Ping Pong
08/02/2005, 21h45
http://www.maximumsled.com/maximumsled/snowmobile/articles_layout.asp?articleid=650&zoneid=17
In-Season Testing: 2005 Yamaha RX-1 ER
In a word from C. Montgomery Burns…”eggscellent”.
02/08/2005
TOP STORY
Shane Zeppelin
y the time this is published, the RX-1 will be a sled of the past. It will be gone. It will be history, however, it will NOT be forgotten. From the seeds planted by the RX-1, the lifeline of the fabulous four-stroke still lives. But the RX-1 is still a great sled at any price and will continue to be for many years. It has been established as the flagship snowmobile in the Yamaha line-up, and while I am excited about its replacement, I am sorry to see it leave.
The summer before Yamaha introduced the RX-1, I wrote several editorials about the idea of using four-stroke engines in snowmobiles. I got a lot of feedback on both sides; those doubting 4-strokes could perform and were too heavy, and those who have seen other sports go from two to four-stroke and could see the potential. Until Yamaha actually released the RX-1, the debate was alive and well. Yamaha proved that 4-strokes could perform in snowmobiles. The weight debate may still be out there, although I don’t think it’s as big of a deal as others might, but overall we know that the RX-1 and its 4-stroke engine are synonymous with performance.
The RX-1 has evolved since its debut in 2003, to the point that the ’05 seems like a new model. The ergonomics are better, the handling is better, the weight is lighter – just a better machine all around. This is not to say that the early RX-1’s can’t stand on their own with some minor improvements. But the RX-1 for 2005 brings with it a host of improvements for this rider’s tastes. So without further ado, here is my in-season RX-1 riding journal thus far.
Initial ride and set-up
It snowed about eight inches this week, but I didn’t have time to do much other than blow out the driveway. I made the necessary adjustments to the mono-shock suspension for my weight, and was itching to ride so I finally took the RX-1ER out for a spin. The sled stunk at first, like all new sleds during the “burn-in” period where paint and oil burn off the engine and exhaust.
Later that afternoon I replace the OEM headlights with a set of Brite-Lites, from Bluhm Enterprises. They make a difference as can be seen in the photo (the whiter light on the left is the Brite-Lite headlight bulb - the left image is low beams, the right is high beams). I was going for a night ride. The conditions were fair to poor, but there was enough snow to play in spots and keep the slides lubed and the engine cool. The RX-1 felt a little tight, but as the miles accumulated, it started to loosen up. I’m thinking to myself as I’m riding, “I really like this mono-shock suspension”. It seemed to transfer weight really well – the front was light when I hit the throttle and came down when I let off to turn. The skis bit well and even though there was a little ski lift, the sled never felt out of control.
We picked our Yamahas up at Hutchinson Motorsports. The service manager set the sled up for us. He mentioned they read Maximum Sled and know how we like our handlebars high and forward, so they set the handlebars as far up and forward as possible for us. This feels much better to me than the RX Warrior set-up we had last year and the RX-1 the year before. The new 2-inch higher seat also feels much better than the lower seat of ’04, but I would like to see about another 2” in the seat and in the handlebar position (Apex anyone…anyone?). With the handlebars set up forward, it is easier to do a stand-up ride than it was with last year’s Warrior. The wide running boards are also better and accommodate my feet for stand-up riding. I get tired when riding a long distance standing up, but I’m finding that in slower and more treacherous conditions, I can maneuver the sled better when standing. Plus, it gives my butt a rest. My tailbone gets sore when I ride, too. Must be all the sitting I do.
The entire time was ditch riding – no trails. Trails aren’t even groomed yet. We didn’t get that much snow. I put the sled away satisfied with the short ride I had. It was fun.
More ditch riding the next day
I was supposed to meet a small group of friends for a short ride. Only two showed up as the others had something come up. The three of us hit the ditches as the trails were still not groomed. The north and south ditches were full of drifts and powder. The east and west ditches had less snow. We rode along highway 22 north of Litchfield to county road 3 and followed that west to a small town called Manannah. From there we rode south to another small town, Grove City. We rode the ditch that follows highway 4. That ditch had full spots, deep with snow. It was great! I almost stuck the RX-1 as I put the brake on just before a drainage ditch into some deep snow, but staying on the gas, the RX-1 and the Ripsaw inched away and I was off and flying again.
The other two riders and I split up in Grove City. They went south back to their home and I rode back to Litchfield in the ditch along Highway 12. I decided to go for a longer ride and rode around Litchfield and along Highway 12 to Darwin. I made a small loop back to 12 and back to Litchfield before I got home. The sled felt even better that day. I did bottom the suspension a couple times, but in the conditions and considering it was ditch banging, that’s not bad.
I was able to cruise along the smoother parts of the ditch at a steady 50MPH. The RX-1 was stable and throttle response was good. There was a flat spot in the throttle when I first rode it, but it seemed to come out of it that day. The “new” smell was less and it didn’t feel as tight. It felt like it was ready to rock, and it did. That suspension handles really well. I got into some drifts and was able to play and have some fun. It really feels lighter than it is. I rode pretty hard in the short time I got to ride that day, and again it was fun.
Yet even more ditch riding
We got hit with another 8 to 10 inches of snow this past week. My brother and I went for a short ditch ride at noon. We headed toward Manannah once again to meet some others for lunch. The only adjustment I made from the previous weekend was that I turned the remote dial on the rear suspension to make it a bit stiffer. The bumps were larger than the previous weekend. It was about 18 degrees F, but the RX-1 started right up and ran great the whole time. I should have turned the mono-shock preload up one more notch as I did bottom out a few more times over harder approaches. The ditches were very full of soft drifting snow. A few times I almost got stuck, but keeping on the throttle and putting my knee on the seat for more deep powder control kept me moving along. I did nose it into a sink hole in one spot. Not too fast, in fact had I been on the throttle, I probably wouldn’t have gotten stuck. Any sled would have been heavy in the hole I got stuck in, but I surely wasn’t about to lift an RX-1. My brother had a tow rope and it didn’t take much effort to pull it out as I pushed and ran the throttle.
We continued riding ditches as the trails still had not been groomed. I was getting sore as we got closer to home (tailbone on the bumps). I was thinking to myself that a taller seat with a more forward riding position would have lessened the pain. I know, I’ve tried it both ways. Still, the RX-1 worked great that day, even for ditch riding. It had plenty of power and the mono-shock suspension worked well overall. From my past riding experience, I can tell that the new RX-1 corners more stable than the original 2003 model. It’s still a little tipsy while hitting drifts at different angles, but better than before.
Last hurrah, then the snow turned ugly
More ditch riding today. I took my daughters out for rides while at the same time teaching my oldest daughter (13) how to drive a snowmobile. She passed her permit test, but wasn’t familiar with driving them much. My brother has an older Ski-Doo 380 Formula S, so she practiced on that while I gave the little two daughters rides. After the rides were done, my brother, oldest daughter and I went for a short ride.
We left his place and headed toward Darwin. We rode across a lake to a road ditch, followed the ditch around to a field toward the snowmobile trail. We started on the trail, but it hadn’t been groomed yet, so the first chance we got to cross the railroad tracks back to the highway ditch, we did. We rode the ditch the rest of the way toward Darwin. My daughter did really well. She had two troublesome spots, but was able to get out of them on her own with little incident. We rode back to town and just as we got into town, she had trouble with my brother’s sled. Later it turned out that the brake pads were worn thin and one got caught against the brake disk. I gave her a ride back home and my brother and I picked up his sled.
Nothing much more to report on the RX-1 as it was a slower ride with my daughter being along on her first ride. The mono-shock suspension handled the bumps really well at slower speeds. Throttle response was again spot-on and I hate to repeat myself, but the ride was great.
Fuel economy on the RX-1 ER throughout my ride was about 16 MPG. Considering the riding conditions and that a lot of the power sleds today are hovering around 12, that's pretty good.
Thus ends my journey
As I am able to experience the 2005 RX-1ER, I can evaluate according to my riding style and preferences. Is the RX-1 for everyone? Probably not, but it is a great sled for a majority of riders. It’s a sled I would feel comfortable forking over my hard earned cash for. It’s a sled that is unsurpassed in quality and fit and finish. But there are a few things I would prefer upgraded. First, I like the rider-forward position and I’m glad to see that Yamaha has addressed that for 2006. Second, I prefer wider and taller handlebars, again addressed for ’06. Improved cornering? – Yup, and even better for ’06. But one thing not addressed from my understanding, the speedometer should be more accurately calibrated above 50mph. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. In the tests we’ve performed the speedometer can be as much as fifteen miles per hour off at top end. I don’t see why it needs to be so far off, is all.
But the 2005 RX-1ER is a great sled overall. Yes, I like a little different ergos, but that’s me. The fit and finish is top notch, the suspension works great and the track hooks up well. Would I spend my hard earned money on this machine? Indubitably yes, and here’s why…four-stroke power, four-stroke dependability, four-stroke maintenance, four-stroke economy, four-stroke easy cold-starting, and four-stroke torque. Oh yeah, and I guess the other things I mentioned, too.
Yes, other sleds have their appeal, but the RX-1 is hard to beat overall.
In-Season Testing: 2005 Yamaha RX-1 ER
In a word from C. Montgomery Burns…”eggscellent”.
02/08/2005
TOP STORY
Shane Zeppelin
y the time this is published, the RX-1 will be a sled of the past. It will be gone. It will be history, however, it will NOT be forgotten. From the seeds planted by the RX-1, the lifeline of the fabulous four-stroke still lives. But the RX-1 is still a great sled at any price and will continue to be for many years. It has been established as the flagship snowmobile in the Yamaha line-up, and while I am excited about its replacement, I am sorry to see it leave.
The summer before Yamaha introduced the RX-1, I wrote several editorials about the idea of using four-stroke engines in snowmobiles. I got a lot of feedback on both sides; those doubting 4-strokes could perform and were too heavy, and those who have seen other sports go from two to four-stroke and could see the potential. Until Yamaha actually released the RX-1, the debate was alive and well. Yamaha proved that 4-strokes could perform in snowmobiles. The weight debate may still be out there, although I don’t think it’s as big of a deal as others might, but overall we know that the RX-1 and its 4-stroke engine are synonymous with performance.
The RX-1 has evolved since its debut in 2003, to the point that the ’05 seems like a new model. The ergonomics are better, the handling is better, the weight is lighter – just a better machine all around. This is not to say that the early RX-1’s can’t stand on their own with some minor improvements. But the RX-1 for 2005 brings with it a host of improvements for this rider’s tastes. So without further ado, here is my in-season RX-1 riding journal thus far.
Initial ride and set-up
It snowed about eight inches this week, but I didn’t have time to do much other than blow out the driveway. I made the necessary adjustments to the mono-shock suspension for my weight, and was itching to ride so I finally took the RX-1ER out for a spin. The sled stunk at first, like all new sleds during the “burn-in” period where paint and oil burn off the engine and exhaust.
Later that afternoon I replace the OEM headlights with a set of Brite-Lites, from Bluhm Enterprises. They make a difference as can be seen in the photo (the whiter light on the left is the Brite-Lite headlight bulb - the left image is low beams, the right is high beams). I was going for a night ride. The conditions were fair to poor, but there was enough snow to play in spots and keep the slides lubed and the engine cool. The RX-1 felt a little tight, but as the miles accumulated, it started to loosen up. I’m thinking to myself as I’m riding, “I really like this mono-shock suspension”. It seemed to transfer weight really well – the front was light when I hit the throttle and came down when I let off to turn. The skis bit well and even though there was a little ski lift, the sled never felt out of control.
We picked our Yamahas up at Hutchinson Motorsports. The service manager set the sled up for us. He mentioned they read Maximum Sled and know how we like our handlebars high and forward, so they set the handlebars as far up and forward as possible for us. This feels much better to me than the RX Warrior set-up we had last year and the RX-1 the year before. The new 2-inch higher seat also feels much better than the lower seat of ’04, but I would like to see about another 2” in the seat and in the handlebar position (Apex anyone…anyone?). With the handlebars set up forward, it is easier to do a stand-up ride than it was with last year’s Warrior. The wide running boards are also better and accommodate my feet for stand-up riding. I get tired when riding a long distance standing up, but I’m finding that in slower and more treacherous conditions, I can maneuver the sled better when standing. Plus, it gives my butt a rest. My tailbone gets sore when I ride, too. Must be all the sitting I do.
The entire time was ditch riding – no trails. Trails aren’t even groomed yet. We didn’t get that much snow. I put the sled away satisfied with the short ride I had. It was fun.
More ditch riding the next day
I was supposed to meet a small group of friends for a short ride. Only two showed up as the others had something come up. The three of us hit the ditches as the trails were still not groomed. The north and south ditches were full of drifts and powder. The east and west ditches had less snow. We rode along highway 22 north of Litchfield to county road 3 and followed that west to a small town called Manannah. From there we rode south to another small town, Grove City. We rode the ditch that follows highway 4. That ditch had full spots, deep with snow. It was great! I almost stuck the RX-1 as I put the brake on just before a drainage ditch into some deep snow, but staying on the gas, the RX-1 and the Ripsaw inched away and I was off and flying again.
The other two riders and I split up in Grove City. They went south back to their home and I rode back to Litchfield in the ditch along Highway 12. I decided to go for a longer ride and rode around Litchfield and along Highway 12 to Darwin. I made a small loop back to 12 and back to Litchfield before I got home. The sled felt even better that day. I did bottom the suspension a couple times, but in the conditions and considering it was ditch banging, that’s not bad.
I was able to cruise along the smoother parts of the ditch at a steady 50MPH. The RX-1 was stable and throttle response was good. There was a flat spot in the throttle when I first rode it, but it seemed to come out of it that day. The “new” smell was less and it didn’t feel as tight. It felt like it was ready to rock, and it did. That suspension handles really well. I got into some drifts and was able to play and have some fun. It really feels lighter than it is. I rode pretty hard in the short time I got to ride that day, and again it was fun.
Yet even more ditch riding
We got hit with another 8 to 10 inches of snow this past week. My brother and I went for a short ditch ride at noon. We headed toward Manannah once again to meet some others for lunch. The only adjustment I made from the previous weekend was that I turned the remote dial on the rear suspension to make it a bit stiffer. The bumps were larger than the previous weekend. It was about 18 degrees F, but the RX-1 started right up and ran great the whole time. I should have turned the mono-shock preload up one more notch as I did bottom out a few more times over harder approaches. The ditches were very full of soft drifting snow. A few times I almost got stuck, but keeping on the throttle and putting my knee on the seat for more deep powder control kept me moving along. I did nose it into a sink hole in one spot. Not too fast, in fact had I been on the throttle, I probably wouldn’t have gotten stuck. Any sled would have been heavy in the hole I got stuck in, but I surely wasn’t about to lift an RX-1. My brother had a tow rope and it didn’t take much effort to pull it out as I pushed and ran the throttle.
We continued riding ditches as the trails still had not been groomed. I was getting sore as we got closer to home (tailbone on the bumps). I was thinking to myself that a taller seat with a more forward riding position would have lessened the pain. I know, I’ve tried it both ways. Still, the RX-1 worked great that day, even for ditch riding. It had plenty of power and the mono-shock suspension worked well overall. From my past riding experience, I can tell that the new RX-1 corners more stable than the original 2003 model. It’s still a little tipsy while hitting drifts at different angles, but better than before.
Last hurrah, then the snow turned ugly
More ditch riding today. I took my daughters out for rides while at the same time teaching my oldest daughter (13) how to drive a snowmobile. She passed her permit test, but wasn’t familiar with driving them much. My brother has an older Ski-Doo 380 Formula S, so she practiced on that while I gave the little two daughters rides. After the rides were done, my brother, oldest daughter and I went for a short ride.
We left his place and headed toward Darwin. We rode across a lake to a road ditch, followed the ditch around to a field toward the snowmobile trail. We started on the trail, but it hadn’t been groomed yet, so the first chance we got to cross the railroad tracks back to the highway ditch, we did. We rode the ditch the rest of the way toward Darwin. My daughter did really well. She had two troublesome spots, but was able to get out of them on her own with little incident. We rode back to town and just as we got into town, she had trouble with my brother’s sled. Later it turned out that the brake pads were worn thin and one got caught against the brake disk. I gave her a ride back home and my brother and I picked up his sled.
Nothing much more to report on the RX-1 as it was a slower ride with my daughter being along on her first ride. The mono-shock suspension handled the bumps really well at slower speeds. Throttle response was again spot-on and I hate to repeat myself, but the ride was great.
Fuel economy on the RX-1 ER throughout my ride was about 16 MPG. Considering the riding conditions and that a lot of the power sleds today are hovering around 12, that's pretty good.
Thus ends my journey
As I am able to experience the 2005 RX-1ER, I can evaluate according to my riding style and preferences. Is the RX-1 for everyone? Probably not, but it is a great sled for a majority of riders. It’s a sled I would feel comfortable forking over my hard earned cash for. It’s a sled that is unsurpassed in quality and fit and finish. But there are a few things I would prefer upgraded. First, I like the rider-forward position and I’m glad to see that Yamaha has addressed that for 2006. Second, I prefer wider and taller handlebars, again addressed for ’06. Improved cornering? – Yup, and even better for ’06. But one thing not addressed from my understanding, the speedometer should be more accurately calibrated above 50mph. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. In the tests we’ve performed the speedometer can be as much as fifteen miles per hour off at top end. I don’t see why it needs to be so far off, is all.
But the 2005 RX-1ER is a great sled overall. Yes, I like a little different ergos, but that’s me. The fit and finish is top notch, the suspension works great and the track hooks up well. Would I spend my hard earned money on this machine? Indubitably yes, and here’s why…four-stroke power, four-stroke dependability, four-stroke maintenance, four-stroke economy, four-stroke easy cold-starting, and four-stroke torque. Oh yeah, and I guess the other things I mentioned, too.
Yes, other sleds have their appeal, but the RX-1 is hard to beat overall.