by vwbuggyman » January 6th, 2008, 7:11 am
Well, you kinda have two options based on your post (and the size of your kids). You could buy one 2-up touring for the wife, and a 1-up for you and the smaller child. That way you can get a sporty sled for yourself but still use it for family fun. However, on a 1-up the child has to sit in front of you, since there are no handles on the back.
OR, you can go with two touring sleds. Touring machines typically have a slightly raised rear portion of the seat, and handles(usually with heat), so the kids can safely sit behind the parent. If the kids are older than 5 or 6, this is the way you'll have to go since they're too large to sit comfortably in front of you anyway.
The Yamaha RS-Venture is probably the best touring sled on the market. It's powered by the 4-stroke, 3 cylinder Genesis 120 HP motor. It's quiet, clean(no 2-stroke smell on all your riding gear afterward), and very reliable, with virtually no maintenance. Also great on gas. These FI motors are literally just turn the key and go. No priming, choking, yanking the cord. Electric start and reverse are standard, and so is the awesome styling of Yamaha sleds (no boxy XP look).
Like the AP mentioned, the rear seat can come off, turning it into a 1-up that will hang with any 600 class sled. The 120(973cc) HP motor has plenty of zip with only one rider, and could propel you to nearly 100mph if you were so inclined. Since you said price really isn't an issue, the Yamaha would be the best choice. The Venture runs around $9,500 each brand new, though you may find leftovers or a used machine for much less. An optional GT package($300) adds GYTR premium clicker shocks up front. A double trailer to haul them runs around $1500. It is a premium price over other brands, but IMO the quality, reliability, and features more than justify it. Would you rather pay a little more up front for years of trouble-free operation, or save some bucks now, only to have to spend more on add-ons(12v outlets, heated visor hookups, ect) and repairs for cheaper sleds? Not to mention these 4s motors last for as long as you'll ever own the sled (I've seen these engines with over 15k miles and still going strong, whereas some 2s motors are toast when they get near 10k)
Yamaha also offers the Venture Lite, which is a slightly smaller (and cheaper) version that has the Genesis 80 HP motor(500cc) instead of the 120. This runs about $8,000. That may be worth a look too, espically if the rear passengers will always be kids. The Venture takes two adults easily, the Venture Lite takes two adults if they know each other well. Both the Venture and Venture Lite feature quick-adjust rear suspension for single or 2-up riding.
Ski-Doo also offers a "1+1" option on some of their sleds that lets you purchase separately a rear seat (for like $500) that fits into the tunnel extension behind the main seat, giving you seating for two. The upside is that it's easier to take on and off than the Yamaha, but the downside is that it's not as good of a seat in terms of comfort, and that you have to buy it separately. Doo touring models are fine sleds as well, but they only offer 1 4s engine, a V-twin 800cc as a pricey option(it doesn't even compete with the Genesis motors for performance). Otherwise you get a couple 2s choices, which isn't to say they're bad motors, but they're also louder, worse on gas, and require 2s oil to be added($30/gallon, lasts for 3-4 tanks of gas), which just doesn't really suit family use.
Alternatively, the Ski-Doo GTX is actually a 3-seater snowmobile(adult and two kids, three adults is a squeeze and horribly sluggish). You could pick one of those up for the wife/kids, and then get something a little speedy for yourself.
Both Pol and Cat offer touring models as well, but neither offers the comforts and fantastic engines of the Yamy.
