We would never promote or push for any kind of a seat belt system for snowmobiles (especially in the West)-but we were tempted to at least think about it after riding the Mountain Performance Yamaha RX-1 Turbo.
This RX-1 Turbo is like a Brahma bull (but with a lot better suspension) ready to bolt out of the chute and take on anything in its way-powder, mountains, hillsides, tough terrain, you name it.
The Mountain Performance RX-1 Turbo is dripping with enough aftermarket and lightweight parts to make any sledhead's mouth water.
For starters, there's the turbo. It is a Mountain Performance/Bender Racing Titanium Stage 2 turbo specially designed for mountain (elevation) riding. It utilizes a Garrett turbo and is rear mounted under the seat where the stock Yamaha muffler was housed. Some of the changes made to this turbo to make it mountain ready are a 100 percent titanium exhaust system, a titanium mounting plate for the turbo assembly and an aluminum charge tube. Other changes Mountain Performance made was to replace the oil system by integrating the turbo's oil system directly into the sled's dry sump oil system. And then the Draper, UT, company shaved some weight by using a lighter front intercooler.
The Mountain Performance turbo system offers two boost levels: 5 lbs. and 9 lbs. The sled we rode was set at the 5-pound level. At that setting we were ripping around on a 270 hp snowmobile. The mountain turbo kit takes 16 lbs. of weight off the RX-1. Next is the nitrous system, another Mountain Performance specialty that uses the Holtzman Engineering nitrous nozzle, which automatically adjusts in response to the nitrous oxide pressure, helping maintain constant nitrous deliver over a pressure range of 300-900 psi. Mountain Performance's nitrous system is controlled by a switch and is meant to be used as a boost enhancer for the turbo. The way it works is that when the sled is at full throttle, nitrous is injected, giving the sled a boost. The system automatically turns off when the preset boost is achieved. As mentioned, the sled we rode had a boost preset of 5 lbs.
Now combine all that power and 270 horses with an RX-1 that went on a serious diet. Mountain Performance stripped more than 100 lbs. off the stock RX-1, giving the RX-1 Turbo a wet weight (without fuel) of 517 lbs. Weight was shaved by installing Mountain Performance's rear suspension, one-piece tunnel, a 162-inch Attack 20 track, one piece billet rails, lightweight hood and front suspension (A-arms, spindles, handlebars, steering column, etc.). Mountain Performance uses either chromoly or billet aluminum for most of its lightweight parts. Mountain Performance also features Renton Coil titanium springs on the front and rear suspension. Other weight savings come from a titanium axle, lightweight rotor and hub and Mountain Performance billet wheels.
The RX-1 Turbo uses Elka billet aluminum shocks on the front suspension and Works Performance shocks on the rear. And you sit your butt on a Boss Seat.
Highmarks
One of the highmarks of the RX-1 Turbo is that you will get the highmark. This sled flat rips across, up or down anything in front of it. This sled is for serious mountain riders who crave high horsepower and point-and-shoot dominance. One of the things about the RX-1 that took a while for us to get used to was the power-to-weight. First off, the turbo alone would still make the stock RX-1 fly. But then take away more than 100 lbs. and it's an entirely different sled than what we were used to. We definitely had the mindset of a heavier stock RX-1 when we hopped on the turbo model and grabbed a handful of throttle. The sled literally left us in the snowdust. We were more savvy the next time we hopped on. It has all the power any snowmobiler would want. Mountain Performance also has its suspensions dialed in. The sled handled well on and off the trail.
Tumbles
Aside from the fact that we took a tumble the first time we rode the RX-1 Turbo, the only thing challenging about the sled is getting used to how it handles (motor wise, not handling wise) in the trees. There is a lot of power at your fingertips and you have to be prepared to manage it while boondocking. And make sure you find some open space or a mountain to let this turbo stretch its legs. If you don't you've wasted your money.
What It'll Cost You
The Mountain Performance RX-1 Turbo retails for about $18,000.
How To Get A Hold Of An RX-1 Turbo
Contact Mountain Performance (888) 649-4609
or www.mountainperformance.com.