Is more always better? 141 vs 153

oldcrow · Aug 20, 2011

I have been going out west once a year the last few years, maybe twice a year in the near future.
The riders and machines have been improving each year. Currently I'll be riding with a 162 (1100T),154 (800) & 153 (800).
I now have the shortest sled in the group, 2010 Crossfire 800 LE.
I do install a 141 2.25 Powerclaw, ZBros 40" A-arms for our trips out west.
I don't want a 162 but got it in my head I should start looking for a 153
What do you think? Maybe I should just work more on improving my abilities (watch some videos?)

Brett Slagle · Aug 20, 2011

I only ride in the west. 141 is my preferred track. 153 will get you a few more places on the super deep days, but not much more. There are a few guys on here that live by the shorter track mountain rigs. Realistically, if you only come out here once or twice a year, get a 141 powerclaw and never look back. If it's real deep, have your buddies blaze trail and burn up their fuel, then you can have all the fun in the rear.

Brett

troyburt · Aug 20, 2011

i'm sure backcountryislife will write something for you! he rides a 141" and by the looks of his pic's he has a lot of fun.

talking to him made me consider a 141" for my new ride.

although i love my 153"! its just not quite flickable enough for me. maybe the 141" would be just that.

backcountryislife · Aug 20, 2011

DON'T DO IT!!!!

You can't even ride out west without a 174, don't even try.
141... pfft... you'll be stuck all day & hate it.

sorry... I just prefer to be the one having the most fun... so everyone else should stay on long tracks!!!:face-icon-small-win

Honestly, the 141 requires a learning curve that doesn't exist as much on the 153/162, but once you get used to different turn out feeling, and the fact that turning out is MUCH easier on a 141, you'll enjoy it.

In the words of Homer Simpson... "If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing":face-icon-small-ton

YETIms · Aug 20, 2011

141 means you have to know to ride.

the new XF high country become my all time favorite.

W A O · Aug 20, 2011

141 track

I dont know how you guys can do it, if I go from my 162 and trade with my buddy on his 153 I just seem to fall over all the time, lol. We have a freind that rides with us that has a 141 and he always seems to go any place we do, not as high and not as easy but always right there.
As these guys stated you my have to learn to ride a little different but it will do. Also when you come out west do you ride the hills all the time or the trees or 50/50, look at that and get the one that will work best.
Once you get use to your sled and how it rides you wont have any problems the changeing back and forth might hurt you even more.

WyoBoy1000 · Aug 20, 2011

How much do you weigh,

I have always ran a 162 tell last season and bought a 153 and it was fun but got sick of everyone out climbing me so I stretched it out to a 162, its pretty fun but I think I will go back to 153, for my size and riding style I would like to have a 153-155 any shorter would be fun but ridiculous and on deep days wouldn't keep up with the crowd. I am 6'6" and 210 dry so its pretty easy for me to throw around even a 162 but a 141 I don't think would carry my weight as well. So I think I am going for a 153 make it as light as possible.

FYI, I hated the 153 until I put a KMOD under it, now I can't get enough.

izzni · Aug 20, 2011

I extended my old Edge RMK from 144 to 159 and like others say, if the snow isn't super deep it doesn't matter. That being said, you can always find deep snow somewhere, even when it's hard pack in most places.

My 159 bought me wiggle room. If I'm following a small chute, or carving down a narrow meadow that slopes to the side, and I don't know exactly where I'm going it's likely I'm going to do something non-ideal to get back out. On my 144 those non-ideal manueavers were more likely to get me stuck, whereas on the 159 I can screw up badly and still make it out without getting stuck more often.

I guess my opinion is that if you like exploring and are often near the front of the pack, the longer track will pay dividends. If you follow your buddies most of the time, and stick to the areas that they've already scoped out, you'll do just fine with a shorter track.

If your anything like me you go out West to do some fun stuff, not to become a super awesome mountain rider. The more you ride the better you'll get of course, but I don't see the point of using a short track so that you force yourself to become a good rider. It's not like you're training for a competition.

On the other hand, having a long track all the time does force you to take corners more carefully when on the trail. Honestly, that's not the worst thing in the world.

sledtahoe · Aug 20, 2011

blaze trail

If you like to blaze trail in the powder than get the 153, just my experience. I don't like to follow any trails...

Coldfinger · Aug 20, 2011

I had a cat 151 900 a few years ago. Then went to a cat 162 800.

I was really happy with the 151 but the trend was longer so I went that way.

One thing is, the 162 sure lets me cut some cool tracks in the trees and I worry less about getting in somewhere that I may have trouble getting out of.

If I only went west a few times a year and did all my other riding in the flatlands I'd probably still have my 151 or smaller.

Another thing, and it is probably just me, running down the trail and going fast is not a 162 thing. Now when I had the 136's, 70mph was common speed to hit each ride at least a few times. Now 50mph seems fast enough for the sled.

WyoBoy1000 · Aug 20, 2011

Hands down the longer tracks will go way farther when pointed up hill. Friends got a kick out of watching me ride, someone else would take a long track over the top, I would go up and disappear in the trees then I would come back out then back into some different trees, then back out into some more trees and pretty soon over the top. Which one sounds more fun to you, only problem was I could empty a gas tank in 4hrs or less. If anyone wants to see what I am talking about with the kmod making it all happen, if you ride around here get a hold of me and I will show you and maybe let you try it for yourself.

backcountryislife · Aug 20, 2011

sledtahoe said:
If you like to blaze trail in the powder than get the 153, just my experience. I don't like to follow any trails...

silly statements like this are fun to play with:boxing::boxing:

I don't ride ANY trails, (well... got a nasty whooped out road I'm on for about 2 minutes before it opens up at my main spot) and I'm always the one breaking trail.

As I said, there's a learning curve, but if you REALLY think that the 141 honestly limits you that much, come play with me for a weekend... hell, I'll even turn the boost all the way down to make it a BIT more fair while you try to keep up:becky::becky:

but YES, more skill is needed to go the same place with a shorter track (hmm... what does that say about you 174 boys???:face-icon-small-win)

btw wyo, you've only got 18 lbs on me, I was 192 last year.

you don't ride places like this without being able to get around, and I do it 60+ days a year.

gotta agree with Izzni though, if you're only out here a few days a year... that learning curve will be tougher, and if the "fun factor" isn't that big a deal to you, then it's likely not worth it.

Also comparing to a 144 means that people are comparing to an older sled. What a newer 141 can do is no comparison to an older 144.

WyoBoy1000 · Aug 20, 2011

Pack 2 gallons of gas and prob 20lbs of tools to fix what ever comes up, oh and don't forget I am 6'6" which makes for a lot more gear also. Truth be told if everyone else was on a 153 I would prob go down a size, heck half of last year I was packing a extra secondary for testing.

It might help if you ditch the scooter though

sledtahoe · Aug 21, 2011

plain english

backcountryislife said:
silly statements like this are fun to play with:boxing::boxing:

I don't ride ANY trails, (well... got a nasty whooped out road I'm on for about 2 minutes before it opens up at my main spot) and I'm always the one breaking trail.

As I said, there's a learning curve, but if you REALLY think that the 141 honestly limits you that much, come play with me for a weekend... hell, I'll even turn the boost all the way down to make it a BIT more fair while you try to keep up:becky::becky:

but YES, more skill is needed to go the same place with a shorter track (hmm... what does that say about you 174 boys???:face-icon-small-win)

btw wyo, you've only got 18 lbs on me, I was 192 last year.

you don't ride places like this without being able to get around, and I do it 60+ days a year.

gotta agree with Izzni though, if you're only out here a few days a year... that learning curve will be tougher, and if the "fun factor" isn't that big a deal to you, then it's likely not worth it.

Also comparing to a 144 means that people are comparing to an older sled. What a newer 141 can do is no comparison to an older 144.

Blaze trail as in breaking trail, and ya if you have a turbo no comparison. So just saying you will be following 162, 153 around here, not leading, no turbo different story!!!

WyoBoy1000 · Aug 21, 2011

Mod m1000 141 with a PC and good suspension dropped down under 450lbs is still going to rock, But if everyone else is on a 162 or bigger and your the only one, your going to get board with the m pretty quick, on a 153 you can mess with them enough they will keep trying.

Mjunkie · Aug 21, 2011

I also ride only a 141, and LIVE in the west. I NEVER want to go longer!! That is one of the biggest reasons I keep dumping more $ into the sled I have and don't go for a new one.

What one may lack in length CAN be made up for in light weight and power. I'm about 5'9", and weigh around 220 without gear and I don't have any trouble breaking trail or hi-marking most hills.

My opinion: Instead of spending money on going to a longer track, spend it on power gains and lighter weight. Then you have the fun factor of the short track that doesn't wear you out as quickly as a longer track and you'll still be able to go anywhere you need to. IMO the best of both worlds, and when you do get stuck, you have a lighter sled to dig out.

backcountryislife · Aug 22, 2011

WyoBoy1000 said:
Mod m1000 141 with a PC and good suspension dropped down under 450lbs is still going to rock, But if everyone else is on a 162 or bigger and your the only one, your going to get board with the m pretty quick, on a 153 you can mess with them enough they will keep trying.

That's assuming they've got the same or similar power to you.

Around here very few people are beyond PG boost, so if for some reason I'm more challenged than I'd like to be, I just turn it up. All I ride with are 153 & 162's... mostly 153's though, and have never felt as if I needed a longer track to keep up with buddies. (quite the opposite, they talk about getting a short track...:face-icon-small-win)

niner · Aug 22, 2011

This is getting good now. You have the guys with short tracks spending big $$ on turbos and light weight parts to keep up with stock sleds and longer tracks to prove how much "fun" they are having. I prefer to have a stock sled with a 174" "sally" track and keep up with turbo mod guys. Its way easier to tune a track than a turbo. I've never had to run race gas or adjust my #s for a my track. Hop on and go all day. Now every turbo guy will post " I just pull the rope and go on my turbo". The lucky guys that spend 60 days plus can afford to spend some time tweaking on there sleds that's great. But a few of us poor suckers get just a few precous days in heaven, and when I go, its time to ride. This guy gets one trip to the mountains, I vote for a little longer track, it does make it easier to get around.

knzee · Aug 22, 2011

I am kind of the other way around. I think it is way easier to ride a 153 then a 162, but you will not go as high on a 153 unless you have more power, period. Back in the day I had a M7 with a 153 and it was probably the funnest/easiest sled to ride to date. I would switch off with some friends that were on 162 M7's and all I remembered was how much more effort it took to ride, turn etc the 162's. I think a 153 on my trubo would be fun but pretty sure I would get whipped by the other guys in our group with the 162 turbo's when it came to climbs. Not saying that is all we do is sit around and climb nasty chit all day but when you do it is always fun to try and win.

Sled208 · Aug 22, 2011

IMHO, it's all about who you're riding with. If you go riding with a group and they all have turbo'd sleds and are out to show you where they can go and you're riding a stock shorty, you're going to probably have a ****ty day. If everybody has similar ideas of what "fun" is, it makes the trip.

PS: reading those high country threads is going to dig in your pockets for a new machine!:face-icon-small-ton

Is more always better? 141 vs 153

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