Mototrax long track not so long.

Jnorth · Jan 23, 2017

So I've been out on my Mototrax 137" twice now in deep pow. Was having trouble fallowing my friend on a TS 137" on any hill climb. Bike had good power, track was spinning but wouldn't make it up hills that the TS had no issue with. I figured that this was due to a setup issue. Tried a few things like shortening/ lengthening strut rod, adjusting preload on shock, but it just got worse. In fact, I could barely climb what a TS 120" was climbing. After getting back home, I thought I would do some measuring. Turns out that the Mototrax rails on my 137" are about 9" shorter than the TS 137". Mine was 34" from the center of the rear bogey to where the rail starts to curve up. The TS was 43". Meaning there is 9" less track on the snow! I don't know if anyone else has noticed this but it kinda sucks if the machine is as long as a long track, but only has the equivalent of a short track actually flat on the snow. I also wondered if I had the wrong rails shipped but then the 137" track wouldn't fit. Am I missing something?

chumbilly1 · Jan 23, 2017

Sounds like a 120" to me

Jnorth · Jan 23, 2017

chumbilly1 said:
Sounds like a 120" to me

Well it says 137" on it but I would love to hear someone else's measurements

chumbilly1 · Jan 23, 2017

Something's definitely wrong. 137 is 17" longer than 120". 17 divided by 2 is 8.5. There is your difference.

Jnorth · Jan 23, 2017

chumbilly1 said:
Something's definitely wrong. 137 is 17" longer than 120". 17 divided by 2 is 8.5. There is your difference.

Yes, exactly. I'm fairly positive that is actually a 137". The difference being that the distance from the front of the rails to the drivers is about 8.5 " longer on the mototrax. So the track starts leaving the ground heading up to the drivers sooner than the TS.

Jnorth · Jan 23, 2017

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Seekins · Jan 23, 2017

Is then TS 137 about the same length tip of ski to the end of the track? Have friends with both and they are within a inch or two

suva · Jan 23, 2017

When I had my 120 timbersled parked next to my buddy's 120 mototrax it was obvious the mototrax does not put as much track on the snow. Riding them back to back it was also obvious the mototrax does not climb as well or get on top of the snow as well as my older ('14) timbersled.

Jnorth · Jan 23, 2017

Seekins said:
Is then TS 137 about the same length tip of ski to the end of the track? Have friends with both and they are within a inch or two

Ya, tip to tail there are similar, it's the length of the rails that is different. Shorter on the mototrax so less track on the ground.

AnythingOutdoors · Jan 24, 2017

I have the 129 moto trax and noticed the samething with less track contact in the snow. My contact is a little more than a TS 120. That being said, my friend has a moto-trax 120 and he's got it dialed in pretty well and can go well in the powder. The key is to lower preload on the rear shock as much as possible, this will give you a less steep approach angle. I'm trying this on mine this week but it seems to make a world of difference on his 120. Also, I think in really deep powder a 2.5 inch track would help as well, I think the yeti maxtrax II would fit if you notched where the drive train is like on the TS track. if you look close on the moto-trax drive it is a yeti drive so i'm guessing it has the same pitch. I love the overall feel of the bike and how nimble it is.

Kaarlonen · Jan 24, 2017

Try to tighten your track tension. When in full power the track gets loose in front of the rails and bags up.

Some time ago we built DIY rear suspension similar to mototrax for deepsnow riding.
It had short rails, plush shocks, coupling and very low approach angle so in theory it should have worked well in powder.

But in initial testing it trenched in every small uphill and got stuck easily. We where annoyed with the desing and almost dismandled it but then we noticed in one wheelie video that the track bagged up substantially infront of the rails.
So in deep snow the low approach angle did no help since that track had no support from rails above and track bagged up and formed very steep approach angle.

Simple solution to this was to tighten track tension and BOOM like night and day difference.
After tightening the track we could do stop and go`s in uphills and the skid performed very well.
At least in soft snow... :face-icon-small-hap

wwillf01 · Jan 24, 2017

I have a 120 on a 250fx... For me I loosened the preload as much as possible and then I am in the process of lightening the ski pressure as much as possible...For me this really helped the trenching. I have about 25 hours on the kit and have adjusted the track mid hours... It was pretty loose. That being said it is a two inch track and will not out perform a 2.5.... For that matter a 137 timbersled with the old track will get out climbed by their 2.5 short track... Food for thought..

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wwillf01 · Jan 24, 2017

Here are pics on how it sits

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Jnorth · Jan 24, 2017

Ok, I've adjusted the preload and lengthened the strut rod so I'll try that out this weekend! Hope it works. But is anyone else's seat height at 40"??!!

CATSLEDMAN1 · Jan 24, 2017

all else aside

if you are comparing 2.5 " track on TS to the 2" track on the moto, you can't, quite a bit of difference in climbing ability, in my observation its bigger than the track lengths you are comparing.

Hunters Recreational Products · Jan 24, 2017

CATSLEDMAN1 said:
if you are comparing 2.5 " track on TS to the 2" track on the moto, you can't, quite a bit of difference in climbing ability, in my observation its bigger than the track lengths you are comparing.

Exactly! The track alone is a huge difference. Even if there was the same amount of track on the ground, the TS would outclimb it. TS track and geometry is dialed... They just work.

teal_210 · Jan 24, 2017

MotoTrax claims they tested all tracks and found the 2" to be "best"? :face-icon-small-win

wwillf01 · Jan 24, 2017

teal_210 said:
MotoTrax claims they tested all tracks and found the 2" to be "best"? :face-icon-small-win

I think you have to look at what they were testing on... Snow pack the last two years was less than stellar and you always had a base..... I can tell you this when the 2 inch has a base man it gets so much traction I can wheelie the 250fx.... without a base it goes but I believe it spins a lot and just does not get the traction.... so there are more s turns involved.... T sled has a good track but the feel with a base and the handling I believe is superior on the mototrax... Tsled is more of a sled feeling riding, tuning and jumping..... Then the Mototrax has more of a mx feel... That being said I would love to put a 2.5 track and see how it feels.

L.Hughes · Jan 24, 2017

Jnorth said:
Ok, I've adjusted the preload and lengthened the strut rod so I'll try that out this weekend! Hope it works. But is anyone else's seat height at 40"??!!

I'm not exactly sure on my seat height, but I have a '13 YZ with the 129" Mototrax and I ended up dropping the seat quite a bit using the strut rod. My fender to tunnel distance is right at 13", and strut rod is 10 3/8" measured from center of top mount bolt to the top of the lower mounting shaft. It seems to be working alright, although I'm still dealing with some trenching issues. I'd really like to try a limiter strap to see how much it helps.

HalfBrit · Jan 24, 2017

I have 2016 moto-trax with the 2.5" track about 9 rides on it. climbing straight up was almost dead even with 2016 ts 120" on a long pull(see pic)
keeping the track tight is key. The skid floats. If the track is loose then the torque from the driver will pull the rear wheels up forcing the tips of the rails down. I removed the adjusting cylinders after one broke. I adjust the track by hand now. much better and helps with stability too.
I think they might have gone with the 2" track for parking stability. those long 2.5" lugs flex, add in the pivoting skid, and you have to balance the bike perfect to keep it from falling over when stopping or parking on hard ground. (trail, shop etc.)

I'm selling my bike but not because of the ride. I have a job coming up in hawaII. If it had a timbersled or maybe a yeti ski, It would be golden.

Mototrax long track not so long.

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