• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Alpha trail manners?

C
Dec 27, 2012
57
1
8
76
We have 45 miles of trail riding there and back from alpine. I am in my seventies and ride a 2017 m8000 153 sno pro. A bit interested in the alpha
but if it is TIPPY!! I do not want it.
thanyou in advance.
 

ridgelinerunner

Well-known member
Premium Member
Oct 2, 2008
289
161
43
trail manners

I have the chance to ride the Alpha on smooth fresh groomed trails to rough no groomed choppy ones. I feel it isn't any more tippy than a 2018 mountain cat. I think you will love the Alpha, plus when you get the hills you will love it more than your 2017!! The only thing I noticed is when you want to pop off the trail and there is a rise of 8-12" of snow that is when you need to be ready, it will tip you over!!
 

turboless terry

Well-known member
Premium Member
Jan 15, 2008
5,565
6,765
113
Big Timber, MT
Once I figured my shock got moved to lock it rides decent. Not so much in lock. I don't think it is any worse than any other mountain sled.
 

Tahoepow

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Aug 7, 2012
187
108
43
North shore Lake Tahoe
The Alpha is a 3" lug mountain sled. I wouldn't recommend it for 45 miles of trails. Its fun on whooped out single track trail and roads because of the nice suspension, but straight up groomers out by Alpine Wy I don't think it would hook up too good imo. Its tippy with the fronts on 3 but stable at the same time. The sled is made to lay over on one ski and slay deep powder. That being said the Ctec2 is an awesome engine. And would be a blast with the right track for ripping down trails.
 
B
Nov 12, 2018
13
4
3
I found my 165 alpha very tippy at first, I switched the front shocks to the firm setting and it fixed the trail manners right up. My back up sled that I am used to is a 2015 proclimb ltd. Once in the powder then I switch the front shocks back to setting 2 at 60 psi. It is very easy to carve and sidehill with minimal effort, also easy to get stuck by shifting your weight too far and tip the sled on its side. I am still getting used to the handling, over all I like it better than my proclimb.
 

summ8rmk

Most handsome
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Feb 16, 2008
12,368
6,039
113
yakima, wa.
For that much trail, i would stick with the regular mtn cat.
For the Alpha, u can drop the fts to 40psi and skis at 70psi and it handles trails pretty well. Track is very noisy and vibration is pretty intense on high speed trail riding.

 

Matte Murder

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
May 4, 2011
3,579
2,259
113
Catskills you are my newest hero. 71 and riding the back country! The Alpha doesn’t corner very well on the trail. I run the ski shocks on 3 and drag the brake pretty hard on the entry and during the corner. It’s not terrible, about like my 175 Doo. The only time i thought it was spooky was on ice. At just 35-40mph it got super twitchy and was trying to shake me off. But that was bulletproof hard ice on blacktop road. Still love this sled tho.
 
Premium Features