Yamaha is definitely in the mountain biz with this sled.
At first our riders were pretty skeptical about a 4-stroke mountain sled and its ability to compete with lighter 2-stoke climbers. One caveat: All the MTX Vipers we had to choose from were equipped with turbochargers!
At Yellowstone’s high elevation the extra power was nice but we would have liked to sample a naturally aspirated 1049 at altitude.
As far as the chassis goes, our riders were impressed with the sled’s ability to climb out of deep snow and maneuver through tight spots without hanging up.
We think this combo of redesigned skidframe, very good balance and the 135-hp level of power from this mill will be a credible mountain sled – perhaps not at the level of some of the most radical 2-strokes but nevertheless, capable of some pretty cool mountain performance.
