I don't like the rider position of new sleds. Where should I look?

[BigMan]

The funnest sled I've ever ridden was a John Deere Sportfire. I like the low, close to the ground rider position and light mass weight of those sleds. There's something about being closer to the snow that makes it more fun for me.

The newer sleds are narrow, but also higher off the ground which to me is counter intuitive.

What should I do?

 

[Dirty Steve]

Buy a '98 RMK or maybe an M8. A lot of people didn't like the rider forward position for the first few hundred miles. You just have to get used to it, or ride to he old stuff and realize you won't go where the guys on the new stuff can go.

 

[Jaynelson]

My first vote would be for getting used to it as well....

If that's not an option, I would look at an M series, next in line would be an Edge chassis I suppose.

 

[BigMan]

I wish John Deere still made a snowmobile. I guess it's true what they say, nothing runs like a Deere.

 

[HANDSOME]

I like the 1m 900 cat for that position.

 

[rmscustom]

Perfect solution for ya
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vint...98?pt=Snowmobiles&hash=item1c36a49a12&vxp=mtr

 

[BigMan]

Perfect solution for ya
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vint...98?pt=Snowmobiles&hash=item1c36a49a12&vxp=mtr

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Had one just like this one growing up and have never ridden anything as fun with that wide, low profile hood.

 

[BigMan]

I like the 1m 900 cat for that position.

I might have to take another look at one of these.

 

[Jaynelson]

Have you ridden a new (or new-ish) body sled, or assuming you won't like it? I just can't imagine you wouldn't have fun jumping on something new and grabbing the throttle. Everything is better, and the more upright position and modern suspensions are so much more comfortable and easier on your body....

 

[CoreyCK]

98-2004 Cats

I had a 1998 Arctic Cat Powder Special 600efi five years ago as my first sled; it was a good sit down sled if you're into that kinda thing.

Thats exactly what those things were like compared to the Skidoo Summit ZX or the RMK GenII/Edge Chassis. It rode fairly low to the ground but still fairly capable off trail if you ride it right.

Rode my Buddies 07 REV last year and didnt like it at all, dont mind the M8s or new XMs tho.
Looking for a good mtn sled for this year
Was thinking of getting a 03 Mtn Cat 900 this year!

 

[Powderhound]

For trail banging and playing in the field you have a good thing. You want to go high and see thing you have never seen before. Go get a newer sled and ride it till you love it.. You will never look back. You could not pay me to go back to my 91 El Tigre. Every time I upgrade sleds I love it more and more.

 

[Ryan-41]

Like everyone else has said, you should ride some new stuff and get used to it, the new stuff will take your places, older sleds wouldn't even think about going!!

Ryan

 

[cascadesnowjunky]

Or try and find an old john deere if thats what floats your boat. Its all about riding, not what you ride. For me I would not even think of riding something like that, but to each there own.

Cheers and happy sledding

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RobertTrivanovic]

I would go M series

 

[89sandman]

I had a 99 700 powder special that I absolutely hated maybe one of those will do the trick. low, wide, weak crappy boards, low bars, its probably just a little less sucky than what you're used to

 

[BigMan]

I haven't ridden a Deere in years. What I ride now is a 97 RMK that I've geared down and put Simmons and a 151" on. I've ridden Edges, but nothing newer than an 09 Dragon 800 with a turbo (I think my 97 pulls harder than the Dragon, but I digress on that subject.)

I like my 97, it's just when I ride at home in the flat land it's not the same sitting up high going across an open field as it is when you're down low just skimming the ground. And the newer sleds are even higher than the 97. That's the dilemma.

Maybe I should look at a short track of some sort for riding around home. Something small and nimble. I thought about an IQR??

 

[BikerPepe`]

I've been running the 2004 1M/KC 900 and love it.
It's a tank and so far, the only limits I've hit were mine, not the sleds.

I updated my seat to get some lift and storage... but the stock setup should be close to what your looking for and still give you a pretty capable machine you can pickup for a pretty reasonable price on the used market.

Mine when I first picked it up off craigslist for $2k.

 

[BigMan]

Those Cats do have that wide, low profile look. My brother had a Powder Special that I didn't care for but I believe it was more the handling due to the skis that I didn't care for.

I might have to try and find a 1M to try.

 

[BigMan]

Maybe another factor is we would find a road ditch blown shut and it was a challenge just trying to cut back and forth across the ditch without getting stuck. We could ride a half mile stretch of waist deep powder with two sleds for hours before we had it broken out.

With the 97, you just pin it down the middle and you're at the other end. There isn't much of a challenge, which takes from the fun, hence maybe a small CC short track is what I'm after for around home.

 

[Scott]

We had a pair of black Liquifires.

One thing I can say about them...they used DAMN good starting ropes.
Once you got past the first 100 pulls...they were AWESOME to ride.