2003Summit
Active VIP Member
Was in mcbride this weekend. Mine is an X 800 152" track. First impressions and problems...
Performs extremely well. This thing goes where ever you want to go. Was riding with some 2001 doos and a 144" rev. I was puttering around at 1/4 to half throttle in places where the rev was harder on the gas and the 01's were pinned. I was able to get guys un-stuck then ride out through there holes and up the hill (just showing off of course). The one time we had to lift my sled, to turn around on a goat trail, the two guys that were helping me literally threw the track up on me because they did not realize it really was that light. I was gunna idle and stop in the sh*t beside a couple of really stuck yammies and ask if they had a light but couldn't bring my self to do it.
Saw lots of other XPs but did not see a stuck or broke one.
Was a bit cold on the chest and hands with that little tiny windshield. The bigger windshield on the other sleds looks a bit dumb, but where is the line between comfortable and looking cool? Also note that the big windshield will probably never survive a roll over in the powder.
The stupid tunnel design that I was complaining about seams to have a really serious advantage. All the other sleds, including a 07 rev all had lots of ice on the back part of the running boards, this is melted snow coming off the top of warm tunnel and running down the sides, mixing with more snow and making piles of ice. My sled was dry. The water seams to run down under the tank and fall out in the engine bay somewhere. Works really great. And these running boards are amazing. I did not have to cat scratch or break ice or do anything. There was just never any snow on them when I looked down and eveyone else was off their sleds cleaning theirs.
The electronic instrements worked pretty good. The altimiter seamed ok, does not always update every second but does show the current alititide pretty close. The compass is not perfect, but does work. It flips around a bit, NE, NW, N, S, N, NE, N type of thing, pretty much means you are maybe going north. Much better than a stick in the mud if there is no sun and you are lost. Plus it helps you keep your bearings when running around new areas.
Had bought the doo bar/riser bag with the 3 watt heater in it for your electronic gadgets in it. Works pretty good, keeps the stuff warm if it's right against the heater, and the stuff that's not right against it is at least not really cold. However, with like no storage on this sled at all, and no place to put anything anywhere, I want a bigger bag. After seeing the doo bag, anyone can make one by simply sticking a 3w grip heater to a square of aluminum and tossing it in a bag. It's a great idea and looks good, just not big enough for me.
I moved my bars back a bit, dealer had them standing strait up and they felt almost too far forward. However, with the bars back a bit (I moved them back about 3"), because the foot wells are so far forward on this sled I can see they need to go a bit more forward than I have them now. Might get used to it, will see.
Kept the grips on low throughout the weekend and they worked fine, put them on high half way through the last day and left grip is gone now and right grip hardly gets warm (didn't take long). Every one else in the hot tub said they lost there’s at about 120miles.
My clickers came from the dealer set on 1. My RPM's where about 8150 to 8200 climbing any time I looked at the digital so I left them. I looked at my max RPM and at some point I hit 8300 but couldn't tell you when.
Clutch runs hot. Trail riding or light riding and you can not hold hand to the primary for more than about 1/2 a second. Did work out great for drying out goggles. Belt still looks like new, but I have been pretty easy on it. Hardest run I did was about 7/8 throttle for about 10 seconds. Longer runs at 1/2 to 3/4. 2001 800 Summits were pinned or stuck on these runs. Although the belt still looks really good, there is a lot of belt dust in there, I think it is wearing faster than it should be. I must have about 250miles on it by now. I don't think I will get my usual 2000 with it running this way. Belt is thinner, adjusted it back up before last day.
Something of note: Because these sleds will climb and climb where others would probably just get stuck or quit, I could see blowing belts fast if a guy wanted to climb everything. Some improvements in the clutch area and or backing off on the longer pulls are going to be needed to save belts.
I do notice the clutch has like no venting/air movement at all. Pop the side cover open a crack when resting and the heat just flows out. At first you cannot even put your hand on the clutch cover, never mind the primary. With the side cover just cracked an inch or so, the cluch cover is only warm to the touch after as little as 30 seconds. Gunna cut the stuff off the tool kit to improve air flow, remove plastic from belt cover, remove all foam from belt side sled side cover, put a vent on the top forward facing part of the side cover, and one on the back where the decal is and try that. I may just drill holes for the vents or find a couple of cheep vents, possibly like the one on the muffler side, I don't think it needs much. All this foam and plastic has been put in to reduce the noise level for certain certifications. I think it's a compromise that's causing some problems. With no air movement at all, the clutch is not going to cool when you run down hill, then on the next run it's going to get hotter yet, and not cool, then hotter, then really hot, then volcano hot...and you can see the problems.
However, all that said, one has to wonder how fully enclosed drive belts on super modifieds survive as well as they do? And what they do to achieve this? Only thing I can think of is they use set ups with much higher clamping force and harder belts. The only other thing I can think of is they probably don't want to tell us because it's a secret or just really expensive/tricky to do.
Also, for those that don't know, don't fill your oil such that it will sit overnight with more than 3/4 full. Doo made the tank with the vent tapped in about where it is 3/4 full. If you leave it sit, it will burp oil out the vent untill it's down this low (takes weeks, but it will burp it all out till it's down there). It makes a mess. You can see the vent tapped in on the back of the tank when looking in from the side, only fill over this level if you are riding that day (and will ride it down to below that level).
Performs extremely well. This thing goes where ever you want to go. Was riding with some 2001 doos and a 144" rev. I was puttering around at 1/4 to half throttle in places where the rev was harder on the gas and the 01's were pinned. I was able to get guys un-stuck then ride out through there holes and up the hill (just showing off of course). The one time we had to lift my sled, to turn around on a goat trail, the two guys that were helping me literally threw the track up on me because they did not realize it really was that light. I was gunna idle and stop in the sh*t beside a couple of really stuck yammies and ask if they had a light but couldn't bring my self to do it.
Saw lots of other XPs but did not see a stuck or broke one.Was a bit cold on the chest and hands with that little tiny windshield. The bigger windshield on the other sleds looks a bit dumb, but where is the line between comfortable and looking cool? Also note that the big windshield will probably never survive a roll over in the powder.
The stupid tunnel design that I was complaining about seams to have a really serious advantage. All the other sleds, including a 07 rev all had lots of ice on the back part of the running boards, this is melted snow coming off the top of warm tunnel and running down the sides, mixing with more snow and making piles of ice. My sled was dry. The water seams to run down under the tank and fall out in the engine bay somewhere. Works really great. And these running boards are amazing. I did not have to cat scratch or break ice or do anything. There was just never any snow on them when I looked down and eveyone else was off their sleds cleaning theirs.
The electronic instrements worked pretty good. The altimiter seamed ok, does not always update every second but does show the current alititide pretty close. The compass is not perfect, but does work. It flips around a bit, NE, NW, N, S, N, NE, N type of thing, pretty much means you are maybe going north. Much better than a stick in the mud if there is no sun and you are lost. Plus it helps you keep your bearings when running around new areas.
Had bought the doo bar/riser bag with the 3 watt heater in it for your electronic gadgets in it. Works pretty good, keeps the stuff warm if it's right against the heater, and the stuff that's not right against it is at least not really cold. However, with like no storage on this sled at all, and no place to put anything anywhere, I want a bigger bag. After seeing the doo bag, anyone can make one by simply sticking a 3w grip heater to a square of aluminum and tossing it in a bag. It's a great idea and looks good, just not big enough for me.
I moved my bars back a bit, dealer had them standing strait up and they felt almost too far forward. However, with the bars back a bit (I moved them back about 3"), because the foot wells are so far forward on this sled I can see they need to go a bit more forward than I have them now. Might get used to it, will see.
Kept the grips on low throughout the weekend and they worked fine, put them on high half way through the last day and left grip is gone now and right grip hardly gets warm (didn't take long). Every one else in the hot tub said they lost there’s at about 120miles.
My clickers came from the dealer set on 1. My RPM's where about 8150 to 8200 climbing any time I looked at the digital so I left them. I looked at my max RPM and at some point I hit 8300 but couldn't tell you when.
Clutch runs hot. Trail riding or light riding and you can not hold hand to the primary for more than about 1/2 a second. Did work out great for drying out goggles. Belt still looks like new, but I have been pretty easy on it. Hardest run I did was about 7/8 throttle for about 10 seconds. Longer runs at 1/2 to 3/4. 2001 800 Summits were pinned or stuck on these runs. Although the belt still looks really good, there is a lot of belt dust in there, I think it is wearing faster than it should be. I must have about 250miles on it by now. I don't think I will get my usual 2000 with it running this way. Belt is thinner, adjusted it back up before last day.
Something of note: Because these sleds will climb and climb where others would probably just get stuck or quit, I could see blowing belts fast if a guy wanted to climb everything. Some improvements in the clutch area and or backing off on the longer pulls are going to be needed to save belts.
I do notice the clutch has like no venting/air movement at all. Pop the side cover open a crack when resting and the heat just flows out. At first you cannot even put your hand on the clutch cover, never mind the primary. With the side cover just cracked an inch or so, the cluch cover is only warm to the touch after as little as 30 seconds. Gunna cut the stuff off the tool kit to improve air flow, remove plastic from belt cover, remove all foam from belt side sled side cover, put a vent on the top forward facing part of the side cover, and one on the back where the decal is and try that. I may just drill holes for the vents or find a couple of cheep vents, possibly like the one on the muffler side, I don't think it needs much. All this foam and plastic has been put in to reduce the noise level for certain certifications. I think it's a compromise that's causing some problems. With no air movement at all, the clutch is not going to cool when you run down hill, then on the next run it's going to get hotter yet, and not cool, then hotter, then really hot, then volcano hot...and you can see the problems.
However, all that said, one has to wonder how fully enclosed drive belts on super modifieds survive as well as they do? And what they do to achieve this? Only thing I can think of is they use set ups with much higher clamping force and harder belts. The only other thing I can think of is they probably don't want to tell us because it's a secret or just really expensive/tricky to do.
Also, for those that don't know, don't fill your oil such that it will sit overnight with more than 3/4 full. Doo made the tank with the vent tapped in about where it is 3/4 full. If you leave it sit, it will burp oil out the vent untill it's down this low (takes weeks, but it will burp it all out till it's down there). It makes a mess. You can see the vent tapped in on the back of the tank when looking in from the side, only fill over this level if you are riding that day (and will ride it down to below that level).
