Been a long time 4 stroke sled owner starting with the RX-1. I currently have a Apex, and two Phazers, Viper LTX, and just sold my nytro. I went from skidoo to a Rx-1 in 03 and loved the RX-1 even though it was a tank.
Bought a 08 LTX apex 40th and love the sled. To date it is the best handling sled only down fall is it's weight and I kept getting it stuck in deep snow or in the ditch so I bought a Nytro.
The Nytro is a complete different animal. Lighter, easier to jump and it also ate the bumps and jumps better than the Apex. Only thing I didn't like was the handling. You couldn't hit the apex as fast as the Apex. Other than that the nytro is a great sled.
So I decided to buy another got a Phazer since it was the lightest one of them and I was also trying to get the Miss's into snowmobiling. Well she didn't like it so I rode it! Its stupid light compared to the apex and nytro. It fun as hell to jump and ditch bang. But when the trail gets straight the fun ends.
My style of riding is aggressive and mainly trails as I love to fly through twisty trails. A sled that handled the corners was a must for me. To get to the trail head I can trailer or ride the ditch and have some fun in the fields on the way, and i always choose to ditch since the ditches around my place are very wide and snow is always good. I ended up with one of each model because not one model would suit my needs and that's where the viper will hopefully fill and I can sell the others.
So as a long time Yamaha enthusiast here is my $.02 on the Viper.
I never had the chance to ride one last year but talking to people who did and of course the Yami reps got me curious and now I have a LTX SE.
The seating position feels good plenty of cushion on the seat and the factory bars and risers are just right. I'm 5'8" The machine looks mean as hell the styling is a 10/10 imo. with the first start up it didn't sound like any other four stoke yami because of the front dump exhaust. But its not a bad thing. It sounds mean almost like a SBC with a bigger cam. All of my other sleds have stock exhaust and especially on my Apex you can tell its loud even with my helmet on. So it will be interesting to see how loud this will be with the front dump under load. The muffler is pretty big under the cover.
With only the engine and clutching from Yamaha the only downside is the materials and fit and finish. you can clearly see with this sled. compared side by side to other Yamaha models the materials used on the viper are not the same high grade materials used on the Apex, nytro, and phazer. I'm sure they work just fine but when you're used to the Yamaha quality its kind of a shocker. Best comparison would be to own a brand new 2014 Ram and then hop into a 1995 model with a cheap hard plastic dash. This is only with the plastics for the buttons, and gauge cluster. The side panels feel nice and thick. The front bumper is worthless it is so damn flimsy. I almost already bent it by lifting on it. It looks like a stamped piece of metal and is only secured in four spots. Another big noticeable spot is on the stitching on the rear end of the seat.
Again unlike its siblings the Vipers parking brake is not a solo unit. Other models as you know you flip the lever and the parking brake is engaged. On the viper its the old school pinch and go style. Grab the brake and pull the red tab to hold the brake lever in place. Again the material for the red tab is not the best and imo this could fail if it super cold or if their is build up around the handle and you get rough with it. Also note if you have it set and trailer a long distance or have it engaged for a long time its is wise to pump the brake a few times after it is released as these setups sometimes bleeds the fluid out of the caliper and back into the line/reservoir.
Reverse!
Nothing wrong with the old yami reverse but a few times I had to rock my apex/nytro, phazer to get it to engage. This push button reverse on the Viper is pretty slick. used it a few times off the trailer and around the shop and it engaged effortlessly and right away.
If you are on the fence to purchase one I would say just wait. Its always fun to be the first to have the newest toy but as we all know first year productions always have flaws and following years are always better. I say this because sleds these days are $$ and not a 5k sled like back in the day. That's allot of money to most and you all work hard so you can play hard. That is why this forum exists because we demand the best and that's why we choose Yamaha.
So in the end I give the looks a 10/10. This machine looks pissed off and it's ready to shred the trails. Fit/finish/materials/. I give it a 7/10. It's not like what we are used to on other Yamaha models but it is a first year model and a HUGE change working with AC and having sleds built by AC in MN. Fitment is not bad. body lines are good and no serious gaps or misalignment's. What brings it down from a perfect 10 is materials used and the quality control or engineering on those parts.
Engine/Clutch
Yamaha is a engine company. That is their strong point. They know engines and that's what they are good at. If you don't know Yamaha built the Japanese market Beams engine for the IS200 (is300 in the US) and when Lexus/toyota wanted to build their super car the LF-A it was Yamaha that was commissioned to help build the engine in the half million dollar super car. That's just two examples of engines they built for major auto manufactures but they have built many more. Some of you might remember the old ford Taurus SHO. That motor was also built by Yamaha.
As we all know Yamaha clutch system is the best and the most reliable. I am glad that it was carried on to the Viper. How it is set for the viper is still to be determined, but driving it on and off the trailer and into the shop it engaged right away like other models so i'm sure it will be what we are all used to. Even though it shares the Nytro engine/clutch system, their are differences and a Nytro belt will not fit.
Bottom line.
Since I have not ridden one yet i'm hoping this sled will out perform the Apex and nytro. So until then one can wish. I will update this once the snow flies and I get her broke in. As this new model develops i'm sure Yamaha will continue to improve all aspects of it. I'm sure they will be getting a TON of feedback good and bad and hopefully they listen to their loyal customers.
Pics and vid
Vids
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Bistro2 ... 6.mp4.html
start up inside and walk around
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Bistro2 ... 3.mp4.html
12-5 update
Well it snowed,rained and snowed again yesterday and we ended up with about 6-8" Took the viper out for the first time and it was in the ditch. Power felt great feels just as fast as my old Nytro and seems to be on par with my Apex but not sure since I have not ridden the Apex since last season. I rode my phazer for about 20 miles before I took out the Viper. For those of you who are going from a phazer to a viper HOLD ON! It will rip your arms off! lol.
Bumps and jumps.
It defiantly does not jump like my phazer but it is night and day difference from my APex. Compared to the Nytro it didn't feel as top heavy and more planted. The chassis is extremely rigid on some med to bigger bumps it wanted to buck me off and landed solid. I check the air in the front shocks tonight and one was at 90 and the other at 75. I set them both to 70 and took it out for about 5 miles and it was like a new machine. Ate the bumps and didn't feel like it wanted to buck me off and just felt more stable. So check you air pressure!
Clutch.
As always it a awesome Yami clutch it engages instant, even when your coasting around a corner and you just slightly touch the throttle for a tiny bit of speed it engages off you go.
Brake.
Felt great on in the ditch didn't take much effort to lock the track up when applied hard. I did get on it a bit in a field and tried to stop as fast as I can from about 80mph threshold braking and not locking up the track about three times. Compared to the Apex, phazer, and Nytro brakes it was good. not bad but not as good. Had to apply a bit more pressure on the lever and you could just feel that the pad and rotor didn't bit the same. Too much pressure and the track would lock not enough and it didn't want to stop as fast. I'm sure this is from the design and that the rotor smaller than the phazer,nytro, and apex so their is not as much surface area. But overall good.
Most of the riding was done in a ditch. I have yet to test it on a trail, but from what I can tell already I think this machine will carve the trails like a hot knife through butter!
Bought a 08 LTX apex 40th and love the sled. To date it is the best handling sled only down fall is it's weight and I kept getting it stuck in deep snow or in the ditch so I bought a Nytro.
The Nytro is a complete different animal. Lighter, easier to jump and it also ate the bumps and jumps better than the Apex. Only thing I didn't like was the handling. You couldn't hit the apex as fast as the Apex. Other than that the nytro is a great sled.
So I decided to buy another got a Phazer since it was the lightest one of them and I was also trying to get the Miss's into snowmobiling. Well she didn't like it so I rode it! Its stupid light compared to the apex and nytro. It fun as hell to jump and ditch bang. But when the trail gets straight the fun ends.
My style of riding is aggressive and mainly trails as I love to fly through twisty trails. A sled that handled the corners was a must for me. To get to the trail head I can trailer or ride the ditch and have some fun in the fields on the way, and i always choose to ditch since the ditches around my place are very wide and snow is always good. I ended up with one of each model because not one model would suit my needs and that's where the viper will hopefully fill and I can sell the others.
So as a long time Yamaha enthusiast here is my $.02 on the Viper.
I never had the chance to ride one last year but talking to people who did and of course the Yami reps got me curious and now I have a LTX SE.
The seating position feels good plenty of cushion on the seat and the factory bars and risers are just right. I'm 5'8" The machine looks mean as hell the styling is a 10/10 imo. with the first start up it didn't sound like any other four stoke yami because of the front dump exhaust. But its not a bad thing. It sounds mean almost like a SBC with a bigger cam. All of my other sleds have stock exhaust and especially on my Apex you can tell its loud even with my helmet on. So it will be interesting to see how loud this will be with the front dump under load. The muffler is pretty big under the cover.
With only the engine and clutching from Yamaha the only downside is the materials and fit and finish. you can clearly see with this sled. compared side by side to other Yamaha models the materials used on the viper are not the same high grade materials used on the Apex, nytro, and phazer. I'm sure they work just fine but when you're used to the Yamaha quality its kind of a shocker. Best comparison would be to own a brand new 2014 Ram and then hop into a 1995 model with a cheap hard plastic dash. This is only with the plastics for the buttons, and gauge cluster. The side panels feel nice and thick. The front bumper is worthless it is so damn flimsy. I almost already bent it by lifting on it. It looks like a stamped piece of metal and is only secured in four spots. Another big noticeable spot is on the stitching on the rear end of the seat.
Again unlike its siblings the Vipers parking brake is not a solo unit. Other models as you know you flip the lever and the parking brake is engaged. On the viper its the old school pinch and go style. Grab the brake and pull the red tab to hold the brake lever in place. Again the material for the red tab is not the best and imo this could fail if it super cold or if their is build up around the handle and you get rough with it. Also note if you have it set and trailer a long distance or have it engaged for a long time its is wise to pump the brake a few times after it is released as these setups sometimes bleeds the fluid out of the caliper and back into the line/reservoir.
Reverse!
Nothing wrong with the old yami reverse but a few times I had to rock my apex/nytro, phazer to get it to engage. This push button reverse on the Viper is pretty slick. used it a few times off the trailer and around the shop and it engaged effortlessly and right away.
If you are on the fence to purchase one I would say just wait. Its always fun to be the first to have the newest toy but as we all know first year productions always have flaws and following years are always better. I say this because sleds these days are $$ and not a 5k sled like back in the day. That's allot of money to most and you all work hard so you can play hard. That is why this forum exists because we demand the best and that's why we choose Yamaha.
So in the end I give the looks a 10/10. This machine looks pissed off and it's ready to shred the trails. Fit/finish/materials/. I give it a 7/10. It's not like what we are used to on other Yamaha models but it is a first year model and a HUGE change working with AC and having sleds built by AC in MN. Fitment is not bad. body lines are good and no serious gaps or misalignment's. What brings it down from a perfect 10 is materials used and the quality control or engineering on those parts.
Engine/Clutch
Yamaha is a engine company. That is their strong point. They know engines and that's what they are good at. If you don't know Yamaha built the Japanese market Beams engine for the IS200 (is300 in the US) and when Lexus/toyota wanted to build their super car the LF-A it was Yamaha that was commissioned to help build the engine in the half million dollar super car. That's just two examples of engines they built for major auto manufactures but they have built many more. Some of you might remember the old ford Taurus SHO. That motor was also built by Yamaha.
As we all know Yamaha clutch system is the best and the most reliable. I am glad that it was carried on to the Viper. How it is set for the viper is still to be determined, but driving it on and off the trailer and into the shop it engaged right away like other models so i'm sure it will be what we are all used to. Even though it shares the Nytro engine/clutch system, their are differences and a Nytro belt will not fit.
Bottom line.
Since I have not ridden one yet i'm hoping this sled will out perform the Apex and nytro. So until then one can wish. I will update this once the snow flies and I get her broke in. As this new model develops i'm sure Yamaha will continue to improve all aspects of it. I'm sure they will be getting a TON of feedback good and bad and hopefully they listen to their loyal customers.
Pics and vid
Vids
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Bistro2 ... 6.mp4.html
start up inside and walk around
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Bistro2 ... 3.mp4.html
12-5 update
Well it snowed,rained and snowed again yesterday and we ended up with about 6-8" Took the viper out for the first time and it was in the ditch. Power felt great feels just as fast as my old Nytro and seems to be on par with my Apex but not sure since I have not ridden the Apex since last season. I rode my phazer for about 20 miles before I took out the Viper. For those of you who are going from a phazer to a viper HOLD ON! It will rip your arms off! lol.
Bumps and jumps.
It defiantly does not jump like my phazer but it is night and day difference from my APex. Compared to the Nytro it didn't feel as top heavy and more planted. The chassis is extremely rigid on some med to bigger bumps it wanted to buck me off and landed solid. I check the air in the front shocks tonight and one was at 90 and the other at 75. I set them both to 70 and took it out for about 5 miles and it was like a new machine. Ate the bumps and didn't feel like it wanted to buck me off and just felt more stable. So check you air pressure!
Clutch.
As always it a awesome Yami clutch it engages instant, even when your coasting around a corner and you just slightly touch the throttle for a tiny bit of speed it engages off you go.
Brake.
Felt great on in the ditch didn't take much effort to lock the track up when applied hard. I did get on it a bit in a field and tried to stop as fast as I can from about 80mph threshold braking and not locking up the track about three times. Compared to the Apex, phazer, and Nytro brakes it was good. not bad but not as good. Had to apply a bit more pressure on the lever and you could just feel that the pad and rotor didn't bit the same. Too much pressure and the track would lock not enough and it didn't want to stop as fast. I'm sure this is from the design and that the rotor smaller than the phazer,nytro, and apex so their is not as much surface area. But overall good.
Most of the riding was done in a ditch. I have yet to test it on a trail, but from what I can tell already I think this machine will carve the trails like a hot knife through butter!
Grimm
TY 4 Stroke God
It does sound mean. 
09NytroRTX
Expert
Nice write up and thx for the video!
Great review! I am sure you will find the Viper to be your go to sled. More smiles per mile. Just need snow 
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2009
- Messages
- 3,564
- Location
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Country
- Canada
- Snowmobile
- 2009 Phazer RTX
Nice sled, and shop!
Oh why did you have to post that????? I have been keeping myself under control by starting my Rush till the Viper gets here but now I am going to have to make a mpeg loop of that and keep playing it over and over 
It is a beauty though. At least noone has been able to post a red one yet. Then I would feel more depressed.
It is a beauty though. At least noone has been able to post a red one yet. Then I would feel more depressed.
yamajammer76
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2005
- Messages
- 618
- Location
- Black Hills, SD
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- 2016 SR Viper M-TX SE 141"
Glad to see they actually printed a "Yamaha" serial number plate for it. I know it is just a minor detail, but things like that do make a difference. I remember seeing pictures of the SRX 120 with an "Arctic Cat" serial plate on it and even though it is just a kids sled it looked "cheesy" IMHO.
Yamahadog where are you in the cities? I'm right by stillwater. Yamajammer76. I hear ya! The muffer is huge on this thing and its got "manufactured by artic cat" on it but that's nothing a polishing wheel can't buff off ;-)
Coon Rapids
Bluebullet
VIP Member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2005
- Messages
- 1,081
- Location
- Augusta, Maine
- Country
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- Snowmobile
- 2021 sidewinder LTX GT, 2010 Apex LTX GT
- LOCATION
- Maine
Apexgt40, Thanks for the review! well written making good points. sounds good much better than my buddies xf1100 turbo sno pro! Sharpe looking sled and congrats!
rxwhopper
TY 4 Stroke Guru
Ya but I hate the way they stamp the numbers not the tunnel. Looks like a hammer and punch 1by 1. Be nice if it was do e before paint.. Looks like crapmto me
yamajammer76
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2005
- Messages
- 618
- Location
- Black Hills, SD
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- 2016 SR Viper M-TX SE 141"
rxwhopper said:
Maybe YMC should buy AC a laser etching system for a Christmas present this year.
Oh one thing I forgot! If you're anal like me the storage bag zippers if you have it closed with the zipper handles close to the front of the sled they touch the tunnel and will rub the paint off over time. Zipping them facing the rear is better but still might rub off the paint. Wouldn't hurt to stick on a bad under the zipper.
snowbeast
TY 4 Stroke God
- Joined
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- E waterboro,maine
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- 2015 apex xtx traded for a 2017 sidewinder L-tx-le
- yes
- YOUTUBE
- yes
Boy are you guys all worked up about the E-brake,honestly how often do you really use it,other than for trailering,once it is off the trailer,do you ever use it again?? Ya the plastic may be does not seem as great as yamaha and those shitty d-z clips cat uses for the side panels are are pain,but thats about it,i think you guys will like it,and add a can and get 6 hp more and shave some weight,not that it is heavy for a 4 stroke,but if that is your thing,and enjoy.
ROCKERDAN
OCD Sledhead
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- '18 RTX 50th "Winder"
still no cover ontop of brake rotor, thought for sure yammie would make cat add one. We all added them onto our the cats.
I hope the brakes work better then our cats, worst brake "feel" ive ever had on a sled since 90s. My apex brakes were awesome, and my cats just felt wrong.
really hope these sleds are better then our turbos were...they seem to have address most of the issues we had.....
Good write up.
Dan
I hope the brakes work better then our cats, worst brake "feel" ive ever had on a sled since 90s. My apex brakes were awesome, and my cats just felt wrong.
really hope these sleds are better then our turbos were...they seem to have address most of the issues we had.....
Good write up.
Dan
