Len My wifes Bravo goes through plugs at an alarming rate,, any ideas? Jim

FT, I'm a KISS man so if your asking how I deal with frozen carburetors on the Bravo, I figured out to drink lots of coffee before I go out on the line. That helps with the problem.

10 pages of how to jerry rig and make the "best trapline snogo" able to operate ...lol

I can't understand why everyone is "drunk" on these things..

LOL..its 13 pages but who is counting

Well were drunk when we drive them so we don't feel the pain.

Naw Hup
By far not the best trapline snogo. I would be the first to admit that.

But not everyone has $8-10,000 to spend on a new snowmobile to play with. Or even$2000.
That is what I am doing in Homer. Playing. With 4 kids that all have a snowmobile to play with. For under $2000 total. I am good with that. And what my son has gotten out of the exercise is priceless.

And if we can use them on the a trap line, Well that is icing on the cake. The best choice. For us it is. Short distances. Lots of snow, Man with a bad back! ;0)
Dirt KISS is not good for a bad back.

They aren't for everyone but a lot of people can get started with a snowmobile and make them a lot better than they bought them with some effort. If you don't like reading the Bravo dribble that is fine. It isn't like reading a thriller novel or anything.
But your comments- Well unnecessary. Negatively seems to be what some people are best at adding. How about educate us a little on something for a change instead of continually poking shots at others.
Were all tired of it.
The bravo thread seems to have a following. Feel free to use your time to read something else please.

I would much prefer a brand new Tundra with an Ace motor for myself. But in all reality I would rather have 4 bravos to ride with my kids any day.

Loosen your panties.

I just find it humorous that everyone espouses the awesomeness of a bravo and then spends 1000 and many hours making it work.

FT I don't know if there is a solution to the carburetor freezing. Part of it is the nature of the Kiehen carb with the butterfly valve. If it does freeze, I have found the simplest solution is to urinate on the carb. That is why coffee is the key. Now Hup can make fun of ole dirt peeing on his carburetor. If that offends pour any hot liquid on it.

I am not going to suggest anybody use Bravos to trap with. There are a few on here who use them for very good reasons, that some people will never understand. I am in no way embarrass to say I use them by choice. I am not even going to bother to explain why.

Len- My Hat is off to you. What you do for your children and encouraging them to work on things and to work with what they have in front of them and to improve it. That will go along ways and is priceless. Everyone is always trying to improve something they have.
How is the line going? I am hoping to try hit it hard since weather is alot better, stuck at work more lately though. Alot of wolf action downriver from here. Tons of moose around though so gonna have to use mb's. I have some medical things to take care of later this month so stuff is at a stand still for now. luck with the Cats.

Your panties are always loose if you ride a bravo.
Kind of like the sparkplug cap. Which wear out must faster than the sparkplug due to the rattling.

Different strokes for different folks. But you don't see me bad mouthing other peoples choices. Thats the difference!
You don't know what floats my boat or anyone else for that matter. So why find fault in it.

Those 1000 hours. Worth ever moment.
To troubleshoot and spend such quality time with my children is about as good as it gets! You can't buy time with your children like that.

To see my son rise to the level he has at problem solving in a situation like we have faced lately has come from many hours of doing things that others would feel is waistless time. It is offensive quite honestly to be downgraded for what I feel has been one of the most worthwhile endeavors as father.
The lessons here have been far deeper than running or fixing a Bravo.

There is some panty adjusting that needs to go on alright. But frankly mine fit me just the way I like them.

Sorry YT Posted over the top of you.
Hope to have some cats this weekend. Will see what happens. Weekend warrior until mid Feb. Then it is off to my long line out west.

Len well said. How long do you run your long line ?

Hup it goes without saying that you do add good comments and ideas it is just the negetives that have an adverse affect.



So, what is the most wearable part on the Bravo ?

Alright FT I am wondering if all your modifications to drive in cold weather and fluffy snow is going to ruin that machine for warm weather spring riding. Since you sealed out the snow, you sealed out the outside air flow. There are no vents in the cowling to allow air to flow to the fan. The biggest hole for airflow upfront comes across a hot exhaust. At times in March I have driven mine with the cowling raised about six inches just to be safe.

The same thing goes for the snorkel. In spring riding that air coming off the motor can get down right hot. That air will not be too dense and your machine will be running a lot richer. Should decrease fuel mileage and may cause plugs to foul.

This is something I haven't done yet, but will have ready to go next year.

There have many times in the past where the snow gets so deep and sugary that the only way I can travel is if I can stay on my existing trail. After foot or better snowfall in flat light it can be darn near impossible to see the trail in the open areas. Sometimes I can only travel in the dark to find it, because the headlight makes the trail visible. You start pushing a foot and a half of new snow and it will keep blocking your headlight.

There have been times in the past where I had to remove the light fixture from the cowling; wire it to the top of the windshield and reroute the electrical wiring; then plug the light hole in the cowling with a mitt. I took to carrying a light fixture with me this year in the glove box, but to do this I still have to spend a lot of time rerouting the electrical wires. before next trapping season I am going to fabricate a electrical cable so that all I have to do it plug it into the female connector at the existing light fixture and then connect it to my extra light fixture that I hang at the top of my windshield.

I have you question for you die hard Bravo riders. I've rode one, about 5 miles and I felt like, well, monkey/football.

How far are you guys riding these machines?

I have to have at least 20,000 miles in the saddle probably more. Some days I still may put in 100 miles a day on the trapline through, over, and around crap you would never believe. Most days now would be in the fifty miles range.

If you started riding cushy machines it must makes it seem worse to go backward in comfort. If you started on on Elan it would seem pleasant.

I hate to say this cause I'm fixing to take a beating, but it seems the toughness level in this country is going downhill. The guys before me were really tough. It appears the guys coming after me are less tough than me. I am not even saying I'm tough.

Alright I said it. Let my internut arse whooping begin.

I'm sure I would believe what you are going through, around and over. I have two machines with 12K each on them. Another with 5K and one I sold with 2K on it.

I think 50 miles on one knee would be tolerable. I can't imagine running 100 miles on one.

A tundra would be better for me than a bravo.

The one and only reason I love the bravo sure isn't comfort but dependability, sure would be nice having a bit bigger machine on those 100+ mile checks but don't think they'll be bringing back the Polaris transport pre 1999, the Yamaha enticer or the super jagLT.

Those LT/wt sure look nice and almost purchased one this summer but don't like buying 8/9 or 10k machines without a record of dependability, having 2 WT and a LT burn up here in a small village of 50 in a month isn't a good record, there is a scandic 4 stroke here that's been running good though.

I was afraid my above comment would have offended. I'm pleased it didn't.

If your talking a 277 Tundra II I agree if it is really bumpy where you trap. When things are really bumpy or tougher snow conditions I will take the Tundra. However, mine gets worse overall gas mileage than the Bravos and is far less reliable. I bought it new in 1997 and it was down half that year due to a mechanical issue.

I run a shortline and I cant even really sit comfortably on my Bravo. I'm a 100% kneeling driver. Its the same way I drove my Tundras and Skandic though so I'm used to it. If I was running for long distances between sets on rivers without much operator input (leaning, steering,etc) I would be looking for a machine that was more comfortable to ride while seated. I've actually given thought to removing the seat all together and coming up with a way to stand and drive or a "cradle" type of deal to kneel on/in. My knees do get sore after a day on the machine.

I had the steering freezing issue last trapline run. It was a PITA. I'll be installing the "Takotna Snow Shield" soon. I also think that Dirts idea for being able to install a light up high easily on the trail is a winner.

I dont live or trap to be tough. I try to only be as tough as I need to be to get a job done. All the "tough" things I did when I was younger are coming back on me in middle age. I agree with the thought about the toughness of old timers, but I've come to appreciate the saying "if you are dumb, you better be tough"...(not refering to Dirt there in any way because I appreciate his input to this forum and he is obviously anything but "dumb"..)

The old timers didn't choose to be tough it just was the way it was. I don't use Bravos because I'm tough; its because I don't like to walk. When I'm walking I'm not catching fur. When I'm not catching fur I ain't making money.