I am going to buy a 4-Stroke Kicker moter for my sled. What is the best brand out there for these?

I have a 2000 Merc 9.9 4-stroke and have had no trouble with it. Dependable, quiet, easy starting (even cold) 1-2 pulls when cold otherwise 1 pull. Have a high thrust prop on it and it does a great job backtrolling/trolling the rivers. It pushes my 19' TJ very well. Good luck on your decision.

Doubletake

Yamaha T8 electric start, trim and tilt and quiet!

I hope you're right RiverLiver because we just got one exactly as you described for our boat in Alaska. Can't wait to try it out.

Yamaha 8hp high thrust power trim and start

Honda 9.9 four stroke or Yamaha.

I have a '99 merc 9.9 that came with my 20' Intruder. So far it runs great, even in 5 degree weather, but it's only been used about 20 hours since I got the boat last month. It has to "warm up" a few minutes before trolling, but my buddies 9.9 Yami has to also.

I know a couple of guides that have several thousand hours on their merc's and they just love them. Their only gripe is that some of the newer models don't have the shifter on the tiller. I think they're re-introducing that option though.

I had a 4 STK 9.9hp Honda and it ran very smooth.

Yamaha!

I hear this a lot with my Yamaha. "Is your motor running? I don't hear anything."

fishNphysician,
I am so sure that you will like it or should I say love it, that if I am wrong I will gladly fly up to AK and go fishing with you just to see what it is that you don't like about it . I've owned a T8 since 2000, I am on my 2nd motor only because I went to a 32" transom and needed a xxl shaft. My son has the old T8 and still runs as quiet and smooth as day one. The 2000 T8 maintenance consisted of spark plugs and changing gear case grease.
PS: The 2000 T8 probably has well over 1500 hrs. on it.

Yammie.
Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Yammi or honda, both are good.

I hear this a lot with my Nissan:

"You really saved enough on your kicker to buy all those new reels and rods?"

Seriously, though, if part of your criteria for "Best" includes value for the money, check out the Tohatsu/Nissan. You get a lot of great motor for a whole lot less coin than the Yamaha or Honda. If, however, price is not a consideration, by all means get the Yamaha with all the power options and rig it up for remote throttle/shift/steering.

Yamaha T8 electric start, trim and tilt , high thrust. Have had mine for almost 3 years and wouldn't think twice about it if I was doing it again.

My Yamaha T8 elec start without power trim was only $300 more than the nissan with a manual start. Bought it three months ago.

Really?

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/purchase/item-added.jhtml?_requestid=19800

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/purchase/item-added.jhtml?_requestid=20362

You bought a new 2003 Yamaha electric start T8 for <$2K delivered? Everywhere I asked, that motor was more like $2,400. That's another problem with the Yamaha -- it seems like you have to know some secret handshake to get a straight price quote.

My friend's Yamaha 9.9 Power-Everything High Thrust tiller set him back a cool $3k. Maybe he didn't know the secret handshake

I bought a F8 Yammie 2 years ago, got 100 hours on it now and it has required nothing but gas and an oil change. Got it new for 1387.00 and used the rest for GPS! A buddy of mine admires it as his 9.9 honda has been a real troublemaker.

Finegrain,
Nope not a 2003 its a 2004 model. They were asking $2400 for it and my wife talked them down to $2028 and she got them to through in a safety cable and motor lock,and the fittings for hooking it up to my main tank.
You have to remember that when buying anything it cant hurt to offer them less.

If you want to save 25% at least take your boat to BC and buy one. Install it and come back across the border. They would make you pay duty otherwise.

Like Riverliver said.....Yamaha T-8 with all the bells and whistles, attach a TR-1 Gold and you are ready to go.

Steve

Yamaha is the hot set-up.I don't hardly ever see them in for anything but maintenance in my shop.Step up and go for the best your money can buy.

FWIW, I have a Mercury 9.9. I've had no problems with it, and I've had it 18 months.