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Used RMK Pro N/A or used with a turbo?

T
Hi all, forgive me if there are some good threads I've missed on this topic. I'm very likely purchasing a new-to-me Pro and I'm thinking given the large amount of pressure-fed RMKs that are out there I may as well just buy one with a kit already on it.

However, I wanna ride more than tune or tinker. I should say I'm a successful engine builder and currently a professional car mechanic so engines, gasoline and horsepower are in my blood.

I'm just wondering what sorts of things you my pressure-fed and wannabe pressure-fed brethren would say if you were at such a crossroads. I'm pretty much either going to get a already-turboed '11 or newer RMK or a stock '13 or newer.

I'm a bit apprehensive that I'm going to end up with a machine that's not what I bargained for. I've a trip planned in a few weeks and won't have any time to shake down a sled so I'd have to buy a legit turn-key sled either way I go.

Thanks in advance for any advice-
 

Boston Racing

Well-known member
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Nov 26, 2007
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Colorado Springs, CO
I am a flat-lander, Chicago currently. I'm looking at sleds in the Denver metro area and everywhere in between.

I ride mountain-only, a few trips per year at best. But I may be having a huge life change that may allow me to be guiding next year. Which may include working in Colorado next season and riding A LOT!

I am the go to guy for Silber Turbos and we have a few sleds here for sale that belonged to people who moved up to 16s. We have something in every price range. send me a PM and ill give you my cell number. We will even let you ride one before you buy it so you don't have to worry about buying somebody else problems.
 

RobertTrivanovic

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Nov 8, 2012
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Abbotsford BC
I bought a used 13 then turboed it with a used kit that I had to kinda piece together. I gotta say i had my doubts for the first ride but I tuned this sled for the first 15 minutes of the first ride and have almost not even had to touch the tuning since. I wouldnt hesitate to buy a used turbo pro as long as the miles arnt to crazy high
 
T
I bought a used 13 then turboed it with a used kit that I had to kinda piece together. I gotta say i had my doubts for the first ride but I tuned this sled for the first 15 minutes of the first ride and have almost not even had to touch the tuning since. I wouldnt hesitate to buy a used turbo pro as long as the miles arnt to crazy high

Thanks Robert...I'm leaning hard towards a turbo. What cobbled turbo kit do you have?

Also, can you detail out how complex tuning is? I grew up moto-x racing and can fix the sh#t and jet the sh*t out of pretty much anything, but I want to ride, I don't want to tune. I guess I'm asking do you use the playback on the AFR and seat-of-the-pants/reading the plugs to figure out where how lean/rich you're running.

And sorry, this is a real greenhorn question, but I'm guessing from some of the posts that the ECU has some self-diagnostic capabilities? But I suspect it's quite limited to things like detonation, lean codes, et cetera. And does it flash out codes or does one need a special tool? I'll probably search this one out on my own and answer it.

And can anyone speak to their experience with say:

Silber kits?

Boondocker?

Aerocharger?

And it looks like pretty much all the kits offer intercoolers as upgrades eh?

Did I miss any? I've seen some chatter about ride-ability problems with Silbers on '15s?

Also to your point on the miles, I will probably only make one trip this year and my group of friends now numbers into at least seven 800 RMKs. So I plan to pick up a blown motor and rebuild it so we always have a ready-to-bolt-in complete long-block.

We all know it's only a matter of time before catastrophic engine failure no matter if you're pressure-fed or naturally-aspirated. These are two-strokes!
 
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SlingingMercury

Member
Premium Member
Jan 23, 2009
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8
I have decided to sell my HM Turbo with Vipec 2012 RMK with under 700 miles. It has exit shocks, alternative impact arms, Burandt boards, mini cooler kit added with billet motor plate, etc. I just don't have time to ride it. I think the HM Turbo with Vipec is the best kit out there. If you have interest let me know. I am in Spokane,WA.
 
T
I have decided to sell my HM Turbo with Vipec 2012 RMK with under 700 miles. It has exit shocks, alternative impact arms, Burandt boards, mini cooler kit added with billet motor plate, etc. I just don't have time to ride it. I think the HM Turbo with Vipec is the best kit out there. If you have interest let me know. I am in Spokane,WA.

This sounds jus' a little bit heartbreaking.

Thanks for the post, Spokane is a bit far away but I'm sure it's a great sled!

So far it looks like I've got roughly fifteen pressure-fed Pro RMKs to choose from ranging from $7.4k to $12.5k asking prices.
 
F
Nov 26, 2007
309
59
28
Murray Utah
Definately get a turbo....it will ruin you for sure. Id say go with adjustable boost. That allows for a bit of easy tuning for altitude or fuel octane availability. I bought a used one and have done little to it but drop in new reeds and regular maintanence. Couldnt be happier with it.
 

RobertTrivanovic

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Nov 8, 2012
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Abbotsford BC
As far as tuning goes it can be easy, hard, or non existent, all depends what kit you go with. I have an older silber kit running 7lbs and it's been easy to tune and always ran spot on. It seems these days all the new kits run great it's hard to really pick a bad brand. Also who does the instal, if you buy a already turboed kit you can face some issues that might be hard to track down specially to a new turbo owner. There's many dealerships out there that do installs and tuning too so then again you'll probably be able to get away with a pull and go sled, but if something goes wrong you might not know where to look. Personally I'd say do your own instal if you're confident you can, it's really not that hard with the newer kits, and then you know the ins and outs of the sled and your kit, it might take longer to have it running 100% but it's worth it for all the knowledge you get. And my pro instal I had the sled running good within 1 hour of my first ride out, turbo companies will either come with settings that are already close to what you need or in my case I bought a used kit so I found their base settings online, and once you have those it's pretty easy to tune from there.
 
T
As far as tuning goes it can be easy, hard, or non existent, all depends what kit you go with. I have an older silber kit running 7lbs and it's been easy to tune and always ran spot on. It seems these days all the new kits run great it's hard to really pick a bad brand. Also who does the instal, if you buy a already turboed kit you can face some issues that might be hard to track down specially to a new turbo owner. There's many dealerships out there that do installs and tuning too so then again you'll probably be able to get away with a pull and go sled, but if something goes wrong you might not know where to look. Personally I'd say do your own instal if you're confident you can, it's really not that hard with the newer kits, and then you know the ins and outs of the sled and your kit, it might take longer to have it running 100% but it's worth it for all the knowledge you get. And my pro instal I had the sled running good within 1 hour of my first ride out, turbo companies will either come with settings that are already close to what you need or in my case I bought a used kit so I found their base settings online, and once you have those it's pretty easy to tune from there.

Robert thanks for the thorough reply. It looks like I'm going to end up with a boosted '13 with a Silber kit on it. I for sure like the idea of fully understanding the kit and how it was installed but that's not going to be an option here. However, in the off-season I will dissect the sled and maybe do a top-end while I'm at it?? Who knows?

I'm really looking forward to picking it up and having a great first ride on it!
 

RobertTrivanovic

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 8, 2012
1,199
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Abbotsford BC
Robert thanks for the thorough reply. It looks like I'm going to end up with a boosted '13 with a Silber kit on it. I for sure like the idea of fully understanding the kit and how it was installed but that's not going to be an option here. However, in the off-season I will dissect the sled and maybe do a top-end while I'm at it?? Who knows?

I'm really looking forward to picking it up and having a great first ride on it!

Awesome should be a fun sled! What year silber kit is it?
 
H

HiWaYman92

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2008
818
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43
Pinedale, Wyoming
I'm in the same dilemma... new carry over 16, or boosted Pro... I found a nice 15 pro with 840 miles on it, with a Silber external wastegate kit for 9k... what do you guys think? This is a bit of a hijack, but it's an old thread!

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