The vmax 4 wasn’t a machine designed for deep snow. It’s was a 750 - 800cc, 4 cylinder, 2 stroke built for speed. It was a lake sled not a backcountry sled.
If *you're not supposed to buy these snowmobiles,* where should you actually look? What about buying *The Most Expensive Snowmobile You Can Possibly Buy?* If you want to find out what that is, check out our new Top 5 Video: ua-cam.com/video/5a43AHttcEU/v-deo.html
What I learned from this video...not to watch videos from a top 5 non snowmobile website about top 5 worst snowmobiles. The 05 rmk 900 suffered from excessive shaking as well...as well as the fusion 700 and 900.
@@jackvstheworld3689 agreed I worked at poo poo for a few years and I have never done so many ecu swaps and motor jobs . Got even worse with the assault 800s from 11-15
That Polaris 900 should be #1. Everyone I meet all refers to it as the worst snowmobile in history, and to this day people call Polaris unreliable just because of its legacy.
@@jadosa29 dragon must have a fuel management system on it hey, EVERY one I've EVER seen ,been around has blown, only way to stop it,was fuel management system, or so I hear ,im so not a dragon fan, never owned one because I'm not dragon it home!
Give me a 90’s twin Polaris SKS any day.. and all day long! Nowadays sleds are overpriced junk to own.. nothing but issues!! Not to mention tearing down half the sled to get to any of those issues! Keeping it ol’school till I can’t get parts.
@@jameshanthorn4327 I can't say that my social circle would agree with you. Everyone loves the point-and-shoot rider comfort of the new sleds, but even "simple" maintenance sucks and all the electronic gadgetry has most of them returning to "old school" machines. They aren't abandoning their newer sleds but again purchasing an extra machine, buying models that helped build the industry and were a ton of fun, not to mention, easier to wrench on. My nephew recently made his Ski-Doo 600 E-tec look like a dumpster treasure over something as simple as changing the spark plugs. He's not a mechanic by trade but he's got a full blown, heated shop and hangs with motorheads. He's no idiot. I've also ridden sleds as new as 2015 and I like them, but I don't want one. I have way more fun in the corners and exploring on leaf-springers that are narrower, nimbler, and weigh over 200lbs less. "Riding" sleds is fine, but they're more fun when you have to pilot them! To each his own, but I've compared my apples and oranges and still prefer sleds older than the 2000 vintage.
I agree with you 100%. But then again I am also a gearhead and I like to turn wrenches and make shit go fast. If I spent 15k on a new sled I would be scared to tune it, or mod it in any way. I would be afraid of scratches and rolling it. My older stuff is more effort to ride and doesn't tickle my balls for me or defrost my helmet lmao but I can rebuild it in my garage for a few hundo and a 6 pack.@@kennethgoin628
Im kinda torn on this, cause like. The information isn't really wrong and the choices of sleds makes sense but... he did say "pistol failures" and "Ski Doo 8000"
@@thistledewoutdoors3331 You are wrong sir. Google Yamaha red head triple it's well documented. I own two of them and one 2001 MM700 has 18,000 kms never opened up and nothing but trouble free riding for many years so far. Clean the clutches and carbs and the odd plug\belt here and there and ride.
Notice how the Vmax mentioned was the Vmax-4, not to be confused with the ACTUAL Vmax snowmobile lineup such as the Vmax SX, Vmax XT, and Vmax XTC. The Vmax XTC 600 is quite possibly one of the best sleds I know, so please don't get them confused. They have relatively short tracks so they're not the best for powder, but if you're looking for something fast to blow down the trails in, there's no other options. And for those who love the deep stuff, I've found a powder track on a 570 Exciter is your machine. Light, fast, powerful, and pogo sticks up front for minimum drag in powder (plus a closeable vent on the hood for extra cooling)
Cat had lots of problems with the fluid drive but typical Yamaha made it work like a charm. The Vmax was never meant to in deep snow so Im not sure why they tried, meant as a lake racer first and for most.
I'm bias..I have only ever owned one sled. And thats because I have only ever had to own one sled. 1996 vmax 500. Belts, plugs and oil. Are the only thing I have ever done to that sled.
@@alexpetroci5012 most were good reliable machines so not sure what your talking about? 81 Srx? Not terrible but not the best, just too much of a race engine for the average user. Get the updates done before they were recalled and they were ok machines.
My 96 Vmax 600 is still going strong..... They are a trail only/lake sled - there's no grab bumper up front and the Pogo stick shocks weren't meant to take big jumps although they looked cooler than everything else on the market.....
The Fusion 900 was way worse then the 900 RMK. The RMK length helped the vibration some where on the Fusion it vibrated so bad your arms fell asleep while driving it.
I got lucky with my rmk. I just had to do it's first top end rebuild last summer and I've never had any of the problems stated. The only real problem I had when I first got it new was the track tore itself in half after 45km.
Some 2005 Polaris 900 motors go thousands of miles with no issues. Everything stated in the video seems more heresy than reality, but they are just trying to get views and comments. The 900 was a best seller for Polaris and one of the fastest sleds ever made so a lot of them got abused. The clutches were fine. The pistons were also fine if you didn’t run them dry of oil. And they weren’t discontinued, mostly the name was changed to I.Q. and they went from 866 to 800cc because no one needs 866cc - until recently now they’ve gone back to the 900!
I worked for a Polaris dealer and Every new 1996 XLT came back with the wrist pin circlip broken out of the middle piston scoring the cylinder. Once fixed they were fine.
Boy I'm sure glad my buddies who had those 2000's 900RMK's didn't have the pistol failures this guy mentioned, sounds more dangerous than working on a western with Alec Baldwin! What's crazy is I've got a buddy with 2 of those IQ900RMK's and they are both turboed and have been since mile 1. And they are both still alive, one has 4800miles, the other 2500ish!..from Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 🤠
I worked at a polaris shop for a bit and every 900 that came thru we couldnt get parts for and we were happy about it. The 900 was a turd and we all took shots every time we told a customer theres no hope for it, one time we had 11 900s come in. Needless to say I slept upstairs cuz I was wasted.
Then how do you explain my buddy’s Fusion 900 having no mechanical issues purchased new and WELL CARED FOR. Fusion was one of the fastest and most popular sleds in production, it broke Polaris sales records. My theory is riders held them wide open until they spun themselves apart or they did mostly trail riding and the sleds are still ripping today with thousands of miles.
@@fairbanksairriders i personally never did see a high mileage polaris yet to this day i know every1 of them old fuiji engines were good but soon as polaris moved to liberty engines except the 600cfi and 600 liberty carb all them polaris engines were trash shit ive owned the 2014 polaris indy 800sp i even put the fix it kit in it still was trash to me high mileage on a 2 stroke engine is 10,000+ miles an higher ive only ever seen ski-doos with high miles 2008 ski-doo gran touring 550f 26,500+ miles not 1 engine rebuild 2010 ski-doo 600mxz tnt 30,000+ miles 2 rebuilds but crank never fail yet im from Nunam Iqua AK last village on the Yukon near the coast its 5 miles away
I had to think about this one. There aren't a lot of sleds that I wouldn't buy. But I dod come up with a short list. -Any two stroke triple other than a Ski-doo Mach Z or Arctic Cat ZRT1000 -Ski-doo Tundra -165" Alpha One -Any XP chassis Ski-doo other than a 600RS or Freeride -Any 600 class with a skid that's longer than 137" -Any turbo 4 stroke with a skid that's longer than 153" My current sled is a 2017 Arctic Cat XF8000 153". It's perfect for my style of riding. And if I were to ever get another sled (I'd still keep my current one), I'd get an Arctic Cat ZR6000 SX. The SX is the limited run race sled. I personally think it's one of the best looking sleds ever made and I love the way that snocross sleds ride, so yeah. If they start dropping in price then maybe I'll try and find one
@@creer32ify I'm sure it's great at high elevation. Remember, I'm talking about sleds that I personally wouldn't buy. Not necessarily bad sleds. But I ride low elevation and we do have a ton of snow right now but we'll sometimes be riding in a few inches and those Alpha rails are made of glass unless you're riding in 5 feet of snow. I know guys that have snapped the 146" and 153" alpha rails, I'd only imagine that a 162" would be worse for that. Also I would never buy a machine longer than 155", I don't ride deep enough snow
I've never heard someone say they wouldn't buy a Tundra. My 07 is still running strong never had any issues with it. My pops has an 89 still works like new. They are a trappers best friend up in Northern Ontario.
I have a 05 rmk 900 and I love it. I have had it since 05 and have 4926 miles on it and have had no major issues. Besides belts. But that's common to replace.
Polaris fixed most of the issues through bulletins but those 900's were turds when they were new. I was a service writer at a Polaris dealer and I cringed every time someone pulled in with one , knowing I was about to deal with a very unhappy customer. They ate belts because the clutch alignment was a big issue. If I remember correctly replacing the motor mounts and installing shims behind the clutches became part of the basic setup. It fixed the problem but their reputation was shot.
No way but the loser artic cat mechanics said they are junk and a vmax 600 is the best handling sled you can buy That s probably why the never won a single cross country race ever
There were a couple way worse, so bad I believe in both cases the manufacturer started taking them back which somehow increased the value of really bad sleds due to the anticipated "rarity". Can't recall if it was 1980 or 1981 Yamaha 440 SRX. The black with white stripes sled. Tuned way too hot for consumer usage. Then about 85 or so, Ski Doo came out with an EFI sled, couldn't even get them to run to get out of the dealers facility when brand new. Polaris first year RXL was a similar failure, but they did figure that sled out in future years. Year 1 was a disaster.
Those SRX’s were powerhouses especially for their time and that’s exactly why they didn’t live long. It’s a good thing they didn’t sell many of them because that sled would’ve really put a stain on Yamaha’s reputation.
The Polaris triples IMO are the worst engines ever. They scream when they run, but they're not dependable. Personally for me, I'd be happy with a 03-07 Rev MXZ 600 SDI any day of the week. Fantastic sleds
Where was the pistol located on the RMK? That's all I run is polaris and I have never located the pistol. Im going to the gun store tomorrow and I'm going to do some further investigation 👍
I don't know about worst, but I owned a '96 Yamaha VMAX 600 XT. It was very heavy and terrible in moderate to deep snow. I thought the track was bad: I replaced it, and no better. It was good at burning straight across a lake with about an inch of snow, but that was it. I would never take that sled out alone here in MN because it was a guanteed stuck with no one around to help dig it out. It wasn't great on maintenance either, I had few frozen joints where grease didn't reach and the suspension parts would seize together. My next sled was a '98 Ski Doo MXZ and it was all over that Yamaha in all respects. The late 90s MXZs are great sleds; still have one.
Polaris 2008 mod 550cc fan cooled engine was incredibly fragile. The switch from iron sleeve to nikasil lining was a sloppy job. Far to tight tolerance.
@@Skyisnotalimit piston ring had spun around and cough exhaust port after 356km. It destroyed the piston and ruined the cylinder. Probably running to lean on the hot side of the engine. My 550 was only trouble from day one.
Yeah, the Ski-Doo PTEK 800. I believe the P in PTEK stood for Power. The word Power should NEVER be used in describing the PTEK unless you are talking about the lack-there-of. An embarrsassment of an engine for sure.
I had a 09 PTEK 800R.... Zero problems Renegade with X Package loved that thing so much I just got another 09 PTEK 800R with a short track and not as nice suspension... no problems again... definitely not a lack of power on either sled. Found another 09 PTEK 800R for a friend, runs great as well. The industry had high praises for the engine as well, minus the 08 issue.
As an old sledder never owned a 900 Polaris but my friend had one he was Mechanic he finally figured out on his the crank was out of Phase fixed it right up
I had a 1980 Ski-Doo Blizzard 7500, the absolute king of the worst ( aside from the TNT Silver Bullet 440 ). The clutching would load up the engine and cause it to flood and foul the plugs, leaving you stranded in deep snow. The chassis was way too heavy for a 340 engine anyway.
Should have put a TRA clutch on it, they started using them in 88 and literally haven’t changed up until recent, by far the best stock clutch on a snowmobile, I have one in my 1988 skidoo Mx, adjust the clickers for trail or deep snow ect. They make quick clickers so you can adjust your clutch in seconds
See you used some of my videos at the end there. would disagree that the artic cats are bad, they are really no heavier than most machines from that era and are not hard to get running again. They face the same outcomes as most neglected machines from that era. I can not speak on behalf of when they were sold new but they are great to pick up cheap and get going for around the farm.
Thank you for that awesome footage! We went through Snowmobile forums, arcticles about snowmobiles, and asked snowmobile PROs, then turned it into a video. I know that many people can have many different opinions on the same snowmobile: someone might find himself regularly repairing his "piece of junk", while someone else will say that this is one of the best snowmobiles on earth.
As a 30 + year sled mechanic. I can easily say i would stay far away from 90% of all arctic scraps, any year.. also not a triple fan as far as long-term reliability goes. The best, no doubt the polaris fugi's, and twin libety engines. Minus the 700 small,block, the 900, and some 800 big blocks. The polaris 500 and 600 small blocks are without a doubt the best in snowmobile history period. I believe the Edge chassis still holds best chassis ever. Maybe not in rider comfort, but in all other categories.
Man, not trying to be rude but Ive always had cat triples, and Polaris is the sled on the side of trail broke down more than anything. Next to skidoo. Simply not gonna beat the reliability of a Yamaha. 4 stroke anyway.
@@nemideergoon1844 his reply is a joke. I also have had all brands. Factory racers in all brands also. I had nothing but success with cat. Polaris XCR800 is there only power plant that did anything well in one segment. They can't build a reliable 800, the CFI mono is flat out junk. This guy was a tech. Not a sled mechanic. And he's brand loyal so his word means nothing. Polaris was cheap, still was on everything I bought new. Fugi motors make shit power. But they will live forever. My last polaris IQR I put a cat motor in it and many other polaris chassis as they were simply cheaper to make good power. There XCR wedge chassis and later XC were nice. I've always owned cats cause my motors simply didn't need work. Countless blocks I retired with 10,000 miles with zero rebuilds. Many with BB and pipes and all that go fast stuff. Can't murder a Yamaha motor. Best triples and reliable. Twins were there also, just slow. Sorry Alaska railroad. You're in a class of your own. And I'm from Canada. We are known in the yukon/BC/ and NT areas for having sleds and lots of racing growing up. I'm 20 years deep pulling wrenches and it's always polaris guys that would say this crap. Polaris can't even build a 700 to keep up with Yamaha or arctic cat. They also tried to copy cants block idea with huge failure. All they got to offer is there SB HO block, and long stroke 600 factory racer. Ppl like you annoy the world. PS- nothing against polaris. We still use some of there chassis cause they simple work. But motors are replaced with reliable units or faster then what chassis original came with. There newer pro chassis are awesome also. But I'm in the market for reliable and strong. Polaris makes a nice light product. As for doo. I'll rebuild them, I still play with there RV blocks over there newer stuff, by choice.
I’m not sure why they are comparing a Vmax 4 750 to a polaris XLT 600 when the vmax 600 ST existed. Both of those sleds sucked ass in the deep snow. I guarantee the vmax 600 ST would outdo the XLT because it makes basically the same power and it is lighter. XLT should stand for extra light tank. The Vmax four was a lake racer and it struggled to pass a gas station but they sure were fast in a straight line. One of those has been winning the haydays grass drags for years.
@@nybergsgarage Well that stinks! Don't let it sit too long though! Winter is short and your fan club wants more videos! Lol... j/k buddy... hope you get her rolling soon!
@@kennethgoin628 thanks... I'm working on rebuilding the 1978 polaris cobra engine now, and then a rebuild on the 1979 john deere trailfire. I hope to get to the ski whiz again soon.
@@nybergsgarage Remeber I have a 78 Cobra too? But I missed a grand opportunity a couple weeks ago. Everything but the skis restored and running, $675.00! I should've jumped! Can't wait to see your machines back up and running!
Yes the fusion, and then the IQ 800, which was always overheating and I took it back to the dealer to be “ reflashed”, 6 times, Engine blew up at 3000 miles.
I had a 97 600, it was my first sled when I was 16. Thing felt like a fricken rocket ship. Thinking back now I think it would hang with lots of sleds to this day. Not the fastest but it was certainly unique and it rode great.
1970s Arctic panthers are great machines my dad takes his down the power line quite a bit and he doesn't take it easy he flew about 10 feet in the air sideways on the side of the hill
All 1973 Silver Bullets aka LEAD SLED. I had a 294 and first year it sucked. Took back to dealer and complained. The dealer was/is a good tuner. After I got it back it was great. Not sure what they did but I could beat most 340 class sleds.
The mxz 600 the earlier ones drove one for one season had nothing but problems from boogie wheels falling off to the starter repeatedly eating itself to heating issues
I had the 1000 Summit Highmark X and man ol man the issues I had with that pile shit electrical to the crank goin at 1100 miles. I still have nightmares bout it. What a pile
Polaris 600 switchback… some customers brought them in. The intake was no more, the dampers, the front axle drive shaft bearings murdered, clutch sounding like a metal work shop, electrical fail!? Wtf!? Run!!
2008 Ski Doo 800 adrenaline. Horrible light chassis that definitely did not take abuse. The motor was strong but didn't last long. I put on 4500 miles the furst year on and off trail. 24 gallons of oil, 12 belts later. Then the next season i got about 2000 miles out of it before the ring pin let loose and destroyed the engine. 2700 dollars later with a rebuild i looked over the chassis. It was cracked all over the bulk head and tunnel. Thats what you get for buying the first year XP chassis.
I just picked up a pair of ultras, one SP and the other just a standard wedge, is there anything that you are aware of you could've taken care of to prevent the issues you had? both of them are low low miles and came from an old couple who bought them new (my aunt and uncle) so they haven't been raced but they haven't been babied with how my aunt runs them. So far at least they've been decent sleds and no major rebuilds needed, yet at least so any advice is apricated
@@bluemoose0074 .They will probably be fine for you. It wasn't reliability issues that were the problem. It was too big and heavy to be considered a mountain sled, which they marketed them as. Polaris prided themselves on their triple motors and skidoo was into a twin, which Polaris went to the next year after a mass Exodus from their mountain riders. With a little aftermarket accessories though, the ultra would run down a trail fast. Just don't take them out in deep snow and expect to have any fun. Happy Trails!
@@kenchiison4570 ah gotcha, yea ive pretty well learned they are a flat land sled, not that you couldnt take them up in the mountains but like you said it wouldnt be fun and there are plenty of better options out there than them... most of my riding is ditch banging and field playing... try to stay off the trails unless you have to but anymore it seems like every season there are less and less open areas to cross/play in
My 96 ultra rmk pipes heads reads 136 rocked back in the day in Revelstoke it was heavy but it got me in and out to the super bowl at eagles pass everytime I miss that old girl climbed like crazy
Yamaha selds were always the most reliable,heavy and poor in deep snow until they started using Arctic cat chassis. BRP,Polaris,and Arctic cat gave the fun,light,flickable ride at the expense of high maintenance
You shouldn't make statement/wannabe educational videos on things you have no clue about but the rest of us that knows a little bit took your video more as a comedy LOL keep up the good work
The ski-doo triples before 98’. Crank issues. The figured it out after that tho. I run a 02 Mach Z 800 tech plus. Got 8000 km on her and nothing but a few belts and lots of gas!
The absolute worst sled I have ever owned was a 1998 skidoo formula III 600. What a terrible POS. I actually loved the chassis, the suspension, the looks of the sled, and the headlight, but the engine was such a terrible POS that I had to sell it. I put two new crankshafts in it before I decided to just get rid of the thing. I absolutely lost my ass on that sled.
Skidoo 800 ptek possibly by far the worst motor made along with the machz 1000. 800 ptek electronic and crank issues. Machz 1000 crank issues cranks usually went between 2k-3k miles
There are Ptek’s on UA-cam with over 10,000 miles all original, top end too. On one dude’s videos, he barely cracks the throttle going down the trail... not many ride like that. Most riders prolly holder wide open until the 800 two stroke spins itself apart. Good times.
It’s amazing how snowmobiles bring out the stupidest people around. I just don’t understand why. It’s a sport that takes quite a bit knowledge, effort, and money to participate in and yet here people are saying the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard and then they will take their sled out and then go off trail and drive right through the middle of a farmers field causing trail closures. WTF
@@alexpetroci5012 depends what you get, I put a new heat exchanger in my sled but I knew that before I bought it and that’s all that’s been done to it, awesome sled, 2014 Arctic cat m8 sno pro
The artic cat 440s from like 99 to 04 were terrible they were small and broke every time you rode them. The driveshafts were made out of cardboard so the would just shear ever ride
My grandparents have a powder extreme. It has served us well over the years. I’m just bad with it because the throttle goes crazy and I end up making a crater whenever I start😂
A friend had one and the engine seized up over and over again, new pistons and cylinders and the dealer never got the problem solved. Probably to the wrong classification to the pistons.
I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to Yamaha only. I got bit in the ass pretty damn hard by my last doo and I pretty much said never again unless it has a 583 or a 670 in it.
2006 Polaris 550 Fan Cooled. What a FLOP!! Not even 1,000 miles into the engine, and it seizes up. If I remember right, 926 miles to the exact, and seized a piston.
2007 1100 skidoo my dad got me one and if the sled didnt have a battery in it the stator would loose its memories and the sled would not start. it also is like 500 pounds.
He even typed "pistol failures" into a screen pop up🤣🤣 Its not like PISTONS are specific to snowmobile engines. I cant even imagine the shame of making this mistake LOL
The 2005 and 2006 polaris Delusion 900,I owned one,crankshaft,belt took out my hood at 75mph,and almost me.Stator failed at 500 miles and I sold it at a huge loss. Never owned another polaris. They didn't stand behind the junk they put out.
Yeah, pistol failures are the worst. That's why I got rid of mine and got a Summit 8000
800*
@@sparky.4725 I know, I was making fun of thw video 😂
@@sparky.4725 it’s how they say it bc they want it to sound bigger I have a 3000 but it’s actually a 300 ok so know shit before you say shit
@@marshallcurran1722 I thought the 3000 was actually a 700?
@@marshallcurran1722 bud calm down u proved your point and i realized that thank u
The vmax 4 wasn’t a machine designed for deep snow. It’s was a 750 - 800cc, 4 cylinder, 2 stroke built for speed. It was a lake sled not a backcountry sled.
Correct Brother
My V-max4 was a screamer!..from Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 🤠
That’s why they made the pro action chassis, way better in the snow
Yes the V Max 4 was made for lake racing. It was Fast for it's day.
Ah yes the summit 8000, cause that was totally a thing
If that typo is the worst you could find, sounds like they did pretty well.
@@TheEnd-eg6wq they also said “pistol failure”
@@summitgrimes5515 They did, but obviously know it's a piston, the point went over your head.
It is
@@TheEnd-eg6wq yea I don’t think the guy in the video has ever even rode a snowmobile
Did he say "Pistol Failures" LOL
Back in good ol days when new sleds came with a handgun
@@ontariosfinest8971 oh yesss I remember then 👴🏼👴🏼👴🏼
Back in the day the Sasquatch’s roomed the trails.
Pistol failures are the worst
@@jackson1463 oh yea, so annoying
If *you're not supposed to buy these snowmobiles,* where should you actually look?
What about buying *The Most Expensive Snowmobile You Can Possibly Buy?* If you want to find out what that is, check out our new Top 5 Video: ua-cam.com/video/5a43AHttcEU/v-deo.html
What I learned from this video...not to watch videos from a top 5 non snowmobile website about top 5 worst snowmobiles. The 05 rmk 900 suffered from excessive shaking as well...as well as the fusion 700 and 900.
Exactly. These guys seem to have literally no idea what they are talking about.
idk man i used to work at polaris, the fusions suffered from a lot more than just excessive shaking 😂
@@jackvstheworld3689 agreed I worked at poo poo for a few years and I have never done so many ecu swaps and motor jobs . Got even worse with the assault 800s from 11-15
I luv the way my RMK 900 shakes…
That Polaris 900 should be #1. Everyone I meet all refers to it as the worst snowmobile in history, and to this day people call Polaris unreliable just because of its legacy.
If ya like dragons, ..you'll be dragon it home soon enough!
I'd say 09 dragon takes the cake over the 900s hands down. What a letdown turd that blew up at every corner and was slow as hell.
I own a Fusion and a Dragon, both 700’s. I’ve had the Dragon for 9 years and the Fusion for 5. I love them both and they’ve both been great.
@@jadosa29 dragon must have a fuel management system on it hey, EVERY one I've EVER seen ,been around has blown, only way to stop it,was fuel management system, or so I hear ,im so not a dragon fan, never owned one because I'm not dragon it home!
@@mikehd3904 it’s stock
The vmax 4 was never intended as a deep snow sled so to rank it poorly due to deep snow performance doesn't make sense
Give me a 90’s twin Polaris SKS any day.. and all day long!
Nowadays sleds are overpriced junk to own.. nothing but issues!! Not to mention tearing down half the sled to get to any of those issues!
Keeping it ol’school
till I can’t get parts.
You must never have riden one buddy it’s like riding a ufo after riding an old one and you will have no issues with proper upkeep for 5-7k miles
@@jameshanthorn4327 I can't say that my social circle would agree with you. Everyone loves the point-and-shoot rider comfort of the new sleds, but even "simple" maintenance sucks and all the electronic gadgetry has most of them returning to "old school" machines. They aren't abandoning their newer sleds but again purchasing an extra machine, buying models that helped build the industry and were a ton of fun, not to mention, easier to wrench on. My nephew recently made his Ski-Doo 600 E-tec look like a dumpster treasure over something as simple as changing the spark plugs. He's not a mechanic by trade but he's got a full blown, heated shop and hangs with motorheads. He's no idiot.
I've also ridden sleds as new as 2015 and I like them, but I don't want one. I have way more fun in the corners and exploring on leaf-springers that are narrower, nimbler, and weigh over 200lbs less. "Riding" sleds is fine, but they're more fun when you have to pilot them!
To each his own, but I've compared my apples and oranges and still prefer sleds older than the 2000 vintage.
you have no clue my friend. i buy a new sled every year and they just get better every year.
@@boilermech2294 for a 2 month sport. Lol
I agree with you 100%. But then again I am also a gearhead and I like to turn wrenches and make shit go fast. If I spent 15k on a new sled I would be scared to tune it, or mod it in any way. I would be afraid of scratches and rolling it. My older stuff is more effort to ride and doesn't tickle my balls for me or defrost my helmet lmao but I can rebuild it in my garage for a few hundo and a 6 pack.@@kennethgoin628
Im kinda torn on this, cause like. The information isn't really wrong and the choices of sleds makes sense but... he did say "pistol failures" and "Ski Doo 8000"
I love that my beat up 1995 XLT SKS that I picked up for $90 made it in this video! Haha. I have had it for 4 years and it still runs like a champ!
Hands down the most reliable 2 stroke snowmobile engine made is the Yamaha Red head triple.
No the indy 500 is hand down the most reliable snowmobile engine or the old yamaha enticers
Yup 19000kms on mine and still climbing engine has never been touched
No triple was reliable... The 583 Rotax,, 500 liquid from Polaris,, 600 Yamaha liquid Twin,, Yamaha 488 fan cooled are all running to this day !!!!!
@@thistledewoutdoors3331 you have never obviously owned a yamaha red head triple
@@thistledewoutdoors3331 You are wrong sir. Google Yamaha red head triple it's well documented. I own two of them and one 2001 MM700 has 18,000 kms never opened up and nothing but trouble free riding for many years so far. Clean the clutches and carbs and the odd plug\belt here and there and ride.
Notice how the Vmax mentioned was the Vmax-4, not to be confused with the ACTUAL Vmax snowmobile lineup such as the Vmax SX, Vmax XT, and Vmax XTC. The Vmax XTC 600 is quite possibly one of the best sleds I know, so please don't get them confused. They have relatively short tracks so they're not the best for powder, but if you're looking for something fast to blow down the trails in, there's no other options. And for those who love the deep stuff, I've found a powder track on a 570 Exciter is your machine. Light, fast, powerful, and pogo sticks up front for minimum drag in powder (plus a closeable vent on the hood for extra cooling)
440 ski-doo, "Silver Bullet" it was a lead slug that a 292 Yamaha could beat! Besides that try to keep it running without piston or clutch failure!
I never had pistol failures, but the rifle failures on the Kawasaki's was the worst thing to ever hit the industry.
Did you ever have revolver problems with the track?🤣
@@cjjenson8212 premature fission with the drive belts was a toxic nightmare!!
@@cjjenson8212 Nope, I switched over to Honda and haven't had an issue since.
@@32degreesretarded62 well, SHELL!
Cat had lots of problems with the fluid drive but typical Yamaha made it work like a charm.
The Vmax was never meant to in deep snow so Im not sure why they tried, meant as a lake racer first and for most.
I dont think vmax was ever a real competitor to other sleds of its time
I'm bias..I have only ever owned one sled. And thats because I have only ever had to own one sled. 1996 vmax 500. Belts, plugs and oil. Are the only thing I have ever done to that sled.
Yeah those “wedges” were pieces of ****
@@alexpetroci5012 most were good reliable machines so not sure what your talking about? 81 Srx? Not terrible but not the best, just too much of a race engine for the average user. Get the updates done before they were recalled and they were ok machines.
My 96 Vmax 600 is still going strong..... They are a trail only/lake sled - there's no grab bumper up front and the Pogo stick shocks weren't meant to take big jumps although they looked cooler than everything else on the market.....
The Artic Cat f1000 deserves an honerable mention, most are being parted out due to engine failure, mine went through two motors last year.
I've heard it called the 6.0 powerstroke of sleds. Fast and fun for an hour then it's back to the garage for another rebuild
My brother has one as a lawn ornament... was fun while it lasted. (Not long).
2:52 PISTOL?!! In spoken word AND font?!! You lost all credibility with me right there.
Good thing nobody cares lol
@@phantomfarmer8041 I noticed it too. WTF? That presenter also sounds terrible.
The Fusion 900 was way worse then the 900 RMK. The RMK length helped the vibration some where on the Fusion it vibrated so bad your arms fell asleep while driving it.
Sent my clutches to Indy Dan for balancing and did complete slp kit and thing turned into bad ass
its not bad in over like 5500 rpm
I don’t have that issue with mine, but I also ride a kx250 2 stroke in the summer, just don’t be a pu***
That's the same problem with the 900R, I was shock of the vibration of a friend's 900R, it broke the crank at 6.4 miles
I got lucky with my rmk. I just had to do it's first top end rebuild last summer and I've never had any of the problems stated. The only real problem I had when I first got it new was the track tore itself in half after 45km.
Some 2005 Polaris 900 motors go thousands of miles with no issues. Everything stated in the video seems more heresy than reality, but they are just trying to get views and comments. The 900 was a best seller for Polaris and one of the fastest sleds ever made so a lot of them got abused. The clutches were fine. The pistons were also fine if you didn’t run them dry of oil. And they weren’t discontinued, mostly the name was changed to I.Q. and they went from 866 to 800cc because no one needs 866cc - until recently now they’ve gone back to the 900!
I worked for a Polaris dealer and Every new 1996 XLT came back with the wrist pin circlip broken out of the middle piston scoring the cylinder. Once fixed they were fine.
Wow I had the same problem same machine same year!
Boy I'm sure glad my buddies who had those 2000's 900RMK's didn't have the pistol failures this guy mentioned, sounds more dangerous than working on a western with Alec Baldwin! What's crazy is I've got a buddy with 2 of those IQ900RMK's and they are both turboed and have been since mile 1. And they are both still alive, one has 4800miles, the other 2500ish!..from Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 🤠
I worked at a polaris shop for a bit and every 900 that came thru we couldnt get parts for and we were happy about it. The 900 was a turd and we all took shots every time we told a customer theres no hope for it, one time we had 11 900s come in. Needless to say I slept upstairs cuz I was wasted.
This is great to find out after buying one
I've heard also steer clear of polaris 900s fusions ,rmk, don't do it
@@blacksheep9734 yea its true stay away from 900 the polaris 600 and 700 twins the best
Then how do you explain my buddy’s Fusion 900 having no mechanical issues purchased new and WELL CARED FOR. Fusion was one of the fastest and most popular sleds in production, it broke Polaris sales records. My theory is riders held them wide open until they spun themselves apart or they did mostly trail riding and the sleds are still ripping today with thousands of miles.
@@fairbanksairriders i personally never did see a high mileage polaris yet to this day i know every1 of them old fuiji engines were good but soon as polaris moved to liberty engines except the 600cfi and 600 liberty carb all them polaris engines were trash shit ive owned the 2014 polaris indy 800sp i even put the fix it kit in it still was trash to me high mileage on a 2 stroke engine is 10,000+ miles an higher ive only ever seen ski-doos with high miles 2008 ski-doo gran touring 550f 26,500+ miles not 1 engine rebuild 2010 ski-doo 600mxz tnt 30,000+ miles 2 rebuilds but crank never fail yet im from Nunam Iqua AK last village on the Yukon near the coast its 5 miles away
'81 Ski-doo blizzard 5500 MX had lots of problems, Shock spring retainers track clips I finely replaced the track with a 16 inch unit.
I didn't realize that Polaris sleds had factory pistols...
Without a background check even!
I had to think about this one. There aren't a lot of sleds that I wouldn't buy. But I dod come up with a short list.
-Any two stroke triple other than a Ski-doo Mach Z or Arctic Cat ZRT1000
-Ski-doo Tundra
-165" Alpha One
-Any XP chassis Ski-doo other than a 600RS or Freeride
-Any 600 class with a skid that's longer than 137"
-Any turbo 4 stroke with a skid that's longer than 153"
My current sled is a 2017 Arctic Cat XF8000 153". It's perfect for my style of riding. And if I were to ever get another sled (I'd still keep my current one), I'd get an Arctic Cat ZR6000 SX. The SX is the limited run race sled. I personally think it's one of the best looking sleds ever made and I love the way that snocross sleds ride, so yeah. If they start dropping in price then maybe I'll try and find one
Why the alpha? I love my 165
@@creer32ify I'm sure it's great at high elevation. Remember, I'm talking about sleds that I personally wouldn't buy. Not necessarily bad sleds. But I ride low elevation and we do have a ton of snow right now but we'll sometimes be riding in a few inches and those Alpha rails are made of glass unless you're riding in 5 feet of snow. I know guys that have snapped the 146" and 153" alpha rails, I'd only imagine that a 162" would be worse for that. Also I would never buy a machine longer than 155", I don't ride deep enough snow
@@lucahoganyt4435 I can understand that, I did install a omega rail brace, it's the strongest on the market
I've never heard someone say they wouldn't buy a Tundra. My 07 is still running strong never had any issues with it. My pops has an 89 still works like new. They are a trappers best friend up in Northern Ontario.
@@mofishin2648 I said me personally. A Tundra doesn't make a great mountain sled
I had a 97 powder extreme 600 triple and I loved it, very dependable/reliable sled!!!!! I wish I had it back now
Glad I watched this I was getting ready to buy a Powder Extreme today.
vmax 4s are great sleds, i’ve seen them raced and trail ridden. greats sleds, maybe just not for backcountrys and deep snow.
I have a 05 rmk 900 and I love it. I have had it since 05 and have 4926 miles on it and have had no major issues. Besides belts. But that's common to replace.
Polaris fixed most of the issues through bulletins but those 900's were turds when they were new. I was a service writer at a Polaris dealer and I cringed every time someone pulled in with one , knowing I was about to deal with a very unhappy customer. They ate belts because the clutch alignment was a big issue. If I remember correctly replacing the motor mounts and installing shims behind the clutches became part of the basic setup. It fixed the problem but their reputation was shot.
i m a pokaris mechanic..yoy have the only one that had no issues
You Got LUCKY!!
Your extremely lucky.
No way but the loser artic cat mechanics said they are junk and a vmax 600 is the best handling sled you can buy That s probably why the never won a single cross country race ever
This channel is about the quality of a high school presentation that was done the night before it was due🤣
There were a couple way worse, so bad I believe in both cases the manufacturer started taking them back which somehow increased the value of really bad sleds due to the anticipated "rarity". Can't recall if it was 1980 or 1981 Yamaha 440 SRX. The black with white stripes sled. Tuned way too hot for consumer usage. Then about 85 or so, Ski Doo came out with an EFI sled, couldn't even get them to run to get out of the dealers facility when brand new. Polaris first year RXL was a similar failure, but they did figure that sled out in future years. Year 1 was a disaster.
Those SRX’s were powerhouses especially for their time and that’s exactly why they didn’t live long. It’s a good thing they didn’t sell many of them because that sled would’ve really put a stain on Yamaha’s reputation.
I owned a 81 SRX it was a fast trail burner, but ate clutch rollers and ramps
I remember the '81 SRX 440, with butterfly carbs............ Junk! I changed pistons and cylinders more than my underwear.
I own a 2009 Dragon 700 and this thing bogged like crazy till I had to get it dyno tuned !
The Polaris triples IMO are the worst engines ever. They scream when they run, but they're not dependable.
Personally for me, I'd be happy with a 03-07 Rev MXZ 600 SDI any day of the week. Fantastic sleds
Polaris Fusion 900 should be at the top of this list hands down!
i had the 700 version of the 900 same vibration dumped it after 2seasons
Where was the pistol located on the RMK? That's all I run is polaris and I have never located the pistol. Im going to the gun store tomorrow and I'm going to do some further investigation 👍
I don't know about worst, but I owned a '96 Yamaha VMAX 600 XT. It was very heavy and terrible in moderate to deep snow. I thought the track was bad: I replaced it, and no better. It was good at burning straight across a lake with about an inch of snow, but that was it. I would never take that sled out alone here in MN because it was a guanteed stuck with no one around to help dig it out. It wasn't great on maintenance either, I had few frozen joints where grease didn't reach and the suspension parts would seize together. My next sled was a '98 Ski Doo MXZ and it was all over that Yamaha in all respects. The late 90s MXZs are great sleds; still have one.
Polaris 2008 mod 550cc fan cooled engine was incredibly fragile. The switch from iron sleeve to nikasil lining was a sloppy job. Far to tight tolerance.
So the engine seized up?
@@Skyisnotalimit yes. While the sled was on the trailer. It didn't run for a second after startup.
@@Skyisnotalimit piston ring had spun around and cough exhaust port after 356km. It destroyed the piston and ruined the cylinder. Probably running to lean on the hot side of the engine. My 550 was only trouble from day one.
Yeah, the Ski-Doo PTEK 800. I believe the P in PTEK stood for Power. The word Power should NEVER be used in describing the PTEK unless you are talking about the lack-there-of. An embarrsassment of an engine for sure.
I’m just going to bed after spending 7 hours putting my ptek back in my sled and getting it rebuilt. I can confirm they are trash
Depends on the year. The 2010 800ptek is really solid
I had a 09 PTEK 800R.... Zero problems Renegade with X Package loved that thing so much I just got another 09 PTEK 800R with a short track and not as nice suspension... no problems again... definitely not a lack of power on either sled. Found another 09 PTEK 800R for a friend, runs great as well. The industry had high praises for the engine as well, minus the 08 issue.
As an old sledder never owned a 900 Polaris but my friend had one he was Mechanic he finally figured out on his the crank was out of Phase fixed it right up
I had a 1980 Ski-Doo Blizzard 7500, the absolute king of the worst ( aside from the TNT Silver Bullet 440 ).
The clutching would load up the engine and cause it to flood and foul the plugs, leaving you stranded in deep snow.
The chassis was way too heavy for a 340 engine anyway.
I had a blizzard i think it was the 500 or whatever. That was over 20 years ago. It was a beast!
Should have put a TRA clutch on it, they started using them in 88 and literally haven’t changed up until recent, by far the best stock clutch on a snowmobile, I have one in my 1988 skidoo Mx, adjust the clickers for trail or deep snow ect. They make quick clickers so you can adjust your clutch in seconds
See you used some of my videos at the end there. would disagree that the artic cats are bad, they are really no heavier than most machines from that era and are not hard to get running again. They face the same outcomes as most neglected machines from that era. I can not speak on behalf of when they were sold new but they are great to pick up cheap and get going for around the farm.
Thank you for that awesome footage! We went through Snowmobile forums, arcticles about snowmobiles, and asked snowmobile PROs, then turned it into a video. I know that many people can have many different opinions on the same snowmobile: someone might find himself regularly repairing his "piece of junk", while someone else will say that this is one of the best snowmobiles on earth.
As a 30 + year sled mechanic. I can easily say i would stay far away from 90% of all arctic scraps, any year.. also not a triple fan as far as long-term reliability goes. The best, no doubt the polaris fugi's, and twin libety engines. Minus the 700 small,block, the 900, and some 800 big blocks. The polaris 500 and 600 small blocks are without a doubt the best in snowmobile history period. I believe the Edge chassis still holds best chassis ever. Maybe not in rider comfort, but in all other categories.
Man, not trying to be rude but Ive always had cat triples, and Polaris is the sled on the side of trail broke down more than anything. Next to skidoo. Simply not gonna beat the reliability of a Yamaha. 4 stroke anyway.
@@nemideergoon1844 his reply is a joke. I also have had all brands. Factory racers in all brands also. I had nothing but success with cat. Polaris XCR800 is there only power plant that did anything well in one segment. They can't build a reliable 800, the CFI mono is flat out junk.
This guy was a tech. Not a sled mechanic. And he's brand loyal so his word means nothing.
Polaris was cheap, still was on everything I bought new. Fugi motors make shit power. But they will live forever.
My last polaris IQR I put a cat motor in it and many other polaris chassis as they were simply cheaper to make good power. There XCR wedge chassis and later XC were nice.
I've always owned cats cause my motors simply didn't need work. Countless blocks I retired with 10,000 miles with zero rebuilds. Many with BB and pipes and all that go fast stuff.
Can't murder a Yamaha motor. Best triples and reliable. Twins were there also, just slow.
Sorry Alaska railroad. You're in a class of your own. And I'm from Canada. We are known in the yukon/BC/ and NT areas for having sleds and lots of racing growing up.
I'm 20 years deep pulling wrenches and it's always polaris guys that would say this crap. Polaris can't even build a 700 to keep up with Yamaha or arctic cat. They also tried to copy cants block idea with huge failure. All they got to offer is there SB HO block, and long stroke 600 factory racer.
Ppl like you annoy the world.
PS- nothing against polaris. We still use some of there chassis cause they simple work. But motors are replaced with reliable units or faster then what chassis original came with. There newer pro chassis are awesome also. But I'm in the market for reliable and strong. Polaris makes a nice light product.
As for doo. I'll rebuild them, I still play with there RV blocks over there newer stuff, by choice.
30+ year sled mechanic and just talking bullshit..
@@simenandersenjohan he is lol
Yamahas old triple 2 strokes are outlasting new engines. my srx is still kickin ass
I’m not sure why they are comparing a Vmax 4 750 to a polaris XLT 600 when the vmax 600 ST existed. Both of those sleds sucked ass in the deep snow. I guarantee the vmax 600 ST would outdo the XLT because it makes basically the same power and it is lighter. XLT should stand for extra light tank. The Vmax four was a lake racer and it struggled to pass a gas station but they sure were fast in a straight line. One of those has been winning the haydays grass drags for years.
What a relief... my '71 ski whiz isn't on this list.
LOL! Best reply I've seen! How goes the Whiz this year?
@@kennethgoin628 not so good this year... needed to replace the clutch so it's out of commission for a while.
@@nybergsgarage Well that stinks! Don't let it sit too long though! Winter is short and your fan club wants more videos! Lol... j/k buddy... hope you get her rolling soon!
@@kennethgoin628 thanks... I'm working on rebuilding the 1978 polaris cobra engine now, and then a rebuild on the 1979 john deere trailfire. I hope to get to the ski whiz again soon.
@@nybergsgarage Remeber I have a 78 Cobra too? But I missed a grand opportunity a couple weeks ago. Everything but the skis restored and running, $675.00! I should've jumped! Can't wait to see your machines back up and running!
I had a RMK like that, always hated when my pistol got failures...
Yes the fusion, and then the IQ 800, which was always overheating and I took it back to the dealer to be “ reflashed”, 6 times, Engine blew up at 3000 miles.
Seeing that v-max on the list hurt… those are bulletproof machines!
I had a 97 600, it was my first sled when I was 16. Thing felt like a fricken rocket ship. Thinking back now I think it would hang with lots of sleds to this day. Not the fastest but it was certainly unique and it rode great.
1981 Yamaha 440 SRX. Awesome power and Tech for the time. But lots of motor and clutch problems.
1970s Arctic panthers are great machines my dad takes his down the power line quite a bit and he doesn't take it easy he flew about 10 feet in the air sideways on the side of the hill
All 1973 Silver Bullets aka LEAD SLED. I had a 294 and first year it sucked. Took back to dealer and complained. The dealer was/is a good tuner. After I got it back it was great. Not sure what they did but I could beat most 340 class sleds.
Is the lead signer from Nickelback the one making the voice for this video?
Worst used sled is any RMK Polaris, the best are Suzuki powered Cat or any Yamaha.
The mxz 600 the earlier ones drove one for one season had nothing but problems from boogie wheels falling off to the starter repeatedly eating itself to heating issues
What year I’m looking at a 2008 mxz 600 sdi
2003 polaris supersport 550. Engine meltdown that polaris could never remedy...apparently a new hood design was the culprit
I would never ride any sled other than a cat,maintained them never had one eat belts or any major engine problems drove them hard,never let me down.
ANY Polaris 800 Cleanfire! Could hear the pistons and crankshaft seizing in the showroom! Unbelievable that Polaris didn't go under.
I'm new to snomobiling. Thanks for the advice, i won't buy a 74 Arctic Cat Panther 440 lol
any xlt or tripples in general
Cat guy,? 98 xlt triple. Over 14000 miles and never touched the motor!
I don’t think these guys are snowmobilers.
Wow that’s 4 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back….
Good thing you have zero to do with it.
2:51 ugh!! I hate when my sled melts a pistol! That's the worst!
How many Google searches went into this one lads
This is almost word for word an article out of sledder mag feom a few years before.
the trick in making the V Max a spectacular backcountry machine was to swap out the "136 foot x 1/118 lugs" track for a 136 foot x 1/119 lugs track! 😅
I had the 1000 Summit Highmark X and man ol man the issues I had with that pile shit electrical to the crank goin at 1100 miles. I still have nightmares bout it. What a pile
Wow, where to start. Have you ever actually seen a snowmobile?
My dads friend has a panther. It’s definitely not fast but you are correct that it’s unique looking.
Polaris 600 switchback… some customers brought them in. The intake was no more, the dampers, the front axle drive shaft bearings murdered, clutch sounding like a metal work shop, electrical fail!? Wtf!?
Run!!
2008 Ski Doo 800 adrenaline. Horrible light chassis that definitely did not take abuse. The motor was strong but didn't last long. I put on 4500 miles the furst year on and off trail. 24 gallons of oil, 12 belts later. Then the next season i got about 2000 miles out of it before the ring pin let loose and destroyed the engine. 2700 dollars later with a rebuild i looked over the chassis. It was cracked all over the bulk head and tunnel. Thats what you get for buying the first year XP chassis.
The 1996 Polaris Ultra needed on this list. Turned me to skidoo.
I just picked up a pair of ultras, one SP and the other just a standard wedge, is there anything that you are aware of you could've taken care of to prevent the issues you had? both of them are low low miles and came from an old couple who bought them new (my aunt and uncle) so they haven't been raced but they haven't been babied with how my aunt runs them. So far at least they've been decent sleds and no major rebuilds needed, yet at least so any advice is apricated
@@bluemoose0074 .They will probably be fine for you. It wasn't reliability issues that were the problem. It was too big and heavy to be considered a mountain sled, which they marketed them as. Polaris prided themselves on their triple motors and skidoo was into a twin, which Polaris went to the next year after a mass Exodus from their mountain riders. With a little aftermarket accessories though, the ultra would run down a trail fast. Just don't take them out in deep snow and expect to have any fun. Happy Trails!
@@kenchiison4570 ah gotcha, yea ive pretty well learned they are a flat land sled, not that you couldnt take them up in the mountains but like you said it wouldnt be fun and there are plenty of better options out there than them... most of my riding is ditch banging and field playing... try to stay off the trails unless you have to but anymore it seems like every season there are less and less open areas to cross/play in
My 96 ultra rmk pipes heads reads 136 rocked back in the day in Revelstoke it was heavy but it got me in and out to the super bowl at eagles pass everytime I miss that old girl climbed like crazy
Yamaha selds were always the most reliable,heavy and poor in deep snow until they started using Arctic cat chassis. BRP,Polaris,and Arctic cat gave the fun,light,flickable ride at the expense of high maintenance
I live in New York a lot of tight woods any suggestions for a nimble machine?
Yamaha Enticer, Arctic Cat Jag, Polaris Colt,
You shouldn't make statement/wannabe educational videos on things you have no clue about but the rest of us that knows a little bit took your video more as a comedy LOL keep up the good work
Excellent word salad.
The ski-doo triples before 98’. Crank issues. The figured it out after that tho. I run a 02 Mach Z 800 tech plus. Got 8000 km on her and nothing but a few belts and lots of gas!
The absolute worst sled I have ever owned was a 1998 skidoo formula III 600. What a terrible POS. I actually loved the chassis, the suspension, the looks of the sled, and the headlight, but the engine was such a terrible POS that I had to sell it. I put two new crankshafts in it before I decided to just get rid of the thing. I absolutely lost my ass on that sled.
Skidoo 800 ptek possibly by far the worst motor made along with the machz 1000. 800 ptek electronic and crank issues. Machz 1000 crank issues cranks usually went between 2k-3k miles
There are Ptek’s on UA-cam with over 10,000 miles all original, top end too. On one dude’s videos, he barely cracks the throttle going down the trail... not many ride like that. Most riders prolly holder wide open until the 800 two stroke spins itself apart. Good times.
@@fairbanksairriders 800 maybe but forget the 1000
Got a 07 mach z doing 8000 kilo with no problems on it
the wildcats back in the day were nightmares from what I told
When I bought my 90 wildcat new he told me clean the carbs every fall. If you do that they will run well. Very finely tuned engines for sure. ☺️👍
Had a Polaris charger “single” and never made it out of the driveway without something happening to it😱
Wow...you have really done your homework. Taking one of the best sleds ever made and placing it on this list.
A bunch of geniuses running this page, let me tell ya!
That video was painful, haha. Then in the comment section, I just wish people would learn how to spell ARCTIC.
It’s amazing how snowmobiles bring out the stupidest people around. I just don’t understand why. It’s a sport that takes quite a bit knowledge, effort, and money to participate in and yet here people are saying the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard and then they will take their sled out and then go off trail and drive right through the middle of a farmers field causing trail closures. WTF
I don’t even plan on ever owning a snow mobile but good watch
Thank you Liam! Maybe you should reconsider getting one this season 😎
Though, don't buy anything from this video, obviously 😆
I love to snowmobile but the dam things are so expensive to maintain.
@@alexpetroci5012 depends what you get, I put a new heat exchanger in my sled but I knew that before I bought it and that’s all that’s been done to it, awesome sled, 2014 Arctic cat m8 sno pro
1975 bombardier 340 Olympic was the worst sled I’ve ever had. Never worked right, very disappointing sled.
my 98 powder special 600 efi twin is awesome aint anything to compare it too besides the other powder special lol
How's a 2005 Polaris inderustries edge touring 600
While snowmobiling in the UP We found 2 🔥 burned up Yamahas lol 😂. Our Skidoo’s didn’t do much better they kept on burning up belts.
The V-Max 4 wasn't intended to use as a Mountain climber or to be used as a deep powder sled. It was designed to own the Lakes, where Speed is king.
I really enjoying the snowmobile content I'd love to see more of it 👍👍👍 subscribed
The artic cat 440s from like 99 to 04 were terrible they were small and broke every time you rode them. The driveshafts were made out of cardboard so the would just shear ever ride
My grandparents have a powder extreme. It has served us well over the years. I’m just bad with it because the throttle goes crazy and I end up making a crater whenever I start😂
A friend had one and the engine seized up over and over again, new pistons and cylinders and the dealer never got the problem solved.
Probably to the wrong classification to the pistons.
The Polaris 750 turbo.. was a painful sled too!! Warranty issues after warranty issues.. Polaris even gave up on them.
I have 3 750 turbos and the have been nothing but reliable
Polaris early 90’s fuel injection attempt was horrible
95 indy 500 here Convert to carb but loose 5hp and 10% less gas mileage but its a good way to keeper running
Yup. Most people converted them over to carburetors
Would never buy /own anything Artic Crap or Polaris, both American made junk, Ski-Doo or Yamaha only.
I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to Yamaha only. I got bit in the ass pretty damn hard by my last doo and I pretty much said never again unless it has a 583 or a 670 in it.
2006 Polaris 550 Fan Cooled. What a FLOP!! Not even 1,000 miles into the engine, and it seizes up. If I remember right, 926 miles to the exact, and seized a piston.
I had a 1994 Vmax 600, I had it back in 1996, so it was fairly new, and I loved it, but the long track version sucked
What about the Polaris fusion!!?? Piston n crank eaters!!
2007 1100 skidoo my dad got me one and if the sled didnt have a battery in it the stator would loose its memories and the sled would not start. it also is like 500 pounds.
My 1989 ski doo escapade 503 short track weights more than that, 550 pounds........ It's not just heavy, its really front heavy
He even typed "pistol failures" into a screen pop up🤣🤣
Its not like PISTONS are specific to snowmobile engines. I cant even imagine the shame of making this mistake LOL
I like how you used a clip from Michigan Outlaws
The 2005 and 2006 polaris Delusion 900,I owned one,crankshaft,belt took out my hood at 75mph,and almost me.Stator failed at 500 miles and I sold it at a huge loss. Never owned another polaris. They didn't stand behind the junk they put out.
2:52 video lost all credibility