Two years ago we first heard the news about a joint Arctic Cat/Yamaha collaboration on a 4-stroke snowmobile that was as interesting as it was surprising. I read about it first right here on SledMagazine.com. The light weight, excellent handling chassis of the Sno Pro Arctic Cat and the first class 1049cc Yamaha power unit, sounded like it should be/could be a winner.
I made the move to the 4-stroke snowmobile world in 2012 for all the debated charms and have been completely happy with the choice. I was excited about the new Viper entering the 4-stroke arena and full of anticipation and speculation as to how it might feel and perform.
When an offer was made to spend some time on this sled, I was both flattered at the opportunity and eager to participate. I’m not a writer or test pilot, I trail ride 3000-5000 miles each season primarily in Quebec and northern Vermont. It is from this perspective that I offer and share my opinions of the Viper with you
First impressions of this blue and white Yamaha SE begin immediately with its sharp and striking appearance. Being the first to admit that I bleed "yellow", the blue and white Yamaha color combination has always been a very attractive combination. The Sno Pro SR Viper chassis with powder coated white spindles and tunnel has a very classic snowmobile appeal. This is a very good looking machine.
For my first Viper ride and the first miles on the Viper in mid January, we headed to Auberge Km 31 in the Monts Valin region east of Lac St Jean, Quebec. It was on the chilly side (about -10F) when we first put ass to seat and I was happy that the sled had been fitted with the Yamaha mid height windshield to blow a bigger hole in the cold air.
The seat was firm and narrow, yet pliable and wide enough for comfortable cushioning. It was immediately apparent that the ergonomics of this sled were excellent. The running boards/foot wells provided ample space and solid footing for seated or standing positions. The body panels had an angle that allowed for easy sliding forward for more active cornering without jarring your knees. The handlebars are raised to a comfortable height making transition from seated to standing effortless.
It didn’t take long to realize that my hands were toasty warm, which was an extremely nice discovery. The simplicity of having "low-off-high" hand warmer controls without having to divert my attention to look at a progressive gauge display was great. Without hand guards or gauntlets and wearing my normal leather riding gloves, my hands remained surprisingly warm. The bars are a slightly larger 1” diameter and give a good solid feel similar to Harley handlebars. I wondered if the larger surface area resulted in more contact with the warmers, whatever the reason, they worked excellent.
We spent the next three days riding trails throughout the Monts Valin and surrounding area, (Onatchiway, Falardeau, Valinouet, Tadoussac) for a total of 620 miles on a variety of trails. Honestly snowmobiling doesn’t get any better than this! This region is known for its high snow fall totals and already had about 3 feet on the ground with some amount of new snow falling every day.
The Viper became quite comfortable to ride quite quickly. The fresh snow on the groomed trails made for a lot of loose snow conditions. Precision corners, looking for the perfect apex and feeling the motion of the moment made the riding constant fun for me.
Not being familiar with Yamaha’s dual runner Tuner Skis or the Fox Float 3 shocks, I rode the sled the way it was prepared with 60 lbs of air in front shocks and Qualipiece 6” Top Gold carbides on the inside position of the skis. With this set up and loose snow conditions, the sled had a strong tendency to push or under steer with any extra speed into the corner. The brakes have an excellent feel and mild braking in the corners helped to correct the push.
During the first 300-400 miles, the motor seemed a little lazy, but as the miles increased the 1050cc Yamaha power became more and more crisp. The unique to Yamaha YXRC clutching felt aggressive, engaging at a higher rpm than my "yellow" sled and pulled firmly thru the mid range with a softer top end. This is a solid 600 class performer.
I ended the first weekend with no issues with the sled and a positive attitude regarding the Viper including its very cool look and name.
NEXT……..
The following weekend was the SledMagazine.com 3 State and a Province ride with Columnist Greg Gilbert “Greg du Vermont” and the Long Term Trail Polaris 800HO AXYS Switchback 60th LE.
We departed from my house in Holland, Vermont and headed for the New Hampshire border on perfectly groomed trails.
Ski shock pressure had been raised to 65psi and the Viper had a very positive feel on this snow. It may have been the adjusted shock pressure or the Square bar of the Top Gold carbides penetrating deeper into the firmer trail surface, but the sled would occasionally predictably and controllably lift the inside ski.
The Yamaha motor continued to get stronger, the hand warmers continued to impress and the Viper remained easy to ride. Maybe it is the motor position within the SR chassis, but the front end of this sled definitely has a lighter feeling than any other 4 Stroke sled I have experienced.
The Viper R-TX SE has a very sporty feel to it, a little on the firm aggressive side. We made our way thru a variety of changing snow conditions into Maine. The Viper was impessive in Rangley, The Forks and the Moosehead Lake area. We ultimately crossed the Quebec border after Jackman and continued on to Lac Megantic Qc.
We rode back into Vermont with 580 more Viper miles and memories of great times with special friends. Once again, the Viper performed admirably with no quirks or issues “just the way we like it”.
This was a test ride, to beat all test rides. 1,200 Viper miles and the question become "What did I think”?
The Yamaha R-TX Viper was in all regards an excellent machine. It looks good, handles well, is comfortable and easy to ride and there is nothing in particular "not to like".
This ultimately leads to the next question, Would, should, could this be my next sled?
When I came into the more modern era of snowmobiling 17 years ago, I asked a well respected friend of mine (who admits to bleed green) what sled I should buy? I remember his surprising answer "There are 4 companies that make sleds, they are all good, you pick a sled that you think you will like and if you do, you stick with that brand sled."
There's a lot of truth to that. At that time I picked a Mach Z 800 triple/triple which would be a dinosaur by today's standards. The factory support has remained positive for me and my local dealer in Derby Vermont provides a personal touch that continues to carry great importance to me. Not having that experience with a local Yamaha dealer would certainly influence any potential Brand switch. Should something change with that, the Yamaha Viper would make an excellent choice for me. I would love to have an opportunity to experience the Viper with the MPI Trail Turbo kit.
I want to thank the SledMagazine.com team for inviting and welcoming me to be their Guest Test Rider for the Long Term Trial Viper R-TX SE. I enjoyed our time and trails together and 1,200 miles on a very significant Yamaha.
