(Season 2013-14) TY Mileage – Yellowknife

[stomper]

Would be worth spending the extra cash on skis if it would stay going. It would be frustrating.

 

[actionjack]

Boy I really wanted a Viper. Think I'll go Apex XTX instead.

 

[stomper]

Boy I really wanted a Viper. Think I'll go Apex XTX instead.

Yeah I hear you. Seems to be a lot of problems with this one anyway.

 

[nickleuci]

Rode a cat 800 sno pro with under 1000 miles this weekend. What a toilet. Buddy bought it brand new this year and it has all kinds of corrosion issues, shakes, burns up belts and the front end is loose. 2012 leftover. Vipers will fall apart, and yamie has to throw the towel in.

Ride is not that much different than my 09 nytro

I predict a short lived relationship w/TRF.

 

[Yellowknife]

One thing I noticed on the Yamaha TY Manitoba ride was that the Viper has like a straight up and down wall behind each ski. That flat wall just pushes snow rather then lifting the front up. Watching your video confirms what I saw when the Viper was playing in waist deep snow. Worst was when trying to carve from side to side. That wall would drop down into the snow and stop or almost stop the sled.

Hope Yami fixes your cold start issues! Keep up with the vids they are a good source of entertainment.

Keep in mind, the Nytro isn't much different, but the Phazer is terrible for the straight up wall design. During carving it doesn't stop it in its tracks or anything but it doesn't help it i'm sure. Cold start issue will not be resolved prior to next season.

Wow you definatly aren't having much luck with the viper. I do the same kind of riding in the same kind of temps and area and would probably be having the same issues if i could have afforded to buy one this year. I'm glad I can't afford one for a few more years, maybe they will have the bugs worked out by then.
The viper sure looks pretty but I am not impressed with it with all the troubles you are having. I think the fox shocks are good shocks, but they have their place. I don't think in the middle of nowhere in the NWT where you ride is the place. It seems you have had some issues with them also. It must suck to have a brand new $15,000 sled and not trust it to ride where ever, when ever you want. You have way more patience that me. I realy hope you, or should I say yamaha, get things figured out with this sled. I have read that the the bugs on the 2015 vipers are all figured out, it must be BS otherwise they should be able to fix the 2014's.

Good luck

I was so close to not buying one. Who knew. I should have known, arctic cat. GAH!! On the shocks, they've been behaving, I think the one issue was fluke or rare, I'm still happy with them. They're higher maintenance but I knew that and chose that. It does suck to have a sled that I can't trust. I'm starting to think Yamaha may disown me because I'm being so negative about their product - but I'm being honest and not sugarcoating anything or over dramatizing it. The vids leaving you hanging are the drama part, but the reality of what happens is always true and not morphed in any way. As far as bugs being figured out on the 2015's... I don't know what updates they have done, but I can't tell you there's no cold start fix yet.

I like your teasers for the next episode. The shooting flames were especially good. LOL!

LOL Just me having a little fun at the viewers expense ;-)

Man o man I would burn that viper already. It must have been made on a monday or a friday. Absolutly nothing but problems for you. I would be EXTREMELY PI$$ED if I bought a new sled and had all those issues.
Better buy another left over nytro xtx before they are all gone.

I can't burn it! It needs to burn on its own! lol

I've been in this situation before - with my 2004 Ski-doo Renegade X 600 SDI. I sold it after 1 season. The Viper's fate remains unknown, but it does have 3 years of warranty, I do have 3 sleds, and if the Viper spends half of its life in the shop on warranty claims while I pay it off, so be it, then i'll sell it if it isn't bug free by the end of next season. I also have a plan that i'm working on regarding 'the fleet' ;-)

Yamaha builds a vector ltx that is built buy Yamaha. It mite be a better choice.

lol, yes, I agree.

from the looks of things I am sure you know what you are doing but I just have to ask.
why don't you pull off the stock skis on the viper and run something/anything wider for a ski?
You appear to constantly be in deep snow and breaking trail. I would think it might help to keep the front end up some.
If the front end stays up out of the snow you wont plow so much and will take in less snow through your belly pans and other areas. seems like a win win situation, no?

I've considered it, but not spending any money on this thing. Yamaha is throwing warranty at it. I've also stopped breaking trail with it and gone back to my Nytro XTX.

A-arm protectors mounted on the underside of the lower a-arm act like a ski as well. Put them on my 05 Vector for protection never thinking about how they would help me in deeper snow (not that I go there anyway!) but just ripping around the fields by my house....WOW....what a difference!

I've had those in the past and I end up busting them off on rough terrain and impacts ;-)

Would be worth spending the extra cash on skis if it would stay going. It would be frustrating.

I have a pair of SLP Powder Pro's I could conform to fit, but, i'll wait for now. Maybe next season.

Boy I really wanted a Viper. Think I'll go Apex XTX instead.

Yeah I hear you. Seems to be a lot of problems with this one anyway.

My terrain and conditions are not favourable for the Viper, but I'm a rare case. This winter was a cold one for much of Canada and parts of the U.S. so I think more people felt similar pains to me with the Viper this year, but it's unlikely next year in the south.

Rode a cat 800 sno pro with under 1000 miles this weekend. What a toilet. Buddy bought it brand new this year and it has all kinds of corrosion issues, shakes, burns up belts and the front end is loose. 2012 leftover. Vipers will fall apart, and yamie has to throw the towel in.

Ride is not that much different than my 09 nytro

I predict a short lived relationship w/TRF.

I like my Nytro better. More predictable and the ski's pop up nicer with the rear suspension transfer in the powder. I don't think Yamaha will use Cat's chassis forever, but probably 5 years or so. The Viper won't be replaced anytime soon.

That brings me to the link already posted... I'm late again posting and I have to edit the next video but here's the official release/link...

2014 Snowmobile Season: Episode Twelve HD (720p)

Video Description: Moose hunting with Brayden, getting stuck in powder, spotting some moose, riding out to Yellow Dog Lodge for lunch, discussing the Pro's and Con's of the Viper, and the ride home with a Viper malfunction.

Cheers,

YK

 

[MadMax]

OMG !!!!!!!!!! I think you should have shot the viper and rode the moose around..
I must say you "ARE" taking it well................. Sorry about the yamcat.. MM

 

[TurboJamie]

Hey Allan any plans to try out a doo again? New machines with a 4 year bumper to bumper warranty are pretty attractive. I would have to guess a summit or free ride would be a far better machine for your useage along with the linq accessories for your trips it seems one would be a good package. Any of your friends have a 13/14 800 etec in those conditions ?

 

[ViperTurboPete]

I apologize, but I haven't watched all the vids...however the ones I have seen are great!

My question is....and I haven't scrolled back to see if anyone has asked this already but...

Since you are often breaking trail, ride in slush, carving in the powder, why don't you have an MTX 153? I saw a few times where you were stuck and I'm thinking with a longer track and bigger lug that it would go a little better. Carving in the powder would be way more fun also. I ride my 2.25 lug in all conditions without issues. I can't see myself going with anything less. This year we have had a tremendous amount of snow (even in Elliot Lake) and the slush is deep now.

When your Viper broke down I honestly thought I was going to see another rendition of "Angry Ontario Snowmobiler" Here it is again...just for laughs! By the way, I blew up my e-tec 600 Renegade again today and no more warranty. I just had a $1000 bill for it last week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y996njQGekg

 

[Tyloooor]

I've watched pretty much all the videos (he goes into some cool old gold mines- in the middle of nowhere all by himself- brave man)

he's got a nytro MTX(not sure what year) and a nytro XTX, and has add issues with both

I hate to say this, but I tried a 2013 Polaris assault 800 this weekend with a 2" track- man was it ever fun to ride in the deep stuff, but I would be worried about the motor

 

[stomper]

Since Alan seems to be slacking a bit here on TY lol, sorry Alan, here's episode 13. Glad to hear that you didn't blow your chain case up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH8MXwpC09A

 

[smoothride]

Now the joke is to prime or not to prime like the old skidoo rotary valve rotax engines.lol Wow that thing is getting close to the weight of an Apex ltx.

 

[09nytro]

For the type of riding you do why not take the sway bar off the viper , it may help with it wanting to drive on the right side ......

 

[RTX]

I noticed in the video you stated the sled hangs right in deep snow.
My first ride on mine i was crossing a lake in about 2 feet of powder. I noticed it was a chore to keep my viper rtx going straight, i thought it was just me so i did not say anything.
You might be onto something with the weight ballance, but I find it hard to believe that the 8 lb weight difference from 1 side to the other is causing this much of a problem.
It takes my entire body hanging off the left side to correct for that 8 lbs. LOL
Sad to say but I dont think the mountain guys are going to like how unballanced this sled is

 

[Mtnviper]

For the type of riding you do why not take the sway bar off the viper , it may help with it wanting to drive on the right side ......

X2
Alan, you may want to try dis-connecting one of the sway bar links and take it for a spin. If your happy with the results, then remove the sway bar completely.
Wider skis will help keep the front end up and reduce front end diving as well.

Bill

 

[Yellowknife]

OMG !!!!!!!!!! I think you should have shot the viper and rode the moose around..
I must say you "ARE" taking it well................. Sorry about the yamcat.. MM

Yes. Shoot the viper. OK, the issue at the moment is, the video is from February, and it's almost May, so I have 2 more months of footage to drag all of you through so that you can feel more of my pain!! LOL The moose, even dead, is more reliable than the Viper. Oops, I said it!

Hey Allan any plans to try out a doo again? New machines with a 4 year bumper to bumper warranty are pretty attractive. I would have to guess a summit or free ride would be a far better machine for your useage along with the linq accessories for your trips it seems one would be a good package. Any of your friends have a 13/14 800 etec in those conditions ?

I would love to ride BRP again, but I don't want to part ways with my dealer - especially when he also sells Polaris. I had a poor experience with my BRP dealer after buying 3 sleds from them. Now that was quite a while ago now, but you know how it is... My buddy Nate rides his XRS 800 etec, but not more than a few hundred km's a year.

I apologize, but I haven't watched all the vids...however the ones I have seen are great!

My question is....and I haven't scrolled back to see if anyone has asked this already but...

Since you are often breaking trail, ride in slush, carving in the powder, why don't you have an MTX 153? I saw a few times where you were stuck and I'm thinking with a longer track and bigger lug that it would go a little better. Carving in the powder would be way more fun also. I ride my 2.25 lug in all conditions without issues. I can't see myself going with anything less. This year we have had a tremendous amount of snow (even in Elliot Lake) and the slush is deep now.

When your Viper broke down I honestly thought I was going to see another rendition of "Angry Ontario Snowmobiler" Here it is again...just for laughs! By the way, I blew up my e-tec 600 Renegade again today and no more warranty. I just had a $1000 bill for it last week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y996njQGekg

lol, yeah, I own a 2008 Nytro MTX 153". It is better than the Viper, but, also terribly outdated compared to the 2015's out there from BRP & Polaris.

I've watched pretty much all the videos (he goes into some cool old gold mines- in the middle of nowhere all by himself- brave man)

he's got a nytro MTX(not sure what year) and a nytro XTX, and has add issues with both

I hate to say this, but I tried a 2013 Polaris assault 800 this weekend with a 2" track- man was it ever fun to ride in the deep stuff, but I would be worried about the motor

I also love the Polaris' ride...

Since Alan seems to be slacking a bit here on TY lol, sorry Alan, here's episode 13. Glad to hear that you didn't blow your chain case up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH8MXwpC09A

LOL thx!!

Now the joke is to prime or not to prime like the old skidoo rotary valve rotax engines.lol Wow that thing is getting close to the weight of an Apex ltx.

;-)

For the type of riding you do why not take the sway bar off the viper , it may help with it wanting to drive on the right side ......

I could try that, if the damn thing ever came out of the shop again!!!!

I noticed in the video you stated the sled hangs right in deep snow.
My first ride on mine i was crossing a lake in about 2 feet of powder. I noticed it was a chore to keep my viper rtx going straight, i thought it was just me so i did not say anything.
You might be onto something with the weight ballance, but I find it hard to believe that the 8 lb weight difference from 1 side to the other is causing this much of a problem.
It takes my entire body hanging off the left side to correct for that 8 lbs. LOL
Sad to say but I dont think the mountain guys are going to like how unballanced this sled is

I will save my rant about Yamaha going in bed with Cat at the end of my last video of the year. There may not be much of my tongue left to bite off by then though.

For the type of riding you do why not take the sway bar off the viper , it may help with it wanting to drive on the right side ......

X2
Alan, you may want to try dis-connecting one of the sway bar links and take it for a spin. If your happy with the results, then remove the sway bar completely.
Wider skis will help keep the front end up and reduce front end diving as well.

Bill

All things to consider for next year, thanks guys!

OK - so i'll past the official release per usual ;-)

2014 Snowmobile Season: Episode Thirteen HD (720p)

Video Description: The conclusion of the Viper's chaincase incident, an unboxing of a pair of Venture electric heated gloves, changes to the front end of the Nytro XTX as well as a new issue with it, reviewing several modifications to the Viper in an effort to increase cold starting capability, determining the real wet weight of the Viper and discovering the difference in weight from spindle to spindle, going on ride including breaking trail with the Viper and the Nytro MTX, the adventures that ensue, and a new issue with the Nytro MTX.

Working on the next vid right now.

Cheers,

YK