There's a comprehensive write up on Snowmobile.com by Matt Allred with ride reviews.
Ride Reviews of the ALPHA ONE
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Definitely interesting but the question will remain for a while........latest greatest thing or just another gimmick????
I think with the right snow conditions, fresh awesome powder, I think it may have merit. Now consider or think about not so fresh snow or set up snow. With a track that bends and contours to the snow, how well will the track "bite" or dig into the side hill and stick ???? If it tends to bend and contour would not loose that "bite" ??? I guess my comparison would be trying to walk across a side hill, do you want your feet to contour and lay flat or even with the side hill or dig in and be perpendicular to the hill??? Again this is just a very basic example but it is interesting.
I think with the right snow conditions, fresh awesome powder, I think it may have merit. Now consider or think about not so fresh snow or set up snow. With a track that bends and contours to the snow, how well will the track "bite" or dig into the side hill and stick ???? If it tends to bend and contour would not loose that "bite" ??? I guess my comparison would be trying to walk across a side hill, do you want your feet to contour and lay flat or even with the side hill or dig in and be perpendicular to the hill??? Again this is just a very basic example but it is interesting.
Nice to start seeing some articles, sounds like Cat did its home work since 2013. Saying an Alpha is quicker in response than a G4 is pretty impressive cause they are a super responsive sled. 154 Alpha having the float and traction of a 162 mountain cat is interesting, change in track pitch probably has a lot to do with it.
Article says double rail is superior on hard snow just wonder how far behind in handling an Alpha would be on hard pack. Fortunately hero snow or hard pack requires very little traction to go everywhere.
Most of what I have read so far, indicates that this is a hardcore mountain sled for riding tight and technical terrain, that is why they are still offering the twin rail version of the Mountain Cat, so those people who have to ride a lot of trails, or don’t want something that is as responsive have options. Biggest issue here will be people buying one of these that don’t actually ride the sort of terrain it is designed for, and then complain about how squirrelly it is on trails, or how much it overheats when puttering around:face-icon-small-ton. Interested to see why the price difference will be, expect that the monorail and the track for it are going to be a lot more expensive than the twin rail setup. Guess there is going to be an update kit available at some point for 2018 sleds.
It truly amazes me how change can upset so many people. I ride a 2018 154 Freeride and I'm sold on a alpha one. I do come from years of riding a snowbike but I just don't understand all the hate and disbelieve on something new it's crazy. They just didn't try this out in the last six months it's been six years of r&d so stop and breathe and try to think outside of the box. It's new and crazy and it's the here and now. It's the future and not the norm. I'm excited and impressed how our sleds have progressed in just a few short years. I know I'm going to be ridding an alpha one next year just because it's the future of sledding. I may or may not like it but I did buy a 50th anniversary 900 poo so enough said.... each there own but I think cat is on to something huge...
I agree.
I don't think most are haters, just more skeptical and cautious. I for one pose simple questions and won't take a stand until I ride one and hear more "real world " feedback.
But then again I don't like getting burned and don't particularly care for the taste of crow.
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S
I want all new tech to be brilliant and successful, it keeps the other OEMs on their toes!
However, the engineer in me can't help wondering about if the track will derail easily...
However, the engineer in me can't help wondering about if the track will derail easily...
the price difference between the Mcat and the Alpha is what will make my decision. if its only a bit more to get the alpha that's what ill get. if I don't like it ill swap in my nextech carbon skid, 162 3" and drivers out of my sled now and put the alpha in the spare. hell, carry both in the trailer. with a belt drive swapping from regular suspension to alpha is 4 bolts on skid, 3 on brake side, 2 snap rings and whatever to remove belt drive cover. I guess not everybody has all that laying around but ill always be taking the 2nd sled anyway
J
Am I wrong when I say track rigidity (EG: no flex) is exactly what allows us to hold really steep sidehills? Look at your track when pushing your sled across steep terrain. Is it conforming to the hill or cutting into the hill? Why do we go in and out of the throttle, often tapping the brake in this type of terrain (to conform to the terrain, or to spin the track and get it to cut into the slope?)
Anytime you lose your sidehill, what happens (look). Is it cutting into the hill too much or conforming to the hill, washing out, and causing the sled to point back up hill?
I think this technology will be great for those who want to play around on a sled like its a dirtbike and mess around in lower angle trees.
If you are pushing the sled hard, I see next to noway it'll be as good as a rigid track.
Go read about those who didn't lock-out t motion vs those that did. I personally have experience there and can say some of my scariest moments of the year is when T-Motion causes the track to want to "go flat" (say when I hit something harder under the snow) and I end up rodeoing the sled back into a sidehill.
Compare this to my Axys where at worse I lose the sidehill uphill (slides on the hard surface - doesn't try and conform).
I'm down to give this a go but I have serious doubts...
Anytime you lose your sidehill, what happens (look). Is it cutting into the hill too much or conforming to the hill, washing out, and causing the sled to point back up hill?
I think this technology will be great for those who want to play around on a sled like its a dirtbike and mess around in lower angle trees.
If you are pushing the sled hard, I see next to noway it'll be as good as a rigid track.
Go read about those who didn't lock-out t motion vs those that did. I personally have experience there and can say some of my scariest moments of the year is when T-Motion causes the track to want to "go flat" (say when I hit something harder under the snow) and I end up rodeoing the sled back into a sidehill.
Compare this to my Axys where at worse I lose the sidehill uphill (slides on the hard surface - doesn't try and conform).
I'm down to give this a go but I have serious doubts...
You are referring to Tmotion, which is a different animal. It's the motion of the skidoo skid that causes most issues, Cats track is also not a flex edge track design. Solid single beam and a full width rod track is goin to make for a different ride then what skidoo offers.
i think you are comparing a skid that flexes (tmotion) and a track that flexes over a rigid center point. meaning half the track is in the hill...half the track is flat on new snow. If you can wrap your head around that it starts making more sense.
not a fan of tmotion...and skeptical on this til i read deeper and looked at concept more.
J
Agree to disagree.
The idea is there is flex in the system. Though how that flex is offered does change how the sled is going to ride, it is still the underlying principal to both T-Motion and Alpha One.
According to others, the Alpha One allows the sled to tip 17 degrees before the track comes off the ground. Think hard about what that means as far as what the track is "trying" to do. Is the rider using the inside rail to cut into the snow? (the leverage point on a rigid conventional skid) No. The "inside rail" is now in the center with the remainder of the loaded side of the track conforming around it. Even watching the launch video you can see riders washing out the track to make uber tight circles. Cool. For the flats! You do *not* want wash out in technical situations. I can't see how this won't want to conform to the hill, hence causing track wash. I'm open to discussion here - but rigid is rigid. Flex is flex.
My guess is it was a project with a ton of R&D and merit for certain applications. Heck, I could even see it being great in a a RMSHA setting.
But again, the fact they didn't commit to it 100% in a mountain setting, tells me most everything I need to know...
J
...and please report back! I see no way it doesn't. Like I said, its exactly what the video showed!
S
alot of people want a new and exciting ride.old people might not like it.
^i agree snowmobiler. i can see this sled wanting to turn you up hill on a steep sidehill. so you will just shoot up to the top then and wait for your buddies on their old timey heavier sleds to zig zag up. maybe tear up the next bowl while you wait.
buradnt style tree riding is not where sledding ends. look at what caleb kesterke is doing on his cat these days and how many followers hes getting.
buradnt style tree riding is not where sledding ends. look at what caleb kesterke is doing on his cat these days and how many followers hes getting.
