Schmidt Bros. Motorsports Sway Bar Kit Review

Schmidt Bros. swaybar
This somewhat crude looking swaybar kit improves the ride and handling of late-model Yamaha Phazers.

Looking to improve the handling of our 2008 Yamaha Phazer RTX demo sled last season, we installed a Schmidt Bros. Motorsports SBM sway bar kit. The Phazer’s stock bar is a wire-type system that contributes to undesired body roll, which causes the sled to dart on deceleration and tip the inside ski through turns. An advantage of a “soft” swaybar, though, is that it can typically provide a plusher ride because it allows easier suspension action.

With the SBM bar installed, there was less chassis roll as the sled entered a turn. The front end was less prone to dart upon deceleration and the machine had a generally more relaxed, controllable feel. Roll can be controlled through a stiffer shock preload setting, but ride quality might be compromised.

The chassis stayed flatter through turns, though it seemed to have more corner push in loose snow. The suspension was plush enough for a comfortable ride, but still capable to resist bottoming. Another advantage of SBM’s kit is it mounts flush to the bulkhead, whereas the stock bar has rod ends that hang down about 2 inches which could hook a rock or stump.

Installation of the SBM kit was easy. Our sample was pre-assembled; all we had to do was remove the stock bar, hold this one in place and tighten about a half-dozen nuts and bolts. All of the parts lined up as necessary and components moved freely without binding or creaking – all signs that this swaybar was designed and built to exacting specifications.

The finish on some of the parts was crude, so people who are picky about how their Phazer looks might have reservations about installing this accessory, but if you want an easier-to-ride and better-handling Phazer, get an SBM swaybar kit. At $459.99, it’s a reasonably priced part that provides a noticeable handling improvement.

Schmidt Bros. Motorsports
Whittemore, Michigan
989/756-2150
schmidtbrosmotorsports.com

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