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165 or 154?

165 or 154?


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donbrown

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It might be beating a dead horse but I'm looking at selling my 17 850 165x3 and looking at a freeride 154. I weigh about 185 ready to ride and feel the 165 has taken some fun out of jumping and being nimble. Don't get me wrong i know it's not designed for that, I just thought I was ready to ride pow and be happy but it's more fun in the air. I have a 17 154 freeride that is my go to 75% of the time. If it would dump snow in CO that might change. I like the g4 chassis, motor rips down low. So I was thinking a 154 the question is 2.5 or 3". 2.5 a little cheaper, better durability, but will it preform equal on a deep day by not trenching and more track speed? Addition of a turbo down the road would be of interest.

Based on reading several web sites and dozens of posts it depends on the type of snow and riders throttle / weight control abilities.


As stated a zillion times before the 2.5 spools up faster than the 3" and mods are MORE necessary for the 3" than the 2.5 for better control.

So I bought a 3" because I can mod the clutching , gears , shocks , springs limiter straps BUT cant make a 2.5 track grow bigger lugs. Plus Im sure can swap out to a 2.5 for little money (exchange for a 3" track) or CUT the track.


Also Im in California and we typically have HUGE dumps of snow that's is unrideable and difficult to get road access (because snowmobile roads are secondary roads not major/ primary roads). Its not uncommon for it to snow at 0-35F only to be 40F the next fewdays at 8000 feet. If it is below 0F the wind literally blows it off the mountain.

Waiting for it to set up 2-4 days is common. This means we usually have none to 3 feet of fluff ontop … and bottomless if you break thru the sun drenched hardpack icy layer.
 
Last edited:
M
Feb 7, 2009
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It might be beating a dead horse but I'm looking at selling my 17 850 165x3 and looking at a freeride 154. I weigh about 185 ready to ride and feel the 165 has taken some fun out of jumping and being nimble. Don't get me wrong i know it's not designed for that, I just thought I was ready to ride pow and be happy but it's more fun in the air. I have a 17 154 freeride that is my go to 75% of the time. If it would dump snow in CO that might change. I like the g4 chassis, motor rips down low. So I was thinking a 154 the question is 2.5 or 3". 2.5 a little cheaper, better durability, but will it preform equal on a deep day by not trenching and more track speed? Addition of a turbo down the road would be of interest.

I'm going from a summit 165 the past couple years, to a backcountry xrs 154 next year. Its basically a Freeride s-38. I feel the same way you do. the 165 doesn't feel nice to jump or play around with like that. its also not as nimble. I'm hoping the 165 hasn't spoiled me, as it'll take a little more momentum to get the same places on the 154.. and im not really used to that anymore. :face-icon-small-dis

If I don't like it I'll just put some 165 rails on it and make my own expert package. :face-icon-small-hap
 

NHRoadking

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I'm going from a summit 165 the past couple years, to a backcountry xrs 154 next year. Its basically a Freeride s-38. I feel the same way you do. the 165 doesn't feel nice to jump or play around with like that. its also not as nimble. I'm hoping the 165 hasn't spoiled me, as it'll take a little more momentum to get the same places on the 154.. and im not really used to that anymore. :face-icon-small-dis

If I don't like it I'll just put some 165 rails on it and make my own expert package. :face-icon-small-hap

The Backcountry XRS isn't just wider up front, it has the C-motion rear setup. Not as good off trail as your Summit. That may not be an issue for you depending on usage.
 

NHRoadking

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I was going to delete t-motion and get rid of the flex edge track anyways. Is this what you were referring to?

The C motion has no flex edge or T-motion, but it is uncoupled like the T-motion sleds.
 

NHRoadking

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Ya, should make the sled better without all that nonsense.

Have you tried a C Motion Backcountry off-trail versus the Summit? Just curious. If so, what was your experience between the two? I have and found the Summit was better off trail. The Backcountry was better on trail.

If you can ride two different sleds back to back on the same day in the same conditions you can really see if there's a difference that matters to you.

Probably makes sense to pick the sled that handles the conditions you ride the most.
 
M
Feb 7, 2009
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Wabush, Labrador
Have you tried a C Motion Backcountry off-trail versus the Summit? Just curious. If so, what was your experience between the two? I have and found the Summit was better off trail. The Backcountry was better on trail.

If you can ride two different sleds back to back on the same day in the same conditions you can really see if there's a difference that matters to you.

Probably makes sense to pick the sled that handles the conditions you ride the most.

No I haven't. I ride a lot of trails with my wife and kids these days. So the backcountry wasn't a hard choice for me. However, there were times this winter on my Summit where I strongly considered losing the t-motion and flex edge just merely out of curiosity.

I have a feeling the Backcountry is going to feel a lot like my old 2012 Freeride, tipped up rails, no t-motion, no flex edge, and wider front end. I loved that sled, but sold it to switch to Polaris. Long story, huge mistake. I know the backcountry won't be as easy to maneuver as the summit, but I'm very hopeful it will be a little more predictable than the squirrely summit.
 
J
May 3, 2019
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Over the years I have gone back and forth between "short" and "long" track sleds. I tend to have more fun on the shorter sleds which is probably due to riding style. When climbing the shorter track can be dissapointing in certain conditions. A 163 or longer can definitely give you confidence whether it be tight boondocking or steeps climbs. I sometimes take for granted not getting stuck or big climbs that shorter sleds have to work harder to climb. What I don't like about the longer sleds is that they ride like a boat and shift a lot front to back in rough terrain.
Myself and 3 friends jumped ship and snow checked our first skidoos.
I and another went with 154 expert package. Another went 163 expert. And my brother went with a 144 2.5 freeride.
Looking forward to a brand change as well as having the different lengths of track and lug size to compare side by side.
Been a member for many years. Couldn't get old account to work.
 

donbrown

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No I haven't. I ride a lot of trails with my wife and kids these days. So the backcountry wasn't a hard choice for me. However, there were times this winter on my Summit where I strongly considered losing the t-motion and flex edge just merely out of curiosity.

I have a feeling the Backcountry is going to feel a lot like my old 2012 Freeride, tipped up rails, no t-motion, no flex edge, and wider front end. I loved that sled, but sold it to switch to Polaris. Long story, huge mistake. I know the backcountry won't be as easy to maneuver as the summit, but I'm very hopeful it will be a little more predictable than the squirrely summit.

Some say switching out the front spindles help a whole lot.
 
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