Having trouble deciding on sled purchase ?

[bjd68]

So been mountain riding for about 6 years and have had 4 doos and want to change it up due to reliability mostly ?
So I’ve narrowed it down to a 2017 Yamaha sidewinder with 500 Kms and cr racing exhaust, cr boards, and clutching! Or a 2018 arctic cat mountain cat 162 brand new!

Both machine are priced within the same at $14000 plus tax

So I was dead set on the sidewinder because I have ridden the 2017 for a day on the power tour and really liked it, power was awesome and handling was pretty good considering it’s weight!
I have both Yamaha and arctic cat dealer close to me but one thing I just found out is my two local dealers stopped handling Yamaha snowmobiles which the dealers said they just never sold enough of them to keep handling them !

So dealer support is still there, just don’t sell the sidewinders anymore, I don’t know how that would affect me if I needed something worked on!

The 2018 mountian cat I have never ridden and have never been on a cat so I guess the mountian cat would be similar handling to the sidewinder just way lighter ?

I also mostly ride trees but do the odd long pull!

For u sidewinder guys that are on here am I better off with a 18 sidewinder because of the drop and roll or could I just update the shocks to the qs3 and call it good ?

Also maybe there’s someone on here that Rides both the 18 cat and sidewinder , what are ur impressions of riding both !

Biggest thing for me is I want to be able to ride trouble free for a few years!
Thanks for any input !

 

[takethebounce]

I can't comment on the Sidewinder, and if that is the type of sled you feel you would enjoy for tree riding vs a Cat or your previous Doo's then have at it but $14000 plus tax for a 18 Cat sounds about $2500-3000 high for a left over in stock sled.

 

[bjd68]

I can't comment on the Sidewinder, and if that is the type of sled you feel you would enjoy for tree riding vs a Cat or your previous Doo's then have at it but $14000 plus tax for a 18 Cat sounds about $2500-3000 high for a left over in stock sled.

That’s the best price I could find at Vernon Motorsports! If anyone else seen a better price please let me know ?

 

[Lund]

So been mountain riding for about 6 years and have had 4 doos and want to change it up due to reliability mostly ?
So I’ve narrowed it down to a 2017 Yamaha sidewinder with 500 Kms and cr racing exhaust, cr boards, and clutching! Or a 2018 arctic cat mountain cat 162 brand new!

Both machine are priced within the same at $14000 plus tax

So I was dead set on the sidewinder because I have ridden the 2017 for a day on the power tour and really liked it, power was awesome and handling was pretty good considering it’s weight!
I have both Yamaha and arctic cat dealer close to me but one thing I just found out is my two local dealers stopped handling Yamaha snowmobiles which the dealers said they just never sold enough of them to keep handling them !

So dealer support is still there, just don’t sell the sidewinders anymore, I don’t know how that would affect me if I needed something worked on!

The 2018 mountian cat I have never ridden and have never been on a cat so I guess the mountian cat would be similar handling to the sidewinder just way lighter ?

I also mostly ride trees but do the odd long pull!

For u sidewinder guys that are on here am I better off with a 18 sidewinder because of the drop and roll or could I just update the shocks to the qs3 and call it good ?

Also maybe there’s someone on here that Rides both the 18 cat and sidewinder , what are ur impressions of riding both !

Biggest thing for me is I want to be able to ride trouble free for a few years!
Thanks for any input !

Well i might be able to direct you but the final decision is yours. I have lots of experience with both, i have rode both alot and really like both. So no matter what you decide you won't be disappointed.
As for reliability it will be the difference in the engines only as the chassis are of the same blood line. Engine wise it will be very difficult for any 2 stroke to put up what a 4 stroke will for turn key reliability. The Yamaha will breeze through 10,000+km with out you ever even changing the spark plugs, they are that good.
The new Cat motor is exactly that new, only one true season under its belt but it has shown to be very solid so far and IMO has proven better then some other 2 stroke out there. In the long run, time will tell.
Personally i think it will be solid, the 18 i ride belong's to a close friend and i ride it when ever i want. We installed a Sidekick turbo on it last season and it has less then 500km on it. Voided the warranty and that show's my confidence in it.
I have personally seen engine failure in the 18's but all related to the air intake and snow/water ingestion, once that is remedied no issues.

For handling in tight trees the Cat will be all over the Sidewinder and at the end of the day the Cat won't beat you up nearly as much but anywhere else the Sidewinder is flat out king. They don't compare for power and in extra deep pow the Sidewinder will leave the Cat behind, the power advantage allow's the Sidewinder to get up on the snow faster and put on track speeds that the Cat needs almost twice the space to do. This allows the Sidewinder to crest hill's in the deep that the Cat cannot.
On regular snow days that is where you notice the difference in weight, jumping from one to the other and on those day's the Cat will easily run with the Sidewinder unless you decide to go chute climb or hit the big steep stuff.
What it really boils down to, is what you prefer, there will be a sacrifice to be made either way.

BTW, we installed a turbo on to my buds 18 so he could keep up, basically climbing over instead of going around. So something to think about is the guys you ride with.

The model year of Sidewinder to me depends on the deal you can get and what your looking for. Sometimes a big saving will allow you to upgrade better then what the newer stock model offer's but then some upgrade require mechanical skill's to get it done or more $$$.
I bought my Winder in a crate new as a BTX 153" and turned it into what it is today for less then what you can buy one today. I can also tell you at 100% that it is a better Sidewinder for my type of riding then any 2019 model would be.

Hope that helps

 

[mountianguy]

If you are mostly in the trees the Cat is the way to go, you will thank yourself at the end of the day. The 18 + Cats require way less effort and the winner is the rider. For me there are some must do's to the Cat: intake kit, replace the aluminum gear with steel and the steering bushing upgrade. The Cat is the best sled out of the box right now, adjust shock pressure and ride. Do yourself a favor and ride a new Cat before you buy, rent one if you have to. They are different than the Doo and it may not be right for you. The 14 K might be in line with whats out there as it depends what it is. I did see a 153 for 12 K. The 162 is 500 more and e start is more, depends on the warranty, accessories etc.

 

[bjd68]

Well i might be able to direct you but the final decision is yours. I have lots of experience with both, i have rode both alot and really like both. So no matter what you decide you won't be disappointed.
As for reliability it will be the difference in the engines only as the chassis are of the same blood line. Engine wise it will be very difficult for any 2 stroke to put up what a 4 stroke will for turn key reliability. The Yamaha will breeze through 10,000+km with out you ever even changing the spark plugs, they are that good.
The new Cat motor is exactly that new, only one true season under its belt but it has shown to be very solid so far and IMO has proven better then some other 2 stroke out there. In the long run, time will tell.
Personally i think it will be solid, the 18 i ride belong's to a close friend and i ride it when ever i want. We installed a Sidekick turbo on it last season and it has less then 500km on it. Voided the warranty and that show's my confidence in it.
I have personally seen engine failure in the 18's but all related to the air intake and snow/water ingestion, once that is remedied no issues.

For handling in tight trees the Cat will be all over the Sidewinder and at the end of the day the Cat won't beat you up nearly as much but anywhere else the Sidewinder is flat out king. They don't compare for power and in extra deep pow the Sidewinder will leave the Cat behind, the power advantage allow's the Sidewinder to get up on the snow faster and put on track speeds that the Cat needs almost twice the space to do. This allows the Sidewinder to crest hill's in the deep that the Cat cannot.
On regular snow days that is where you notice the difference in weight, jumping from one to the other and on those day's the Cat will easily run with the Sidewinder unless you decide to go chute climb or hit the big steep stuff.
What it really boils down to, is what you prefer, there will be a sacrifice to be made either way.

BTW, we installed a turbo on to my buds 18 so he could keep up, basically climbing over instead of going around. So something to think about is the guys you ride with.

The model year of Sidewinder to me depends on the deal you can get and what your looking for. Sometimes a big saving will allow you to upgrade better then what the newer stock model offer's but then some upgrade require mechanical skill's to get it done or more $$$.
I bought my Winder in a crate new as a BTX 153" and turned it into what it is today for less then what you can buy one today. I can also tell you at 100% that it is a better Sidewinder for my type of riding then any 2019 model would be.

Hope that helps

thanks Lund I was hoping u would chime in, I seen ur build and been following some of the sidewinder threads and looks like u guys are having a great time making it ur own!

My my riding buddies are on xms and t3 !
Anyways sounds like I will have a blast on both so I guess it will come down to the deal I can get! Not much fore sale right now are far as low Km cats or winders !

 

[bjd68]

If you are mostly in the trees the Cat is the way to go, you will thank yourself at the end of the day. The 18 + Cats require way less effort and the winner is the rider. For me there are some must do's to the Cat: intake kit, replace the aluminum gear with steel and the steering bushing upgrade. The Cat is the best sled out of the box right now, adjust shock pressure and ride. Do yourself a favor and ride a new Cat before you buy, rent one if you have to. They are different than the Doo and it may not be right for you. The 14 K might be in line with whats out there as it depends what it is. I did see a 153 for 12 K. The 162 is 500 more and e start is more, depends on the warranty, accessories etc.

thanks for the reply ! I know the cat is going to be way different handling than the doo but I figure it’s something I will get use to ! As far as the deal for $13950 plus tax that is for a 2018 arctic cat mountian cat 162 1 year warranty , non es

 

[Lund]

One place you might want to check is Valley Motorsports in Kelowna, at McCurdy and 97. They are the Cat dealer in Kelowna and Shawn is the guy to talk to.
They are pretty competitive with Vernon with pricing.

 

[T-top]

The cat more multi-purpose than sidewinder. 1 year warranty pretty short, my 18’s on it’s 3rd engine...would absolutely never recommend Vernon Motorsports to anyone EVER! Have a list of nightmare experiences with their service department

 

[ferniesnow]

....... but $14000 plus tax for a 18 Cat sounds about $2500-3000 high for a left over in stock sled.

I agree with takethebounce. Price seems out to lunch on a left over '18. Even if you got 3-4 years of warranty it is quite a bit too much from what it appears they are selling for in the eastern part of the province.

Just for comparison, I met a guy yesterday with an '18 G4 175 for $12,000 out the door. I have seen them with my own eyes sitting on a dealer's floor in that $12,000 range. Shop around and see what you find. All it is, is a phone call or two.

 

[bjd68]

One place you might want to check is Valley Motorsports in Kelowna, at McCurdy and 97. They are the Cat dealer in Kelowna and Shawn is the guy to talk to.
They are pretty competitive with Vernon with pricing.

Thanks will do !

 

[Lund]

The cat more multi-purpose than sidewinder. 1 year warranty pretty short, my 18’s on it’s 3rd engine...would absolutely never recommend Vernon Motorsports to anyone EVER! Have a list of nightmare experiences with their service department

I agree with this statement, Vernon motor sport has lost touch with the snowmobiling community, with the lost of Yamaha guru Nick King and Erik Anderson in sales they don't have the experience or knowledge. I put the blame on the ownership. Randy, he is more into the motorcycle world, he told me this himself so everything else will fall into place if the head doesn't care.
Did you ever find out why the engine keeps failing?
They do have an air intake issue.

 

[Lund]

Thanks will do !

I'm not up on pricing of new hold over sled's but i have to agree with the price of the Cat seem's little high.
Winders are the most expensive sled on the market and selling for nearly 20,000, so snatching one for 14 seem appropriate.

 

[bjd68]

Well guys I have talked to two different dealers and the cheapest was $13 800 plus tax! U guys are talking B.C. right? maybe alberta is a bit cheaper but around these parts I have not seen anything around that price range! I just talked to my local dealer yesterday again and they had a Demo 18 mountain cat 162 with 400 kms listed for 12 grand but that was a demo and it was sold now he said !

So ill make a few more calls tuesday!

 

[Trukker]

Well guys I have talked to two different dealers and the cheapest was $13 800 plus tax! U guys are talking B.C. right? maybe alberta is a bit cheaper but around these parts I have not seen anything around that price range! I just talked to my local dealer yesterday again and they had a Demo 18 mountain cat 162 with 400 kms listed for 12 grand but that was a demo and it was sold now he said !

So ill make a few more calls tuesday!

I saw a 18 SW 50th LE for sale on the Island with low km . Think the guy was asking 14000

 

[DeNytroguy]

Well guys I have talked to two different dealers and the cheapest was $13 800 plus tax! U guys are talking B.C. right? maybe alberta is a bit cheaper but around these parts I have not seen anything around that price range! I just talked to my local dealer yesterday again and they had a Demo 18 mountain cat 162 with 400 kms listed for 12 grand but that was a demo and it was sold now he said !

So ill make a few more calls tuesday!

Shuswap Extreme in Salmon Arm has a 17 mountain cat 162 brand new $14000 all in.

 

[bjd68]

I saw a 18 SW 50th LE for sale on the Island with low km . Think the guy was asking 14000

Did u see where it was posted? sounds like a good deal?

 

[bjd68]

Shuswap Extreme in Salmon Arm has a 17 mountain cat 162 brand new $14000 all in.

Ya but thats a 17 big differences between the 17 and 18! Would only want one with the ctec

 

[Lund]

Ya but thats a 17 big differences between the 17 and 18! Would only want one with the ctec

I hear you but if your looking for proven reliability don't look any further for a 2 stroke. The Suzuk is the most reliable 2 stroke sled engine ever made, the new Ctech has some pretty big shoes to fill to match that reputation. My wife ride's a 17 and when we bought it i had the option to go with the 18 but like you reliability is foremost important so we went with the proven one.

 

[Lunch_Box]

Shuswap Extreme in Salmon Arm has a 17 mountain cat 162 brand new $14000 all in.

That seems high, going for the $11000 +tax in Alberta.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...st/1403807350?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true