Tundra R vs Tundra 550.

[jim summit]

I have been looking at the new Tundra's for a long time now and after driving my Tundra R all winter, and taking a day to recover from riding with my chin on my knees, broke down and walked into the local dealer.

As they say, once you are in, you are done. One test ride and I was sold.

Doing some mods to get it ready and it's off to the line, see how it compares to the old faithful. Gonna miss the warm air behind the windshield on the old model, but sure looking forward to the new ride.

[swift1]

Nice...gotta love the Tundras. I've had them before and great Utility machines. Good Choice. Too bad they discontinued the 300cc, that was a nice light sled. The 550's are a bit more heavy.

[dumoulin]

Congrats. You'll love the new one.

[357xp]

[Chung66]

My r has a summit suspension. Rides nice

[braggadoe]

looks pretty sweet sitting beside your older one. i'm curious, what where the big selling points?? 550 compared too the ace? does it look like you'ld be able to do work/repair on it, in the bush? or is it back to the dealer if you need repairs,ect. i see one in my future!

[jim summit]

It's a long winded reply, so here goes-


The 600 Ace is a better engine fuel wise, but I got the 550 at 4 grand less than the Ace, it's a pre owned 2013. I think the 550 gets compared to the Ace alot making it look bad on fuel but if i look at my Summit, the 550 should be quite reasonable.

Being the kind of guy I am, I disasemble my new Tundra as soon as I got it home. Installed a EGT gauge so I can monitor the engine, and just looked everything over. Easy to work on, no diff from any older sled, just you have to know how to take it apart, and I wanted to know that in my warm shop, not out on the line. Very basic engine design, plain old Mikuni carbs, no sensors to watch out for.
No dealer needed as far as I'm concerned.

Performance wise in deep 3' snow, was very impressed with low clutch engagement, 2500rpm and low gearing with a torquey engine.
Can stop and start where the Summit would struggle due to no track spin on the Tundra. Pin it on hardpack and it will pick up the ski's.

Good flotation on the ski's, and very nimble making new trails through the forest. Longer seat on the lastest Tundra's allows a passenger.
Headlight is way better then the older sleds, and suspension is better than I expected.

Only regret is not buying it at the start of the season.

Now with two Tundra's, my wife says she is coming along on the trapline line.......
I wonder who gets the new machine?......

[South west trappin RG]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

looks pretty sweet sitting beside your older one. i'm curious, what where the big selling points?? 550 compared too the ace? does it look like you'ld be able to do work/repair on it, in the bush? or is it back to the dealer if you need repairs,ect. i see one in my future!

I have a 550f and love it, i got to go on a trap check with Mike Jokanen from the ACA wolverine study and he has one I couldent belive the fuel milage on the ace, I used 3/4 a tank and his bairly came off full. I got to test ride his and if felt and drove the same as mine but it lacked the zipp the 2 stroke had and it dident have a pull start back up. I would consider it for the fuel milage for sure and the power wasent bad just no zip. A trapper friend of mine in the south just bought the tundra extreme and iam excited to take it for a ripp hint hint Don.

[braggadoe]

thanks for the replies fella's. hopefully with a good auction coming up, i'm going to get a new sled. the plan is too fly my old skandic(for back up) and a new machine into the line this summer. it will be a one way trip for them, so i've got to be able to work on them myself.

no problem with old skandic, but i'm bit worried about a new sled. the fuel economy with the ACE has me leaning that way. but i hear they're not easy to work on. anyone else hear this??

i would prefer to go to a dealer. and take one apart, instead of a test ride. but that's not going to happen.


anyway, a few more months to decide.

[South west trappin RG]

The ace is allot more complicated than a two stroke but if they are good just oil changes and a belt once in awhile. I also have a Yamaha venture 500 four stroke the motor has never gave me any problems but it is a bad sled. I have had it for 5 years now and all it is good for is work, hauling lots of weight and pre made trails. If any one is looking for a venture I would sell it at a good price, it is a 2008 with 2500k really good maintance records.

[jim summit]

We spent a couple days out on the trapline, resetting snares and just enjoying nature.
New Tundra sure is a joy to ride, until my wife said, "You look cold behind that little windshield, you can drive the old Tundra and warm up a bit".........

[jim summit]

Here is a bump for Nube.

[nube]

Originally Posted by jim summit

Here is a bump for Nube.

You suck Jim lol Thanks
I can't believe I am even thinking of buying one.
Talked to Tork a bit today and he is set on the Skandic still. I think both have possitives for sure. I have a 96 skandic I could use as a backup but can't think it would be much different than a new tundra. I really just want something that won't leave me stranded and will do what I need it to do. I ran that old 79 or whatever it was citation 300 to break trail and it almost killed me.
I wonder what kind of price a used 1 year old skandic and a used 1 year old Tundra would cost vs a new one? Where would a huy even look to find one other than kijiji?

[357xp]

Nube, there is no comparison from a 90's model sled to a new one. The ride and handling is night and day difference. The old ones u are eating your knees and sitting on your tailbone which can get very tiring. You won't know the real difference until u put quite a few miles on a new one, then go back on the old style.
The forward/high seating is the best thing that's happened to sleds in a long time. (Although some will argue that...)

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by 357xp

nube, there is no comparison from a 90's model sled to a new one. The ride and handling is night and day difference. The old ones u are eating your knees and sitting on your tailbone which can get very tiring. You won't know the real difference until u put quite a few miles on a new one, then go back on the old style.
The forward/high seating is the best thing that's happened to sleds in a long time. (although some will argue that...)

100% ^^^^^^