Switch to long tracks
- Thread starter FrozenH2O
- Start date
No not for trail deep paddles don't get enough lube to hyfax unless a lot of loose stuff. Yamaha has some tipped up 144s 1.25 ripsaws that work well on trail but mountain sleds made for side hilling not long trail rides. Maybe you are seeing boondockers using trails as connectors.
I have a switchback with a 144" x 2" on it. If trails are smooth, it's just fine on them. Bumpy trails are not so good due to the uncoupled suspension. But we ride lot's of forest roads and logging roads along with trails so it's perfect for me. Also the trails were we ride, MN north shore, are usually very good so it's not an issue.
T
Team Elkhorn
Guest
Funny the timing of this, my wife was asking the same thing today while riding. Yep it seems like half or more of the newer sleds are long tracks. 144. Especially the poos and doos.
I have a Sabre Cat EXT (long track). When I got it, I thought it would bridge the bumps better on the trails. However, I found that it does not handle as well as the short tracks and I will go back to a regular track when I get my next machine. I found that it is harder to handle going through the twisties. Just my opinion.
What Skylar said! They were made to float on powder, not fight the bumps and grooves of a trail! Dart like crazy! NOT a trail sled, not even close...no sway bar makes you flip over going around corners...
The only way they "bridge the bumps" is if they are 12" on center!
Dont some of the mtn sleds come with sway bars? poo, doo?
Actually- most of the 'long' tracks I see are 136. The Polaris switchbacks are 136 (standard, you can certainly change it), and so are the skidoo renegades (I think that's the version, I'm not a skidoo expert). These seem to be pretty popular- and are kind of 'in the middle'. They come w/ a 1.25 lug (which some of the aggressive short tracks also have). I have a few friends w/ them who say they bridge the bumps a little better, yet aren't too long to actually 'push' in the corners. I don't see many longer than that on the trails. A few, but mostly 121 or 136.
Yes, the "bridge the gaps" thing was the snow mags talk. The suspension moves the same in a shorty or a long track. Does not matter. It was a way to sell the longer track sleds like the 136 and 137 sleds. People just took it a bit farther and figured the longer sleds would be even better! Maybe they figured it was like a truck. The longer the wheel base the smoother the ride. That is like comparing apples to oranges! With that being said, my wife is getting a 146 as soon as it comes in, and I will be on a 146 next year! We doo way to much off trailing not to!
Just got back home from cable trip. My wife and I both ride 136" switchbacks. We can"t agree on how they ride. I would go back to a 121" track for up north on the twisty trails due to the lack of rider control. Pretty much brake and throttle for turning. Tried everything for adjustments and just can't fix the steering. However my back doesn't hurt from all the bumps, so this plus will keep me riding the switchback for now. Very impressive in the deeper snow as we ride allot of ditches back home. I wanted to ask someone on the trail this weekend on how they liked their new Rush, so we could compare the same conditions we were riding on. Didn't see 1 rush in 3 days on 525 miles. I would agree I saw way more crossovers compared to short tracks on this trip than any other trip.
We have two 146 and a 151 in our group. i know this is going to start a poop storm, but if you are riding that hard and that fast to notice a significant difference between a 121 and 136, they are missing you at the local race track. Help me with the math, but the difference is 15 inches total, but only part of that 15 is on the snow, so 60% of the 15 in difference is 9 inches. at speeds under 50-60 in corners can you really tell? really? I have seen a 151 leave short tracks in the dust, so we'll start the posts on rider ability which is huge. My 146 does fine at normal trail speeds commuting to off trail, no darting. Also, the no sway bar "death ride" is a myth, two trail hops hard in the twisties with quick release off the sway bar and not a huge difference. I am by no means a super trail racer dude, but i think you have to be quite a master to appreciate the difference in these track lengths on the trail.
Hey going the other way, try a short track in the off trail just for fun, some guys make it look easy!
Hey going the other way, try a short track in the off trail just for fun, some guys make it look easy!