Purchasing a sled! Advice?

phaible · Aug 12, 2008

I'm looking to get into sledding and figure a good place to start is to go buy one. I have one buddy thats really into it but don't like being dependent on someone so thought i'd try to figure some stuff out on my own. I don't have alot of expereind sledding, other than some trail riding in nothern ontario. I now live in Calgary and i know there is tones of **** to ride with a 2 to 4 hour drive of the city. A little bit more about my self... i'm a smaller female (5'6" 130lbs) and have experience riding atvs so i would say just cause i'm small i'm not fragile and can be quite aggressive when needed.

I guess what i'm asking is where do i start if i wanna buy one... its easy to find the info when you know what info you should be looking for, so i thought i'd send out and SOS for some hints. I am however, hoping that the responses I get if any will be as informative as possible. I'm trying to avoid the typical Brand specific "buy a polaris they rock" kind of comment and get more of a "you might wanna look at 600's because..... so and so or so and so makes a good model blah blah blah" kind of comment instead. One more thing you should know. I know how expensive sledding can be so i think for this year i'm looking to start off on a budget of $7000 to get started.

Or you can respond by telling me how much you love your seld and why. LOL

I'll say thanks in advance.

knee deep in it · Aug 12, 2008

join the calgary snowmobile club and you will have a lot of club rides to learn your skills.

Buy a 600 cc sled and get the newest technology if you can afford it

Revs or RMK seem to be the easiest to throw around.

justadude · Aug 12, 2008

It would be much easier if you posted a summer time picture.

Hunter2008 · Aug 12, 2008

I Agree Get yourself a 600 or 700, Whatever You Can Afford.

cookiecutter · Aug 12, 2008

with your smaller frame a 600 would rock. I'm 5'10" 170, ride a 600 in a group of mostly 800s and have the time of my life. i love the rev chassi, soo nice to toss around and a very stable off a cornice. I've also have ridden an 07 poo 600 and didn't mind that either. both are very reliable, and great sleds to learn on.

johnsodo · Aug 12, 2008

knee deep in it said:
join the calgary snowmobile club and you will have a lot of club rides to learn your skills.

Buy a 600 cc sled and get the newest technology if you can afford it

Revs or RMK seem to be the easiest to throw around.

I 2nd that

$4000-$4500 maybe $5000 on the sled 600 that is good shape$1500 in gear $1000-$1500 as neaded for the sled as the winter goes on (tree or rock or just a oops

) good luck

you might whant to chat with live2ride she can help you

polarisfornow · Aug 12, 2008

600 crossfire, 600 switchback both good sleds cheap to buy a used one this time of year. I agree with cookiecutter that because you are pretty light you will be able to hang with 800 sleds on a 600. not that you couldn't handle more but you will have a light package overall and be able to ride places other people can't. weight in the sport of snowmobiling, you will come to find is a major factor.

Caveman · Aug 12, 2008

Get as new sled as you can,the sled have changed alot in the last few years.My wife went from a 02 600 mountain cat to a 06 M7.She said it made sledding so much easier.Good luck and have fun!
Cave

Cyle · Aug 12, 2008

From your post I think your more less looking for information on WHAT to look for when you are considering buying a sled? Like checking to make sure the sled is in good shape? Good starting point is looking over the track for torn/missing lugs, any damage to shocks etc, checking compression, checking for leaks. Just one word of advice, do not believe a word out of the sellers mouth, they are trying to sell the sled and unless they've got paperwork for parts or whatnot, they could just be telling you what you want to hear, everyone isn't like this but it's best to be safe. Any 600 should do you fine, like a M series or a Rev. Not sure how much you know as far as maintaince/reapirs but I would try to get a really low mileage sled, like less then 1,000 miles, just because high mileage sleds can be a pain if you aren't able to do the repairs yourself.

raysxc700 · Aug 12, 2008

justadude said:
It would be much easier if you posted a summer time picture.

...x2

sled-fiend · Aug 12, 2008

polarisfornow said:
600 crossfire, 600 switchback both good sleds cheap to buy a used one this time of year. I agree with cookiecutter that because you are pretty light you will be able to hang with 800 sleds on a 600. not that you couldn't handle more but you will have a light package overall and be able to ride places other people can't. weight in the sport of snowmobiling, you will come to find is a major factor.

I gotta say if your going to be mostly mountain riding get a mountain specific sled ie. summit, rmk, M-series etc. They do fine on the trail and you'll be glad you have one when your off the trail playing in the powder! :beer;

Good luck your gonna love it!

go high fast · Aug 12, 2008

Welcome to SnoWest.

I love my sled because it is reliable therefore I recommend you buy a stock 800 polaris RMK in Edge chasis or Yamaha mountain Viper with a cover and a 2place drive on/off open tilt trailer.

Nothing is worse than breaking down far away from the parking lot and spending big $$ on repairs is no fun either.

Check out the stock 800 for sale by gotvertical and the 600 for sale by TNTCOPP......if I had $7,000 that's were I would start. Link for TNTCOPP is below and link from Got Vertical is second.

http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82416

http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84226

live2ride · Aug 13, 2008

Welcome!!!! Being a female that doesn't work on her own stuff my best advise is find a dealer that you can deal with first off!! See if they will let you test ride them. The sleds now adays are all fairly comparable. I personally ride a 800 REV, am ready for a XP but waiting for the reliability. I found a dealer that knows how I ride and set me up before I left with my new sled, the only thing I had to be there for was the position of the handlebars. I had a M7 and loved the way I could through it around, for me I did not have a dealer that would take "the bull by the horns" and make it run the way I wanted it to, so I sold it within 2 months of buying it. I know several other ladies have bought polaris dragons 700 and love them, I have not had the pleasure of riding one. My suggestion is definately try out the 600-700 cc range, even though you are saying you are aggressive, I have known many to enjoy the weight to cc ratio works well with them and they are very comfy and ride very well. I am one that believes that working your way up in cc's gives you some extra skills needed later on with the bigger cc machines. Nothing will replace seat/riding time to improve your skills. Make sure you can start your own sled, not knowing your relationship status, it might be annoying to riding buds if they are having to start your sled for you all the time. Buy a snow bungie, and all the safety gear before you go out riding!!!! Good luck!!!
Kristy

F-Bomb · Aug 13, 2008

You state "might was well start with the sled"....don't know about that! I'd go at a bit differently since you are "getting into sledding" as a sport not just wanting to go riding.

GOT GOOD GEAR?
Before you consider a sled if you are really on the absolute start-up you need to think about gear. The quality of your experience and enjoyment in the sport often times depends as much on your gear as it does on your sled.

LET"S GO SHOPPING!

Budget $1500 for quality apparel HMK/KLIM/FXR, boots (HMK's or KLIM) a quality helmet (light good fit motocross style), 2 pair goggles (at least one clear lense), body armor, BEACON/SHOVEL/PROBE, GPS radio (rino), riding pack, riding gloves (2 pairs minimum True North Storms are universally the best for warmth, strength, and function, HMK factory for lightweight action riding)

The best thing you can do is go to a regional sled show and get some good deals or check out your options. There are shows in Spokane WA, Edmonton AB, but the best while not close is Puyallup WA. Meet tons of sled enthusiasts and get deals and info.

NOW SLEDS

$5,500 left for Sled: Most important factor will be who is going to service it when it needs it so you better be researching the quality of your closest local shops. (SLEDS REQUIRE SERVICE REPAIRS AND MAINTANANCE) Determine what you want to do riding wise (trails, climbing, boondocking, parking lot prince or princess, ect ect) then get something that suites those two parameters first and foremost. Any brand new chassis in the past three years is suitable as long as you can get good service. You can damn near buy a hold over no mileage sled for your budget, for sure you can get a smaller cc slightly used sled. Vehicle/rider weight in mtn free riding is a huge consideration. Being light is a tremendous performance advantage. 50-100 lbs is what you have advantage wise over the average sledder. 120 average hp in a newer easy to ride mtn chassis (Polaris IQ RAW, Cat M sleds, or Doo Rev) will give you a great experience and years of fun. PERFORMANCE for recreational sledding means goes good in the conditions you are wanting to go in and is reliable while being fun to ride. 120 hp means 600cc and that is all you need. Remember the lighter the better if off trail performance! Sled enthusiasts are notoriously branded so use caution considering advice. What good for some isn't necesarilly good for others with different skill sets and expectations!

JOIN A lOCAL CLUB<HOP ON THE WOMENS FORUM<ATTEND A SLED SHOW
then have at it!

live2ride · Aug 13, 2008

Excellent advise!! http://www.ladiesride.com

F-Bomb said:
You state "might was well start with the sled"....don't know about that! I'd go at a bit differently since you are "getting into sledding" as a sport not just wanting to go riding.

GOT GOOD GEAR?
Before you consider a sled if you are really on the absolute start-up you need to think about gear. The quality of your experience and enjoyment in the sport often times depends as much on your gear as it does on your sled.

LET"S GO SHOPPING!

Budget $1500 for quality apparel HMK/KLIM/FXR, boots (HMK's or KLIM) a quality helmet (light good fit motocross style), 2 pair goggles (at least one clear lense), body armor, BEACON/SHOVEL/PROBE, GPS radio (rino), riding pack, riding gloves (2 pairs minimum True North Storms are universally the best for warmth, strength, and function, HMK factory for lightweight action riding)

The best thing you can do is go to a regional sled show and get some good deals or check out your options. There are shows in Spokane WA, Edmonton AB, but the best while not close is Puyallup WA. Meet tons of sled enthusiasts and get deals and info.

NOW SLEDS

$5,500 left for Sled: Most important factor will be who is going to service it when it needs it so you better be researching the quality of your closest local shops. (SLEDS REQUIRE SERVICE REPAIRS AND MAINTANANCE) Determine what you want to do riding wise (trails, climbing, boondocking, parking lot prince or princess, ect ect) then get something that suites those two parameters first and foremost. Any brand new chassis in the past three years is suitable as long as you can get good service. You can damn near buy a hold over no mileage sled for your budget, for sure you can get a smaller cc slightly used sled. Vehicle/rider weight in mtn free riding is a huge consideration. Being light is a tremendous performance advantage. 50-100 lbs is what you have advantage wise over the average sledder. 120 average hp in a newer easy to ride mtn chassis (Polaris IQ RAW, Cat M sleds, or Doo Rev) will give you a great experience and years of fun. PERFORMANCE for recreational sledding means goes good in the conditions you are wanting to go in and is reliable while being fun to ride. 120 hp means 600cc and that is all you need. Remember the lighter the better if off trail performance! Sled enthusiasts are notoriously branded so use caution considering advice. What good for some isn't necesarilly good for others with different skill sets and expectations!

JOIN A lOCAL CLUB<HOP ON THE WOMENS FORUM<ATTEND A SLED SHOW
then have at it!

cookiecutter · Aug 13, 2008

Not to diss on go high fast, but i ride with 4 800 edges, they take very good of them, and each one has still been rebuilt at least once. also, i picked up my 06 600 rev with 50 miles on it for 4400, perfect shape. you CAN find a much improved sled over an edge for a very good price.

just listen to every word f-bomb said, cant go wrong there

GKR · Aug 13, 2008

All good advise here. I ride West of Calgary most every time I go and you are fortunate to be within 2 hours of some of the best Mountain riding there is. I own a little piece of this heaven out near Radium and you just can't beat it.
My additional advice to what you've already read begins with a few questions. Who will you ride with? What do they ride? You will want to have something similarily equipped, ie. if your riding friends ride powder most all the time and all have 800cc 159" tracked machines you will want to have a similar ride. Similar meaning get a long track, 151" is a good all around length and don't worry about power, a 600cc sled has more than enough and as mentioned your skills will get to be very good on a machine like this. Where do you think you'll ride? If you'll ride in the Mountains around Golden, Radium, or Crowsnest (all short drives) you will want not only good gear but some avalanche gear and some training.....can't stress this strongly enough. Will you be doing any maintenance or repairs or will you be totally reliant on your dealer? This is worth consdiering as you may want to be sure a decent dealer is near where you ride.
Fire any other questions at us or PM me if you wish, if you prepare and find a good group to ride with, you will have the time of your life no question about it. Start slow, don't be intimidated or pressured into climbing anything your not comfortable with or going places that look risky, there is endless safe terrain to learn in and still have a total blast.
Cheers!

go high fast · Aug 13, 2008

cookiecutter,

no problem at all. The more opinions phaible has a chance to hear on getting into the greatest recreational sport in the world the better she will be when she gets into a sled. It's all great advice.

AKSNOWRIDER · Aug 13, 2008

all I will add is good riding gear is #1..sledding is no fun if your cold and wet..gortex works the best although there is some new stuff out that I havent tested ....sled wise..if you dont have some one to do normal maintence..I would be inclined to get new..it will have a warranty ..you wont be buying someone elses headache and it will outhandle even 2 yr old sleds..also regardless of what you buy..make sure it comes with at least one spare belt and a set of sparkplugs..and have the seller show you how to change both...For X-mas I bought my son and daughter new sleds(16 yr old boy and 13 yr old girl), the girl got a polaris trail rmk 550 and the boy got a 600 rmk ho with a 155 track.I now wish I would have got them both 600's..the 550 has a tough time in powder unless it is totally flat...but the 600 is one impressive sled..it is a total joy to ride..handling is excellent, it will go in deep snow yet it also handles great on the trail...it is so well put togeather that it doesnt wear you out riding it... It is also fuel injected so you dont have to rejet it for different temps and altitudes...in 800 miles it has been to the dealer once..for a taillight bulb..

summ8rmk · Aug 13, 2008

First off I agree with F-Bomb. My 1st choice for a good all-around sled is an 06-07 SKI-DOO REV 600 SDI 144". I had an 06 800 and I thought that it was the most comfortable sled I had ever ridden. The 600 will go almost as fast as an 800 or larger except on big hills in deep snow. But it will get better gas milage and I believe the 600 runs regular unleaded, The 800 has to have premium. The rev handles great on trails (very stable on moguls and in corners) and in deep snow. I like the 07-08 RMK 600 but they give one heck of a wedgie (do to a very narrow seat). I think it feels very unstable around corners ( it feels like its going to tip over) and at speeds above 60 miles per hour. I'm not a big fan of Yamaha not that there bad there new stuff is really nice. But I have no ridding experience with the newer stuff. And so you don't think I'm just a SKI-DOO guy I have an 09 M8 LE coming any day now! I own a Summit, Rmk, and soon M8. I think the Cat is more fun boondocking, in the trees, on hills, and aggresive ridding. But the Rev is great on the trail and if you want to go off the trail its great there also. It will be easier to find and maybe cheaper, because there are twice as many as Cat and Poo. Also I don't like the way the 06 and older Cats handled. My 2nd chioce would be an 04-05 Polaris Edge RMK 600 144. Great sled will keep up with the bigger sleds, handles great, great gas milage, not as good a ride as the REV on the trail but it will probably be cheaper. Well that's my opinion and I hope it helped. Good-luck and welcome to the great sport of snowmobiling!

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