Being a short track mountain sled guy on my last two sleds (153") when looking to upgrade to an Alpha I am always torn. While I know I like the nimbleness of the shorter mountain sleds, I keep reading that the 165" Alpha is very nimble (especially with an Elevate kit). So, I went and looked at a 165" Alpha and maybe since I am used to certain length of sled, it just looks way longer than something I would ever want to dig out or herd around in the tight trees. At that point, I wished there was a compromise somewhere in the middle. One that would still be nimble but, long enough to give you that extra time to pick your lines and not have to be on your "A" game every second. I know it's probably not feasible but, is anyone else seemingly stuck in the middle as well?
Is there a market for a 160" track mountain sled?
- Thread starter Frostbite
- Start date
You just need to ride one for yourself. There is still the same difference there always were but the new 165 sleds ride shorter than the older sleds.
B
Same here a 159 will run you right up a tree
Agree with above comment about riding one before you buy. Before this year I've only ever rode 153" and never had a desire to go longer, but decided to try the 165" in the alpha. Couldn't be happier, and not once have I wished I bought the 154". Still very playful and agile in the trees and doesn't feel any longer than my previous 153" proclimb.
Go ride a 165. It will turn tight as u want... lay it over, hit the gas and it whips around quicker than ur 153 ever has.
Sent it
Sent it
Honestly I think your over thinking it as most do. I hear it all the time, the greatest debate about a... 155" to the 165, give or take brands and such for their lengths. Right away you take that number and cut it in half roughly. So sure 10 inches overall length added to the track but thats only about ~5 inches added to the ground, If that, Its not THAT much nor that large of a change in my opinion to warrant being worried about stuck and being that much further down and so on. And it's tough to gauge the difference because unless you have 2 of the same sleds with different track lengths same day then you could get a feel, I've heard guys 1 day take a 155 out then the next a 165, well the conditions always change.
I went from a 144 to a 174, that's a change. I didn't look back, oh man how my riding vastly improved. Now I'm on a 165 alpha. Love it. I'd take the 174 if I could as it's hard to keep the nose down as it is. Got a cousin who jumped onto a doo 174 and he wouldn't go less, he rides pretty aggressive.
Will you ever wish you had less? doubt it. you do wish at times you've had more!
I went from a 144 to a 174, that's a change. I didn't look back, oh man how my riding vastly improved. Now I'm on a 165 alpha. Love it. I'd take the 174 if I could as it's hard to keep the nose down as it is. Got a cousin who jumped onto a doo 174 and he wouldn't go less, he rides pretty aggressive.
Will you ever wish you had less? doubt it. you do wish at times you've had more!
Thanks guys! I wonder how much the 10" rear idlers have to do with it?
I added them to my 153" sled and it now feels like a 146".
I added them to my 153" sled and it now feels like a 146".
7
I’ve got a question tho, there’s been several posts of guys bragging up the elevated 165s.. Is it really needed to make the 165 nimble or is stock okay on the 165? I’m asking because I really want to order a 21 hardcore but I cannot make my mind up on the track length.. 154 2.6 or 3 or 165 3
Initially I was intrigued by the 2.6 but I don’t wanna be the guinea pig and have it trench like my 2016 2.6 powerclaw(I recently saw pictures of the 21 and it’s got the outside small fingers unlike the 3”)
I totally agree with the above that you’re generally looking for more and since I’m not real advanced maybe the 165 is the way to go but I don’t wanna be forced to purchase an elevate either. Is the 154 3” a happy medium or does that require a better rider? Thanks in advance..
Initially I was intrigued by the 2.6 but I don’t wanna be the guinea pig and have it trench like my 2016 2.6 powerclaw(I recently saw pictures of the 21 and it’s got the outside small fingers unlike the 3”)
I totally agree with the above that you’re generally looking for more and since I’m not real advanced maybe the 165 is the way to go but I don’t wanna be forced to purchase an elevate either. Is the 154 3” a happy medium or does that require a better rider? Thanks in advance..
None of them need the elevate kit.
The kit however, makes them all better.
Sent it
The kit however, makes them all better.
Sent it
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You don't need the elevate kit at all, it's all personal preference and if you have that kind of money to just throw around people are doing it, they do it to their 155 and 165, it is absolutely not needed. from what I gather is it an improvement? Yes, but $$$, like any aftermarket mods/upgrades for sleds, many do it, and others keep them stock.
I love my alpha the way it is, it was a huge upgrade over my pro rmk, so much more traction, so easy to lay over, it's so playful. way less effort. There was a post about people finding it too squirley when trying it out, for many and my self I had to ride it a few days to get used to how much less input to the sled I needed, basically fine tuning your self to the sled, now at the end of the day of hard riding I'm actually not worn out.
Get the 165 and you'll be amazed how fast that thing will turn under you, it threw me off many times how tight it'll turn if you want it to, most of those turns I did were mistakes when I was getting used to it and leaning too much haha
At the risk of derailing my own post, I have to ask the below question.
I see an awful lot of used Alphas for sale right now. I have to wonder why? I would say 75% of them are 165's. 75% are 2019 models, most have 220 -700 miles on them and look like new. There are even a couple that have the Elevate kit. Several are Hardcores with the coil over shocks and sadly almost none of them have any warranty left. Does one dare to buy a used Alpha without a warranty or is it better to get one that had some warranty left so you can buy an extended warranty?
Dam Dave, I see your Desert Storm patch and it's hard to figure out how that could have been 30 years ago. I was there too (Cairo West December 1990- May of 1991) ) and I believe I was riding an 87 Yamaha Exciter 570 I long tracked to a 136" x 1 1/8" Kimpex Aggressor at that time. Although, I missed snowmobiling that season completely.
I see an awful lot of used Alphas for sale right now. I have to wonder why? I would say 75% of them are 165's. 75% are 2019 models, most have 220 -700 miles on them and look like new. There are even a couple that have the Elevate kit. Several are Hardcores with the coil over shocks and sadly almost none of them have any warranty left. Does one dare to buy a used Alpha without a warranty or is it better to get one that had some warranty left so you can buy an extended warranty?
Dam Dave, I see your Desert Storm patch and it's hard to figure out how that could have been 30 years ago. I was there too (Cairo West December 1990- May of 1991) ) and I believe I was riding an 87 Yamaha Exciter 570 I long tracked to a 136" x 1 1/8" Kimpex Aggressor at that time. Although, I missed snowmobiling that season completely.
Yes It was, quite a shock lol I was on a Destroyer throwing Tomahawks at Saddam, we launched the first one to start the air war, Jan 17 1991 at 0141 local time
Cool, we were too told that we launched the first aircraft of the war! Our KC-135 air refueling aircraft were launched from Egypt and refueled coalition fighters in bombers en-route to Iraq. After all the news about how powerful the Iraq's armed forces were, we were told to expect 35% of our fleet would not return after our initial launch. Imagine our joy when in the very early morning hours of January 18th ,1991 we saw our last aircraft drop rapidly into a combat approach and return to Cairo.
Mine is fore sale, 2020 154 with elevate. Honestly the cheap snowcheck price lured me in. But if i were to do it again i probably would have bought a khaos. But i came off an axys. Thats not to say its been a bad sled, the track is awesome, but there have been some times when it has bucked me off when i dont think the axys would have. The axys was predictable to me, but i spent 4 seasons on it and had a pro before that.
That said i dount my sled will sell and ill ride it next year. No problem its still fun. But ill probably go back to polaris when the next chassis comes out
Ullose272, I saw your Alpha on Facebook Market place. In fact, I sent you a PM and we even discussed it a bit. Your sled is awesome. I am in Spokane about 400 miles north of you. I was in the Air Force at Mountain Home for 4 year, small world.
Frostbite
I've got a 2018 153" with 3" track.
2019 Alpha 165"
2016 Ltd that's turboed dropped and rolled with a 174" Kmod 3" track.
Funniest most playful sled we have is the 165" Alpha. It reacts very quickly to your body weight/position.
Everyone that's rode my sleds prefers the 165" Alpha.
If I was you I'd order a 2021 Alpha 165"
And I'm guessing that it'll take you a few rides to learn how to not over ride it. It took me a bit to learn how to not over ride mine!
I've got a 2018 153" with 3" track.
2019 Alpha 165"
2016 Ltd that's turboed dropped and rolled with a 174" Kmod 3" track.
Funniest most playful sled we have is the 165" Alpha. It reacts very quickly to your body weight/position.
Everyone that's rode my sleds prefers the 165" Alpha.
If I was you I'd order a 2021 Alpha 165"
And I'm guessing that it'll take you a few rides to learn how to not over ride it. It took me a bit to learn how to not over ride mine!
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