Best Sled--Thoughts...

[secretspot]

Guys and gals,

I am in the research mode for a new sled.  I will admit I am not a gearhead. 

A friend owns a Polaris/Yamaha dealership so I will be buying through him.  I know many on here are ski-doo fans and I understand that.  I am leaning towards a Yamaha Venture Lite MP.  Here are the specs:  http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelspecs/667/0/specs.aspx.  Anyone have one or thinking of purchasing one?  I have read they are a little short on power...but I am not looking to go 120 mph.  Anyway, I'm open to suggestions but here are my must have's (if possible and in order of importance). 

1) It needs to be able to pull a jet sled/tag sled through deep snow and slush.  I do a lot of Northern Maine fishing and the slush can get bad.  Something with a longer track.  No idea how the Venture would do pulling something heavy...
2) Needs to be light...
3) Must be a two-up and comfortable.  My wife is my fishing partner.
4) I do minimal trail riding...mostly ice fishing but I would like a sled that can do both, well.  I do like to play around on the sled while I am waiting on flags.
5) I believe the Venture is liquid cooled...I really wanted a fan-cooled motor as we do travel roads for short distances.
6) Good on gas.

Additional things to consider:

I like to have a pull cord backup...as the batteries do go dead.

Thoughts?

[gamefisher]

Guys and gals,

I am in the research mode for a new sled.  I will admit I am not a gearhead. 

A friend owns a Polaris/Yamaha dealership so I will be buying through him.  I know many on here are ski-doo fans and I understand that.  I am leaning towards a Yamaha Venture Lite MP.  Here are the specs:  http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelspecs/667/0/specs.aspx.  Anyone have one or thinking of purchasing one?  I have read they are a little short on power...but I am not looking to go 120 mph.  Anyway, I'm open to suggestions but here are my must have's (if possible and in order of importance). 

1) It needs to be able to pull a jet sled/tag sled through deep snow and slush.  I do a lot of Northern Maine fishing and the slush can get bad.  Something with a longer track.  No idea how the Venture would do pulling something heavy...
2) Needs to be light...
3) Must be a two-up and comfortable.  My wife is my fishing partner.
4) I do minimal trail riding...mostly ice fishing but I would like a sled that can do both, well.  I do like to play around on the sled while I am waiting on flags.
5) I believe the Venture is liquid cooled...I really wanted a fan-cooled motor as we do travel roads for short distances.
6) Good on gas.

Additional things to consider:

I like to have a pull cord backup...as the batteries do go dead.

Thoughts?

Fairly loaded question, kind of a ford / chevy thing.  I know Smeltslayer has a Venture Lite (liquid / 4 stroke) and believe he is happy with it.  On the other, Loves to Fish has a Bearcat 570XT (fan / 2 stroke) and seems  equally as happy.  There are also people that swear by Tundra's / Skandik's even though the 550 motor has been an issue as of late.  (A couple used on C.L. right now if interested)

Personally, I think the model you are looking at would make a fine all around sled but I am a die hard Yammie guy..... everything else is well.... everything else.   Good luck.

[secretspot]

Gamefisher,

Thanks for your response.  I knew it was a bit loaded when I asked it but I am curious to hear feedback from people who own these machines.

My father-in-law has a Tundra and it rides like a buckboard.  It is an older model but the point is that I would like something that is comfortable on the trail as well if I want to go out for a few hours.

[toguetaker]

I have a 2005 Ski-Doo Expedition with th 550 fan. It is a two up sled (two up seat can be removed) with all the right running gear to make it an awesome fishing sled as well.

[gamefisher]

Gamefisher,

Thanks for your response.  I knew it was a bit loaded when I asked it but I am curious to hear feedback from people who own these machines.

My father-in-law has a Tundra and it rides like a buckboard.  It is an older model but the point is that I would like something that is comfortable on the trail as well if I want to go out for a few hours.

I have liquids simply because I like to ride some too as well as fish.  Having said that, there are times when I wish I still had a fan for pulling shacks / minimal snow, etc.  Both the Venture and Bearcat are similar money.

[secretspot]

Gamefisher,

May be a dumb question...liquids are better for riding...and fans are better for pulling?  Why is that?

[gamefisher]

Gamefisher,

May be a dumb question...liquids are better for riding...and fans are better for pulling?  Why is that?

Not a dumb question - liquids are a little snappier, can run in warmer temp. (coolant) Free air cools as the sled hits the cooler temps while moving.  Major problem with liquids is running on the lake with no / little snow and overheating.  If I only icefished, which is 90% of what I do, I'd have a fan. 

[JDK]

Also, gamefisher failed to mention that with his liquid cooled sled, you can easily follow your trail back to camp after 1 too many saucepans.

[mike1]

I loved my Yamaha trail sleds I put 10k on a couple of 2strokes, that being said, for ice fishing only I would go with a fan. Also the Venture Lite is really not that light. and out in the middle of the Lake filled with the track full of slush it will weigh a ton. Skidoo makes some nice fans, check out the sport touring and Expedition Sport, also 4strokes are electric start only, if you go to remote places in extreme conditions a dead battery can be a drag!   Really though I think most of the new sleds are great, I'd be happy w/any of them!  If money was not an issue  I'd put tracks on a quad....

[TinyTim]

I just have some thoughts on the dead battery comments...
I was surprised this summer when I traded my bike for a new wheeler that  it didn't have pull start, a foolish move on polaris' part I think. Not sure if it's the same with the sleds these days.
On that note though, I plan to buy a mobile jump starter just to have on hand. They are a lot cheaper then they were a few years ago. Better then being stranded if no one is around to give ya a jump if your battery dies.

[jacksmelt71]

I have a 2005 Ski-Doo Expedition with th 550 fan. It is a two up sled (two up seat can be removed) with all the right running gear to make it an awesome fishing sled as well.

    i have the same sled in '06. got track picked and its a tank. very good in the slush. no engine problems.  the new tundras w 156in. track look like a good sled. polaris has a iq lxt 550 2up seater looks like would make a good affordable fishing / riding sled. has a rack on back also.

[gamefisher]

Also, gamefisher failed to mention that with his liquid cooled sled, you can easily follow your trail back to camp after 1 too many saucepans.

Just trying to help out.

[Fishin_Chip]

I purchased a new Yamaha Venture Multipurpose in Jan 2009.  It was a very comfortable sled to ride, but it is crazy heavy.  The main reason that I no longer own it though is because of the muffler inside the tunnel.  It does make for a great cargo space on the rear tunnel, but it also causes huge ice build up inside the tunnel.  Every day you need to bang on the tunnel with a rubber mallet, dig out the slush with a hockey stick, or run the machine for 30 minutes to melt out the built up slush around the muffler.  If you miss a chunk, and it comes loose the next day, boy does that cause a commotion!  I sold my Yamaha after a season and a half, Bought a Skidoo XU Tundra with a 550 fan.  Nice sled, but the 550 is a gas pig, 90 miles to a tank, max.  The narrow front end was not the best when traveling with other sleds, anything over 30 mph or so was an adventure.  Last year I sold the Tundra and replaced it with a 2012 Expedition Sport ACE.  By far the best all purpose sled of the three!  ACE gets over 200 miles to the tank, is quiet and plenty peppy.  Expedition chassis has a ton of room for cargo, and a 2-up option as well.  ACE seems pretty trouble free so far, both from my experience as well as the forums.  If you don't mind a heavy sled, and the tunnel icing thing doesn't faze you, you will probably like the Yammy.  If not, I would definitely look at the ACE.  Good luck!

[Big Burk]

I've owned free air, fan and liquid cooled sleds and got a couple points that may help with your choice. Fan cooled are great because they require very little snow to run and are very straight forward motors, but I have overheated my old sled in the spring ice fishing pulling 200lbs of gear numerous times. Liquid cooled sleds do require snow to cool but if your riding in an area with little snow throw a set of scratchers onto the sled. With a set of scratchers on the skis and skid you can ride on very very little snow and almost bare ice with the plus of not overheating on the warm days. If you don't get enough snow for the scratchers to work buying a snowmobile is a waste of money and much better investment in a UTV or ATV. The new yamaha ventures are solid and very comfortable sleds, one of the friends to the family has one and has beat the living snot on it and has pulled a lot of weight through the forest here in northern sask, if I was in the market for a sled like this the venture would be top choice followed by the bearcat