Snowmobile Suggestions

TimberXX · Mar 6, 2012

I am considering purchasing my first snowmobile. I never realized how many trails there are close to New York City.

I am considering a Yamaha Venture touring sled, 2 stroke.

Any suggestions for buying a used sled? I have done some research online, but I trust the opinions here.

I wish I had a sled 2 years ago at my VA house. We got buried all winter long.

BleedingOrange · Mar 6, 2012

What year is the machine ? I believe Yamaha switched to mainly 4 strokes in 2003. I have an Arctic Cat and a Yamaha. Yamaha has excellent fit and finish, and very reliable motors. Make sure it has electric start, and reverse. They are heavy, but as long as you don,t have to slug it around, they are great machines.

TimberXX · Mar 6, 2012

I am open to 2 or 4 strokes to be honest, I just want a machine if abused a bit, can be rebuilt easily.

I really want an etec powered BRP, but they are too expensive. When did BRP start the etec motors?

firemech · Mar 6, 2012

Brp started Etec out boards in 2004, snowmobile engines in 2008 (full production 2009). My 2009 600 Etec renegade has 8,000 miles on it and gets about 25% better fuel economy than my wife's 600 fi Polaris, but it is a cold machine to ride, thats why my wife has a Polaris, but if I lost the Etec tomorrow, I would replace it with the exact same machine

Garandman · Nov 7, 2019

We had a 2005 Yamaha Venture RS 2 person sled. It was a carbureted 4 stroke. Good sled, very comfortable for two up. But those 2 person sleds are all big and heavy.

4 stroke engines last a looong time, you will be replacing Hyfax, tracks and suspension components two or three times before the engine needs work.

mikester · Nov 8, 2019

Garandman said:
We had a 2005 Yamaha Venture RS 2 person sled. It was a carbureted 4 stroke. Good sled, very comfortable for two up. But those 2 person sleds are all big and heavy.

4 stroke engines last a looong time, you will be replacing Hyfax, tracks and suspension components two or three times before the engine needs work.

Yamaha is a good brand and will run forever and has good parts availability. Venture has been around forever. Try to find a lower mileage unit. If I were in the market for a new sled Id consider 4 stroke...unless you like the smell of 2-stroke oil as aftershave.

For advice on looking at used just avoid the abused, stored outside, high mile units. Take a look at the bottom of the skis, the track drive sprockets and shocks for leaks. With our relatively mild winters the past 10 years there are a lot of low mile units available in the market. Best time to buy is springtime of course, sellers motivated not to store a unit another season.

Check the local dealerships for new but 1-2 year old unsold units. You can sometimes get a really good deal on a brand new machine that hasnt moved from inventory.