Looking for a starter sled for my 2 boys 8 & 10. Was pretty set on an old Yamaha 340(Enticer, Excel, bravo or ovation). Can't seem to find a mint one. I'm not really interested in wrenching hence why I was looking at Yamahas.

I've come across a few Polaris Indy lites and 340 deluxe. I have zero experience with Polaris, looking for the honest...good bad and ugly on the late 90's 2000 one's. I'm thinking they could use right up to age 15 maybe. 

1 hour ago, TheOtherDoonut said:

Looking for a starter sled for my 2 boys 8 & 10. Was pretty set on an old Yamaha 340(Enticer, Excel, bravo or ovation). Can't seem to find a mint one. I'm not really interested in wrenching hence why I was looking at Yamahas.

I've come across a few Polaris Indy lites and 340 deluxe. I have zero experience with Polaris, looking for the honest...good bad and ugly on the late 90's 2000 one's. I'm thinking they could use right up to age 15 maybe. 

Personally, I don't think you can wrong with one, depending on condition of course. I purchased this 95 for my son, which needed a lot of work, but once fixed up, it was a perfect sled for him and never caused me any grieve whatsoever. It's been gone now for a few years, (sold to Tinker, who resold it after a couple years) but I bet if it is still in good/great shape, the new owners will have no trouble getting what they paid for it, if not more. These are becoming harder and harder to find all the time. I'd have no trouble recommending one. Good luck.

Best little motor and chassis you can get.  Nice and light, easy to maintain.

when my kids were that age I got them a indy trail - 488 fanner. great sled. any of the 90-2000 indy trail - fan - 440- 340 are good solid machines, lots of used parts available. cheaply. don't buy something expensive because trees jump out at the kids and accidents happen. early 90 phazers are also light and seem to last forever

My 380 Formula Deluxe was great for my kid at 9.  Outgrew it at 13.

8 hours ago, TheOtherDoonut said:

TOD, what's up with that trailing arm in your pic and why isn't it bolted to the chasis? I assume there is a story about that?

That's just some random pic I found on Google... I didn't even notice. Anyway after your recommendation on them I drove out to Walkerton and picked this one up. trailing arm looks good on this guy. Suspension pretty saggy tho...she's going to need new springs and shocks but overall in really good shape for it's age I think. The guy told me you can't get tracks for the Indy lites anymore, some weird pitch no one is producing...not sure if that's true but this one supposed the ok for parts availability.

Edited October 16, 20177 yr by TheOtherDoonut

27 minutes ago, TheOtherDoonut said:

That's just some random pic I found on Google... I didn't even notice. Anyway after your recommendation on them I drove out to Walkerton and picked this one up. trailing arm looks good on this guy. Suspension pretty saggy tho...she's going to need new springs and shocks but overall in really good shape for it's age I think. The guy told me you can't get tracks for the Indy lites anyone, some weird pitch no one is producing...not sure if that's true but this one supposed the ok for parts availability.

 

nice looking sled is that a 92?  Track doesn't look to bad in the photo/

you can change the drive to 2.52 and use a 121 track,  here is the track and conversion kit for 90-92 indy lite

http://www.alssnowmobile.com/oemProductParts.aspx?ps_OemSku=AL128488&pl_Exact=0

The ET's are getting old. Hard to find a decent one that doesn't need a track or the exhaust pipe. 340 Polaris is a great sled. Problem years are the models with direct drive. Have a small drive sprocket. Not sure how that conversion kit would work. Putting in a larger driver would really mess up the ratios for direct drive.

11 hours ago, 1trailmaker said:

nice looking sled is that a 92?  Track doesn't look to bad in the photo/

you can change the drive to 2.52 and use a 121 track,  here is the track and conversion kit for 90-92 indy lite

http://www.alssnowmobile.com/oemProductParts.aspx?ps_OemSku=AL128488&pl_Exact=0

It's a 2000, not a direct drive indy lite. Should take a standard track normal pitch.

Those were Gen 2 chassis I believe .

 

One downfall to letting your kids drive a Polaris is that they might turn gay.  Happens to lots of people. 

47 minutes ago, stealth bomber said:

One downfall to letting your kids drive a Polaris is that they might turn gay.  Happens to lots of people. 

Never happened to me, but if you give me a kiss I will tell you who is.....

Edited October 16, 20177 yr by Poncho

1 hour ago, stealth bomber said:

One downfall to letting your kids drive a Polaris is that they might turn gay.  Happens to lots of people. 

So what do you recommend?

Definitely not a Cat, then it's almost 100% chance of catching the gay.  

 

There really is no other option in that category that is that well equipped and reliable for the money

2 hours ago, Poncho said:

There really is no other option in that category that is that well equipped and reliable for the money

Yeah no kidding, heated grips electric start and reverse...the kids are living the dream. Most of the Yamahas I was looking at didn't have any of those options.

Yes, Ski-Doo never made a reliable 340 fan class sled with electric start and reverse......

 

My 380 Formula Deluxe was great for my kid at 9.  Outgrew it at 13.

 

 

Edited October 17, 20177 yr by Puzzleboy

Must be the Kool-Aid.

 

7 hours ago, stealth bomber said:

One downfall to letting your kids drive a Polaris is that they might turn gay.  Happens to lots of people. 

Edited October 17, 20177 yr by Puzzleboy

On 10/15/2017 at 10:22 PM, TheOtherDoonut said:

That's just some random pic I found on Google... I didn't even notice. Anyway after your recommendation on them I drove out to Walkerton and picked this one up. trailing arm looks good on this guy. Suspension pretty saggy tho...she's going to need new springs and shocks but overall in really good shape for it's age I think. The guy told me you can't get tracks for the Indy lites anymore, some weird pitch no one is producing...not sure if that's true but this one supposed the ok for parts availability.

 

 

 

Great looking little sled, TOD. Your kids will enjoy that for sure. Congrats.

7 hours ago, Puzzleboy said:

Yes, Ski-Doo never made a reliable 340 fan class sled with electric start and reverse......

 

My 380 Formula Deluxe was great for my kid at 9.  Outgrew it at 13.

 

 

Well it did require a top end, likely due to the oil injector failing intermittently.  But it was well worth it.

12 hours ago, Puzzleboy said:

Yes, Ski-Doo never made a reliable 340 fan class sled with electric start and reverse......

 

My 380 Formula Deluxe was great for my kid at 9.  Outgrew it at 13.

 

 

You have a kid, puzzler.....

9 hours ago, Stoney said:

You have a kid, puzzler.....

Somewhere ........ 

Interesting, a little while ago I did help load my sons old crib into the back of Puzzler's Jeep. 

23 minutes ago, ArcticCrusher said:

Interesting, a little while ago I did help load my sons old crib into the back of Puzzler's Jeep. 

ooops

On October 17, 2017 at 7:42 AM, ArcticCrusher said:

Well it did require a top end, likely due to the oil injector failing intermittently.  But it was well worth it.

That is normal for that powerplant