I ride an 04 800 switchback back here for my trail sled. Toying with trying a spin on a Phazer. Worth trying a ride on one or am I am going to be severly disappointed by the power? How do they handle?
Phazer opinions
- Thread starter switchback
- Start date
They handle awsome but going from an 04 800 switchback you will be very disapponted by the power unless you put boost on it. I would suggest riding one they are alot of fun to ride.
One of the guys in our group has one and they make a great crossover sled. Very nimble and they pull like a tractor on the low end. But coming from an 800 you will be missing a bunch of power. Like RideRevy said you will want to try a ride on one first before you by one to see if that power difference is OK with you.
You are going to get a ton of varying opinions but IMO you will be very disappointed in the Phazer. I know this from personal experience last year. I wanted to upgrade from my 1999 Mountain Max 700 so I bought a 2007 Phazer at the beginning of last season. Beautiful condition. Very low kms. What a POS. Before I bought it I looked at various consumer reports which said all kinds of positive things about the sled. I consider myself to be a pretty conservative rider, meadows and trails mostly with a few moderate hills thrown in, so I thought from everything I read the Phazer would be the perfect sled for me. I thought if I found it low on power then the wife could ride it. Well I wouldn't recommend one of those things to anyone. The positives I found was tons and tons of torque. Quick off the line and you never have to use the brakes as the torque almost stops you dead as soon as you're off the throttle and excellent on fuel. But.....no track speed. A DOG in the powder, anything over 12" deep. Tippy!!!! OMG that thing handled terrible on the trails. You had to fight to keep it upright in any corner at any speed. I played with the suspension set up repeatedly and nothing changed. Easy to get up on its side for carving but no power to finish the carve. When the wife tried to ride it she almost flopped it over twice in the first 5 minutes so that was that...she wanted nothing to do with it. Sold it and got an 04 REV 800 and haven't looked back. The guy who bought it off me had it for sale before the end of the season. My.02 cents.....don't touch it.
Last edited:
Oh Yeah! Good point....they are fricken heavy for a 500.
T
TurboM700
Well-known member
I have 2 for trail riding in MN one is my wife one is mines. I have no proplem trail riding it but it is a very rider driven sled. You have to throw it into the corners and ride it like you would a 174 mtn sled on the trails. Great bottom end power and gets to 60 quick. I put a 1.5 track on mine and makes it much better on accleration. I have no proplem keeping up to my buddy in the trails but once on the lake your in the back. For a MTN sled I would never have one. You go from a hard back trail doing 80mph to just a couple inchs of unpacked snow it like some one threw a anchor behind you.
The reason I bought one is we do alot of long distance ditch/trail rides and it work perfect for that. And it was cheap. There is not any other sled you can buy out there brand new for 4 grand.
Now my wife hates it because all she wants to do is sit on it and drive it like a car. Last weekend she was having a hell of a time with it so I unload my M7 and let her ride that instead and she was doing alot better. I have also tried everthing under the sun to try and get here to handle better and nothing seems to work for her. They are just to tippy of a sled.
Heck I think we might be selling my wifes sled it an 08 phazer with less than 500 miles. If you interested we could work something out to go for a ride on it.
Mike
The reason I bought one is we do alot of long distance ditch/trail rides and it work perfect for that. And it was cheap. There is not any other sled you can buy out there brand new for 4 grand.
Now my wife hates it because all she wants to do is sit on it and drive it like a car. Last weekend she was having a hell of a time with it so I unload my M7 and let her ride that instead and she was doing alot better. I have also tried everthing under the sun to try and get here to handle better and nothing seems to work for her. They are just to tippy of a sled.
Heck I think we might be selling my wifes sled it an 08 phazer with less than 500 miles. If you interested we could work something out to go for a ride on it.
Mike
J
jph3
Member
X2, bought one back in 07... gave it back to the dealer three weeks later. They are HORRIBLE in any kind of powder, and had three different people jump on it for some trail riding... two of them had it flipped over on the trail in the first 10 min of riding.
Wouldnt touch one... my $.02
That is correct TM700. I've got an 07 Rev on Nos for out west. The 800 has been for here and a backup. Most of the replies mirrored what I found on other sites regarding the phazer. Had an 08 Nytro Mtx and loved the torque for around here but couldn't afford the boost for out west. Like the 4 stroke oomph around here. Gonna ride one but think I'll end up keeping the 800. Addicted to it's power
I don't think it matters where you ride a Phazer......all around poorly designed sled. There's a reason why you can buy em for $4000. The other thing I forgot to mention was when I sold mine it had only 1300 kms on it and the rear shock was shot and it was leaking oil.....and I am not hard on my sleds. Now the old style Phazer.... that was a sled that was ahead if its time, without suspension.
You have to ride it like a dirt bike, not sit back and ride like an old lady!You are going to get a ton of varying opinions but IMO you will be very disappointed in the Phazer. I know this from personal experience last year. I wanted to upgrade from my 1999 Mountain Max 700 so I bought a 2007 Phazer at the beginning of last season. Beautiful condition. Very low kms. What a POS. Before I bought it I looked at various consumer reports which said all kinds of positive things about the sled. I consider myself to be a pretty conservative rider, meadows and trails mostly with a few moderate hills thrown in, so I thought from everything I read the Phazer would be the perfect sled for me. I thought if I found it low on power then the wife could ride it. Well I wouldn't recommend one of those things to anyone. The positives I found was tons and tons of torque. Quick off the line and you never have to use the brakes as the torque almost stops you dead as soon as you're off the throttle and excellent on fuel. But.....no track speed. A DOG in the powder, anything over 12" deep. Tippy!!!! OMG that thing handled terrible on the trails. You had to fight to keep it upright in any corner at any speed. I played with the suspension set up repeatedly and nothing changed. Easy to get up on its side for carving but no power to finish the carve. When the wife tried to ride it she almost flopped it over twice in the first 5 minutes so that was that...she wanted nothing to do with it. Sold it and got an 04 REV 800 and haven't looked back. The guy who bought it off me had it for sale before the end of the season. My.02 cents.....don't touch it.
switchback let me know if you demo one. i too am looking for a ditch sled for here in iowa as i have a m8 for out west. iam looking for a dirt bike feel and i like the phaser but do not have one to demo. how about cat sno pro 500 or the lightweight ski doo?
D
Disco Dan Richter
Well-known member
Definitly throw a blower on. Stock=doggy dog dog! Plus a turbo= FUN FUN FUN!
If you plan on riding over 16 inches of snow on a stock track, you will not be happy, even with the turbo, but throw a 153 under it and you wont stop grinnin, unless you are a fat ****er like me, then that may not be enough!
If you plan on riding over 16 inches of snow on a stock track, you will not be happy, even with the turbo, but throw a 153 under it and you wont stop grinnin, unless you are a fat ****er like me, then that may not be enough!
Thanks for the info. Daughter has a basketball tourny on Saturday and party at our place afterwards. Think I'll try and sneak away for a couple hrs.
Owned one! Couldn't get out of its' own way! Don't bother! Fine for a trail riding kid's or wife's (who rarely rides) sled. Not a mountain sled! Biggest positive is 4 stroke should last forever. Biggest negatives.....still heavy (although looks as if it should be light), 14" wide track, and power (85 hp. stock I think?)
