A Sno-Pro can be as simple as a suspension package, such as spring stiffness and type of shock and usually a graphics package. Firecats and the new F series offer SnoPro packages.
Just make sure it is not a full blown race sled that runs on pre mix race fuel and hass all kinds of goodies. Those sleds are radical looking and usually show the signs of racing.
Hey Kooty…..the biggest thing with sleds in my opinion if you are looking at used sleds. Find someone selling a stock sled, people that put aftermarket stuff like pipes, clutch kits and any other upgrades in to a sled do it to go fast/enhance performance so they probably rode the machine pretty hard.
If you look at Craigs list there are a fair number of sleds out there. You might be able to find a “wife’s” sled….whether it is or not who knows but if it really is, it has probably been less abused.
As for what to buy….if price is the same I would get the MxZ or XCR they have a little better technology and are probably going to be more fun to ride if you just want to cruise around. I don’t know much about the cats but if their snopro is similar to the MxZ it would be the same thing. If their snopro is more like the MxZx which is really designed for racing…I would probably look at getting a ZL model.
They are all great sleds. I have 2 ski-doos one with over 6K and one with over 5K miles, started them both Wed night for the first time of the year…both popped right off.
JB
Typically your sno pro sleds are going to be set up stiffer, with rebuildable shocks and a few other goodies, stay away from them for what you want.
More maintenence
Cat — ZL first ZR second
Doo—- Formula first MXZ depends MXZX nope
Polaris—- Classic, Touring, Trail, Indy first Pro X mmmm…
check your pm
Kooty, no idea on the ski doos, never rode one.
Polaris
xcf – fan cooled machine
xc – liquid cooled machine (I own one of these 98) great all around machine
xc edge – same as the xc’s with a new suspension
xcr – “r” = racing older machines, normally a double double or triple triple (cylinder and exhaust)
Cats
Sno pro – ditch banging machine
zl – liquid cooled machine
zr – pretty much same as the zl’s just with more race features, better suspension.
zrt’s – triple triple toilet, again my opinion
Personal opinion, I would find a late 90’s early 00’s in the Polaris xc or indy 500 platform, great motors and all around machine. But normally these don’t have electric start or reverse, if you want that, look for a touring or a trail sled.
Jami
http://pd.startribune.com/sp?p=shoppingportal/classifieds_detail&catId=&keywords=snowmobile&pets=&cat=&sNum=21
Published: 12/08/2007
2002 POLARIS Super Sport 550, 2300 mi, mint cond, $2400/BO Call 612-747-9251
Published: 12/07/2007
2002 ARCTIC CAT Z570 700 miles, many extras. $2150. 763-784-7513
Kooty,
I rode sleds a ton when I was younger. After a twenty year hiatus I rented a sled up in Houghton MI last winter. It was a Ski MXZ. I believe it was a 500. Holy Shnick, I was blown away by the speed and handling of that machine. 0-70 in a blink of an eye and cornered like a dream. Was riding with two brothers who owned their sleds. Ski-Doo MXZ’s 600’s. One of them blew their engine going across the lake. he hopped on with his bro to go back to town and his bro’s sled started on fire and burnt completely up! 
They were both 2005 models.
I’m not saying, i’m just saying…
I’m pretty sure I remember those pics Steve. Crazy stuff right there.
thanks for the info guys. I think I enjoy shopping as much as I’m gonna pimping one out.
Kooty, Star and sickle had a few sleds this morning
Quote:
I don’t know much about the cats but if their Snopro is similar to the MxZ it would be the same thing. If their snopro is more like the MxZx which is really designed for racing…I would probably look at getting a ZL model.
The True SnoPro sleds always take mixed gas, and they always have tiny fuel tanks. STAY AWAY for your kind of riding!
The ZR and MXz and XC are all close in the niche they fill. They are go-fast ditch burners with great “Speed across the lake” characteristics. The ZL is a ZR in sheep’s clothing. They utilize Ryde FX shocks as opposed to the Fox gas shocks (That need re-building) like the ZR’s, and a little smoother suspension. Same HP, but a little different clutching. A ZL is typically a trail sled, and most were bought for that. As Buckshot said, many people buy these for their wives, and find out they had a he!! of a sleeper/racer!
ZR’s engage at about 3500 RPM. Super good hole shot, and with the right clutching and piping, you won’t get beat in the 1/4 mile in the 600 class. I can prove that. 
(Not good if you are pulling fish houses.)
XC’s engage at higher RPMS too, but less than the ZR. the XC has huge power in mid range and top end. (Again, it will pull hard out of the hole, not as hard as the ZR, but still may not lend itself well to pulling shacks.)
MXz’s engage at the low end of the RPM range, and spool power throughout the powerband. They have a very good mid to top end power blast. May be better for pulling shacks. (Ask Derek Johnston as he runs one. 
)
“Z” sleds are fan cooled. Stay away from them, unless you want tuned down performance. The Super Sport models from Polaris fall into this category.
If you are looking for a sled to pull fish houses, and give rides to the wife and kids, the AC Pantera 580, Polaris XLT, Ski Doo Summit are all GREAT sleds for that.
Well, my trapping this season is of to a slow start. Since I will not be laid-off this winter and working 3rd shift, my normal style is seriously cramped. At best, I get traps out on Friday morning and run them until Monday or Tuesday and then pull them. So I will basically be a weekend warrior this season.
The first area I trapped was public land with a lot of pressure. When making sets I had to be mindful of other’s in the area as well as keep sets in hidden areas. I ended up with 2 coon 
and way too many possums. The possum were so thin skinned the buyer more than likely won’t even buy them, but I skinned some and released the ones I could.
The next area was a nice little pocket with absolutely no other trapping pressure and only a few duck hunters. Even in these areas I watch where I set coon sets to try and avoid accidently catching dogs. This area netted me 14 rats and 4 coon. I started catching kit rats yesterday so I pulled all those sets this morning. With the doom and gloom of the fur market reports, all my coon traps are sitting at home as well.
I also set my first traps for beaver and didn’t catch any of them. The one bank den I set had a nice muddy run so I know they were using it. Once I put the #330 in the run, it didn’t get used. The other two footholds I put out were also not touched. Maybe a little castor mound would have helped in that situation? I have noticed a few castor mounds made along the shorelines in the area.
On Staurday morning, I talked with a guy out kayaking and he asked if I was out trapping. I told him I was and he then told me I should check out an area just up river. He mentioed there is a big lodge and he has seen beaver in the area all the time. So, I think this Friday, I am going to take another stab at the beaver business. I may also set a few more coon sets while I am up there just to see what happens.
I haven’t taken a lot of pics this year yet. I caught a nice big coon yesterday, but I had the flu so bad it took all I had just to check traps. That is one thing about having traps out, no matter how you feel or what Mother Nature has in store, they need to be checked daily, unless they are all on drowning sets. I am hoping to get more reports up as the season progresses, but it appears it will be a little slower than years past.
Keep at it and thanks for the report. Sorry you can’t trap as hard as you would like–having a job really gets in the way! LOL
–Whitey
Don’t feel bad. I am getting lots of reports from around WI abut poor trapping results by very good trappers! So far I am off to the worst year I have had in 25yrs!! Seems to be the same with a lot of the game around these parts, and even some of the fishing. Something is going on, and it’s got a few of us really stumped. I know a guy that by now normally has at least 10 deer down. So far in over 100 hrs on stand has seen only one, and it was after dark.
Teaching my daughter the art this year. So far she has got to see a lot of differnt things that may have taken years to show. As I keep moving sets, and trying differnt ones. So it’s good in a way.
I trap with my dad is kind of our thing we do every year and we are off to an ok start for the first weekend. Always alot of people to contend with until the weather takes a dive. The coon have been slow but the rats have been doing well. We are running around 68% on catches. Dad talked to a fur buyer yesterday and the market looks poor at best. He was told around 3 bucks for a good rat and 10 for coon. He was told fur buyers don’t know what to do with the economy so poor the buyers don’t know if they can find someone to sell to. It looks like a guy can only wait it out and see whats going to happen with prices.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
