Matthew Baynard

Yamaha pulled out all the stops for the 2002 Vipers. Their is not doubt in this Editor's mind that the Viper will be the hottest sled for 2002 and most likely for 2003. We'll go into the details of the new model later in the article and you can see all the specification sheets also, but I want to discuss some of the more intangibles about the snowmobile first.

The last issue was a look at the installation and setup of a RacePak Avenger data collection system on a snowmobile. If you missed it, it can be found here at Race Pack Avenger System Installation and Setup.

No this isn't a biology lesson for the sledding community, it's about where the Project Viper snowmobiles came from. The off-road.com Vipers are my babies, and I wanted to talk about how we bought them and why we chose to buy them where we did.

Control is a priority number one if your building the ultimate race winner or trail burner. All the horsepower in the world wont help you if you can't control the snomwobile in the twisties. All the horsepower in the world, wont impress your friends if you can't put that hard earned horsepower to the ground either. Traction translates to control, acceleration and deceleration.

Buying a snowmobile trailer is one of the most important investments you can make. Other than buying Cisco stock five years ago. You'll own that trailer longer than the sled in most cases and its cargo is normally more expensive than the trailer.

Drag racing is a contest of acceleration, not of speed. The first to get from a standing start to the finish line is the winner. Nothing else matters.

Have you ever noticed how many snowmobile trailer deck protection products are on the market today? I counted forty in the stacks of catalogs that are laying around my Snowmobile Online office. Theirs everything from rubber mats sold by thickness, length and width to hard rubber bars similar to a hyfax that are just screwed down. The mats can be heavy like a conveyer belt or soft and cushy like the OSHA mats for people that stand on concrete all day.

Buying a snowmobile trailer is one of the most important investments you can make. Other than buying Cisco stock five years ago. You'll own that trailer longer than the sled in most cases and its cargo is normally more expensive than the trailer.

Winter is over and with it, the riding season (except for you mountain riders) What's that you say? You still feel the need for some speed? You're not ready to put your sled away yet? Well, there is an answer and it is asphalt drag racing. Yes, I said, asphalt drag racing.