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Newbe looking at Trail Blazers - opinions please?

4K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  14sport400ho 
#1 ·
I just found this site and it looks like just what I need. I'm looking for a second-hand four wheeler to play around with ( I have a 2011 RZR for my main rider), and I'm interested in finding one of the two-stroke Trail Blazers. They look like a fairly simple machine, and being a snowmobile racer I like the idea of the two-stroke engine and variable speed clutches to tune on. I see Polaris has built this model a long time. Are there better of worse models to look for? Any problem areas I should be looking at? Any tricks to working on and maintaining one of these machines that I should know? Thanks in advance for your advice!
 
#4 ·
I have a 250 Trailblazer I bought for my GF (NEWBIE with no experience whatsoever) to putt around on, and she loves it. It has been very reliable, although it isn't ridden very hard. I zip around on it from time to time, although you won't win any races on it, it handles and rides really nice for a small bike. I will tell you this, they do not hold their value well. A friend of mine owns a dealership in my area, he doesn't even like to take them in on trade.
That being said, I still think you would enjoy it as we do ours. You being a two stroke guy, seems like a good fit?
 
#5 ·
I'm thinking about buying this one:



It's a 2005 one-owner machine. The owner estimates it has about 1000 miles on it, and says it is trail-ready right now - no repairs needed. I haven't gone to look at it yet (it's about 100 miles away), but it sounds like an older gentleman that owns it, hasn't been rode hard, and it's been well taken care of. He's asking $2200 obo. That price is on the high end of most I've found, but then again most I've found have been pretty well beat. I want one I can bring home and ride, not have to rebuild from end-to-end first. With that in mind, what do you fine folks think? Thanks!

PS: I'd like to put a pipe on it shortly after I get it - I don't care much for the sounds of these things stock! LOL! I found a package on the Ritter Racing website for a pipe, clutch kit, jets, and air filter for $325.00. Is anyone here running this setup, and if so how does it work? Thanks again!
 
#14 ·
If you need help ask me. Odd as it sounds I am a expert on Trailblazers.

Its a 05 as you listed and its a 50 year anniversary edition. Price seems fair looks great tires have a lot of tread on them still and common problems? They are a solid atv.

As big of a fan of trailblazers I suggest keeping it all stock I seen over years they are easyer to work on and run better stock.

Need help with them just ask me.
 
#9 ·
After a weekend of riding I can say that I'm very satisfied with my purchase. It gets around very well for a two-wheel drive, and rides and handles pretty good too!

I've decided to pass on buying a pipe right away and play around with carb jetting and clutching first. I'd like to raise clutch engagement by about 300 to 400 RPM. Can I do that by just going to a heavier primary spring? If so, what spring do I need? Hoping someone can help me out here. Thanks!
 
#10 ·
I ordered a heavier primary clutch spring (Black/white stripe) from Ritter Racing and installed it yesterday. I also dropped the needle down in the carb one notch, leaned out the air screw, and switched to a 125 main jet. The spring brought the clutch engagement up to where I wanted and the carb changes cleaned up the low end. Between the clutch and carb work it's much more responsive on take-off. I've decided to stop where I'm at with changes. I want to keep this machine subtle enough that the grandkids can ride it without it getting away from them.

The hot-rodder in me would like to get in there and go crazy on this thing though. I can see a lot of potential in the ol' Trail Blazer!
 
#11 ·
I bought my wife one a few years ago 97 model. We went out riding yesterday and took the oldest Grandson 16 with us. He spent the day on the thing and loves it. I believe they are about the best machine for mountain trails around. We were up on the Grand Mesa(Colorado) and running up and down trails with whoops? I drive a Yamaha Big Bear 400 with 5 speed shifter. That Trail Blazer runs circles around me. 4 of the Grandkids ended up riding it yesterday. My Daughter has a 250 CC something or other(unknown) and my grandson said our bike runs circles around that machine.
 
#13 ·
They are great machines and that is a great find. Recently we bought my wife a 2010 330 4-stroke in about the same condition as that. The guy we got it from bought it for his wife to use to take the trash can out to the road and back in! We had it out yesterday for the first trail ride and it did a heck of a lot better than I thought it would. I've got a Dynojet kit in the garage waiting to go in and a Uni filter in the mail. I'm really trying to hold off on ordering the AAEN pipe for it, but something tells me that will be in the mail sooner than later!
 
#15 ·
My parents owned a 96 until april of this year. Ive beat the crap out of that thing for the last 17 years and just coming back for more! At one point the oil pump failed on it and had to do a top end rebuild. After the rebuild we blocked off the pump and mixed our own gas. That was pretty close to 10 years ago and we just sold it to a buddy of mine and he is still riding it. Cant say enough about the durability or fun factor of these machines. The only real problem I had was keeping the swingarm bolts tight, over time the lock nuts would back off. Probably should have put new nylon lock nuts on them, but that required basicly a complete tear down and I never dug into. Once a year we would pull the clutch cover and driven clutch and tighten them down.
 
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