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Joined: Sep 2009
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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For what we do, 550 fan Tundras are terrific - 2009 black & 2010/11 yellow.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Super reliable, dug her out & fired her up !


Paul.

"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
BP-B2

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Originally Posted by Dan_H
If you are tall , old or have any back problems the newer sled geometry is better.
Shopping for one myself - upright rider position is on top of my list.
Good luck.

I definitely concur for doing any serious riding, but for casual putting around, trapping, scouting, and other <100 mile chores/days, some of the old stuff is pretty functional, especially given that the comfortable machines also tend to be heavier should they get stuck (which is a good part of how my back and body got old and problematic.) Admittedly, one need not resort to near zero suspension like the old Elans and Bravos have. But so much depends on the terrain you're riding too.


Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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las Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
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Seth Kantner always referred to my Bravo as "the toolbox". regarding the suspension.... smile

For heavy duty stuff, he preferred AC Bearcats.

Last edited by las; 12/06/22.

The only true cost of having a dog is its death.

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I've always been inclined toward the middle ground between the light snowwalkers (with poorer suspensions) and the heavy snow walkers (which ride great but leave one stuck for hours, if alone, searching for creative ways to move again), hence the 136"-ish tracks without lots of amenities like the Panthers.

BTW, those Skidoo Freestyle Backcountry 550 rigs from around 15 years ago, funny looking though they were, were great little rigs for aging guys running solo. Plenty of power for utility, light enough to crawling through lots of fluff, light enough to lug about when stuck, not a great 300 mile/day rider but a better ride than most anything in its weight class. I wish a few of Saint Michael's finest chillerns hadn't decided to roast marshmallows over mine.


Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Brand new 2021 skandic rode like SHI T! Had exactly 4 miles on it when I jumped on it. Tippy on side hills, overly stiff suspension too heavy to lean it over in powder.

Was sore for days after spending a week hauling loads with one. After day 2, I stood the rest of the time I ran it.

An old bearcat felt like a ride in a Cadillac compared to that skandik.

Last edited by mainer_in_ak; 12/06/22.
IC B2

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Originally Posted by mainer_in_ak
Brand new 2021 skandic rode like SHI T! Had exactly 4 miles on it when I jumped on it. Tippy on side hills, overly stiff suspension too heavy to lean it over in powder.

Was sore for days after spending a week hauling loads with one. After day 2, I stood the rest of the time I ran it.

An old bearcat felt like a ride in a Cadillac compared to that skandik.

I’m not sure which model Skandic you were on? My 2023 LE model Skandic - 600efi -20” is fairly light and maneuverable. Rides very smooth…still breaking it in, very impressed so far…

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Originally Posted by Klikitarik
I've always been inclined toward the middle ground between the light snowwalkers (with poorer suspensions) and the heavy snow walkers (which ride great but leave one stuck for hours, if alone, searching for creative ways to move again), hence the 136"-ish tracks without lots of amenities like the Panthers.

BTW, those Skidoo Freestyle Backcountry 550 rigs from around 15 years ago, funny looking though they were, were great little rigs for aging guys running solo. Plenty of power for utility, light enough to crawling through lots of fluff, light enough to lug about when stuck, not a great 300 mile/day rider but a better ride than most anything in its weight class. I wish a few of Saint Michael's finest chillerns hadn't decided to roast marshmallows over mine.


If I were the OP I'd be paying particular attention to the message Klikitarik is layin' down with his replies in this thread.

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Finally chewed up a yamaha chain case. I break trail with a semi tire with an inner tube full of water. Its a big snow-brake, but makes a nice trail. Bounces off trees instead of catching.

Very excited to finally seethe inside of a yammy chain case.


[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

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Training some young fellas to run dogs.

Think they're hot sht on a silly snowmobile (a "snowmachine" word doesn't make it real work).

They'll sleep good tonight:


[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

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Great pic above mainer, those dogs look pretty tough.

IC B3

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Originally Posted by ol_mike
I'm going to buy a new one when i get moved to Idaho.

I don't need a 'speed machine' been there done that uh-plenty. I won't be climbing mountains, jumping, no high speed cornering just a machine to check traps/hunt/scout on.
Good gas mileage is a plus and reliable since I almost always hunt alone.

Plan on buying a new machine, any recommendations from you folks that have been around them?
Also not going to spend $18-$20K


The mid teens Summit long tracks get great fuel economy and can go just about anywhere. They are not as tippy as the Polaris of the same years. I had a 2014 Summit X 800. Has a good system to attach bags, gas cans etc on the back tunnel. We always carried gas, and didnt need it ourselves. Use if for someone else to extend the day on the snow. The track is 16" wide also, instead of 15" so you get an additional inch of track on the ground in width, more footprint for equivenlant length.

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Funny all the negative stuff I see about Polaris. They 100% rule the mountain anywhere I have been. They are top of the line with innovation, have the best chassis, make the best power and often are the lightest by a small amount. I started with Polaris in 2000, went to skidoo from 2005 - 2019, and am back to Polaris. The Polaris Axys and Pro series outnumber all other brands combined and probably easily in the Big Horns, Togwotee and Snow Range, even in the Rockies around Rabbit Ears. They have been reliable, handle better and seem to be better with riders that have a little experience. SkiDoo is a little less tippy, and may be easier for new riders

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if I could figure this darned image posting circus out, I'd post a pair of Polaris rigs that had 20,000 between the two of them at the time. The bigger one gave up with 25,000...original pistons. You won't find me bad-mouthing Polaris in general. (Their 550 had some issues admittedly.)[Linked Image]

Last edited by Klikitarik; 12/09/22.

Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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ol_mike Offline OP
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Mainer,

What do you do with the lumber?


PRESIDENT TRUMP 2024/2028 !!!!!!!!!!


Posted by Bristoe
The people wringing their hands over Trump's rhetoric don't know what time it is in America.
Joined: Aug 2003
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Testing this image posting stuff....
[Linked Image]

That log, tugged off the Tanana River on April 19, two days before holes began to open, weighed 970 pounds after the bark was removed and it had dried for six weeks. That "puny" little 440 fan-cooled engine did the deed, punchy trail and all, and did it without burning the belt over the 7 mile trip.

Last edited by Klikitarik; 12/09/22.

Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Originally Posted by Oakster
The mid teens Summit long tracks get great fuel economy and can go just about anywhere. They are not as tippy as the Polaris of the same years. I had a 2014 Summit X 800. Has a good system to attach bags, gas cans etc on the back tunnel. We always carried gas, and didnt need it ourselves. Use if for someone else to extend the day on the snow. The track is 16" wide also, instead of 15" so you get an additional inch of track on the ground in width, more footprint for equivenlant length.

I'm sure you know this oakster, so just for those that haven't tried it.... Never try to make a mountain sled into a utility machine. There are few experiences as miserable as fighting an overheating machine when it's really cold out, and it happens reliability.

As to Polaris, I don't hate them exactly. I think I could really like some of the pro rmk models. Don't know what they have for utility machines these days.

Hell, I hear there are even places that yamaha mountain sleds are something other than a laughingstock.

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I just bought this for 1800 bucks, its a 99 Ski-doo 700 and is bad azz, I needed it for hunting. I haven't been around sleds since I left the trapline 40 years ago. Back then we had two 250 Ski-doo's I think they were Elan's?? they were great for the bush, easy to get unstuck.
This one here did what I needed it to do for us, pretty heavy, no reverse. There aren't much for used sleds around here at this time, and I don't know much about them anymore and I figure I got lucky when I found this one.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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Originally Posted by ol_mike
I'm going to buy a new one when i get moved to Idaho.

I don't need a 'speed machine' been there done that uh-plenty. I won't be climbing mountains, jumping, no high speed cornering just a machine to check traps/hunt/scout on.
Good gas mileage is a plus and reliable since I almost always hunt alone.

Plan on buying a new machine, any recommendations from you folks that have been around them?
Also not going to spend $18-$20K


Look for a good used machine. I just picked up a yamaha nitro. Good all use machine

Last edited by ribka; 12/10/22.
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Campfire Oracle
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I just heard a radio ad for a local place that rents snowgos. Maybe such a place Ideeho so you could try before you buy.


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
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American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
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I bought this Tundra LT R new and it is the best money I ever spent.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


I am always looking for factory wood stocks!
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