New to the snowmobiling world...

[chrisleav]

Hello all, I'm Chris. I'm fairly new to this industry... I've been working at a snowmobile dealership since the end of the last sledding season, but other than that, I have zero experience with these things. Up until last week it was all Arctic Cat, but now I moved to a dealership that sells everything else (Polaris, Ski-Doo and Yamaha). So I'm here to find out what the pros and cons are to different sleds. What do/did you ride? What features do your sleds have, and which ones do you like and dislike? What kind of mods have you used, and how well did they work?

Thanks for your input, and hopefully it will help me be a better salesman

 

[donbrown]

People on here are very loyal to each ones brand of riding machine. This will do nothing but start a "discussion" between riders and the brand of sleds.'

Since it is 91 F outside (not joking) let me start by saying:

SNOWMOBILES ARE AWESOME !!!!

I bet you were gonna get me to be specific.

Welcome to the forum and it would be wise to post your request in each sled forum.

 

[Ollie]

Honestly.
The questions you just asked would be similar to.............

What type of car/truck have you driven and when?
What did you do to the car/truck?
How did you like each thing you did?

There are people on here that have been sledding for many many years (constant 8 for me). I have done LOADS of stuff to my sleds. THere just isn't an easy answer to your questions.

My suggestion would be to go to the brand specific area and just start looking around. You will get a lot of info there.

 

[helmethair]

welcome to the forum and to the best sport in the world! most people around here are pretty smart or will point you in the right direction if they don't know something. don't take any advice from sledsavior and you'll be fine. talking about which brand is best is a bad idea, just sayin

 

[CDA_RMK]

does not matter just get out and have fun!!!!!!!!

 

[Ex-Member]

Everyone knows the red ones are the fastest

 

[yardsale_oem]

everyone knows the red ones are the fastest

.....and the ones with the most stickers!!!!!!

 

[AndrettiDog]

I'm as guilty of anyone when it comes to loving my sled and bashing another. But...if I never had a sled and someone put some old fan 550 out there, I would have a blast on it. In fact I grew up on a 440 Exciter (little screamer) that had no suspension when everyone else was using the most modern sleds with liquid cooled motors and plush suspension. It's addicting. Next thing you know you have multiple sleds, swapping motors and looking forward to the snow check for each brand!

Be open minded. Don't get an Arctic Cat tatoo or Polaris jacket. Just be willing to go ride them all and pick the one that you have fun on and can afford.

 

[chrisleav]

Thanks for the responses. I'm not trying to find some general consensus as to which sled is the best. I'm asking for your biased opinions, haha. I just want to get an idea of what people think of different sleds.... not so I can decide what I want to ride, but so I have more background information when I'm selling the things. I feel like it's at least as important to have input from people who love to ride as it is to have the manufacturer specs. Ski Doo won't tell you that their sleds end up in the shop a lot (which seems to be the case, based on all the sleds that are currently in the shop where I work), but that's something a former Ski Doo rider might mention. Arctic Cat won't tell you that they have the worst fuel economy. Polaris won't tell you that their sleds are the heaviest (excepting Yamaha, being strictly 4-stroke). They also tend to exaggerate their specs as well... I'm sure you can all see what I'm getting at here

 

[RMKcowboy]

Ok, I'll throw an ultra-biased opinion out there at the risk of getting ultra-flamed for doing it...

Best sled ever to roll off the production line- 2003 Polaris Vertical Escape RMK. Still the best sled Polaris has EVER built. Stock they run like raped apes, tuned up a little they can still chew up and spit out any NATURALLY ASPIRATED sled out there (maybe even a few of the turbos).

 

[AndrettiDog]

Ok, I'll throw an ultra-biased opinion out there at the risk of getting ultra-flamed for doing it...

Best sled ever to roll off the production line- 2003 Polaris Vertical Escape RMK. Still the best sled Polaris has EVER built. Stock they run like raped apes, tuned up a little they can still chew up and spit out any NATURALLY ASPIRATED sled out there (maybe even a few of the turbos).

Funny, because I would tell you that the 2007 Dragon 700 is the best Polaris sled ever built. Never had a mechanical problem, it starts every time, rips like no other (has the HP of older 800's) and the chassis is superior to the older Edge. I've had both sled. Anyway, point is that you really need to ride the chassis of each sled to find out.

 

[RMKcowboy]

Funny, because I would tell you that the 2007 Dragon 700 is the best Polaris sled ever built. Never had a mechanical problem, it starts every time, rips like no other (has the HP of older 800's) and the chassis is superior to the older Edge. I've had both sled. Anyway, point is that you really need to ride the chassis of each sled to find out.

Yeah, well... you're WRONG! I've not spent any time on a Dragon, just an FST IQ (can you say TURD?)

 

[chrisleav]

It's funny, now that I clarified that I'm not asking what the best sled is, that's what you guys are arguing over. lol

 

[enis750]

you are all wrong.....
it's all about the 2003.5 Summit REV 800HO 144 "Pumpkin"
thats the best sled EVER!! ha ha ha!

 

[student driver]

I'm surprised there isn't some flames in this one.
Like stated above, ride each chassis,
see what you like about each one,
and that will enable you to sell them better.
See which ones have a smooth or a hard hitting power delivery,
see how they handle on both hard pack and in the powder.
See which ones have mechanical issues and need towed out, and which ones don't.
Pay attention to what comes into the service area and for what.
Get the actual weights full of fluids, as opposed to claimed dry weight.

Those things will prove invaluble.
Good luck with the new job too.

Now that all being said, I'm biased.
I love my 07 Dragon. Pull the rope and go.
It holds it RPMs well, handles great, no issues.
Are there better sleds out there? Probably, but I'm biased.

 

[kas]

these days all brands are pretty sweet.
i love cat but thats wat ive been taught to love
and now i wouldnt mind having something lighter like
a dragon or ski doo but its all up to wat you like and how
competitve you are

 

[BigMan]

They're all good, but Polaris has always been just a tad better than the rest.

 

[SNOBI-WAN-KENOBI]

welcome!

Welcome to the sledders world! This is my 3 rd year sledding. I got into it fast.
I have a Polaris '07 600 HO RMK 155 track with SLP's pipe/big airbox and V-force reeds with the skis all the way out.40" from carbide to carbide. They tend to be a little top heavy,so adjusting the suspension helps a lot. Every one has there own preference,but everyone watches each other's back! If I see someone stuck,I'll help dig them out.Enjoy!!!!

 

[chrisleav]

these days all brands are pretty sweet.
i love cat but thats wat ive been taught to love
and now i wouldnt mind having something lighter like
a dragon or ski doo but its all up to wat you like and how
competitve you are

You can get a Cat pretty light... at the dealership I used to work at, we had an '09 M8 153 (stock weight is just under 500 lbs) down to 436! SLP pipe, Speedwerx Y-pipe and can, Flo-Vents, and a few other things took the weight way down. Polaris's, from what I understand, actually start out heavier than the Cats.

As for getting out and riding them all... I'd love to! I just don't have many opportunities. Never have. Even if I did, there will always be people out there with a lot more experience and knowledge than me! If I rode every weekend, it would still take me at least a couple months to start figuring everything out. The way I see it, this isn't the most fun way to gain experience, but certainly the fastest, and the sooner I learn the most I can, the sooner I can start selling! So keep it coming please

 

[motojunkie101]

I ride an 08 Yamaha Nytro MTX 40th anniversary edition..and I'll see if I can break this down into my love/hates

Love:
Handling in the powder. It takes very little weight transfer to carve..and makes counter steering oh-so-much-fun.
Tall seat
Tall bars
Electric start
Reverse
12v plug
easy to move around on
wide running boards
Torque of the 4 stroke...no need to pin it to get most places you are going, there is plenty down low.
Maintenance is non-existant. Change the oil and ride it. First valve check isn't until what...25 or 30,000 miles?

Hates:
Feels a little tippy on hardpack until you get used to it
The track isn't near as good as what comes stock on other mountain sleds
the rear suspension bottoms WAY too easily
stock skid likes to trench
Front shocks aren't very adjustable
Skis can be hard to turn in hardpack
clutching could use some work (I've read about it on here..mine has been spot on)
The hand warmers work great on nice days. when it gets cold you can't tell they are even on.
Its heavy when you get stuck(other than that you never feel like you are on one of the fattest sleds out there)
vents in the plastic let in too much powder, which melts and is absorbed by all the foam, which then freezes again weighing down the sled even more.
slushy snow build up on the tunnel under the exaust
sticky reverse lever (after a full season on it)

What I've done to make the sled perform better:

tighten limiter straps ALL the way
adjust weight transfer rods all the way up to the red line
install gold finger lefty
increase rear spring to stiffest setting (stiffer springs are available)
hot glue mesh into the vents to keep snow out
remove all the under hood foam


Whats in the future for my sled? Simmons Gen II's, Timber sled rear skid, Powder Claw track or 2.25 camo extreme, better boards, and down the line a NW turbo running 6-10 lbs...nothing too crazy.


Overall I really like how my sled rides. I can hang with most 700's that I ride with, and thats good enough for me.

I hope that helps!