1998 Zr 500

[Bcole]

Hey all,

new to the forum and to sledding, have always road dirbikes any way i picked this up on a trade runs strong, but don't know anything about it, good sled, bad sled... what could be some good mods without getting to $$$$, any help would be great! thanks

[Patrick11]

I had a 98 ZL 500 which is the same sled only different suspension, It was an awesome sled had a ton of power and i never had any trouble with it, i never had a complaint about it, i lost the motor in it due to my own stupidty, now its a 600 and its still going strong, so you got yourself a real good sled to start with

[revrider19]

one thing i have learned about "modding" up a sled ! modding a sled will somtimes decrease how reliable an allready good sled is . youll spend too much money to go a "little" faster. not to mention when your in the backwoods miles from nowhere and it breaks down becuase it leaned out from the pipe and can . well anyway my 2 cents worth . my sleds are not modded and i hope to allways count on them when "miles from nowhere" .

[Patrick11]

i didnt see the modded part of it, i had PSI stockblaster twin pipes on my 500, it was also ported and the crank was trued and welded, and i ran it for 3800 miles trouble free with them on, and i got cocky and decided to race a guy with a XC 700 and leaned it out a little more than i should have and forgot to change it back to how i had it and thats how i lost the motor in it, the pipes are back on it and its running fine, they also have V Force 3 Reeds, bigger carb kits, pipes, clutch kits, big bore kits, there are many things you can do to those sleds

[jredneck73]

I got a 92 wedge 500 efi sled w/ a 89 650 triple in it . Mods I have done so far are clutch kits primary and secondary , triple psi pipes , dropped down gear size , smaller drive cogs with a 1.25 track w/ 292 picks and stock plastic skies off a Ski-doo . Would take this sled anywhere and trust it . Just because of the mods and all the work I have put into the research before I did them . Many hours talking to people and reading up on the mods . That is my 2 cents .

[revrider19]

ok here's the deal ! if youre new to sledding go basic . i would strongly suggest a clutch kit ! and dont buy a fits all kit from a mag or online . go to a well known dealer and ask for there clutch man . have him build it ! he has done hundreds upon hundreds of clutchs . also while its there ask about gearing maybe get a little lower gear . hand gaurd's are a great "mod" ! riser for you bars allso a great "mod" a very important mod would be studs in the track ! best bang for your buck for traction bite and stopping !
i have 4 sleds with a combined mile total of over 12,000 miles and have only had one sled "blow" up . oil pump failed . the only time one of my sled's have left me stranded in over 12,000 miles . any time i have helped a fellow sledder "stranded" on a trail it seems its piped and canned,boondocker,high compression heads, aftermarket this and that . for what 5 or 10 mile an hour faster on a 1 or 2 mile pull . last time i looked trail speed limits are less then 100 mile and hour. and mostly a 5 to 20 hp increase . i belive sled reliability
more so motor reliability are less then factory equipped .
i am all for hp and speed . but not for a new to guy to snowmobiling .
there's days id love to run with an f-7 or a mach z 1000 . but in the end by the end of the lake i am only a few seconds behind for a lot less money . i am not trash talking guys that hop up there sled for hundred's of thousand's of dollars i think its awsome to see those sled's run 100 or 115 mile an hour but i feel my sled will get me home everytime . i know manufacture's spend countless hour's and million's of dollars testing to give you great pipe's and can's and what not's . and they work . but if they were so great skidoo arctic cat and polaris and yamaha would do it from the factory if they were so bullet proof,cost effective,and reliable .
i am just stating an opinion and not "bad mouthing" mod's .

[jredneck73]

I too like stock sleds my 95 RXL is pretty much bone stock . Just a few mods Bar risers low windshield , 1" track with 144 studs , geared down on size for better take off . I was just saying I have a total mod sled that I trust because it has never let me down (knock on wood ) . Plus I know what has been done because I do all my own wrenching . Can't beat the cheap mods because it all depends on how your going to ride and most importantly the type of experance you have . So what one person likes to do isn't always best for you .

[revrider19]

I too like stock sleds my 95 RXL is pretty much bone stock . Just a few mods Bar risers low windshield , 1" track with 144 studs , geared down on size for better take off . I was just saying I have a total mod sled that I trust because it has never let me down (knock on wood ) . Plus I know what has been done because I do all my own wrenching . Can't beat the cheap mods because it all depends on how your going to ride and most importantly the type of experance you have . So what one person likes to do isn't always best for you .


im with you brotha !

[Bcole]

thanks, guys for the input i'm going to stay basic, i think maybe just a clutch kit and some difrrent handle bars i really like zipping thru the trails so top end is not that necassary, but i do like to be able to get out of those corners fast!! any suggestions on a good one? i'd also like to know the diffrence in a track, i don't want to stud it, so with that in mine what track gives you the best bite?

[braindead1684]

thanks, guys for the input i'm going to stay basic, i think maybe just a clutch kit and some difrrent handle bars i really like zipping thru the trails so top end is not that necassary, but i do like to be able to get out of those corners fast!! any suggestions on a good one? i'd also like to know the diffrence in a track, i don't want to stud it, so with that in mine what track gives you the best bite?

Ripsaws are the most highly recommended track. I would go with something in the 1 - 1.25" lug range no studs is fine don't have an on my 600 and itgrips better then it did with the smaller lug and studs so its all in the setup. Stay Basic to start then advance as you learn what your doing.