Building a kids sled?
- Thread starter norsepeak
- Start date
Sounds really old school, but in the early 90's I built 3 250 yamaha mtn sleds for my son and nephews. Used to be a thread on snowest just for these modded sleds.
I still have the most beatup one at my cabin ( the road warrior covered with stickers ) and use it like a motorized skakeboard. The biggest issue is the stock clutch's are built right on the end of the crank , so first issues is pulling crank and machining a taper to run phazer clutches.
For several years we had fun with mods: 32mm flat slide Lectrons, PHazer struts, 121 tracks with paddles, Phazer primary clutch's, taller seats, utility racks, found gas tanks off the later 300 so tank was on the tunnel.
Two weeks ago with grand nephews at the cabin, no question the go to sled for 10 year olds. Shocking the powder it will go through with a 90lb rider. The M5 ok, but with power and the ability to manhandle a sled in the powder, the line was waiting for the 250.
A year ago one of my snowbiking friends was looking for a kids sled. I mentioned the old school Yamahas, then he found one, his daughter and two 9 and 10 year old boys wore that thing out in a winter. They live on 20 acres a ways out of town, we had valley snows, after school until bedtime the poor old thing was being ravaged. Good way to enjoy the outdoors.
I still have the most beatup one at my cabin ( the road warrior covered with stickers ) and use it like a motorized skakeboard. The biggest issue is the stock clutch's are built right on the end of the crank , so first issues is pulling crank and machining a taper to run phazer clutches.
For several years we had fun with mods: 32mm flat slide Lectrons, PHazer struts, 121 tracks with paddles, Phazer primary clutch's, taller seats, utility racks, found gas tanks off the later 300 so tank was on the tunnel.
Two weeks ago with grand nephews at the cabin, no question the go to sled for 10 year olds. Shocking the powder it will go through with a 90lb rider. The M5 ok, but with power and the ability to manhandle a sled in the powder, the line was waiting for the 250.
A year ago one of my snowbiking friends was looking for a kids sled. I mentioned the old school Yamahas, then he found one, his daughter and two 9 and 10 year old boys wore that thing out in a winter. They live on 20 acres a ways out of town, we had valley snows, after school until bedtime the poor old thing was being ravaged. Good way to enjoy the outdoors.
I built one, it cost about 3500. It's not "new and cool" enough to get the kids interested
I got one ten year old on it for a day and the take away in the end was his thumb hurt
Granted it's a 440 dual carb but still, make sure there's interest first. Or better yet make them help build it.
www.snowest.com
I got one ten year old on it for a day and the take away in the end was his thumb hurt
Granted it's a 440 dual carb but still, make sure there's interest first. Or better yet make them help build it.
6000
Out of pure boredom I needed a small challenge. With the new cat 6000 out I decided to start with the original. The 1978 eltigre 6000! Kind of a rare bird, or at least hard to get parts wise Was just going to "get it goin" but As things for me go I got duped by jandj machine and was blessed...
www.snowest.com
yup, they need to be interested. I'm lucky both have some interest. One more then the other but that varies too.
I have to be willing to change my interests too. One likes the stickers and making sure things match, the other just wants to pin'r and ride.
My only advice is start early, and spend a bit of money if you have too. You'll get most of it back on these smaller sleds. (especially compared to a big sled) We waited too long to get the second 120 for the kids.
I have to be willing to change my interests too. One likes the stickers and making sure things match, the other just wants to pin'r and ride.
My only advice is start early, and spend a bit of money if you have too. You'll get most of it back on these smaller sleds. (especially compared to a big sled) We waited too long to get the second 120 for the kids.
Both my daughters ride with us. They are 3 and 5. 3 year old just rides around our cabin, and the 5 year old is on a 200 that is trail ridden. At 8-9 I have no idea what they will be riding.. I'm thinking a Arctic Cat Blast.. However I've also thought about buying a pro rmk and making a 137 or 146 out of it with a lowered suspension and lower seat and handlebars and then throwing a 550 fan in it..
It seems be lots of sleds available for really young kids and then for older teenagers, but nothing in between.
It seems be lots of sleds available for really young kids and then for older teenagers, but nothing in between.
I have considered.every angle my daughter is also 9. What I came up with is a modded polaris evo rmk. I bought a rental polaris 15' LXT for $2100 with the 550 fan motor (65 gutless hp), e-start and a 144" skid the same as the standard rmk 144.
Phase 1:
36" frontend hoping for a stock react
Cut off the running boards and put axys hd boards on, and roll in the plastic foot well flare.
Swap stock 1" lug track for a assault 2.25" track
Replace seat with polaris mtn seat cut down 2.5"
Swap chain case for stock belt drive
Change battery to lithium lightweight
8" tunnel cut
Phase 2:
Swap steering system out to rmk post and linkage
Gripper 2 skis
Lightweight rmk driveshaft and jack shaft
Upgrade rear suspension shocks
Zrp lightweight brake rotor
Parts are cheap and I hate payments otherwise get a AC blast M (they nailed it but it cost as much as my turbo axys heavily modded)
Phase 1:
36" frontend hoping for a stock react
Cut off the running boards and put axys hd boards on, and roll in the plastic foot well flare.
Swap stock 1" lug track for a assault 2.25" track
Replace seat with polaris mtn seat cut down 2.5"
Swap chain case for stock belt drive
Change battery to lithium lightweight
8" tunnel cut
Phase 2:
Swap steering system out to rmk post and linkage
Gripper 2 skis
Lightweight rmk driveshaft and jack shaft
Upgrade rear suspension shocks
Zrp lightweight brake rotor
Parts are cheap and I hate payments otherwise get a AC blast M (they nailed it but it cost as much as my turbo axys heavily modded)
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