Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum - View Single Post - New to the sport

**BC_Dan** · 06-16-2009, 06:56 PM

Like RJ and Polaris Rider stated.

You will see a LOT of 2-stroke mountain sleds running in the Sierras or at Mt. Shasta. Polaris, Arctic Cat, SKi-doo, not so much with Yamaha. For your price range, I would look for an Polaris Edge 700 with at least a 144" x 2" track. Be a bit aware that the Polaris 800 has issues with the PTO crank bearing, lots have failed. The 700 shares the design and crankcase, but does not share the problem to near the extent.

The M-7 is also a good value if you can find one in that price range. The M-8 doesn't give you that much additional oomph for your bucks, but is a nice sled as well. I like the Polaris because the Edges after the Vertical Escape in 2003 have electronic reverse.

Skidoo also makes a nice sled, they were the first with the "rider-forward" design that is popular with most makes now.

In snowmobiles, the 2-stroke is easy to work on, the 4-stroke is mostly dealer service only with a lot of the rebuilding. That said, the 4 strokes go a LONG time between rebuilds. If you are mechanical at all, you will have few issues in working over a 2-stroke. They are simple in comparison to a 4.

Check the forums on Snowest.com in their want ads, there are a lot of sleds for sale with a lot of 'em out west. I just got one a couple of weeks ago from a guy in Auburn, Ca. that rides the area where you will be riding, and found it through Snowest. Craigslist seems to have higher prices.

Good luck in your search, and welcome to the forum!!