Tips for stand-up riding

Rprecision · Dec 9, 2008

This year I bought a mountain sled, a 04 Polaris RMK 159”, and had a chance to ride it for the first time the other day. Prior to this I had limited experience on a sit down machine.

The whole experience did not feel natural for me. I felt like I was going to flip over the handle bars. In the deep stuff I felt almost out of control. It seemed hard to find a center or a balance point. When I needed to turn or counter a side hill area I changed my stance to the inside (both feet) and to be honest felt like I was going to fall off at times.

Don’t get me wrong it was starting to feel better as the day went on but I kept wanting to sit down.

I know this is the way to ride and many parts of it I liked. The biggest problem I had was keeping it on line. I felt like it either wanted to turn one way or the other but not straight.

Is it better to keep your feet in the foot wells? Furher back on the boards ?

Can you give me any tips, advise or suggestions for next ride ?

I feel like a tool for even asking this

Thanks

andy_09 · Dec 9, 2008

with a mountain sled you usually have a more broad handle bar but sidehilling also comes down to how much you weigh, im close to 6'' 205 lbs, i dont put both feet on one side i just throw my shoulders and countersteer a bit, i put my feet about 8'' back from the furthest point in the footwell and just remember a handful of throttle can usually help in a situation where you feel like the sled isnt in your control

kane13 · Dec 9, 2008

Practice makes perfect its like learning any sport, watch the things other guys do learn from it,learn what your sled can do they all handle a little different get used to yours,you may be uncomfortable standing up if your bars are too short,and it is easier to stand up in the powder rather than down a trail pounding the bumps.

Rprecision · Dec 9, 2008

Im 6'03 pushing 230ish with all my gear on.

Heres a photo, maybe your right they need to be higher

Blk88GT · Dec 9, 2008

I'm 5'9 and use a 5" riser. You'll get used to it, keep at it. Put your feel where they feel comfortable and you're in control.

hilinerider · Dec 9, 2008

looking at your pic it looks to me that your bars are rolled back to far, you need to be standing as close to the center of gravity of your sled for control,

just an observ./ imo,

YAMMALLMAN · Dec 9, 2008

correct me if i'm wrong, but this sled was not built to ride stand up style like the new sleds. these were more like riding with a knee on the seat versus the dirt bike type of stand up comfort of the new sleds and the centre of gravity will not seem balanced. without some sort of steering mod, the sled will just not feel right. good sled, just different from the new ones.

Rprecision · Dec 9, 2008

hilinerider said:
looking at your pic it looks to me that your bars are rolled back to far, you need to be standing as close to the center of gravity of your sled for control,

just an observ./ imo,

I dont know why I didnt see that before, your right. I bet rolling the bars up would change how the ride quite a bit.

It would probably explain why my wrists were so sore, and no not for that reason either

I'm going to try that

Rprecision · Dec 9, 2008

YAMMALLMAN said:
correct me if i'm wrong, but this sled was not built to ride stand up style like the new sleds. these were more like riding with a knee on the seat versus the dirt bike type of stand up comfort of the new sleds and the centre of gravity will not seem balanced. without some sort of steering mod, the sled will just not feel right. good sled, just different from the new ones.

Not sure this is all new to me. From what i see around here people ride everything standing up. :camera:

As far as a mod I know it has a riser I dont know the measurment though

mtnxr · Dec 9, 2008

With a bar riser and roll the bars forward you will get the hang of it real fast....especially when the snow finally gets good. Remember that when you are standing you will probably be carving....left or right cause thats where the fun begins and like others said be sure to countersteer. Just sit down if you want to go straight.

Rprecision · Dec 9, 2008

This shot shows the angle better.

The more I think about it the angle makes sense

pernikm · Dec 9, 2008

Practice, try not to use the handle bars to hold on. Learn ballance through your body. Now there are times to hold on and yank to be sure...but if you learn to relax and not have a death grip you will tire less. Also use your legs to absorb the terrain so your feet don't bounce off the running boards.

When I was teaching my ex to side hill and counter steer, I was able to do it standing on the back of the sled with her seated and driving and me controling only her upper arms. You would be surprised at how little input your sled needs most of the time.

Karl

Rprecision · Dec 9, 2008

mtnxr said:
With a bar riser and roll the bars forward you will get the hang of it real fast....especially when the snow finally gets good. Remember that when you are standing you will probably be carving....left or right cause thats where the fun begins and like others said be sure to countersteer. Just sit down if you want to go straight.

Your not kidding about the snow, its pathetic

Thanks for the advise everyone

YAMMALLMAN · Dec 9, 2008

this doesn't mean that you can't stand up. these sleds were made with a lot less distance from the footwell to the bars and the centre of gravity was not under feet when riding in this position. this is why standing you feel hunched over and not centred. the new sleds let you stand freely in an upright position and the centre of gravity is under your feet when they are in the footwells. when riding through the whoops the sled pivots around the centre of gravity and gives a considerable gain in ride comfort. if you have an opportunity to ride one of the newer models, take the ride and you will feel the difference immediately.

Rprecision · Dec 9, 2008

pernikm said:
Practice, try not to use the handle bars to hold on. Learn ballance through your body. Now there are times to hold on and yank to be sure...but if you learn to relax and not have a death grip you will tire less. Also use your legs to absorb the terrain so your feet don't bounce off the running boards.

When I was teaching my ex to side hill and counter steer, I was able to do it standing on the back of the sled with her seated and driving and me controling only her upper arms. You would be surprised at how little input your sled needs most of the time.

Karl

Karl your advise is well taken. I had to catch myself a few times and corecting for to much input.

I'm sure the conditions effected things too. Taking the first ride in crusty drifted snow didnt help. :beer;

spring snow hero · Dec 9, 2008

have you ever ridden a stand up jet ski?

sleds are alot the same, they just need to be guided most of the time. sidehilling, carving.....things of this nature are where rider input becomes critical. imagine the sled riding only on the track, which is what is going on when you are climbing steep and hard on the throttle. the track is relativly narrow and curved at the front, so it just takes a little twist to get the sled to start turning.

as stated earlier the older sleds have a higher center of gravity, so standing is gonna get your weight and strenght higher up. usually on a flat climb I can do what I want from either side of the sled as well as straddling. you will find a happy balance point. power on is absolutly critical to most all moves.

slow speed sharp turns are one of the times you will feel like the sled is gonna flop over......it won't if you throttle up as you pull on the mtn bar and push the tunnel away with your feet.

it will come to you in time.

Snowlover · Dec 9, 2008

One knee on the seat, the other standing will get you the feel for being upright. You can easily swap knees as needed. I see no need to stand the entire time.

2004 SkidooSummit · Dec 10, 2008

Don't worry man im 5.10 and i weight 132 pound's and i can streer my sled pretty damn good now! i'm getting to the ponit to when i'm going down hill and can turn my sled all the way around and go back up the hill, without going all the way down. I can turn on the hill. Sorry guy's i'm happy for myself. Ive been riding my 3 year's now and i love the sport and i got to say it's all about the rider, not the sled it's like knowing your own child once you know them by the back of your hand then you are the master, same as a sled. learn your sled and you sir are the king of it! pratice in a Bowl and counter steer and learn your sled the best way to pratice! i started out on a 2000 polaris 550 fan lightist damn thing ive rode if they can make liquid cool that light damn i would buy that sled! lol

Good luck bro have a safe season

Jonny

AZ800 · Dec 10, 2008

Yea, compared to the newer sleds, the handlebars are lower and farther back, but It shouldn't affect being able to roll the sled side to side in the powder or cut a sidehill. The newer rider fwd sleds are just more "ergonomically correct."

My old RMK had less rise than your Edge, and it rolled over WAAAY easy. Removing the swaybar (or disconnecting it) will help tons off trail (it will handle like cr@p on the trail though).
Couple things, when getting the sled to kick up on one side, it's a timing thing between leaning/pulling to that side and givin' it some throttle at the same time to get it to layover.
When cutiing a hard turn, pull it up to that side, turn the bars back the opposite way a bit (countersteer, makes the back of your inside ski act like a rudder and keep the sled turning in that direction, skis will just push and the sled will roll over the wrong way if you try to steer into the turn), and hammer the throttle to bring the @ss end around.
And yes, you'll feel like you're gonna fall off the sled, sometimes you will, but you just have to be less "attached" to the machine when riding in the deep stuff.

ItDoAble · Dec 10, 2008

YAMMALLMAN said:
correct me if i'm wrong, but this sled was not built to ride stand up style like the new sleds. these were more like riding with a knee on the seat versus the dirt bike type of stand up comfort of the new sleds and the centre of gravity will not seem balanced. without some sort of steering mod, the sled will just not feel right. good sled, just different from the new ones.

x2 .. ride it on one knee and the RMK will be more in control. And try not to oversteer/overcorrect. With practice you'll get the hang of it.

Tips for stand-up riding

Well-known member

Westbound and down

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads