Hey guys, So on saturday i went to the Arctic Cat dealership and i sat on the 2010 Sno Pro 500. This was my first time sitting on a machine with "Rider Forward". Well i ride a ZL 500 right now (with a ZR skid) and i find myself getting beaten up after 100 miles on the trail. Is the rider forward position as good as everyone says it is? and what years did they start them in? (i believe they started them in 2004) because this summer i'm thinking about saving up for an 04' or newer factory mod or something that is trail converted. Any opinions on what i should do guys?
Rider Forward Position
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it depends on where and how you ride. IMO If you ride smooth as glass trails all the time then older sleds are not that bad. Any other riding style rider forward is way better.
Well today i was hitting 1-2 foot bumps all day, at about 40-60 mph. the sled handles it due to the ZR suspension, and an ACT clicker shock, However i'm more concerned about my comfort lol The running boards aren't wide enough, and due to the position standing by 30-40 miles my ankles are killing me. Then i have to continue on the next 60 miles in pain (our average ride is 100 miles a day). We ride in Northern Michigan and alot of our trail riding is far from perfect, we occasionally hit a "smooth" stretch of trail but it will only last for 5-10 miles at the most. So i'm thinking about getting a 2004 or newer Sno pro 440 this summer once i save up.
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I'll try to put it into perspective from my own experience.
I own a '98 ZR 600. I put LOTS of money into it, making it just how I wanted it. Custom bars/riser, D&D performance mods, SnoPro suspension, etc. At the end of the day, it still had it's flaws.
Two years ago, I decided it was time for an upgrade. I ended up with my '06 SnoPro 440/700 conversion. The first real ride I had on it, it straight up kicked my ass. The suspension was still setup for Sno-X, and stiff as hell. I was so sore the next day, I could hardly walk...and that is not exaggerated at all. I rode it all season, then hopped on my ZR to make sure it ran ok. I rode it no more than 5 miles, and could not stand to ride it any longer. It felt like I was riding a bulky, outdated tank. The running boards are so narrow, the tunnel seems very wide, and not being over the center of gravity is very awkward. I have ridden my ZR no more than 10 miles in the 2 years I have owned my SnoPro.
As most people will tell you, once you go rider forward, you will not go back. The transition from standing to sitting is so much smoother. To get a rider forward from Cat, you will have have to get a '04+ SnoPro chassis.
I own a '98 ZR 600. I put LOTS of money into it, making it just how I wanted it. Custom bars/riser, D&D performance mods, SnoPro suspension, etc. At the end of the day, it still had it's flaws.
Two years ago, I decided it was time for an upgrade. I ended up with my '06 SnoPro 440/700 conversion. The first real ride I had on it, it straight up kicked my ass. The suspension was still setup for Sno-X, and stiff as hell. I was so sore the next day, I could hardly walk...and that is not exaggerated at all. I rode it all season, then hopped on my ZR to make sure it ran ok. I rode it no more than 5 miles, and could not stand to ride it any longer. It felt like I was riding a bulky, outdated tank. The running boards are so narrow, the tunnel seems very wide, and not being over the center of gravity is very awkward. I have ridden my ZR no more than 10 miles in the 2 years I have owned my SnoPro.
As most people will tell you, once you go rider forward, you will not go back. The transition from standing to sitting is so much smoother. To get a rider forward from Cat, you will have have to get a '04+ SnoPro chassis.
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116 Posts
i have lower back problems and after years of riding the older sleds my buddy let me use his rider forward sled and i found it VERY uncomfortable. felt like i was riding too high in the air. and my back still hurt. i then took his parents 2 up sled out for a night and it was a dream. i now drive a 2000 powder special that set up for trail riding. difference is the length of track. seems that the smaller bumps are taken up buy the longer track. the bigger bumps your going to feel on any sled. now my wife on the other hand loves the rider forward style.
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this is how i have explained it to many people. i dont care how high of a riser you put on a 'boat' chassis. it is never like the RF chassis of today. the center of gravity is right for standing up. plus you can go from sit to stand to sit like nothing!! buy one soon, and you will never regret it
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It.come down tto the way you ride man. I used to ride a 1989 jag and then went to a 2002xcsp with a m10 and that was I night and day difference..then got a 2006 fusion and the rider toward on that I don't feel the bumps as much as I used to.so if you have a chance to get a rider forward sled DO IT
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I can do the same things on my Edge Polaris as on my IQ. A couple of things might be a little better at times. Most things are not. The high seat on the new sleds is so much nicer than the old ones. Sitting to standing and back is effortless. I haven't ridden a new Ski Doo which is supposedly the most rider forward. I think that the Polaris IQ is the least "rider forward" of the 3 brands because it still has the motor in the traditional position. I tend to like that.
Well, i'll be looking into getting a rider forward position sled. i was just curious if the 440 engine is reliable once it is Trail converted. i also was wondering how i would Monitor certain things such as Sensors and stuff. a normal sled has a speedometer and an oil light and everything, is it possible to put gauges on a sno pro? Also do the Tempa-Flow things really work, and how do they work exactly? i know that they change your jetting based on elevation i guess i would just like to know more about it. THanks guys!
P.S= Like on a normal sled, if the driveshaft bearing goes out, then the speedometer quits working. How would i be able to tell if it went out on a sno pro?
P.S= Like on a normal sled, if the driveshaft bearing goes out, then the speedometer quits working. How would i be able to tell if it went out on a sno pro?
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From what I've seen, the 440's seem to be pretty reliable, as far as a race motor goes anyway. Get it setup to run on pump gas, and know how your jetting works and you should be fine. I've always felt a Tempaflow would be a wise investment. As I understand it, you jet for your coldest riding temperature. Then, with the Tempaflow installed, it will lean out your fuel delivery with ambient temp changes by reducing the float bowl pressure (and therefore fuel flow).
As far as the gauges go, some guys find ways to mount up a Firecat style speedo. I think they look pretty tacky. I mounted a '98 ZR tach and Autometer water temp gauge on mine. It doesn't look as bad, IMO. Alot of people run a digatron or avenger. Then you can monitor RPM's, water temp, EGT's, etc. I wanted to run a digatron, but didn't feel like forking out hundreds of dollars for one.
You asked about the bearings...all I can say is maintenance! I try to tear mine down every summer. Remove the skid and give it a good inspection, replacing things as needed. Remove the track and driveshaft to fully inspect all the bearings. Dig into the chaincase, inspect the bearings as well as chain and gears. When it is reassembled, I know everything is good. If by some chance a bearing goes out mid-season, then that's life.
As far as the gauges go, some guys find ways to mount up a Firecat style speedo. I think they look pretty tacky. I mounted a '98 ZR tach and Autometer water temp gauge on mine. It doesn't look as bad, IMO. Alot of people run a digatron or avenger. Then you can monitor RPM's, water temp, EGT's, etc. I wanted to run a digatron, but didn't feel like forking out hundreds of dollars for one.
You asked about the bearings...all I can say is maintenance! I try to tear mine down every summer. Remove the skid and give it a good inspection, replacing things as needed. Remove the track and driveshaft to fully inspect all the bearings. Dig into the chaincase, inspect the bearings as well as chain and gears. When it is reassembled, I know everything is good. If by some chance a bearing goes out mid-season, then that's life.
Yea. Thanks quinlan. Have you tried sitting on one of the 2010 sno pro 500's? they are nice. it was like the tank actually had cut outs for your legs. i know that the 04-09 sno pro probably wont have that, But that's okay. Also what about Fuel Tank i believe they only come with a 4-5 gallon tank, Would i just get a 10-12 gallon aftermarket tank? Thanks for all the help guys! i've decided that i want one, i just wanna learn more about them that's all.
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I've sat on the 08/09 Snopro's, which should be about the same as the '10. Just sitting on them, I didn't think they were much different than my '06. They do have a nicer running board setup, which I did like. I haven't ridden one to see if the mannerisms are similar. I haven't seen any reason to think about upgrading to one, so I haven't really looked into them much.
Yes, stock tank on the '04-'07 is 5 gal. Creation Composites makes a 9.7 gal trail tank for them. They require trimming the seat foam, and come with a template to do so.
Yes, stock tank on the '04-'07 is 5 gal. Creation Composites makes a 9.7 gal trail tank for them. They require trimming the seat foam, and come with a template to do so.
Well, i'm hoping to avoid all the jetting and stuff, by finding a sled with an EFI motor in it, but that is probably pretty unlikely. Yea that tank will be alot nicer because i don't feel like stopping every 40-50 miles to fill up with gas lol. Especially where we ride, there is times where it is 30 miles to the nearest gas station.
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You're going to have to fork out more money for a 440/600 or 700 EFI conversion. I've seen a few at $3500 this season, but they needed work. Good condition conversions seem to go for around $5000 on average. Depends alot on condition, and how the conversion was done. Just keep that in mind when you start setting aside money.doomer67 said:
Even with the larger tank, I started carrying a 3gal gas can with me on trips this year. I get poor enough mileage if I'm WOT alot that I very well may need the extra gas.
Well i guess i don't mind the 440, but i'm worried about burning it down. If i jet for 0° and then use a tempaflow, what temperatures am i good to ride in? if it gets to 20-30° or down below 0° am i still alright? my riding temps vary alot.
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The way I read it, the Tempaflow has 3 base temps. 0, -20, and -40...all *F. You set your base, and jet for the base temp (whichever of the 3 you choose). You should then be fine to run from your base temp, up to warm temps. I've read of people setting the base temp for -40*, and riding -40* to +40* without a burndown.
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I personally won't go back - I love the way it rides. I can ride much further than I could on my old sled.
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standard chassis=sex on concrete rider forward=sex on a fucking cloud
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