On The Fence Over Turbo's?

[AdrenalineAddict]

My two biggest concerns are the lack of throttle blip and having to go rider forward. I'm seriously oldschool and don't care for either one. I've ridden several turbo dragons and love the horsepower, just can't stand the handling. They're heads over heels more manageable than a Rev or XP in my opinion, but appear to require a ridiculous amount of input. I was chatting with a Nytro owner on the mountain the other day, he said it has taken him a solid year and a half to get comfortable with the sled, and this guy can really ride when required, Yikes!! that would more than likely be me. I ride with a bunch of 50 year old sledders and no one seems to get overly aggressive with there dragons. My take is that they are a handful no matter how much time you spend on them. I might just be getting to old and cranky to change but why is it that I've been comfortable on most every sled manufactured since 1962, but feel I would never be comfortable on any of the rider forward platforms, much less one with a sic amount of power?

 

[winter brew]

Did a turbo ('09 Poo) and spent alot of time trying to make it not feel like a turbo at low speeds (throttle response). Yes, it was fast.....but it wasn't for me, back on N/A sleds and don't miss the turbo at all. They are definatly more maintenance, this is to be expected making big power from a little engine...reeds, boost leaks, piston replacement, rings sticking (lead deposits from race fuel), new plugs every couple rides, moisture in EFI control boxes (carry a spare!).....etc.... (these were my experiences).
Some guys love the turbo scene but it's not for everybody, depends on where and how you ride.
I would definatly try to ride exactly what you are considering before dropping the $$.

 

[snofoshow]

Me, I will keep my turbo. You guys without em can keep that stuff down on the bottom of the hill, I will keep the untouched stuff up top
This is the first year I have rode a turbo. 1500 miles and had to change a reed. Was that because of the turbo? I will NEVER be satisfied on a stocker agian. Unless a factory sled comes out under 450 lbs and 200plus horse power.

I am not a point and shoot rider, I would rather play in the trees and with the avalanche dangers this year.......no brainer. I can go just as tight through trees as the peeps I ride with. As far as cornices, I am way too old to be flying off them

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

Winterbrew,
Mowing the lawn already!! OMG! Summer really does suck. I dread that day every spring I have to turn on the sprinklers. I have ridden what I am considering and am 99% convinced I'm going to stay oldschool, could care less about keeping up with the Jones anymore, about $1,500/ year maintenance and I'm good to go for another season.

 

[Mjunkie]

Me, I will keep my turbo. You guys without em can keep that stuff down on the bottom of the hill, I will keep the untouched stuff up top
This is the first year I have rode a turbo. 1500 miles and had to change a reed. Was that because of the turbo? I will NEVER be satisfied on a stocker agian. Unless a factory sled comes out under 450 lbs and 200plus horse power.

I am not a point and shoot rider, I would rather play in the trees and with the avalanche dangers this year.......no brainer. I can go just as tight through trees as the peeps I ride with. As far as cornices, I am way too old to be flying off them

With my 1000cc BB I've been on top of the hill of most, and with the 1300, I'll be right where you turbo guys are, but without the turbo.

 

[Tonysnoo]

Winterbrew,
I have ridden what I am considering and am 99% convinced I'm going to stay oldschool, could care less about keeping up with the Jones anymore, about $1,500/ year maintenance and I'm good to go for another season.

Scotty, I've been reading this and wondering what the heck you were up to. Were you just trying to get a rise out of everyone.....LOL

Maybe you need to do what I did. Turbo your big block. My sled still has amazing low speed manners. I don't jump off of stuff any more so can't answer that but the turbo does trees way better than my NA setup ever did. As you mentioned the budget is the biggest limit to what you can do. Good luck buddy! You'll make what ever you ride work well!

 

[PGTDragon]

I, for one, am not going back to N/A sleds, Turbos are the future of boondocking. I like my piped, ported, lightened, supermodded M1000 and will continue to ride it on occasion but the Turbo Dragon is by far my sled of choice in ALL conditions, it picks through the trees better than an N/A sled because it has the power to get you up and through the line you want rather than the line you have to settle for because you ran out of power. Often it gets me out of trouble or a stuck with the extra power, and if I want to climb that hill I can and do. It jumps just as well but you have to get use to the quick rise in speed so you do not over jump, just adjust to the sled, believe me they do everything an N/A sled does only better, and it will also dig a faster hole to get you stuck, but I do not believe I am stuck until I see gophers getting tossed up behind my track. I spend almost no time tuning once the initial set-up is taken care of, I think I had a total of 6 hours tuning this year. If my dragon does not sell soon, and it is looking like I will end up keeping it, I will put a 153 X 2.5 single ply on her and a VE Tunnel and forget about an RMK Pro, but the day I get a new RMK it will most definitely get a turbo on it.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

Tony,
You need to come this way for another ride, we've received an incredible amount of snow the last couple weeks, we're probably not to far off of normal. I did start this post to see if there was any life left in cyberspace, and it appears there still is, but really, I'm not sure I need all that extra get up and go. I really do think I'd miss the instantaneous throttle blip. We were riding some very tight trees and serious deep ruts up a chute this last weekend, when the turbos would get with it after the tight spot they would stand on end and become quite a handful when trying to pull the last 50' of the chute (difficult to keep on line). I'm not fully convinced that they are all they're cracked up to be in those on and off steep tight spots. I know I'd have fun riding one, but I've seen several instances where I would be cussing it as well. We should have plenty of snow for one of your late season rides unless we get one of those early season extended warm ups. Here's a couple pics from last week.

 

[EDP]

Empire Diesel Performance had a supercharged 2009 m8 (m1000?) at the Jackson Hole Hillclimbs. They don't have it on their website yet. I suspect they are still testing it. It looked very clean and had a speedwerx pipe and can so I suspect that speedwerx will make a pipe for super chargers just as they do for the turbo. It used a procharger supercharger which they sell and he said the kit would be the same as a turbocharger. He also said it would be a 'complete kit' (whatever that is?)

P.S. - I have pics and will upload as soon as I can find that darn USB cable.

http://www.empiredieselperformance....oduct_id=324&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=109

heres a little more info

 

[Tonysnoo]

Tony,
You need to come this way for another ride, we've received an incredible amount of snow the last couple weeks, we're probably not to far off of normal. I did start this post to see if there was any life left in cyberspace, and it appears there still is, but really, I'm not sure I need all that extra get up and go. I really do think I'd miss the instantaneous throttle blip. We were riding some very tight trees and serious deep ruts up a chute this last weekend, when the turbos would get with it after the tight spot they would stand on end and become quite a handful when trying to pull the last 50' of the chute (difficult to keep on line). I'm not fully convinced that they are all they're cracked up to be in those on and off steep tight spots. I know I'd have fun riding one, but I've seen several instances where I would cussing it as well. We should have plenty of snow for one of your late season rides unless we get one of those early season extended warm ups. Here's a couple pics from last week.

Hey Scotty, Looks like your answering your own question. You're going to stay NA for a while longer. I'm looking forward to coming over an riding. That mountain always has drawn me like a moth to the light........LOL

See-ya then

 

[switchback]

2 of my last 3 sleds have had Nos. I just went to a turboed D8. Rode it for 3 days 2 weeks ago and love it. It had 275 miles on it when I got it. For the most part the setup was done when I got it. I love it in the trees, the carving powder, climbing, all around. I can slow down creeping through steeper tight tree areas and when i have to pinch it, it goes. Don't really notice any lag issues. It's a BD pump gas running at 7.5 right now. The new setups feel like the engines have that much power stock. It's so smooth and linear. I'm in

 

[TIM]

I am sellin my dragon with the boondocker pump gas turbo and some other things on the sled. $10,000

tim

 

[Mjunkie]

haha! I never would have thought I would hear that sentence a few years ago...funny how much the turbo introduction to the sled world has changed the game.

Yeah, the turbo scene has changed the game, but a few years ago a big bore of 1300 was also a triple cylinder engine and weighed a TON!! I just think that I can have the best of both with that set-up. I will have the instant throttle response of a big bore, and I'll have comparable top-end power to a good turbo all in a light weight, easy to throw around chassis that I already love. I've put a lot of money into the chassis to get it where I want it (and already a bunch on the motor), but will go the next step and have to me the most fun to ride sled on the hill that will do more than anything I want it to do. Plus I like the challenge of doing it, and will have a lot of fun working on the project!!

 

[Qreiff]

Empire Diesel Performance had a supercharged 2009 m8 (m1000?) at the Jackson Hole Hillclimbs. They don't have it on their website yet. I suspect they are still testing it. It looked very clean and had a speedwerx pipe and can so I suspect that speedwerx will make a pipe for super chargers just as they do for the turbo. It used a procharger supercharger which they sell and he said the kit would be the same as a turbocharger. He also said it would be a 'complete kit' (whatever that is?)

P.S. - I have pics and will upload as soon as I can find that darn USB cable.

Looks interesting............

http://www.empiredieselperformance....egory_id=251&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=109

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

setup right... its like a big arse NA sled, but it doesnt ever run out.... just keeps going. and you can just turn up the power if you want more!!

I have mine setup sorta to much for hillclimbing right now, the gearing is to high and suspension is kinda ski heavy, etc etc... BUT, its still a blast to ride in the woods. geared accordingly and setup right.. its like riding any normal sled, and once you adapt to the slightly different powerband, when you get stuck, you know its rider error, cuz its truely dumb where they will take you. sidehilling in the woods, want to cut up? punch it and go up. obviously, like anything, they are still limitations on them, but the kind of riding that you can do with them is DUMB.. My buddy rocks a t-900 rmk 166... on 7# of boost it realy doesnt feel turbo'd powerband wise.. just a crazy na motor.. but WOW, it just up and pulls out of stuff that doesnt make sense, things that would swallow a WELL setup 800 163 it just will pick the skis up and move on out.

and as far as point/chute.. I might do a little, but thats not my thing, I hate hills, they scare me.. if its easy enough an 800 can do it, or close, I dont need to show the power off, ill just stick to my woods. the only time I really do any 'highmarking' anymore is in a pretty wooded hill that is steep and very deep, so its still a LOT of rider, and not just power/track. I have only really had a few times this year I have had a hill that I was able to sit and mash on to get a little farther up, but again, it was a DEEP day. I just dont find much sport in proving my sled has more power on a big open hill.... stick to the woods.