Newbie - Advise on new sled - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

chrisruf · 11-03-2006, 02:50 PM

I am looking for a good used sled and would appreciate some advice. I've been riding off and on a couple times a year for a while, always on old selds that we had kicking around the cabin. I'm now in the market for a good used sled, maybe 3-4 years old.

I would like a good all round sled as I ride narrow trails just about as much as open meadows / hills. From what I gather searching the net, I would proably want a 600 or 700 ( I only weigh 150lb and not looking for a race machine) with a 144" or maybe 136" track (I'm tired of getting stuck in the deep stuff on the old Skandic 380 I've got right now)? Sleds that seem to fit the bill are Skii-doo summit or MXZ renagade, Polaris switchabck or RMK? I don't know much about Yamaha or A/C. I hear great things about Ski-doos REV platform but would just like some input as to some models that may fit my riding.

Also, if I would like to take a passenger for a short trip, can I mount a 1+1 seat on these sleds or can you squeeze 2 people onto the stock seats?

Any advice would be much appreicated. Oh ya, my budget is $5k cad.

It's absolutely pissing here in the city, I hope we're getting some snow on the mountains!

RMK?? · 11-03-2006, 05:21 PM

If you can find a Polaris Switchback, that would be the way to go, but they are hard to find....
Check in the Auto trader, there are a ton of good sleds in there right now.
Where abouts in Canada are you?

AvroAero · 11-03-2006, 05:49 PM

I'd just go for any of those with the best deal. They're all pretty good.

NorthernGuy · 11-03-2006, 06:21 PM

I just bought an AC crossfire 700, they have received rave reviews from everywhere as one of the best hybrids out there. As well my AC dealer installed a removeable "seat jack" for me so my wife can sit comfortably on the back when she comes out for a ride. It's a 2up seat that quick connects onto two black rails that are barely visible when the seat is off. I posted pics of my sled with and without the seat jack seat in this thread:

http://www.snowmobileforum.com/arcti...-cat-pics.html

The seat jack was 500$ but I got it for 300$ installed as I bought it when I bought the sled brand new so he cut me a deal on the seatjack. It's a pretty good "happy medium" without removing the whole seat altogether and putting a 2upper on that's permanent and I can make my seat look stock again by removing the 2up in about 1 mins flat.

**smallengineguy** · 11-03-2006, 07:27 PM

MXZ renegade is BADA$$!!! Superpowerful sled, you can put a 2-up seat on the REV chassis also.

brown435 · 11-04-2006, 10:58 AM

Welcome to the forum.

Crossover sleds are designed for trail and off trail.
They do both okay but not the best at each one.

If you get a mountain sled you go slow on a groomed trail or tear it up.

If you get a trail sled you go fast on the trail and get stuck in powder.

Is the snow in your area powder or packed ? Take the normal snow conditions of where you are gonna ride into consideration. Plus what type of riding you gonna do.

BC_Dan · 11-04-2006, 11:44 AM

All the brands have made great strides in making a very nice product in the past few years. That said, look at what your friends ride; consider getting one of those! That way, when things go wrong, you have a base of knowledge to help you get back on the snow.. plus, they may lend you their tools when necessary. Any of the crossover sleds would meet your needs perfectly, it's finding one that is the trouble!

The big problem with mountain sleds on the trails is the track lug height; the lugs that make you go in the powder aren't so good on the trails. Fast speeds on hardpack trails on a 2"+ track chew up the track and also lead to melted hyfax. You can install ice scratchers to help with the hyfax, but the need for speed on a mountain sled can lead to damage to the track.

Snow's coming! Good luck!!

brown435 · 11-04-2006, 01:57 PM

Trail sled tracks are 121 to 136 Common is around 121 inches Lugs under 1.5 inches

Mountain tracks are 144 to 172. Common is the 150 to 159 inch range. 1.2 to 2.5 lugs.

Cross over is in between those sleds.

Longer the lugs on the track more traction, slower speed.

Oonger the track the better flotation, harder to turn.

So what kind of snow do you have?

chrisruf · 11-04-2006, 05:56 PM

Thanks for all your input. Seems there are a couple different sleds that will fit me. Now it's just a matter of finding the right one within my budget... I live in vancouver, BC and do most of my riding up country, 100 Mile House, Quesnel, Wells etc.

I don't ride much on groomed trails, if I am on the trails it's usually breaking trail in the bush or really narrow trails so speed for me there is not too much of a priority.

Question: What exactly is a hyfax? I can piece together that ice scratchers must spray some snow onto the track area to do some cooling but I don't know what the hyfax is.

I'll keep you posted on the search.

**RJ Gleason** · 11-04-2006, 05:57 PM

HyFax is the plastic part that is on the slides between the track and the rail.

Wild child · 11-04-2006, 07:20 PM

I would go with the Polaris switchback