Best mountian sled for $4500 - $5000

[Wheel House Motorsports]

I am a Rev guy but have ridden an M more then my fare share.... I got to say, hopping on one or the other, the rev will take a LOT longer to get used to, like 3-4 rides before really comfortable, the M after a full day on it I felt like it was an extension of me, but again, I like the Rev A LOT!

 

[justadude]

Yikes!! You better be real good with a rench and have lots of time too!!

You good with a wrench?

2006 RMK 900.

Cheap, tons of power, but they're not without their problems. (Stay away from the 05s though.)

Bought one last year, my first sled... love it.

 

[snodad]

I ride an 06 M-7 and it is indeed an overachierer for a 700. But a guy your size shouldn't be considering an M-7. The M-7 is very good in soft snow and is very easy to toss around, but the power will not be adequate for someone your size, especially the low end power. Not only is the bottom end soft, but the fuel injection mapping sucks as well, and you experience part throttle stumbling in many conditions and some of these are at bad times. Look at how many threads exist regarding flat spots in the power band of people's M-7's. Also, they absolutely suck on the road...both the rear skid and the skis. And don't forget...NO REVERSE!!!
The Rev chassis is much harder to carve with (ridden them many times) and definitely will take some adjusting to. Even so it is easy to sidehill, will climb like a goat, and has an excellent ride on the rode (sled pretty much pivots under you through the bumps). Plus it has an awesome powerband; I love the power and how the front end just pops up when you gas it. The way the nose pops up makes them feel even lighter than they are. Also, even though the earlier 800HO had less HP than the newer Powerteks (07 and later) have, they have a much stonger bottom end (power wise, not strength wise), so I think they are even funner to ride while boondocking. The powerband of the Powertek 800s feels more like a Polaris...softer on the bottom but a strong top end. And don't forget...ELECTRONIC REVERSE!!!

So, it was only between an M-7 or a Rev for you...Rev all the way! Just be sure to look one over very carefully, because the nuns do bend easily and someone could sell you a sled that is already tweeked. When you look one over...tip it over and look at the A-arm angles relative to the centerline of the sled. This is the easiest way to judge if the nun is tweeked.

Now if you are a Polaris guy at heart and you bleed red, then why not wait until you can get yourself a newer IQ 800 (again, NOT A 700).

I would also suggest the 09 M-8 if you could swing it, but you were specifically asking M-7 or Rev (I haven't seen much difference in the earlier M-8s relative to my M-7).

 

[live4snow]

Any other newer sleds out there for around $4500?
How well do the twin pipes wake up an m7? I think i'm better off find a 800 rev.

 

[J-HEFF]

If 5k is all your wanting to spend I'd try to find an 05 or 06 rev 800. The 06's were the ones to have, most reliable engines in the rev as far as 800's go. I had a 04 that ran hard, but had it's fair share of engine problems. Find an 06 and you'll be pretty happy I think. Unless you want to spend the $$$ to get an M7 running with a 800 i'd look more towards an M8, if you can find one for the price your looking for. Just for the record, the M series cats are a blast to ride.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[kamshaft]

06 Rev 800 151

The 06 Rev is a great option. I kind of wish I had bought a good used 06 and saved some money over going with the new 800 XP. The 06's run good and they sidehill easy. I think they are easier to get used to the handling than an XP.

I have a friend that has an 06 REV and would sell it pretty cheap. I think he would sell it for under $5,000. It has around 1300 miles and he just put a new engine in it (factory crate motor from skidoo $2,000). He doesn't ride it enough to justify keeping it now that he needs the money.

It is an all black REV 800 X Package with a 151 track. It has an aftermarket can on it and a tunnel bag, but otherwise it is all stock. It is a good running sled and will keep up with my XP. I can usually outclimb him on some of the bigger hills, but not by much.

PM me if you're interested. We are in Salt Lake City, UT

 

[SnoDmon]

Why would Polaris be out of the option? Refering to the first post. I would get a 600 IQ. Preferably on the RAW chassis. I ride a 900 and thought both the 6 and 700 pulled just about as hard as a 9. That is on the trail though. I rode the '07 demos at Expo '06. I had to look at the hood to tell if I was on a 600 or a 700. You would be impressed coming off of an 800. And if its not enough, get a single or twin pipes with some reeds. The IQ is a wonderful chassis. I wouldn't own anything but a Polaris. The Rev's are ok but I feel they have expensive parts and are unreliable. The M sleds are ok too. I feel they are getting to be an outdated chassis though. Personally I don't care for their handling attributes. Solid sled though. Yamaha's I haven't had a chance to ride, but they would need a turbo. Polaris all the way!

 

[AndrettiDog]

I would do a Rev for that much. I've ridden the rev in the link below and it runs strong. Sweet suspension with Holz rear and Fox Floats in the front. Lots of extra stuff on it. I bet you can get him down to $5000 if you came up with the cash.

http://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/1040857515.html

 

[Himark]

just picked up a 07 600 Poo with a 700 kit in it 500 miles for 4500 bux. Nice clean sled. There are some nice sleds out there for this price just keep your eyes open.

 

[summ8rmk]

2007 polaris RMK 600 raw chassis. It's an awesome sled its only downfall is on the big hills.

 

[snowyo]

Rev 800.no contest in this comparison.