02 Base for my son

Snow sucked this year! Never ride my Sidewinder after I put about $6k into it getting it ready for season. Early january I still had a few things to do on the sled and we heard the snow was coming but in southern Wisconsin so I dragged my Viper home that weekend we did the mud room.
I installed a new rear bumper on the Viper at work after my shift because I only had a day or two before we went up to Johnson Creek WI for a 3 day weekend. The bumper was also a support for the tunnel so I could mount a hard storage bag with a 3 gallon fuel tank. It’s a stacked unit but I didn’t want to bend the tunnel from the weight.

Nick and I got 318 miles in on that weekend and that was it!!!!! Trails never opened in northern Wisconsin. El Niño kicked our rears this year.
And it hurts after I spent so much time and money on my sled. But Nick spent about $8k modifying his over last summer so he felt it too.
My new facelift. I replaced a-arms, skis, powdercoated skid rails and all suspension parts to get rid of that hi-viz scheme, new custom springs, shocks rebuilt, bigger tune that runs on closed loop with a wideband, billet water pump impeller, rebuilt the clutches and put in some modified parts. A lot of time and money to not ride it this season.
What it was at end of last season.


How it sits now. I even had the bottom of seat reupholstered to get rid of that obnoxious color.


It’ll be ready for next year I guess. But I didn’t stop there. Oh no sir, you know me, I love to punish myself more than not.
This is Yamaha’s final year in the industry. These sleds will not be made any longer and I really love my 4 stroke turbo sleds so I pulled the trigger on a brand new 25 Yamaha XTX 146 LE EPS (electronic power steering) , LE means it has an electronic shock setup that can be controlled from the handlebar as oppose to having to manually adjust rebound and firmness. It’ll be here Oct/Nov so that means it won’t snow again next season. I already know it.

I blame Jess because as soon as they released the 25 Yamaha models she tagged me in this post.


She doesn’t like the gray Sidewinder, she likes the all black Viper so she wanted me to buy a new black one.
Crazy money for these things but this is the first new sled I’ve ever bought and probably ever will.


Put a deposit down the first day you can preorder or snow check as they call it and then I’ll have to pay balance when it comes in. I’m debating leaving it in the crate for the first couple seasons.

Also I bought a new tool box for up north because I’m overflowing the small box I have in the sled garage. Paid $900 for a nice US General HF box that’s 56x22 and ordered it in white.
Took 2 months to show up and this is how it came.



Can you believe this? I finally got it flipped and unwrapped to only find more damage.





Ordered 01/02, showed up 02/27, set up return right away after they offered me 10% discount for being damaged but that would end any factory warranty also. Nope, told them come get it. They didn’t come to get it until 03/22 and I still to this day on 04/21 have yet to get a refund or credit. I’ve been getting b ignorant with these people when I talk to them. It’s like they just don’t care!

Last but not least, my son Jack turned 19 on the 13th of this month and he is shipping off to Lackland Air Force base on July 16th to start his journey as an Airmen in the United States Air Force. He graduates on September 5th from BMT. Jess and I have already bought our airfare, hotel and rental car to go to Texas to watch him graduate and so I can tag him out. One proud dad here and I know he’s going places. He wants to be stationed Japan after he does his schooling in Mississippi right after basic training. This is gonna open doors for him that I never got to experience. He got his #2 pick for jobs, something to do with cyber security and intel apprentice. I know he will do great. Wish him luck.

Snowbound said:

Last but not least, my son Jack turned 19 on the 13th of this month and he is shipping off to Lackland Air Force base on July 16th to start his journey as an Airmen in the United States Air Force. He graduates on September 5th from BMT. Jess and I have already bought our airfare, hotel and rental car to go to Texas to watch him graduate and so I can tag him out. One proud dad here and I know he’s going places. He wants to be stationed Japan after he does his schooling in Mississippi right after basic training. This is gonna open doors for him that I never got to experience. He got his #2 pick for jobs, something to do with cyber security and intel apprentice. I know he will do great. Wish him luck.

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Happy bday to the kid! And good on him for wanting to serve his country! That’s awesome! Proud dad moments for you sure!! Sounds like he’s ready to put in the work!

Man! I wondered what happened to you. Glad to see you back, and everything is going--mostly--good for you!

Tonyrodz said:

Man! I wondered what happened to you. Glad to see you back, and everything is going--mostly--good for you!

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Work fired the youngster back in October because he’s a drunk and now we’re down to 3 guys. That put me back on afternoons (3-11) which I absolutely hate because I don’t see my family all week and I can’t get nothing done at home so I’ve just been working 12-14 hr days and did 7 days a week for 13 weeks straight due to the lack of snow and not going up snowmobiling.
Been looking for another job recently, been on a couple interviews. High school in my town wants me for maintenance supervisor. Little less pay and nowhere near the OT but I’m ready to slow down anyway. 8 years I’d be fully vested and they have a pension there which is good. Citgo offered me a position too but that’s swing shift which I’m trying to get away from. 18 years with this company and it’s hard to walk away but I think it’s time for a change.
But that’s about it.

Snowbound said:

Work fired the youngster back in October because he’s a drunk and now we’re down to 3 guys. That put me back on afternoons (3-11) which I absolutely hate because I don’t see my family all week and I can’t get nothing done at home so I’ve just been working 12-14 hr days and did 7 days a week for 13 weeks straight due to the lack of snow and not going up snowmobiling.
Been looking for another job recently, been on a couple interviews. High school in my town wants me for maintenance supervisor. Little less pay and nowhere near the OT but I’m ready to slow down anyway. 8 years I’d be fully vested and they have a pension there which is good. Citgo offered me a position too but that’s swing shift which I’m trying to get away from. 18 years with this company and it’s hard to walk away but I think it’s time for a change.
But that’s about it.

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I hear ya on these sentiments! In a very similar boat myself, change is good sometimes! Best of luck in whatever you decide to move forward on! Still an absolute machine just cranking stuff out! Impressed your level of hard work!

Put a new stereo in the Esky. This thing cranks for everything else being stock.