Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Snowmachine Thoughts/Value?

Thanks to all for advice. I’ve quit the idea of this machine. It was a moment of opportunity and a bit of a what-if wild hair.

As I turn 80, it seems like avoid way to pack XC trail and play in the snow a bit.

Lots of groomed trails and pre-packed trail in the Hills, Mike. No-rent rec cabin use could be had.... maybe even an extra machine....or two. Probably gonna park one or both '93s down there anyway for the winter.

Iron, get a tundra with the 600 ace. It's quiet and you won't have cold enough temps down there to worry about starting it.

Another good one is the yamaha venture lite.

Small enough for woods bombin with plenty of track: 136"


If you want to get real cheap but tolerate noise and smell:

Trail RMK 500
Bearcat 440
Skandic 440, 380 or 500
Yamaha Enticer 2

Lucas semi syn is actually more fluid in below zero temps, than my amsoil 2 stroke stuff. Really gentle on oil injection systems, and less stinky/clean burning than many orhers.



*** There's a VK 540 on Craig's right now! $4000 OBO*** For the price, you won't do better than that. Fkn koyo bearings in everything and Japanese rubber parts that last forever. A low gear that really helps off trail. Little harder on gas pushing the 20" x 156" track:

https://anchorage.craigslist.org/snw/d/wasilla-yamaha-viking-540/7668998317.html

This is what I just got for trapping. The Skandic with the wider track would be nice in certain situations but it is also a fair bit heavier.

The Tundra seems to be the best compromise of all the ups/downs with various models for what I like to do, and where I like to go.

We’ll see what shakes.

88 Polaris, 90 Yamaha.
I don't know what models.
I'm going to Arizona next month to get them. They were offered and i said yes.

I just recently sold a 2013 Ski Doo Expedition LE 600 e-tec for $6500, that's a fantastic trail/freight/grooming sled and more in the line of a snowmachine for your needs. There are more sleds like my old one for sale but some of the prices are a bit ridiculous. IMO you want a fuel injected sled, less problems with the fuel systems compared to a carbed sled and no changing jets at higher altitudes. The newer Gen 4 Ski Doo trail sleds are deep snow capable but the heavier sleds (900, 1200 ACE) will get stuck if you're not on the throttle. I'm not much of a Polaris fan but the Titan is one helluva machine as well.

One of the main—-though certainty not only—-reasons I went with a 600 Ace Tundra.

People always rave about bigger being better, but I digress. Same with using a 1 ton pickup when you’re not hauling something heavy. Less is more, more often than not IMO.

T,
Congrats on the tundra! Yep, I've ran plenty of heavy wide track loads in low gear. But a day in day out, general purpose woods bomber for breaking trail/trapping/firewood/hauling milled slabs, a smaller sled is the way. Widetracks arent "flickable" in tight off trail stuff. They're quite cumbersome in tight sht. Always try to jump on a small sled first, they use lots less fuel.


Hard to do better than a 600 ace tundra.

1200 was dropped in 2019. Skidoo went all in on the 900 Ace.

Man - not a single greasy triple in the conversation.

Agreed. Congrats tinny! The factory ski skins will make a big difference on that machine too.

I was going to buy a Titan this fall but was warned off by the dealer... the 800 two stroke is a grenade waiting to happen (dealers words not mine). If they turbocharge the new 4-stroke it'll make a great all purpose sled but the NA version lacks the muscle.

Really? They seem to be doing pretty good up here. Only reason I went skidoo I wanted a SWT.

Picking up wife's machine Monday. Seems they want to get paid first, and that guy ain't in until then.

Sheesh!

I better get all that lumber and other crap off the trailer, I guess. It's time to go do my monthly fire-up of the other machines as well.

The dealer told me if you put a "durability kit" in them they're pretty solid. The "kit" is taller pistons (Arctic Cat) with wider spaced rings and offset wrist pin and spacers for the cylinders. After he told me that I kinda lost interest in it. I ended up buying a Skidoo with the 900 Ace turbo

I got the R turbo. Pretty excited

I got the R also, can’t wait to give it a rip!

The one in my OP is on the farcebooks if any interest.

$6500 plus $2K for the trailer.

Again, not mine and have no connection to it.

It's only money. It will depreciate faster from non-use than her use.... picked it up this morning.

Got in 12 wolverine sets today on the new 600 Ace Tundra. Years past I did it all on foot but decided to cover more ground this year.
The New Tundra is a nice sled. A bit tipsy, but I knew that being it only has the 16 inch wide track. It is way more maneuverable than the Skandics I have ridden though. Ups/downs to them all.

Only wrecked once today!