93 Vmax 750 vs 96 Mach Z 780

After a few trips I finally got to compare my sleds stock for stock. On past trips I always seemed to have some minor issue with one sled that didn't let me do a back to back comparison. Today both were running absolutely perfect. Both are jetted conservatively for the altitude because I ride between 5100 and 8300 ft. In the Southern Oregon Cascades. Both sleds are bone stock and the Yamaha clutch spring is set for altitude. Not sure how the Mach clutch is set up. I was worried when I got the 780 I'd fall out of love with the Vmax. It's down 16 hp has Vmax bad brakes and is way down on traction with a 3/4" worn out track. I rode the Mach most of the day because my girlfriend was riding with me. I put her on the 750 because it has totally linear throttle response and smoother/lower clutch engagement. The Mach on the other hand is an absolute beast to ride. It has a much deeper track with studs. Not sure if it's 1.25 or 1.5. It hooks like crazy and will yard the ski's for longer than I'm comfortable with to the point I lifted, dropped the ski's, got back into it and it lifted them again. Then when the clutch really started to move it got sideways at 70 mph. I thought I was sold at that point but on the steep climb to the Mt. Bailey summit (8376 ft.) The Z was right on the red on the temp gauge. Yamaha got it right running an actual radiator on their big motor. On the way down I got back on the Vmax because it can be a handful without traction on a steep decent and I didn't want the girlfriend to have to deal with that. It wasn't a problem for me and I got to ride the old 4 cyl again. I noticed right away how much more I like the sound of it over the violent three banger. Throttle response was way more predictable and smooth. When I opened it up it spun the track for days but in the end it felt way more stable at speed than the Z. It really has sneaky speed. It's so smooth you don't think it's going that fast till you look at the speedo. In the end I'm glad I bought the Mach Z for $350 but it doesn't make me like the Vmax any less. Even though the Z does most things better I still can't get over the 750. I'm Not sure if I'll ever get them side by side from a roll with enough straight but I wouldn't count out the sneaky power of the 4 cyl.

right on! gotta love the ole 4!

just before I got my 95, my neighbor use to steady blast past me on his REV 800 while I was on my old school polaris.

in a pretty rude way... I would be running my old polaris up and down my road, and like clockwork, out of no where boom! he'd blast past me, then move over and literally leave me in his snow dust.. (ARG)..

anyway, after I got my 95vmax4 totally rebuilt and did some laps around my yard etc for a break in, I laid in wait.. LOL

sure enough, he came rolling out of his driveway one day on his Rev and did a blast down my road, when he got back, I pulled out in the road, next to him, and looked over and indicated, wanna run um? I could tell by his head movement he was basically laughing, as if PIFFT!

well, we both nailed it..and.. I absolutely KILLED that rev and HONEST TO GOD! NO LIE! I had to pedal it not once, not twice but THREE times, due to HIM being on the crown on the road, me off to the side, my ski's were floating, and due to the angle of the road, I kept starting to veer towards the ditch..

I will NEVER forget the feeling of being well ahead down my road a ways, having had to pedal it three times!

and Yes, he was mad as heck! LOL.. We came screaming back down towards our houses, I let him stay in front for the first VERY short distance, then blasted past him, he then pulled back into his driveway, then garage.. and slammed the door shut.. LOL!!!

That's a great story. I really need to do a couple upgrades to the Max to even things up. I bet it would be a pretty even match with a better track, 800 pipes, and some clutch work. The Z seems like it was extremely well set up from the factory and after riding them back to back I can feel where the stock clutching is holding the Vmax back.

Reeve said:

That's a great story. I really need to do a couple upgrades to the Max to even things up. I bet it would be a pretty even match with a better track, 800 pipes, and some clutch work. The Z seems like it was extremely well set up from the factory and after riding them back to back I can feel where the stock clutching is holding the Vmax back.

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ohh for sure man!! Clutching makes a heck of a difference on these!
and thanks!

P.S.. don't underestimate the belt either.. when I got my vmax4, the guy threw in a few belts of various brands.

well one day I decided to test each one of them back to back, and WOW!!! a belt can make!

Its been some years back now, but I remember one was a goodyear (The worst of them all!) another was a ultimax?, and a 89A..
the one belt I did NOT have, was the correct OEM that came on the 800's-8Bu.. (89A came on earlier models, and is hard as a dang rock man)..

Anyway, the ultimax won the shootout hands down!.. The 89a was semi okay, and the goodyear was a joke!

I've had good luck with the ultimax belt as well. Goodyear, like you said al, are terrible.