What did you start riding on?

[S.W.A.T.]

I bought the wife a 03 rmk 600 that she just loved and then last year upgraded to the 600 IQ that she loves even more, i even ride the 600 during early season tours and late season rides. They have enough power to take most girls all the places the want to be plus most of her friends ride 600's as well. New technology is by far more beneficial, the will be lighter and easier to handle. The test drive is key too, however throw a pink decal on it and most girls would ride anything, HAHA.

 

[white6]

well said modman. its great advice even for us ladies who are already riding! and ditto on starting your sled. its important to know how for emergency situations, plus it gets annoying walking around and starting 6sleds cause the guys pop off the hill and move on, leaving the girls on the trail lol.. starting was my biggest fear when i moved into an 800. i spent every night in the garage for almost a week practicing starting it lol and only this season could i start it one handed sometimes! but thanks again for the tips good reminders some of them lol

 

[Taminator]

I started on an 07 600 doo...sa-weet sled!!!! Wouldn't change it for anything...awesome sled to learn on...and even after you learn. Tons of jam and easy to handle...IMO. 144 track is great..but I personally wouldn't go with the HCR version with the wider ski stance, good for hillclimbers but not as nimble for boondocking etc.

Think I'm going to sell mine if you want to go doo!


Haha, white6...true dat...I LOVE sitting on my 600 and pulling casually (with my left arm lol) to start it while the others pull thier arms off starting the 800's Gonna miss that if I go with an 800....and electric fricken start is too heavy.

 

[white6]

true, would be a great sled!
BUT..
u should join the dark side n come to an 800 that left handed pull might take a bit of practice haha

 

[summitzx]

I just started about 3 winters ago. so pretty new. I was given a older sled (can't even remember what it was. just that it was a cat.) I do remember that it was gutless and I was freezing. I hated everything about sledding. I did not have the proper gear and all the people I was out with had newer faster sleds. So need less to say I felt a little envious and bumed out.

In my opinion.... get a few of people you go out ridding with out in a feild with a few diffrent styles and size sleds and see what she likes. There is nothing worse then someone telling you what you should ride and what size. I am sorry to say but some women get underestimated. My boyfriend has done this to me twice. I wanted a street bike and he talked me into a honda 125. I was sick of it in a week. I now have a Gxsr 600. As for the sled I got the propper gear and stole his sled and liked it better then the short track and smaller sleds. Then bought a 2002 summit 800 156 as my first sled.

I don't consider myself a supper small girl but I do weigh in at 120lbs. So not that big at all either. So like I said let her do a little seat testing. See what she likes and make her feel comfortable. Because if see feels pushed or uncomfortable you might just be buying a sled to sell a sled.

 

[0neoldfart]

Wife's first sled: a custom lightweight Ski-doo S-chassis with a fan-cooled 500 (bought new, and spent a bunch of $$$ on it to make it a great sled - some of you may have seen it at the Edmonton ASA show in 98 at West Country Leisure's booth - it was hemi orange) Next sled, a new 2004 Summit X 600 w/a 144" track - she loved that toboggan. Current sled: a 2008 A/C M8 with a ton of work done to it to lighten it up and improve performance & handling. (ie: MODS skis, Holz rear skid, Boss seat, etc.)
Rule of thumb: DO NOT buy junk for your significant other - if you are riding the latest and greatest - put her on an equal playing field. It really torques me that I see some dips*it on a new machine with a ton of extras (skis, suspension, etc), and he puts his wife on an old tank, and to top it off, wonders why she's sore after a day of riding, or is having trouble keeping up. She will enjoy the sledding experience a lot more if she's on decent iron, and remember to be supportive and understanding when she's learning - don't drag her up to advanced terrain and expect her to just follow you everywhere... a little patience and practice, and you may end up with the best riding partner you'll ever have. My 2 cents.

 

[goodngrubby]

Wife's first sled: a custom lightweight Ski-doo S-chassis with a fan-cooled 500 (bought new, and spent a bunch of $$$ on it to make it a great sled - some of you may have seen it at the Edmonton ASA show in 08 at West Country Leisure's booth - it was hemi orange) Next sled, a new 2004 Summit X 600 w/a 144" track - she loved that toboggan. Current sled: a 2008 A/C M8 with a ton of work done to it to lighten it up and improve performance & handling. (ie: MODS skis, Holz rear skid, Boss seat, etc.)
Rule of thumb: DO NOT buy junk for your significant other - if you are riding the latest and greatest - put her on an equal playing field. It really torques me that I see some dips*it on a new machine with a ton of extras (skis, suspension, etc), and he puts his wife on an old tank, and to top it off, wonders why she's sore after a day of riding, or is having trouble keeping up. She will enjoy the sledding experience a lot more if she's on decent iron, and remember to be supportive and understanding when she's learning - don't drag her up to advanced terrain and expect her to just follow you everywhere... a little patience and practice, and you may end up with the best riding partner you'll ever have. My 2 cents.

That's good advice. I did it...I regret it...I'm a d!ck...I'm sorry. I had a new Summit with all the cool goodies, and I give my wife a dinosaur that wasn't even close to right for the mountains. That was 10 years ago, and she still won't have anything to do with sledding because of it.

 

[whitegold]

That's good advice. I did it...I regret it...I'm a d!ck...I'm sorry. I had a new Summit with all the cool goodies, and I give my wife a dinosaur that wasn't even close to right for the mountains. That was 10 years ago, and she still won't have anything to do with sledding because of it.

Bummer!! If she only knew what she is missing.....

 

[skinnybitch]

That's good advice. I did it...I regret it...I'm a d!ck...I'm sorry. I had a new Summit with all the cool goodies, and I give my wife a dinosaur that wasn't even close to right for the mountains. That was 10 years ago, and she still won't have anything to do with sledding because of it.

Make sure that she is comfortable and warm too!!

 

[glengine]

The first sled i rode was one that i put together. It was a massey fregusen chasis with a doo single cylinder motor. I built this one when i was about 13years old. The first one that i took up the mountain was a 1977 Skidoo RV340. And then a modded everest500 long tracked 1 1/4 track, ported motor and such. Had a few others and now i ride a '08 M1000 with a few goodies.

 

[Timber_12]

Thanks for all the advice! I was almost leaning towards a 550 fan but I think a 600 rmk or m5 might be better. Would really like to find a rmk for a great price I think. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Timber_12]

New update! She'll be riding a 08 RMK 600 155 this year!!! So stoked and so is she!

 

[nursepwdr]

Awesome ...the more women riders the better !!

 

[snoqueen]

I can literally say I was raised on a sled....my Dad used to take me for rides on his old Skidoo....by 5 yrs old I was driving it on my own, and when I was 10 he fixed me up an old Jag 340, free air, I think it was a 1975 model, and I loved that old sled!! lol My next sled was a 1989 Jag AFS, then a 1991 Arctic Cat Prowler, then a 1993 Arctic Cat EXT 580...bought brand new off the show room floor, hubby put pink and green paddles on it and it was a hill climbing machine!! My next sled was a long track, (back then the 136" sleds were long tracks)....a 1994 EXT 580 EFI. Got out of sledding for a few years to raise kids...we did buy a 2000 Z120 for the kids to have fun on......lol

Then my next sled was a 2003 600 Mountain Cat with a 136" track, then a 2008 M6, now I have a 2008 M8 153 with a few mods....love the sled, love riding in the mountains whenever we can....my hubby has a 2010 M8 163 sno pro, my son has a 2008 M6 and my daughter has her little 340....she's a figure skater, not a real sledder, although I'm working on changing that!!

 

[tonykunz]

The first sled my girlfriend started on was a '98 Polaris Indy Trail RMK. It is a 488cc fan cooled sled. We put I bet 2000 miles that first year together on it.

 

[powderpilot]

I started on an 07 600 doo...sa-weet sled!!!! Wouldn't change it for anything...awesome sled to learn on...and even after you learn. Tons of jam and easy to handle...IMO. 144 track is great..but I personally wouldn't go with the HCR version with the wider ski stance, good for hillclimbers but not as nimble for boondocking etc.

Think I'm going to sell mine if you want to go doo!


Haha, white6...true dat...I LOVE sitting on my 600 and pulling casually (with my left arm lol) to start it while the others pull thier arms off starting the 800's Gonna miss that if I go with an 800....and electric fricken start is too heavy.

Nothing like rolling your 800 rev a couple of times then trying to pull it over! Electric start added 30 LBs so that was a no-brainer... They were so excited that they made the XP's 40 LBs lighter that they threw in a 30 LB option! BTW I said NO!!!

Yay for fuel injection!!! You'll pull the 8 over no prob Tam!

Timber
Glad you found a sled for your wife... I was going to suggest demoing all the different brands, since they handle so differently, but looks like your good to go!!! Have fun and be patient!

 

[jevs28]

not an 800 for sure. too much oomph for a beginner. a 600 rmk if its the new style, would be easy to maneuver for her, as they are pretty light. and might not scare her away from riding permanently.

 

[Bogger]

her name was sara.... we were young and foolish...