and she will not ride anything else again. I was laughing and she said "I'm serious I don't want to ride the rev after riding the xp, the way the xp handles compared to the rev is night and day".
I guess I have an 05 600 rev for sale. Haha

numbskull · Jan 24, 2008

if it were my kid, he'd be riding a 440. will keep him out of terrain trouble for a while and will give him a chance to build strength and skills. would also be less of an issue if he wrecks an old but reliable beater (unless he's planning to foot the bill for the repairs inflicted on *his* machine).

DallanC · Jan 24, 2008

At that age my boy will still be riding my old phazerII-ST LOL

-DallanC

cmantle1 · Jan 24, 2008

im 15, and 155 dry. i ride a 600 rev and i love it. i can carve nice with it and i have no problem controlling it in the air....but i would have gotten an m7 if i could have for cats reliability...

Delo · Jan 24, 2008

I wish I had ridden a sled when I was 13 or even 25. I did not start riding until I was 30, and that was 5 years ago. I live in MN and had never been on a sled until I was 30, that does not sound right.

Best Mountain Sled for a 13 year old?

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