Mike Metzger gets to ride a T3 174 for the first time

1500psi · Apr 10, 2016

So Metz loves his Polaris except for the reliability issues as he's stated many times. He doesn't like Ski Doo's cuz they wash out/panel out and a few other reasons like they don't fit his type of riding that he likes to do. I've been arguing with him all year and many times on snowest about it. After his 14 Poo ruined his ride last weekend he has been itchin to go and we had plans to ride yesterday. Well Friday nite he calls and cancels cuz when he was loading his sled he found a major problem. I said you can ride my sled and I'll borrow one. He said cool but he wasn't too excited to go I don't think but he came. He was definitely excited all day tho so now that he's been dawgin my Doo all year without ever riding it so we should definitely hear from him on what he thinks now and it's still fresh in his mind from yesterday.

MikeMetzger · Apr 10, 2016

I must say, I was completely blown away. The conditions were mashed potato spring snow, the type of snow that if the sled had "washing out issues" it was definitely going to. Long story short it was one of the most fun days I've ever had on a sled. This thing Sidehills like a dream, believe it or not I like the way it Sidehills better than the Pro or an Axys. No washing out even once and I think 1500psi can vouch that some of the days Sidehills were pretty hairy steep. So I will eat me words the 174 T3 has zero washing out issues.

The power was great, the general handling was awesome, even being a 174 it felt like a fun nimble machine that could just do it all.

I will be buying one this week.

I.P.Yellow · Apr 10, 2016

Good to hear. Now go to swap meet and check mine out. I moved it to the top for you too. :face-icon-small-coo

kanedog · Apr 10, 2016

Awwwwe. Another snowest hookup with a happy ending.

skidoo144 · Apr 12, 2016

What no video ? Does the 174 sidehill better than the t3 163 ?

Solarguy · Apr 12, 2016

We love happy endings! See you in NW Montana for an incredible ride.
Cheers

summ8rmk · Apr 12, 2016

Im glad ur happy mike but this last weekend was awesome for sidehilling. The snow was so warm and slushy i could sidehill long distances sitting down on my fat heavy cat. It was really the best slushy snow i have ridden, in a long time.

The doo and cat are both 'easier' to side hill than a pro but the pro will go steeper. I honestly don't care for the pro, it takes more energy to ride than both cat and doo.

Skidoo has the best fit and finish and power steering but i think cat is still more fun to ride.

The xm has some stability issues when on its side, I'm not sure if its the ski's or the spindle angle?
I know when cat changed the spindle in 16, that was a HUGE improvement for sidehilling, i mean HUGE!

line8 · Apr 12, 2016

summ8rmk said:
Im glad ur happy mike but this last weekend was awesome for sidehilling. The snow was so warm and slushy i could sidehill long distances sitting down on my fat heavy cat. It was really the best slushy snow i have ridden, in a long time.

The doo and cat are both 'easier' to side hill than a pro but the pro will go steeper. I honestly don't care for the pro, it takes more energy to ride than both cat and doo.

Skidoo has the best fit and finish and power steering but i think cat is still more fun to ride.

The xm has some stability issues when on its side, I'm not sure if its the ski's or the spindle angle?
I know when cat changed the spindle in 16, that was a HUGE improvement for sidehilling, i mean HUGE!

^^^ All this.
I thought the same when I put on the 16 spindles and grippers. Then the skinny boards went on and it changed it yet again. Completely different machine on its side. More Huge!

CaptNCoke · Apr 12, 2016

Completely opposite for me, doo's and cats require twice the energy... Crazy
I imagine a solid 2-3 days on either sled would change the riding style for sure.. My 2 cents
( I would never go back to my 2012 cat!)

line8 · Apr 12, 2016

I've got 1 pro and 1 cat. Cat harder on day 1-5. Day 6 and beyond, considerably easier and more fun for me.

Sent from my telephone

MikeMetzger · Apr 13, 2016

The snow we rode was harder packed mashpotato snow which in my experience is the type of snow sleds tend to slide out on. I really rode the Pi$$ out of it and I'm very confident that the sled is a really good fit for myself and my style. Different strokes for different folks. Hopefully I can get a ride in this weekend and get a good edit made.

Old Scud-doo · Apr 13, 2016

Have ridden Pro's from model year 11 until this year. I feel the Pro requires goofy foot side hilling more so than the Doo. I have added Rasmussen boards and Helium panels along with the Skinz rear limiting washers and the Doo feels completely different now. I liked it before but it looked fat so that is why I did the boards and panels. I wasn't paneling out even when I thought I was I was actually having the ski fold back. Added Sly Dogs and the bushing savers for that.

With all the stuff I have done the sled gets on edge easily and stays there. I think the stock rear suspension has a tendency to "dance" or wander a bit. The washer help a lot. I wish they didn't wear and have to be replaced. I have not ridden the Cat but I think they are headed in the right direction for sure. Kudos to them. Poo, I just want to see a couple years on that engine before I say anything. Great chassis though. I lived with the brand loyal blinders on for a lot seasons trying to make excuses for the Poo 8 motor and I over looked all it's issues up until the end. Say what you want about Doo but I had ZERO issues this year. ZERO. For the first time in probably 6 years, I didn't have to have warranty work/repairs done.

MikeMetzger · Apr 13, 2016

"Say what you want about Doo but I had ZERO issues this year. ZERO. For the first time in probably 6 years, I didn't have to have warranty work/repairs done."

That is 50% the reason I'm changing teams. I think the Poo's are great machines but in their strive for such a light machine they may have compromised the durability. And I have been having enough issues lately that its made me try something new.

summ8rmk · Apr 13, 2016

MikeMetzger said:
"Say what you want about Doo but I had ZERO issues this year. ZERO. For the first time in probably 6 years, I didn't have to have warranty work/repairs done."

That is 50% the reason I'm changing teams. I think the Poo's are great machines but in their strive for such a light machine they may have compromised the durability. And I have been having enough issues lately that its made me try something new.

Get that doo mike, i f u had fun on 1500psi's sled then u know it fits ur riding style and that is what's most important. I doo believe skidoo builds the best quality machinery And they have made great strives toward durability. The XM is not for me, i hope the second yr G4 will fit.

GS6

Old Scud-doo · Apr 13, 2016

I have to much $ invested in my T3 for me to go to a new 850 next year. I will wait one more year and then give my T3 to my 17 year old son and upgrade. That's my plan for now. Very happy with sled and very sad that winter is over.

MikeMetzger · Apr 13, 2016

Hopefully picking mine up Friday and hitting the snow Saturday!

Smoke Show · Apr 13, 2016

MikeMetzger said:
Hopefully picking mine up Friday and hitting the snow Saturday!

what model did you buy?

MikeMetzger · Apr 13, 2016

T3 174 SP

1500psi · Apr 13, 2016

summ8rmk said:
Im glad ur happy mike but this last weekend was awesome for sidehilling. The snow was so warm and slushy i could sidehill long distances sitting down on my fat heavy cat. It was really the best slushy snow i have ridden, in a long time.

The doo and cat are both 'easier' to side hill than a pro but the pro will go steeper. I honestly don't care for the pro, it takes more energy to ride than both cat and doo.

Skidoo has the best fit and finish and power steering but i think cat is still more fun to ride.

The xm has some stability issues when on its side, I'm not sure if its the ski's or the spindle angle?
I know when cat changed the spindle in 16, that was a HUGE improvement for sidehilling, i mean HUGE!

Where we were was prolly more on the worst end of the bar for sidehilling. It froze the night before and never softened up really. You guys keep trying to say xm and this isn't 2014 anymore. There's a huge difference in a T3 and then there's a bigger difference in a 174. Nothing compares to it on the stock scale. Metz couldn't of been any more anti "Xm" coming into that ride so much as he almost didn't go. If he hadn't rode in awhile he prolly wouldn't of gone and then he buys one a couple days later. All this guy cares about is sidehilling and doin downhill elevators and 180* turns and go back up. Listening to how ski Doo doesn't do this and that in these threads lately I was trying to think outside the box and keep giving people a chance to prove me wrong or think maybe I'm wrong but its been the same thing every ride and yet one more totaled Polaris this weekend tryin to sidehill with Metz and me. I was not expecting Metz to like it as much as he does and I was asking him all day long what don't you like, what's it do wrong? He couldn't say one single thing and he said multiple times it sidehills better than Poo and gave specific reason when, how and why. I kind of assumed he liked it when he was sidehilling some nar **** and flipping me off at the same time.

summ8rmk · Apr 13, 2016

I've ridden a 2016 T3 163, that is what i was talking about when i said "stability issues when on its side"
My Cat is definitely easier to sidehill and much more comfortable than the T3 i rode. And the guy that rides the T3 will tell u its hard to follow me on the sidehills.
What have u done to ur suspension? Maybe we can make his T3 better? That would be great.

GS6

Mike Metzger gets to ride a T3 174 for the first time

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