Do you ever let people ride your main sled?

[koolaid]

Simple question, do you ever let someone in your group take your sled for a rip? Switch for a while, maybe?

I own three sleds. A new sled which is my main go to sled. A plenty capable back-up sled which I will let an experienced rider I know borrow it occasionally. Finally, the buddy sled which is a little older but still capable. Has some battle scars but it's there to take out newbies.

Not letting others ride my main sled has served me well over the years. What's the sayin', " Don't loan out your tools, truck or wife, 'cause they'll come back ****ed!" ?

 

[Solarguy]

Simple question, do you ever let someone in your group take your sled for a rip? Switch for a while, maybe?

I own three sleds. A new sled which is my main go to sled. A plenty capable back-up sled which I will let an experienced rider I know borrow it occasionally. Finally, the buddy sled which is a little older but still capable. Has some battle scars but it's there to take out newbies.

Not letting others ride my main sled has served me well over the years. What's the sayin', " Don't loan out your tools, truck or wife, 'cause they'll come back ****ed!" ?

About the same, back up sled for family and newbies, wife’s sled and my sled which I will let my closest buddies with trusted mountain skills jump on for a moment

 

[hansenmac]

depends on who it is. If its someone ive seen ride and there plenty capable then they can go for a rip. any of my main riding buddies i would switch with no problem.

 

[west dreams]

There is very few people I would let ride my sled, when someone asks me if I want to ride their sled I always think to myself, if I can't afford to replace it or repair it I'm not riding it. **** happens even to the best of riders and things are way too expensive these days. Matt Muskoka (Freerider Films) just had his Polaris Boost totaled out by a buddy of the guy that built it when they were testing it. For me, I just wouldn't take the chance with someone else's sled.

 

[Jay]

Depends how cute she is. They build them every day guys.

 

[goridedoo]

I regularly swap with buddies. Its nice to ride other brands, suspension setups, etc.

I’d let a stranger ride my sled in a meadow if they asked… as long as there is plenty of snow.

 

[christopher]

All the time.
But with a VERY CLEAR admonition.

If you break it, YOU BUY IT.

100% of repairs are on you.

This has worked well for me over the last decade.

 

[goridedoo]

I regularly swap with buddies. Its nice to ride other brands, suspension setups, etc.

I’d let a stranger ride my sled in a meadow if they asked… as long as there is plenty of snow.

… would also add that some of my favorite memories over the last 15 years have been on other peoples sled.

The first turbo I ever rode belonged to a member here- Backcountryislife. It was a 2011 Cat 141” with a CPC turbo running like 10 or 12lbs of boost. I was 17…. he was more or less a complete stranger and pointed at a hill like I have never climbed before and told me take it over the top… so I did ? I’ll never forget that.

Have been on Poo since 2012(back to Doo for 2023)… but have gotten to spend plenty of time on Doos and some time on Cats, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed those opportunities.

 

[Bmwn52882]

I just wouldn't take the chance with someone else's sled.


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[MaineSled]

NEVER! Not only do I not let anyone ride my main sled I wont let anyone ride the ole' ladies sled and its the reason why I keep a 3rd sled...for company.

 

[BeartoothBaron]

I'm pretty careful with my sleds, and even more careful with someone else's. One funny story on that: the guy I ride most with let me try his brand new Doo a couple years back (actually his suggestion), and my sled got jealous and ate a piston while he was riding it - it wasn't a "boom" failure, it might have started earlier and just went from bad to worse right then, but still...

I'm happy to let someone I know and trust hop on my sled - not that I get much call for it... On the other hand, between myself and the PO, it's had enough TLC and upgrades that it's hardly "just another Pro," so if I haven't rode with you, sorry. I try out different sleds every chance I get, but even if it's not an expensive new sled, I'll keep to open areas and ride just ride enough to get a feel for it. Might as well keep it short, no need to tempt Murphy.

Even with "old junk" that's well cared for, I hate to see something get torn up, and I don't see handing either of my sleds to someone if I don't know how they'll handle it. I've got a friend who's talked about getting into riding, and I've had thoughts of selling the current sled to him and upgrading. If he does get serious about it, I might push him toward more of a throw-away sled until I see how he does before I pull the trigger on that.

 

[laneends]

Once I let someone ride my newest sled. It's the only machine I bought new, a '22 freeride turbo. It wasn't because I don't trust him, I learned the hard way with his SxS not to borrow other people's stuff and we just stick to that rule.

In this case, his wife had a little spill and broke her throttle so I had rigged it up with some zip ties to get it off the hill. Nither of them could ride it that way, so I jumped on and they were amazed I was riding like nothing was wrong. He was annoyed he had to ride my turbo, because now he wants one!

 

[IDspud]

They’re just sleds.
I enjoy taking people out that don’t get the chance. Had a few a-arms and such damaged, but nothing that hurt me physically.
I keep a few around just for kids friends and my relatives to use when we get the chance.
Never regretted it.

 

[laneends]

I completely agree, that's what my older machines are for. I have five, one still needs an engine from the last time a buddy rode it... (ok, it probably wasn't his fault)

 

[turboless terry]

Everyone on here is a little stingy. I guess i get it. I won't let anyone ride my stand up with the 1100 dasa in it. This is a little different. I ride people's sleds all the time and generally let people take mine. My main riding buddy can ride anything. I don't care if he scratches or wrecks it. It's just stuff. I always raz him when he brings it back that that scratch wasn't on there. I even told him wait until i tell my daughter that he broke her running boards even though i knew i did it. If i wreck something, I'll fix it. Do what you can afford. If the motor blows up, it's not their fault.

 

[boondocker97]

I'll trade off with people I know for a rip on the new one, but not in low snow conditions. Mostly cause I don't want to damage their sled either. Strangers-hard no.

I borrowed a friend's buddy sled for a day when mine went down and ended up hitting a concrete picnic table. Did quite a bit of damage. After that I don't feel good about borrowing sleds for the day. I do still have buddy sleds I'll let someone I know ride for the day.

 

[HCRRider]

Ill let any of my buddies take my sled, no problem at all. They can all ride. Anyone can hit a stump. Any of my buddies would fix my sled if they did something to it.
I dont like riding somebody else sled. I just baby it to make sure I get it back to them in one piece.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

I might let a very experienced rider go for a little rip if the snow is deep, but I will never again let a beginner or mildly experienced rider ride any of my sleds. Unfortunately, the majority of inexperienced riders have no idea whatsoever what they are getting into. I don’t know if I’m just getting old and cranky or old and wise, but I feel most people are dumb as f&@k and the outcome will positively be bad!!!

 

[North Dakota 322]

I will let some of my close buddies jump on mine for an hour or two occasionally just to swap.
I would have a real hard time letting strangers get on my sled, but I also don't ride anything out of the ordinary.

Story
Earlier this winter I was out with a buddy in Island Park riding sleds, were playing around in a fairly steep ravine having a blast just trying to climb it.
Another group came blasting by us on turbocharged Polaris sleds that had absolutely zero issue climbing the hill compared to our NA 850s
With a little bit of trying we made it up to the top, my buddy I was riding with is a real chatty Cathy so we had to go over and talk to the group for a minute.
The group of guys we were talking to eventually offered quite insistently that we try their mod sleds out.
Between the group there was a couple 900s and a couple 850 boosts with clutching, tuning, and all the light weight mods. (Midwestern me had never seen a sled on the snow like that before)

Let me tell you, that boost was the most pissed off sled I have ever ridden before in my life! Got on a fairly steep side Hill with it and washed out. Every time you would hit the throttle the thing would jump out of the snow. Absolutely Incredible!
I am certain that my 850 would not have had a single chance of climbing out of there.

So Brian if you're on here / see this, thanks for the opportunity. We still talk about it occasionally.


May my debit card RIP for all the swiping it has done due to that experience.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I will let some of my close buddies jump on mine for an hour or two occasionally just to swap.
I would have a real hard time letting strangers get on my sled, but I also don't ride anything out of the ordinary.

Story
Earlier this winter I was out with a buddy in Island Park riding sleds, were playing around in a fairly steep ravine having a blast just trying to climb it.
Another group came blasting by us on turbocharged Polaris sleds that had absolutely zero issue climbing the hill compared to our NA 850s
With a little bit of trying we made it up to the top, my buddy I was riding with is a real chatty Cathy so we had to go over and talk to the group for a minute.
The group of guys we were talking to eventually offered quite insistently that we try their mod sleds out.
Between the group there was a couple 900s and a couple 850 boosts with clutching, tuning, and all the light weight mods. (Midwestern me had never seen a sled on the snow like that before)

Let me tell you, that boost was the most pissed off sled I have ever ridden before in my life! Got on a fairly steep side Hill with it and washed out. Every time you would hit the throttle the thing would jump out of the snow. Absolutely Incredible!
I am certain that my 850 would not have had a single chance of climbing out of there.

So Brian if you're on here / see this, thanks for the opportunity. We still talk about it occasionally.


May my debit card RIP for all the swiping it has done due to that experience.

I’ve been on both sides of this.

Getting ruined (instantly selling my sled to upgrade)

And ruining buddies love of their current sled.

It’s what friends are for.

I do try to be nice to the guys who REALLY can’t afford a new sled and don’t let them ride mine.