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Camso suspension?

damx

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Has anyone tryed the elka suspension on the camso?
 
P
Nov 28, 2007
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Yukon Canada
That kit has no real room for enough travel, Elka will make it better for what it has. I have Elkas on my sled and love them. I just came of a long 100 KM ride braking a trail in real whooped out terrain , on the way back I was 5th gear wide open all the way with the ARO and TSS and using every bit oft the travel of the kit and TSS the guys with the solid rods just took a pounding. But even the TSS needs better dampening and my ARO could do with a set of Elkas when you pound them that hard. The low seat hight and shallow approach angle of the Camso just does no allow for much actual travel. What makes it so good in deep snow becomes a hindrance in suspension.
Hope that is not to much of a derail for your tread.
 

gsled04

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Wait until you see how much Camso wants for 1 Elka :Cry: I've had a lot of custom shock packages, but the cost of this one made me flinch ! I'm tired of working on this kit so I just snow checked a CMX.
 
M
Jan 14, 2004
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Does Elka have a shock for the Camso? Any pics or links I cant find anything about it. Whats the cost?


M5
 

damx

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How much for the shock? In a video I seen camso said they have a race package, elka shock, 120" track and some other things.
 
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IShartd

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Nov 30, 2007
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Alpine County, CA
Wait until you see how much Camso wants for 1 Elka :Cry: I've had a lot of custom shock packages, but the cost of this one made me flinch ! I'm tired of working on this kit so I just snow checked a CMX.

X2. I’m so sick of working on this kit. When it’s not broken it’s great for what it is, 2x side panels later, drive and driven sprockets, chain and driver bearing, over it. My TS was def not as good performance wise, but it never broke in the back country or left me broken on a powder day. Over it, Snowtech MX will get my money next year.
 

chumbilly1

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X2. I’m so sick of working on this kit. When it’s not broken it’s great for what it is, 2x side panels later, drive and driven sprockets, chain and driver bearing, over it. My TS was def not as good performance wise, but it never broke in the back country or left me broken on a powder day. Over it, Snowtech MX will get my money next year.

Get what you pay for Hey. Snowtech sounds legit, but yeti is like a super model ( light and sexy), and CMX is a proven performer as well.
 
M
Jan 14, 2004
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It is absolutely true that you get what you pay for. The problem is a Yeti or even a TS Aro, Snowtech, or CMX is literally twice the money of a Camso in Canadian dollars with no where near twice the performance. You can literally buy 2 Camso's for the price of a Yeti and the Camso would hang with the Yeti before the Yeti got the Camso track, next season will be a different story.

The side panel cracking issue has been addressed by changing the bend radius of the corners. So far so good on that. I have gone through a drive bearing as well plus one side panel. Camso overnighted the parts to me. They are going to a more robust chain I believe as they current crap lasts about 60 hours. Change your chains before they snap.

My biggest gripe is the lack of suspension, the weight, the brakes suck and the crappy plastic back cover design. The drive bearings need a more robust carrier. I'm really not sure what they can do about the travel as there isn't much room. The ski needs deeper outer skegs for improved trail manners. My Yeti ski holds like it is on rails but sometimes its too much.

All of these kits need too much maintenance for what they cost which is why I run two bikes just to always have one running. I used to have two sleds on the go as well. I bought the Camso because it was cheap and last season nothing in the 10K range looked all that new to me. I don't really see any great improvements for next season either, kind of disappointing really all the new offerings.

M5
 
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gsled04

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Mar 12, 2011
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It is absolutely true that you get what you pay for. The problem is a Yeti or even a TS Aro, Snowtech, or CMX is literally twice the money of a Camso in Canadian dollars with no where near twice the performance. You can literally buy 2 Camso's for the price of a Yeti and the Camso would hang with the Yeti before the Yeti got the Camso track, next season will be a different story.

The side panel cracking issue has been addressed by changing the bend radius of the corners. So far so good on that. I have gone through a drive bearing as well plus one side panel. Camso overnighted the parts to me. They are going to a more robust chain I believe as they current crap lasts about 60 hours. Change your chains before they snap.

My biggest gripe is the lack of suspension, the weight, the brakes suck and the crappy plastic back cover design. The drive bearings need a more robust carrier. I'm really not sure what they can do about the travel as there isn't much room. The ski needs deeper outer skegs for improved trail manners. My Yeti ski holds like it is on rails but sometimes its too much.

All of these kits need too much maintenance for what they cost which is why I run two bikes just to always have one running. I used to have two sleds on the go as well. I bought the Camso because it was cheap and last season nothing in the 10K range looked all that new to me. I don't really see any great improvements for next season either, kind of disappointing really all the new offerings.

M5
The new side panels with the reduced radius are still failing.
 

gsled04

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Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that the only changes Camso made for 2019 is a different spring rate for the torsion spring and a rising rate spring cam that attaches to the rail. "O" and black paint on the side panels. Im guessing there done with R&D on the DTS129.
 

byeatts

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Nov 29, 2007
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The new side panels with the reduced radius are still failing.

Two Camso kits one with 12 hours and is a 2018 and 2017 with 30 hrs with all the upgrades, both have cracks on side panels near chain and both have cracks in tubular frame near bike mount. So ewe who think they are great need to really inspect ewers closely,,
 
M
Jan 14, 2004
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I wonder if Camso is trying to do anything about this ?


I was worried about the weight before I bought the Camso but I really don't notice it over my Timbersled when riding. I notice the weight of the 4 stroke vs the 2 stoke more because the 4 stroke carries its weight higher than the 2 stroke, mostly when standing the bike up which I do way less of on the Camso kit. It would be really nice if Camso knocked a bunch of weight off of the kit for sure but for me its not a deal breaker.

I used every drop of fuel in my 20L back tank as well as my bike tank on Monday. I was wheeling the bike around the shop today thinking "Hey this isn't too bad", then I filled my gas back up. The rear jerry can adds 35 lbs to the back of the bike plus another 10.7 lbs in the bikes tank. That's a lot of weight. Does it make a difference I don't know, maybe. My riding buddy out weighs me by 60+ lbs so he has that going against him.

There are so many factors, weight is one for sure but from guy to guy how much difference does it make probably not all that much for the average guy. Buy what you like and go have fun.

M5
 

Hawkster

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That is a crap load of weight when it comes to the sledding community so in the bike world it would be more like tonnage . No cure for that but why aren't people putting that on the front ? Would the bike really dive any worse ?
 

byeatts

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Premium Member
Nov 29, 2007
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I was worried about the weight before I bought the Camso but I really don't notice it over my Timbersled when riding. I notice the weight of the 4 stroke vs the 2 stoke more because the 4 stroke carries its weight higher than the 2 stroke, mostly when standing the bike up which I do way less of on the Camso kit. It would be really nice if Camso knocked a bunch of weight off of the kit for sure but for me its not a deal breaker.

I used every drop of fuel in my 20L back tank as well as my bike tank on Monday. I was wheeling the bike around the shop today thinking "Hey this isn't too bad", then I filled my gas back up. The rear jerry can adds 35 lbs to the back of the bike plus another 10.7 lbs in the bikes tank. That's a lot of weight. Does it make a difference I don't know, maybe. My riding buddy out weighs me by 60+ lbs so he has that going against him.

There are so many factors, weight is one for sure but from guy to guy how much difference does it make probably not all that much for the average guy. Buy what you like and go have fun.

M5
Not accurate. The KTM 2018 SX 450 weighs 5 lbs less than A 2016 XC300 2 Stroke@ 221 vs 226 for the 300 In the old days ewe were correct but now the 450 feels super lite . I own both bikes.
 
S
Sep 2, 2016
27
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3
Park City, UTAH
It is absolutely true that you get what you pay for. The problem is a Yeti or even a TS Aro, Snowtech, or CMX is literally twice the money of a Camso in Canadian dollars with no where near twice the performance. You can literally buy 2 Camso's for the price of a Yeti and the Camso would hang with the Yeti before the Yeti got the Camso track, next season will be a different story.

The side panel cracking issue has been addressed by changing the bend radius of the corners. So far so good on that. I have gone through a drive bearing as well plus one side panel. Camso overnighted the parts to me. They are going to a more robust chain I believe as they current crap lasts about 60 hours. Change your chains before they snap.

My biggest gripe is the lack of suspension, the weight, the brakes suck and the crappy plastic back cover design. The drive bearings need a more robust carrier. I'm really not sure what they can do about the travel as there isn't much room. The ski needs deeper outer skegs for improved trail manners. My Yeti ski holds like it is on rails but sometimes its too much.

All of these kits need too much maintenance for what they cost which is why I run two bikes just to always have one running. I used to have two sleds on the go as well. I bought the Camso because it was cheap and last season nothing in the 10K range looked all that new to me. I don't really see any great improvements for next season either, kind of disappointing really all the new offerings.

M5

IMO the SnowTech MX has twice the performance, because of it reliability. So instead of dealing with maintenance & broken parts as you have; you could be riding & covering 2x+ more terrain on a Snowtech ;)
There's a decent amount of guys abusing the SnowTech kits in the backcountry & in racing, who haven't had a single failure (most haven't even touched a bolt, other than tensions & suspension settings, me included).
 

gsled04

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Mar 12, 2011
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So after spending a full season and on the Camso I would have to say that you get just what you pay for. The track is great, but the overall build quality is marginal. Camso has been great about replacing broken parts, but that doesn't change the fact that if your an expert level rider you better be spinning wrenches after every ride or your going to break down in the back country. The suspension is only marginal and the changes for 2019 are minimal at best. My personal feeling is that unless they adapt the Alpha 1 into the design, this kit will stay at an entry level design and price point. If you want the good stuff from Camso your going to have to buy the Yeti. There is no doubt that CMX and SnowTech are the best built and most reliable products available in the snowbike industry. I'll be riding a CMXBK next season.
 
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byeatts

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Premium Member
Nov 29, 2007
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So after spending a full season and on the Camso I would have to say that you get just what you pay for. The track is great, but the overall build quality is marginal. Camso has been great about replacing broken parts, but that doesn't change the fact that if your an expert level rider you better be spinning wrenches after every ride or your going to break down in the back country. The suspension is only marginal and the changes for 2019 are minimal at best. My personal feeling is that unless they adapt the Alpha 1 into the design, this kit will stay at an entry level design and price point. If you want the good stuff from Camso your going to have to buy the Yeti. There is no doubt that CMX and SnowTech are the best built and most reliable products available in the snowbike industry. I'll be riding a CMXBK next season.
yes CMX and Snow Tech are both strong butt only CMX offers the belt drive and flat approach angle and skid mounted far forward, These are game changers and they handle like no other due to the design, Mark and Camron did their homework.
 

byeatts

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Premium Member
Nov 29, 2007
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If they had a 5.5 rail spacing I would pull the trigger today.


M5

When ewer track is further under the rider the transition edge to edge is much quicker, Other kits with skids pushed back provide a planted feeling and more ski pressure.
 
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