Sled Cosmetics. Do you care about looks?

Dragonalain

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I used to care until this happened .8 of a mile on the odometer. The first one always hurts Now I'm just hard on equipment. But I have never had a day cut short from a mech issue. Most sleds that venture further than 1 mile from the cabin have a few dings.






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summit1974

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I used to care until this happened .8 of a mile on the odometer. The first one always hurts Now I'm just hard on equipment. But I have never had a day cut short from a mech issue. Most sleds that venture further than 1 mile from the cabin have a few dings.







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You must have just missed the opening in them there trees..lol
 

tmo1620

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Just ride it and fix as things are broken. I ride mine hard and keep it mechanically sound, wraps and pretty powder coating is a huge waste of money and like previously said is a women thing. Bark marks and scratches are how a mountain sled should look and running like a top is how they should sound. Now as for broken plastics, they stay broke until new plastics arrive, nothing says redneck hillbilly like a guy riding a sled that has busted and stiched up panels because hes to cheap to buy new ones. Frankly its getting pretty pathetic at how many people are willing to spend thousands on cosmetics and looking good to go sit at the cabin and talk about the highmark they did 3 years ago
 

Boobage

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I dont care much about scratches. Although a panel held together with duct tape would bother me and get replaced :) Main thing for me is having everything as clean as close to new as possible. I can be very OCD about little oil spills and i spend far to much time removing all the belt dust from nooks and crannies like with wire looms etc. It also seems you find issues as you're digging all around with a terry towel and plastic detailer. :)
 

css

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I used to care how my sleds looked, you know polished tunnels everything powerdcoated etc, then I met some new riding buddies(Dragonalain) and learnt really fast that shiny sleds have no room in there style of riding, Now i wish i could buy a sled with flat black panels that come pre scratched. I now concentrate my time on making my sled more reliable,mechanically sound and set up for my type of riding. To each there own i still gawk and love seeing all the shiny stuff up there. As long as your on the Hill with a smile on your face I guess it just dosent matter.

I used to care until this happened .8 of a mile on the odometer. The first one always hurts Now I'm just hard on equipment. But I have never had a day cut short from a mech issue. Most sleds that venture further than 1 mile from the cabin have a few dings.






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MOMMA

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Meh... I don't think it's a generalization kind of thing.. ohhhhh you're not a real rider IF you wrap you sled and make it look great. To each their own...
I've met many a "real rider" who couldn't give 2 farts about what their sled looks like.. and many a "real rider" that Loves to creat an original looking sled, rep the company they own or work for, etc..
It's a sled.. they all go braaap and they all hopefully create Chit eating grins, great times with great peeps.

Frick ya... I LOVE wrapping my sled.. is it because I'm a chick? Perhaps.. OR I just love to be unique, and not look like everyone else. How I roll. I also love the fact that after the season is over, we can take that wrap off and tadaaaaaaaaaaaaa... brand new panels. I tend to molest foliage and bark frequently. Even my clothing is bark stained already. Good times Good times.

If I could afford Powder coating... I'd do that too.. I could say.... oooo it repels snow.. but really It looks great! I like it. Do what you love, ride hard, smile lots.. and don't be afraid of someone deeming you "a poser" or "not a real rider". It's a freakin sled. do what makes you Happy happy happy..
 

Big_Guy

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Someone should make a sled wrap that looks like Tuck tape and so if I hit something or crack something throw a piece of Tuck tape over the spot and it will look brand new again..
 

Popik

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I keep mine clean and tidy. Ride it as hard as my ability allows and always make sure to push out of my comfort zone at least once a day but i also stopped at a cabin early this year and saw 10-12 other sleds that looked exactly the same as mine so i ordered a wrap that evening and love it.
 

2Quickrides

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I wrapped my new tunnel, swapped my boards, swapped the seat, and pealed some decals mostly for looks (though the wrap and boards had utility intentions as well) but that's as far as it went and the last time I cared. Less than 100 miles were on it when the seat got a tear (branch) and the boards got some scratches and a big dent (rock while sidehilling).

I would never shy away from somewhere for fear of scratching a sled. Hell, half the time you end up rolling it over or parking it on it's side on purpose!
 

lilduke

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Hey I like to look good,, scratches add character though. My baby 2014 freeride
 

polaris011

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I can't afford fixing every little thing so I fix what has to be fixed as cheap as possible I buy used parts whenever I can:.. The more I spend on the sled is less time I actually get to ride it... In the horse world the saying goes it gets rode hard and put away wet
 

tmo1620

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I know a guy like that, always looking for the cheap way to fix things, used parts, leaving little things long enough it becomes a big thing etc........... I myself and alot of his other buddies wont ride with him anymore due to his POS always breaking down and ruining good days of sledding, rode with him 5 times so far and hes ruined 4 of those days because me or someone else has had to spend most of our day towing him out or home, if you barely can afford to fix things maybe sledding isn't exactly the best hobby to choose, either that or get a better job, it is Alberta.........money is easy to make


I can't afford fixing every little thing so I fix what has to be fixed as cheap as possible I buy used parts whenever I can:.. The more I spend on the sled is less time I actually get to ride it... In the horse world the saying goes it gets rode hard and put away wet
 

polaris011

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Funny bud but we put on over 4000 km last year riding revy ... Maybe I should say I can't justify putting brand new a arms on when there are rich oil guys selling there take offs for less then half because they want it to be a certain color or instead of spending how much money on putting new plastic on when its cracked and a little baler wire for 20 cents will fix it just fine ... I don't waste money on crap that is way over priced is rather just ride and burn gas
 

tmo1620

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Take offs are a lil different then used parts, the way you word it makes someone think you buy parts from a wrecker or something, Im not an oilfield guy either and work hard for my money, but im also not gonna roll around with a bent a arm until I find a scoocum deal on kijiji or something like that. Ive ridden with guys who are bitching that their belt is wet and slipping and bitch all day, then you look at their sled and the panel is duct taped up and warped so it doesnt fit right so of course snow is gonna funnell in there


Funny bud but we put on over 4000 km last year riding revy ... Maybe I should say I can't justify putting brand new a arms on when there are rich oil guys selling there take offs for less then half because they want it to be a certain color or instead of spending how much money on putting new plastic on when its cracked and a little baler wire for 20 cents will fix it just fine ... I don't waste money on crap that is way over priced is rather just ride and burn gas
 

polaris011

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Hey not going to lie got some duck tape on the sled !!!the crap that needs fixed gets it the rest is pieced together with whatever I can make work
 

polaris011

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I should say don't knock duck tape a buddy rode a week with his sled like this cuz he could get parts had to build the air box and everything out of tape work pretty good actually
 

tmo1620

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Nope it does work as a short term thing but this guy I referred to was riding over an entire season like that, duct tape saved us a couple times last year, the most versatile tool in my pack most of the time



I should say don't knock duck tape a buddy rode a week with his sled like this cuz he could get parts had to build the air box and everything out of tape work pretty good actually
 

Iamcatman

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I love a good looking sled. Most of all though, it has to perform perfectly all the time. I have some tears in the frog skins, and a seam starting to come apart on the seat, and a fugly cyclops light mounted to the handlebars, because the LED one didnt work right. Every part that is painted has cracks in the paint, from stressing. I am prolly going to get all the painted parts powder coated this summer, just to cover up the rust. This is only the start of the fourth season on this sled, and almost have 9000 km on her. regardless, I always carry tie wire and zip ties, just to be safe. I consider myself lucky, as I have never had to open this engine. Having said that, I have invested quite a bit of money to lighten it up, and give it more power, and change it to a flat black and green.
 

Bogger

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I love a good looking sled. Most of all though, it has to perform perfectly all the time. I have some tears in the frog skins, and a seam starting to come apart on the seat, and a fugly cyclops light mounted to the handlebars, because the LED one didnt work right. Every part that is painted has cracks in the paint, from stressing. I am prolly going to get all the painted parts powder coated this summer, just to cover up the rust. This is only the start of the fourth season on this sled, and almost have 9000 km on her. regardless, I always carry tie wire and zip ties, just to be safe. I consider myself lucky, as I have never had to open this engine. Having said that, I have invested quite a bit of money to lighten it up, and give it more power, and change it to a flat black and green.

Not everyone rides cat... expectations are relative....

My last sled was beat to fawk and I wasn't willing to invest a ton of cash into new plastics & straight parts but was always reliable

The new one is same sled but much prettier, I will replace broken parts (already need a bumper) but I'm not concerned about scratches/cracks/bends
 
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