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Regrets on buying a 2017 SW??

59K views 93 replies 39 participants last post by  blackjack1 
#1 ·
Starting to see some price drops on leftover 2017s. Anybody who took the plunge on a first year sled regretting it? Not sure what changes / improvements will come for 2018, but saving a nice chunk of change has my attention.
 
#10 ·
2 in my group. All happy customers. I have about 40 or so miles of riding on my buddies sled - all I can say is WOW. It pulls harder than anything I have ever ridden, and very, very smooth. Keeping the skis off the ground until 80 mph no problem. Just a hoot to drive.

One issue from my buddy this past weekend - stupid fuel relay - just like the nytros. So had to heat it up and a few taps with a wrench and good to go. But a PIA.
 
#16 ·
Rode on for about 20 miles or so the other night .stock with studs. It was really nice overall had a lot of ass for a trail sled ESP touching it off on hard pack rolling about 30. Sneaky power very linear. Nice machine nvr hiccuped. BUT Yes there is a but it's a tank going down the trail nice in decent trails except a lil heavy in steering but when it got rough it was clearly heavy up frt they don't have a playful feeling either but I did enjoy the power bouncing back and forth from 2 stroke 8oo to sidewinder. It was clear the sw has more power no question and it was clear the 2stroke is more playful and lighter . I thought It was a really nice sled much better than I thought it would be in all areas. Pleasant surprise.
 
#45 ·
Rode on for about 20 miles or so the other night .stock with studs. It was really nice overall had a lot of ass for a trail sled ESP touching it off on hard pack rolling about 30. Sneaky power very linear. Nice machine nvr hiccuped. BUT Yes there is a but it's a tank going down the trail nice in decent trails except a lil heavy in steering but when it got rough it was clearly heavy up frt they don't have a playful feeling either but I did enjoy the power bouncing back and forth from 2 stroke 8oo to sidewinder. It was clear the sw has more power no question and it was clear the 2stroke is more playful and lighter . I thought It was a really nice sled much better than I thought it would be in all areas. Pleasant surprise.
Well said, pretty much sums up the whole 2-stroke Vs 4-stroke thing.
 
#18 ·
One of my riding buddies has a Sidewinder (the other a 850 ETEC). He has about 1,000 miles on his Sidewinder with no issues whatsoever.

0-80ish, the 850 is faster. And then the Sidewinder kicks into hyper-drive and the Sidewinder makes everyone eat snow dust.

On the tight and twisty trails (which I prefer), my pull-start and dialed 600 ETEC is faster.

But if you are a lake racer, than the Sidewinder is the sled for you.
 
#46 ·
One of my riding buddies has a Sidewinder (the other a 850 ETEC). He has about 1,000 miles on his Sidewinder with no issues whatsoever.

0-80ish, the 850 is faster. And then the Sidewinder kicks into hyper-drive and the Sidewinder makes everyone eat snow dust.

On the tight and twisty trails (which I prefer), my pull-start and dialed 600 ETEC is faster.

But if you are a lake racer, than the Sidewinder is the sled for you.
Sounds great, I rarely go over 80 mph anyways.
 
#20 ·
So Lid 2,
You felt the SW is heavy to steer? I have seen them but never had the chance to ride a SW. I have a 2015 Apex w/ EPS and am really wondering do I want to trade a sled I can ride 250+ miles a day with NO arm fatigue to something I'm going to battle all day long? I'm pushing 60 years old and is the extra HP worth it?

I like to do long rides, saddlebag trips, in Quebec and the UP, but, don't want to feel like my arms are shot after a day.

Anyone else's thoughts on this would be great.
My local dealer had about 20 2017 SW's left over.
I wonder is they'll put EPS on the 2018 models which is Yamaha's 50 year anniversary for sleds.

Fred
 
#21 ·
DO NOT make the switch. I have an 11 Apex, and just rode my buddies SW for about 40 miles. The steering is noticeably heavier than my Apex with EPS. When I got back on the Apex is when I really noticed that the EPS is so easy to steer. Also we ran side by side with a rolling 40 mph start. My Apex pulled the SW by a full sled length for I would guess 50 yards then then the SW caught up and pulled away. I had ideas of selling my Apex for a SW but not anymore. I just like the EPS too much.
 
#25 ·
Our local dealers is Ebensberg Yamaha.

Google their web site and you can see the inventory they have left.

Prices still seem higher then some dealers in Michigan that I looked at, but, with the absolutely crap winter we have had in PA, they may be willing to negotiate.

So, if I'm reading correctly, if you set a SW up properly, you can decrease the steering effort? I love the Apex, but, some extra HP of those railroad beds would be sweet.
 
#26 ·
So, if I'm reading correctly, if you set a SW up properly, you can decrease the steering effort? I love the Apex, but, some extra HP of those railroad beds would be sweet.

yes...the skis IMHO other than perfect trails suck....I personally added 16 procross (cat) skis...and the suspension with minor adjustments and you can have easy steering...a ski like the doo 5.7's or 6.9's or slp slts would be a perfect compliment...jumping back on an apex after a well setup procross sled is like driving an 80's car...
 
#35 ·
You guys are justt silly, never owned a sled rode. A buds sled for 20 minutes with closed minds I've me a break...... the sidewinder isn't perfect in the steering department and skis, I changed em up add studs played around and dialed it and guess what, it rides amazing on long trips, it's no 600 ditch banger but if you want the best stop nit picking it's few short coming and look at it potential my goodness........
 
#38 ·
My only regret is that the new one comes in a sick looking all black option, so I am hoping I can stay off the phone with my dealer for the next two weeks. But believe me it is very hard. I never sell anything so it would be in addition to all the other toys. All those registrations and insurance add up. And if I listened to her I can only ride 1 at a time right?
 
#42 ·
I'm getting L-TX-LE 137 by 1.25 track. I do mostly trail riding. How did the 6.9's handle on a groomed trail?

Most people on TY site are spit between the 6.9 pilots and curves.

By the way, on TY there is a great sub forum on very detailed instructions on how to mount the 6.9's on a SW. The stock Tuner skis are 3" between the bushings and the 6.9's are 2 7/8"s. They show you how to move and reinstall the bushings for an exact fit. to make up the 1/8"
 
#47 ·
I had a 14 Viper XTX (non turbo), and would love to ride a Sidewinder XTX on the trails to see if there is a handling difference.
As far as the 850 beating the Sidewinder to 80MPH, maybe its hooking up better? Cause thats about the only way (in stock form) its going to win.
Not hating the 850, but cmon! Sidewinder is king now from what I have read on amsnow and snowmobile.com.
 
#51 ·
To the guy who rode a SW for 40 miles, really. I have owned more sleds than most and always had Yamaha's. I can say my 2011 Apex XTX was awesome there is no doubt but I switched to 2014 Viper and loved the ride hated the power or lack of. Then I got so pissed off in 2016 along the trail I junked the Viper and bought new 2016 Apex XTX right off the floor and continued my 3 day trip....I waste more money than most that's a fact but life is short and I don't waste my time contemplating. I had my 2016 Stolen in Feb 2016 and could have jumped right back on a new Apex but I just didn't want that old style of seating so fact is a fact the Viper/Sidewinder is a better riding platform. If we could put that Apex motor in that Viper great but I jumped on the SW and you cant compare it to an Apex not even close. Most people cant get used to another sled for hundreds of miles and surely not in 40 or so miles.

Get a sidewinder drive it, adjust it and make it your own you wont regret it.
 
#52 ·
To the guy who rode a SW for 40 miles,
Get a sidewinder drive it, adjust it and make it your own you wont regret it.
Well Said oce you ride a turbo viper or winder you will never want to ride anything else.... as long as it is properly set up! and as for anyone thingking that an 850 doo can hang with one well there is pills for that.

This is my 14 viper at 235 hp vs my Pro R 800 Switchback and he was riding it at wot.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=Fdf-mxztBK8
 
#53 ·
Here's one guy ditching his Winder for an 850:

" Had Yamaha's, Nytro, Viper, and Sidewinder, sold Sidewinder and ordered a Renegade 850. I almost exclusively trail ride and was a huge Yamaha 4Stroke fan. The handling of that 850 was just out of this world compared to the Sidewinder. Riding last year 1000mi almost with another guy with an 850, he consistently got better mileage, .5 to 1.5 gal less per fill, riding the same trails the same way. On the bottom end the 850 was quicker, obviously the Sidewinder had it on the top. The amount of oil the 850 uses in 2500mi was about the same money, maybe a little more, as the oil change on the Sidewinder(and a hell of a lot easier). As far as reliability, they both have a 4 or 5 year warranty and I won't keep it that long anyway. The 850 we rode with last year had 1200mi trouble free on original belt, a lot of the miles with a 2 up seat and 2 kids with dad, the other miles hard riding. My Sidewinder was back at the dealer for 3 warranty issues. We'll see how I like the Skidoo 2S compared to my Yamaha 4S after this season.... "
 
#54 · (Edited)
"On the bottom end the 850 was quicker, obviously the Sidewinder had it on the top."
My son and I have ridden a bunch of 850s and a Sidewinder. With regard to low-end power, our experiences were completely opposite of the one you included in your post. (I posted a summary in the Polaris Assault forum several months ago.) The Yamaha Sidewinder was considerably quicker than any of the 850s we tried on the same day . . . but that's what we were expecting since the Yam has 200+ horsepower and the Ski-Doo has 165.

I ride with a guy who owns a '17 850. We lined up this past winter, and he was surprised at how long my '08 Pro-X 600 ( w/11,000 miles on an engine that's never been rebuilt) was able to hang with him down low. Mid-range and top-end are not close at all -- the 850 pulls away hard.

If you like Ski-Doo, I think you'll enjoy the new chassis, but based on my first-hand experiences, the 850 is not in the same league as the Yammie when it comes to power.

--edited to add photo of my riding group--
If you look at the photo, you can see three sleds that are listed in my bio, and you can also see the 850 that I mentioned in my second paragraph.
 

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#67 ·
This whole post is biased nonsense, not one of those is true, this aint 2003 anymore. A stock Viper non turbo with the 130 Genesis has incredible 0-90MPH performance and are super reliable, and it had engine breaking tech like most 4 strokes now have.

And the comment about 121 being easy to dig out is silly, 121s suck on the trail, not enough track to go over bumps and no off trail capability.
 
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