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2021 Mountain Max who bought one

revrider07

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Feb 17, 2008
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I was a loyal yamaha man spent lots of money moding 2 two stroke mm. I just dont understand why anyone who was loyal to yamaha would buy this blue artic cat?
 

JackSprat

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Jan 4, 2010
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Northern Calirado
Unfortunately Yamaha came to the party too late this season, I already committed to a Cat.
That Blue is so much better looking than the Cat Red/Charcoal combo.
It is what it is.
 

motojunkie101

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Nov 26, 2007
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Here we are two years later...any updates on if you guys love or hate the single rail? I swapped sleds and rode my dads 154 Alpha over last weekend and I'm undecided on it. Seemed to be a little twitchy at times and less predictable than my viper, but definitely felt easier to throw around.
 
S
Dec 28, 2018
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Washington
I think anything is easier to throw around thats not a viper.. i haven't seen any new mountain maxs in the last couple years where i ride, which is a shame, the parts availability for cats is terrible all my friends on cats loose riding days waiting on backorderd forever parts- if i was going down the alpha route i would defently but a mountian max over a cat any day
 

meathooker

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Every Yamaha dealer in Alberta except Lethal Powersports in Lloydminster were absolute utter idiots,less than helpful.
Yamaha f***** themselves by discontinuing the 2 stroke in the snowmobile department. 70 % of the Yamaha dealers no longer even have a snowmobile department.
Go from the best 2 stroke ever made 700 triple red head. Down hill ever since.
Yay! hope it ends 2021!
I had a hell of a time snow checking my kids 200’s

had to drive hours to find a dealer that sold Yamaha Snowmobile’s.
 

motojunkie101

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Well it finally happened. My local dealer has had a 2023 154 SL sitting on the floor for almost 3 months and I couldn't stand it any longer. Bought it in the morning and went for a 28 mile rip in the afternoon to break it in. Snow conditions were perfect with over a foot of powder on a base, but this sled does everything better than my viper. It's nimble when I wanted it, it floated great, predictable, and just hands down easier and more fun to ride than my turbo. I never had to put both feet on one running board, I just leaned into where I wanted to go and the sled went exactly where I wanted it with almost no effort. I didn't have the same experience as other Alpha riders who thought it was easy to over ride the sled - it just worked.
We are headed to McCall in a few weeks so we will see how it does in more spring conditions, but at least for now I'm in love!
 

Frostbite

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motojunkie101, I am with you. I rode blue Yamahas with my1998 MSRX to up to 2010 on my 03 RX-1M. I then went to a 09 M8, a 15 M8000 and I have a 2020 Alpha One Hardcore. When I heard Yamaha was pulling the plug on the snowmobile business I knew I had to have one more blue sled as a tribute to Yamaha's 50 years in the snowmobile business. I looked at used 2021 Mountain Maxs all summer. I didn't see the deal I was looking for until October when a local Skidoo dealer listed brand new 23 165 SE for half the price of one his Skidoo turbos. I bought it and can't wait to ride it.
 

motojunkie101

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Just an update from last year. I sold my Viper because after going from one sled to the other, the viper was just harder to freaking ride. Sure it pulled a lot harder and certainly climbed better, but the mountain max is more fun doing everything except point and shoot. I took the sleds back to back on a climb up through some trees in 2 feet of soft snow and the viper spooled and just ate up the climb whereas the mountain max I had to sidehill up and out. Another spot where the trees were a little tighter I found myself turning back on the viper and the mountain max just kept doing the bob and weave as far as I wanted to go...it is just a riot to ride! So far the cons are that I find myself wanting to play with the clickers on the shocks, but I think I'm at the point of locking out the fronts on the trail and then softening them up for off trail. Its not really a con, just more things to play with. Things that broke so far - the tether broke in half when my son fell off the sled and the decals are peeling like crazy. The dealer warrantied both for me, but really neither one should have been an issue.

This year I may throw a can on it to drop more weight but really I can't find anything to not like about the sled. Last spring we had great snow so I never experienced the washout that people complained about on the Alphas. Someday a pump gas/low boost turbo would be a hoot but for now I'm extremely happy with it!
 

Frostbite

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The amount of dialed in turbos that will become available for Alphas and Mountain Maxes after the 858 Catalyst Mountain is released to the masses next year will be staggering. I may pick up a complete kit at that point as well.
 
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