i want a 4 stroke sled

[coombia21]

i want to get a 4 stroke sled but i dont know which one i should get i would like your input i am going to be doing a wide variety of riding from ditches to trails to pulling the fish house (portable) and then i want to be able to ride in 2 to 3 feet of snow

[Deep_Sinker]

That's a big wish list. Do yourself a favor though and go look/ride a Yamaha, the leader in the 4-strokes right now. Everyone is putting on turbos to keep up with the Yamaha's natural aspriation. The Yamaha has a smooth, powerful engine that you'll find yourself loving in short order. Of the things you listed that you want to do, my unprofessional opinion would be to check out the Yamaha Nytro XTX, Apex LTX, or Phazer MTX. I heard some cities area dealers were advertising the Nytro around the low to mid 7k. Good luck!

[tonkapat]

I think we all wanted a crotch rocket motor in a snowmobile and they did it. Cats new one should be pretty good as suzuki has made some fast rockets for a while. I don't know about yamaha sleds but there rockets are extremely reliable and fast. The guy who designed the four stroke sled for yamaha also developed the r1 and r6. Enough said.

[2thepointsetters]

I would test drive a nytro or any other yamaha in powder before you buy one. Thats all I will say about that.

[DrJ]

Iv'e got a 2006 Touring T660 2-up Arctic Cat. Bought it for just ice fishing Low. Runs really nice but if it below -10 it won't start even with the heater and charger plugged in. They don't have a pull start on them so you just keep trying until it starts. Last week I put a sunflower heater in the trailer(enclosed) and it started at -20. Just something for you to consider. DrJ.

[Shack]

Wow, change your crank case oil and maybe your battery

I have started my 07 T660 at -10 and it does not even have synthetic in it yet. At -0 or below, it turns over a little slower, but starts. If you have the remote start, set it on sentinel mode and it will start every hour for 5 minutes until you shut it off. That, with the block heater plugged in should cover ya down to -30. Throw synthetic in the crank case and I am sure you will be good down below -40.

T-660 AC all the way for me. I love it!

[dewyg]

I have a yamaha 2007 venture multi purpose, I use it to ice fish. I was forced to walk home with my 7 year old in -40 weather, after 3 hrs in the portable. I spoke with the dealer and the relay on All four strokes apparently do not like cold weather. You need to pull the relay and warm it up in your pocket and replace it then the machine will start. Another quick fix that I found was not to store the sled in a heated garage, I was storing it in my heated garage and then taking it out to run, now I leave it in my other unheated garage and have not had any issues. Apparently the relay gets condensation on it and causes the fuel pump not to circulate. I would wait and see if they can fix these issues before I purchased one.

[opsirc]

best thing to do is go out and look at all the sleds, compare them and deceide which one is for you.

[dewyg]

I have had the cold weather update,100% synthetic oil a new battery. I have done everything short of the remote start, that is on order right now. There is a ton of documented literature about the 4 stroke problems, I suggest you research all of the information out there.

[coombia21]

would i be better off getting a 2 stroke if i am going to be riding in really cold

[CraigM]

I agree with some of the others. Yamaha is leaps and bounds ahead of everyone in the four stroke game.(flame away Cat guys) They are heavy, as are all the 4 strokes. I've never had trouble starting mine in cold weather, but it can be an issue. Deep snow is no problem, if you know how to ride. The Yammi's have become very popular out west in the really steep and deep, so don't let that scare you. Good luck with your decision.

[Shack]

Quote:

There is a ton of documented literature about the 4 stroke problems, I suggest you research all of the information out there.

With the T660, I have been all over the net and never seen any issues. A ton of good feed back from guys on FM about them.

[Deep_Sinker]

I would test drive a nytro or any other yamaha in powder before you buy one. Thats all I will say about that.

[Northlander]

I wouldnt own a sled I didnt have a pull start option on. I cant believe the 4 strokes dont have a pull start? No thanks.

I did drive my buddies 4 stroke yamaha and man was it a awesome ride. I had no problems in the deeper snow. It is heavy but so is my Polaris 2 up.

Shop around and ask a ton of questions. From what I have been hearing is that Yamaha is the 4 stroke leaders.

[croixflats]

At least a kick start or maybe a model T crank start

I used to run a big rear tine tiller that you had to kick start or wind it up like a Model T but you sure dont want it to backfire.

I would love to run a 4 stroke but I think I will hang back and buy the cheap 2 cycle ones while the market is flooded with them and by then maybe they will get the kinks out of the 4 strokes or the Government mandates them.

[SledNeck]

I agree with some of the others. Yamaha is leaps and bounds ahead of everyone in the four stroke game.(flame away Cat guys) They are heavy, as are all the 4 strokes. I've never had trouble starting mine in cold weather, but it can be an issue. Deep snow is no problem, if you know how to ride. The Yammi's have become very popular out west in the really steep and deep, so don't let that scare you. Good luck with your decision.

ski-doo has a 1200 4-stroke thats 509 lbs dry (IMO the best chassis of all brands XP)

arctic cat z-1 weighs 575 dry

arctic car z-1 turbo weighs 620 dry and 708 curb WOW!

Yamaha FX Nytro dry weight 522 lbs. (ask someone that owns one about their first time going into a corner with IT!)

Yamaha Apex RTX dry weight 568 lbs.

Yamaha RS vector dry weight 570 lbs.

[MNUser]

I have two Phazers and they are great. NO problems starting when it is -35. Been there and done that numerous times. NO problems with either sled. They run perfect!

I have ridden the Nytro and that sled is AWESOME. A little heavy but that comes from all that motor. The new Ski Doo 1200 four stroke is AWESOME too. Rode that one day and I was amazed at the power and the smoothness of the sled. Comes in lighter too. You can't go wrong with any of the 4-stroke models.

Remember, since the internet has been around, one guy has a problem and it seems that all the sleds have the same issues. Beware what you read. Some of the "problems" are brand loyal people who do not even own the sled but choose to bash it since they DO NOT own one but are loyal to another brand.

If ever in Brainerd, let me know. I would be more than happy to let you take one of mine on a little jaunt around the lake.

[Deep_Sinker]

Emergency starting on a Yamaha 4 stroke can be done with jumper cables or even an adapted jumper cable that plugs into another running sleds head light to charge your battery, or have heard of people starting these sleds off of the primary clutch by wrapping a rope around it. I haven't tried the last one and quite frankly don't think I could with the compression, but it is possible.

I wouldnt own a sled I didnt have a pull start option on. I cant believe the 4 strokes dont have a pull start?

With the above, you shouldn't have to worry. Other than a bad OEM battery, mine hasn't failed in 4 years. Steve, how many times have you pulled started your F115? Remember it's a Yamaha!

[SledNeck]

Ive rode every chassis of sled Ive listed (well, if the z-1T chassis is far different than the z-1 then scratch that.)

Ive even rode a phazer for about 20 miles in Michigan.

My opinion on the Phazer is its a nice sled, but not for an adult. Its very hard for a person on a phazer to keep up with 'full' sleds on a ride. Also that thing abuses you on the whoops and moguls.

I had it pinned most of the time and on str8 aways and lakes Id get a mile behind the other guys.

What I did like about it, was that its very comfortable to stand on and easy to throw around. Great first sled for a kid or younger teen.

[Northlander]

Emergency starting on a Yamaha 4 stroke can be done with jumper cables or even an adapted jumper cable that plugs into another running sleds head light to charge your battery, or have heard of people starting these sleds off of the primary clutch by wrapping a rope around it. I haven't tried the last one and quite frankly don't think I could with the compression, but it is possible.

Originally Posted By: Northlander

I wouldnt own a sled I didnt have a pull start option on. I cant believe the 4 strokes dont have a pull start?

With the above, you shouldn't have to worry. Other than a bad OEM battery, mine hasn't failed in 4 years. Steve, how many times have you pulled started your F115? Remember it's a Yamaha!

Ya but I have other ways on the boat to get me home. I can pull start the 115 if I need to. The sleds dont even give ya that option? What does a guy do if he is out fishing alone and his sled dont start and it freezing out and dark? Sit in the ice house and call someone to come jump you? No thanks! Ill stay 2 stroke until they find a better way. DS can ya jump your sled off of a Marcum/Vex/Bird battery?

[Deep_Sinker]

DS can ya jump your sled off of a Marcum/Vex/Bird battery?

Never tried...do you know the cold cranking amps on the marcum battery???

[Northlander]

LOL!

[rbach]

If you plan on doing a lot of riding in deep snow I would say you are compromising ride and fun with a 4-stroke. I disagree that it is how you ride....with an average of 100 more pounds you are not going to float as well as a 2-stroke and you'll be pushing snow. You can probably get through a lot of it but not nearly as fun. Sorry DS

I've also experienced cold starting issues with the carbureted Yamahas in extreme cold (-30F and lower) but they were fine above that - still something to consider. No way you are starting it with a rope around the primary.

With that being said, a 4-stroke can be a good trail sled and for pulling a portable. Personally not a big fan of the Yamaha suspensions but they have improved with the Phazers and the newer Nytros. No doubt that Yamaha is the leader in the 4-stroke world though.

[MNUser]

If you plan on doing a lot of riding in deep snow I would say you are compromising ride and fun with a 4-stroke. I disagree that it is how you ride....with an average of 100 more pounds you are not going to float as well as a 2-stroke and you'll be pushing snow. You can probably get through a lot of it but not nearly as fun. Sorry DS

Well, I would not really worry about that in MN. Your days riding deep powder make up about .5% of your days on your sled. Remember, in MN deep snow is about 4" lately so I would not make that a large part of my decision.

We rode our Phazers on the lake when the snow was about 20" this last December and they did great. I'm sure it will be YEARS before that happens again.

[coombia21]

i will ride in minnesota 50 percent of the time and the U.P. 25% and everywhere else the other 25% of the time