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Alpha one 154” vs 165”

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sledhed21

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Dec 19, 2008
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Alpha one 154” vs 165”

Coming off a 2013 Proclimb BB 153” and trying
to decide on 154” or 165”. I’ve never owned a long track sled. The initial few comments about track length got me interested in the Alpha 165”. For the those of you that
have ridden the 153” in the MC 18 and the 2019 Alpha One 165”, which do you prefer? I ride trees and technical
stuff. I/we only hit trails when absolutely necessary.
Thank you
 

ndfb35

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Oct 15, 2014
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I have not ridden the Alpha, but I have been asking the same question you have. I have gotten responses from multiple people who have ridden the 165. They have all said the 165 feels like a 153 MC, and the 154 feels even more playful. I'm going to try the 165 hoping they weren't puffing smoke because I love my 18 MC with the 153.
 

mcfly13

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Nov 27, 2007
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I have heard the 154 acts like a 162 flotation wise and the 165 is like a 175
Both sled require way less rider input
 

rulonjj

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Are you thinking about coming over to the Green Side?

Throwing the idea around. My 850 is the funnest sled I’ve ever ridden so the cat will have to be pretty good to make me switch. Probably wait til next year when I can throw a leg over an alpha for a whole day.
 

Clutched Films

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Switching to green

Finally got to ride the 18 cat in more springlike snow. Out handles the 850 hands down on side hill control and 1/8 the effort. Gunna ride the Alpha in a couple weeks but I'm 99% buyin a kitty next year. You should have seen the disappointment in my dads face. Sad day for a diehard skidoo guy them kitty just work.
 

10003514

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Dec 17, 2007
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Finally got to ride the 18 cat in more springlike snow. Out handles the 850 hands down on side hill control and 1/8 the effort. Gunna ride the Alpha in a couple weeks but I'm 99% buyin a kitty next year. You should have seen the disappointment in my dads face. Sad day for a diehard skidoo guy them kitty just work.

Nice to hear ! Could you elaborate more on a comparison to the 850 ? I'm snowchecking a new sled but won't have the opportunity to ride an Alpha.
 

10003514

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I would look for what turboless terry has said and has to say about it, it seems everyone else can't keep there composure.

Yes getting very mixed reviews, hear not as responsive as an 850 then this 1/8th the effort. Anyways guys seem to be excited about the Alpha.
 

Clutched Films

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Full review soon

My best friend has a 18 cat 153 we ride togeather all year been back and forth his 18 cat then right back on my 165" 850. Snow was always pretty deep when I road his sled and they where very close both in straight side to side races up hill and then working them threw the trees up down sideways backwards all of it. In deep snow there is not enough of a difference to even consider jumping to a new brand. Rode the sled Saturday in wet heavy spring snow on some steep terrain open face & treed hills. Laying my 850 on its side downhill going into a sidehill at slow speeds is like comparing an 850 G4 to a 2009 skidoo XP. Any other task that day they are very comparable. But the 18 kitty just doesn't want to stick that ski and hold you up as bad when turning back uphill on steep terrain. It felt like it took 1/8th the effort in that one single scenario in the 1.5' wet heavy snow/ spring snow. I just know what I can do with a snowmobile that handles like that once I get used to it. I will have a full review once I ride all 3 same day back to back. Biggest reason for me switching is cats rear skid & shock package that come stock. It cost a lot of money to install on a skidoo. And I really like how they handle in the spring snow they out perform the 850 with me riding the sleds. This is just the facts for how I ride Cat gets the nod. Never base what you buy off of what others say ever1 rides different me and all my friends have the same style mentality and aggressive riding approach. We all agree the cat just out handles the 850. 2 diehard skidoo guy 2 disappointed fathers haha. My buddy & me are going Green it only took him 3hrs on a deep day to feel it and decide. It took me over 10 trips countless times riding the cat to feel that 1 time where my 850 was just hands down out handled. Everywhere else they are both very equal & comparable awesome sleds to ride. I have been saying for the last 8 years I will ride the most reliable best handeling & most powerful 800 on the market. It's always been skidoo for me. This year for me it's that 18 KITTY!!!
 

10003514

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Dec 17, 2007
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My best friend has a 18 cat 153 we ride togeather all year been back and forth his 18 cat then right back on my 165" 850. Snow was always pretty deep when I road his sled and they where very close both in straight side to side races up hill and then working them threw the trees up down sideways backwards all of it. In deep snow there is not enough of a difference to even consider jumping to a new brand. Rode the sled Saturday in wet heavy spring snow on some steep terrain open face & treed hills. Laying my 850 on its side downhill going into a sidehill at slow speeds is like comparing an 850 G4 to a 2009 skidoo XP. Any other task that day they are very comparable. But the 18 kitty just doesn't want to stick that ski and hold you up as bad when turning back uphill on steep terrain. It felt like it took 1/8th the effort in that one single scenario in the 1.5' wet heavy snow/ spring snow. I just know what I can do with a snowmobile that handles like that once I get used to it. I will have a full review once I ride all 3 same day back to back. Biggest reason for me switching is cats rear skid & shock package that come stock. It cost a lot of money to install on a skidoo. And I really like how they handle in the spring snow they out perform the 850 with me riding the sleds. This is just the facts for how I ride Cat gets the nod. Never base what you buy off of what others say ever1 rides different me and all my friends have the same style mentality and aggressive riding approach. We all agree the cat just out handles the 850. 2 diehard skidoo guy 2 disappointed fathers haha. My buddy & me are going Green it only took him 3hrs on a deep day to feel it and decide. It took me over 10 trips countless times riding the cat to feel that 1 time where my 850 was just hands down out handled. Everywhere else they are both very equal & comparable awesome sleds to ride. I have been saying for the last 8 years I will ride the most reliable best handeling & most powerful 800 on the market. It's always been skidoo for me. This year for me it's that 18 KITTY!!!

The 18's seem to be a big step forward for Cat, the Alpha should just add to this for 2019.
 

White Rad

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Nov 16, 2009
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The trend in all the new sleds seems to be that the longer tracks ride like they are one size shorter. So in terms of how playful and nimble the sled feels, think that the 165 feels like the 154 of old. Except that it has the added flotation when you want it. I would rather have the longer track that is more capable on those very deep days and give up a little bit of playfulness on the not so deep days then struggle when its over the hood pow...Have not ridden the alpha but from what I'm seeing the 165 will be so maneuverable I would go that route for sure.
 
K

knifedge

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Dec 20, 2009
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Colorado
154 for me

If it has comparable flotation of a standard 162, then why would I want the extra length...
Length is length ...
I don't like how the longer sleds feel...even in just a straight line...not as playful....because their longer....
 

snowdog484

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Always have had 150" to 155" range tracks. For what its worth, if I were to get one this year I would go with 165" range. Whether it be kitty or poo
 

turboless terry

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The 154 vs 165 seems like an easy choice. If you had a 153-4 sled and really liked it and it's deep snow performance and handling the new 150 ish sleds will be that much better. As said the new sleds ride Or in the alpha, supposedly ride shorter. I know the 850 doo does. I don't think the axy does but that's my opinion. So if you want the handling of the shorter sled but better deep snow performance for playing in the trees get the 165 alpha or doo 850. I didn't think there was much difference years ago and the shorter sleds had more track speed but these new ones there is a big difference in the trees or climbing. When I got my wife a 174 xm there were a few times it was too long for me and her. Usually had enough traction that I could work something else out. I've never had that problem on the 165 850. With boost it spins on its tail no problem. Stock not as good as the old 150's but could probably be set up to. That is my take on track length. Decide how you want to ride and what you want out of it.
 

rulonjj

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A lot of people say the 165 feels as agile as a 153. The one thing that no one has mentioned yet, bigger drivers and bigger wheels will make less track be on the ground.

In our experience, switching to a 10” wheel leaves 2” less track on the ground. So, going to bigger drivers and bigger wheels could make the sled feel 4” shorter. That’s almost the difference of track on the ground between a 165 and a 154.

I may be wrong, but I’d love to have a 18’ and 19’ Mountain cat and alpha sitting next to each other and measure them up to see what the difference is.
 
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