1998 vmax 700 xtc deluxe

As the leading edge Baby Boomers continue to age, they will want to continue to have the power of a top flight sports sled under their fannies. But those maturing fannies will need to be cushioned in a more comfortable manner.And basic amenities must grow beyond hand warmers to include standard keystart and reverse gear. The age of the "geezer" sled is at hand.One of the best to date is Yamaha's Vmax 700 XTC Deluxe.

Think of this sled as the Baby Boomer's SX. It has the single-piped and less potent 700cc triple of the popular 700 SX, thought by some to be Yamaha'sbest model for both '97 and '98. Not us, by the way. We still believe in the triple-piped SRX 700 for top honors in our sled files. But as a sports cruiser with gonads, we'd choose the 700 XTC Deluxe.

While we have hammered Yamaha's SX a bit due to the under agressive bite of the skis and owner unfriendly suspension tuning, we are more forgiving of the same traits in the XTC Deluxe. This is a sporty sled designed for quick, but not racing quick, trail performance. This is a sled designed with long travel comfort not stiff sports handling in mind. This is a sledthat people of all age groups will like if they'll be honest with themselves.The SX is a hot red. The XTC Deluxe is a modest purple. The SX has an ineffectivebut sexy windshield. The XTC Deluxe has a mature, taller windshield thatdoes things like redirect airflow around the rider's hands and over hishead.

For the vast majority of snowmobilers, the Vmax 700's 110-ish horsepoweroutput is more than adequate for a quick 100 mile tour. Heck, virtuallyevery sports sled is aiming at the 100 horsepower mark as the base linefor performance. Ski-Doo gets 115 plus horsepower from its 670 twin andeven the tried and true 583 series Rotax twin is capable of 100 hp. TheYamaha 700 fits into the single pipe, three cylinder category very well.There's Ski-Doo's Formula III 700 with more power, and more weight. Polaris'Ultra 700 triple with single pipe is a player in this performance arena,but neither are as light nor as well outfitted with basic features.

The secret to the Vmax 700 XTC Deluxe is its light feel. It's noticeableas soon as you push on the throttle. Notes test rider Doug Erickson, "Thelight throttle pressure on the 700 with the three flat side carbs is wonderful.It is somewhat like the electronic fuel injection on Arctic Cat's ZR 580EFI. Many snowmobiles with three carburetors have a fairly heavy throttlepressure which, in some ways, psychologically makes the overall sled feelharder to handle."

The engine and drivetrain is last year's updated 700 SX package withtuning aimed at a less aggressive rider who's more interested in makingmiles instead of speed. With 110 horsepower, the case reed valve tripleresponds smoothly and quickly thanks to the Mikuni TM flat slide 33mm carbspioneered by Yamaha. A three-into-one manifold feeds the single exhaustsystem that is designed to offer strong midrange and adequate top end. Combinedwith the out of the box clutching performance from Yamaha's YVXC variableratio primary drive, this 698cc sled should have quarter-mile times in thelow 13 second range with a top end approaching 90 miles per hour. However,at our Stanley, Idaho test site in wetter and deeper snows, we saw the Deluxepull 90 mph on the speedometer but register only 78.5 mph on our radar.We'll go with higher figures on well groomed or hard-packed trail surfacesat sea level.

Last year's 700 SX was a very pleasant surprise at our annual Shoot-Out,proving quicker out of the box than Polaris' three-piped, 136 horsepowerUltra SPX.

You know you're getting a smooth and quick runner. With the ProActionPlus suspension package you get longer travel than last year's 700 SX. Theforward bulkhead mountings for the KYB aluminum-bodied shocks permit longerpiston stroke and overall travel. Controlled by high pressure gas shocksand coil springs mounted over them, the Deluxe offers a full nine inchesof front travel.

At the rear is the nicest of the Yamaha ProAction Plus suspensions. Thisis the one with all the friction-reducing needle bearings, bushings andzerk fittings. Dubbed the "ProAction Plus X," this suspensionwas well rated by our test riders.

Noted test rider Erickson, "I found that the Yamahas with the gaspressure shocks, needle bearings and all of the suspension components certainlyrode smoother. We had a lot less stiffness and a lot less effort in goingover mild bumps than any other snowmobile on the snow."

Again, the ride travel is controlled by rebuildable, KYB premium gasshocks. Yamaha takes much pride in this plush riding suspension with its11.5 inches of useable travel. Key pivot points feature friction reducingcomponents like needle bearings. While Yamaha points out that its quick-adjustthree-position rear shock mount allows you to change the effective springrate without changing springs, we point out that this is not a trail sideadjustment. Arctic Cat has that ace up its sleeve. While we agree the ProActionPlus X suspension is outstanding when setup correctly, we'd like to seeit become more rider friendly with more trail side adjustability built in.

Because the higher riding suspension system increases the sled's centerof gravity and overall roll center, the sled is fitted with a wider skistance at 42.1 inches versus the 40.9 inch stance of the SX. Ground to crankshaftclearance is 1.8 inches higher on the XTC Deluxe, too. With the ski stancechange, you will feel quite comfortable on the XTC and probably never evenrecognize the difference in ride height unless you park your "Geezerha"next to the SX.

Both the sports model and the trail sports XTC Deluxe have one of thebest brakes in the business. The Nissin hydraulic disc unit is superb. But,then, fortunately all sled makers have been upgrading this crucial item.We like the Nissin brake for its smoothness and lightness of feel undernormal trail conditions. A touch serves to slow you down enough in mostcases, but you can grab a handful for emergency stops and know that thebrake will reel you in. That wasn't always the case with the self-adjustingmechanical disc system. With its racing-style ventilated rotor, you feelconfident in the brake's ability to cool itself for the next use.

While we've talked about the base sports animal in the XTC Deluxe, we'veneglected mentioning the "deluxe" aspects. This sled has plenty.There's the big 12 U.S. gallon fuel tank for extended range. The instrumentationis complete with speedometer, odometer and trip meter. Spring-loaded rearviewmirrors are standard as are rheostat-controlled hand and thumb warmers anda mechanical parking brake for extra security when trailering.

Did we mention electric start and reverse are standard as well? And purplepaint with reddish trim. Well, the sled's not perfect, but according toour test staff, the Yamaha Vmax 700 XTC Deluxe ranked sixth of all sledsscored at this year's test session.

What stuck out in our test riders' minds? How about adjustable handlebarwarmers that work exceptionally well? Or the wonderful fit and finish? Thesuspensions that have needle bearings and the way the suspension works atlow speeds is notably better than its competitors. And then there's thatsuper smooth engine. Did we mention that our test riders liked this sled?And not all of them are leading edge "geezers."

1998 Yamaha Vmax 700 XTC Deluxe

Overall Height: 51.2 inches
Overall Length: 108.7 inches
Weight: 510.8 lbs.
Ski Stance: 42.1 inches
Engine: 698cc liquid-cooled, case reed Yamaha triple
Exhaust:  Tuned pipe
Clutch:
Drive: YVXC Variable Ratio
 Driven: YVXC Variable Ratio
Suspension Travel:
 Front: Independent, trailing arm, radius rods, stabilizer bar, KYB HP Gas shocks,9 inches
 Rear: ProAction Plus X, KYB Aluminum High Pressure Gas shocks, 11.5 inches
Fuel Capacity: 12 gallons
Key Features: Hydraulic disc brake, electric start, reverse, mirrors, hand and thumb warmers,tall windshield, carbides
Retail Price: $7,849
Riding Impressions:
"The light throttle pressure on the 700 is wonderful. It is somewhatlike the fuel injection on a Cat." - Doug Erickson, Test Rider