any tips on side hilling

[funrider]

Hi everyone I have a 08 summit xp everest 154 I am a lite guy 150+gear what are some things I can do to side hill better? I ride 40/60 mountain/trails around home sway bar? rear wheels? track set up? I have been told that the throttle is your friend also ha ha
Thanks Bill

 

[blastoff]

Practice will help and get a quick disconnect for the sway bar.

 

[RETODD]

Thumb!!!!! Keep your sled pointed slightly up hill and use you throttle...no forward momentum...you fall down the hill...not side hilling...side skidding....oh ya...might want to lean uphill :d

Practice man...practice.

 

[j335]

-lose the swaybar, mountains sleds don't need them
-front springs from 2 to 3 setting
-rear center shock from 1/4 to 1/2" preload
-loosen limiter strap to last hole
-rear spring to #3 to #4 depending on your weight (probably 3 or less for you)
-move the riser angle back to almost inline with the steering post angle, the XP's need more weight further back. They already have too much weight up front and in order to make them lay over better you need your body weight further back.
-maybe adjust ski stance to narrowest setting

This is what I've read from most people and it's the best way to set up your XP.

Good luck!

 

[bhowes]

find the side your most comfortable with and then force yourself to the other side that way you get used to both sides

 

[funrider]

Thanks guys I am getting excited to get out and ride can hardly wait.

 

[ponyboy]

Thanks guys I am getting excited to get out and ride can hardly wait.

a safe way to learn is in an open field with lots of fresh powder ....cheap & safe .... i know it sounds crazy , but if you can get 1 ski out of the snow , and go for a long ways like that in a straight line .with both feet on 1 running board , you'll now when the throttle is your friend , you don't want to find out it is your enemy at 5 or 6 thousand feet .then you are basically side hilling . when you get to the mountians and you have to side hill across a slope , you'll know what to do . learn to do this first , wrench and spend later

 

[Taminator]

You should be able to sidehill that XP stock. Don't worry about changing anything right off the bat just to sidehill easier - but a quick connect sway bar never hurts. Learning to counter-steer with throttle use along with some balance and feel for it is all you need. Like ponyboy said, you can learn on the flats how to get this control, then take it to the hills.
check out the riding tips at sledshot.com | the epicenter of mountain sledding & snowmobiling

 

[Pappillion]

I am also what you would call height restricted I bought a lefty throttle that really helps me out on that side of the sled. My short arms don't allow me to pull much weight on the left side. It costs around 100 bucks and installs easily with minimal tools in about an hour. But watch out, they have a tendency of freezing up. Just have to keep an eye on it.

 

[Taminator]

I am also what you would call height restricted I bought a lefty throttle that really helps me out on that side of the sled. My short arms don't allow me to pull much weight on the left side. It costs around 100 bucks and installs easily with minimal tools in about an hour. But watch out, they have a tendency of freezing up. Just have to keep an eye on it.

I'm 5'2"...and certainly not long armed...but the left side is my good side, I have more trouble when the throttle is close to me. You shouldn't have to pull too much weight, it should be a momentum/power thing, and rider position on the running boards. Maybe you're 'hanging' too far from the sled and not positioned right? Thought about a lefty throttle, but lots of peeps recommend learning to use the one you have and that both hands should be on the bars anyways. ('schooled' vid) They can get you in more trouble than they may be worth...???

 

[raceu4it]

i have the schooled dvd in stock and it covers that in one of there lessons. call 403-938-0930.

 

[Taminator]

i have the schooled dvd in stock and it covers that in one of there lessons. call 403-938-0930.

Anyone who needs to learn more about sidehilling, controlled decents, rider postion/throttle, wrong foot forward techniques...SHOULD BUY THIS VIDEO!!!!


It's surprising what learning from the right source can do...we all ride differently and there are so many 'tips' from everyone. Trying everything everyone else does will just annoy and frustrate you! Kinda like golfing...too many peeps telling you what to do and how to do it results in a water hazard everytime! Researching the hows and whys from reliable and experienced sources then applying them to your riding will get you better, faster results on the hill. IMO. There are lots of educational sources out there that cover the whys and hows of riding...just gotta check them out.

 

[Pappillion]

I'm 5'2"...and certainly not long armed...but the left side is my good side, I have more trouble when the throttle is close to me. You shouldn't have to pull too much weight, it should be a momentum/power thing, and rider position on the running boards. Maybe you're 'hanging' too far from the sled and not positioned right? Thought about a lefty throttle, but lots of peeps recommend learning to use the one you have and that both hands should be on the bars anyways. ('schooled' vid) They can get you in more trouble than they may be worth...???

Hey bud, all I can do is give this guy my opinion on what has worked for me. I have road with and without a lefty throttle and I can honestly tell you that for long side hilling it works better for me. In the end, he will have to figure it out for himself. He has asked for advice and that is what I had given him. Just an opinion. I am happy with the way I ride and am not looking for advice or criticism.

 

[sledslut]

Hey man, go get the movie "schooled" its more of a technical riding video. very good.

its chris and brent showing u.. they say to over balance the sled into the hill and use ur foot to push u along.. makes sence to me.. and also to use shorter bars as well..

good movie. watch it!!!

 

[Octane]

I ride an 09 163 X and im around the 150lb mark. I havent had any problems sidehilling.
my set up is as follows
- narrowed skis ( swapped ski's side to side so the second carbides are on the inside )
-limiter is let out 1 hole from stock
- front shocks are set at 3 ( going to change it to 2 for next trip )
- i have a 10 inch risers ( yes its huge but it makes a world of a difference)
- bars are also inline with the stem
- i have smitty drops with my front arm dropped 7/8ths
- take your sway bar off completely disconnects are a waste of money. you dont even notice they are missing on the trail since the xp chassis likes to stay flat anyways.
- torsions springs set on 3
- also take off your mountain bar and learn to ride without it

this is the set-up i ran and side hilling was a breeze

 

[Taminator]

Hey bud, all I can do is give this guy my opinion on what has worked for me. I have road with and without a lefty throttle and I can honestly tell you that for long side hilling it works better for me. In the end, he will have to figure it out for himself. He has asked for advice and that is what I had given him. Just an opinion. I am happy with the way I ride and am not looking for advice or criticism.

Chill dude ...just givin' my opinion as well, sorry if it was different from yours. My post wasn't 'slamming' your riding style at all, just giving another opinion. As my other post indicates, you get alot of different info from different peeps, not bad to know the hows and whys then see what works for you based on how you ride. I just don't think a person should add on stuff to learn things like sidehilling until they learn how to do it as it's not needed to learn how. But, depending on your style, you could add on to improve things for yourself once you know what might help. You sound like you learnt how to do it, then found a lefty throttle made it better, which is great. As long as something works for you it doesn't really matter. How you figure I was giving YOU advice or criticism I don't know.. but it's not all about you. I wasn't giving either advice or criticism, just some alternate input to be considered that's all.

 

[boondockin]

Hi everyone I have a 08 summit xp everest 154 I am a lite guy 150+gear what are some things I can do to side hill better? I ride 40/60 mountain/trails around home sway bar? rear wheels? track set up? I have been told that the throttle is your friend also ha ha
Thanks Bill

might try puttin a lead bar on your a$$, that always helps me lay my old girl over :d

 

[KVF 700]

i find for side hilling or just burning donuts that by turning the bars the opposite way your turning makes the side off the sledd dig in and lean over better... just my 2 c

 

[funrider]

This site is great for all the advice and the humor, thanks all for the help, the flat land side hilling I can do but when my mind thinks of what could go wrong on the side of a mountian my mind craps its pants and I dont exicute what to do

 

[steveo10]

get rid of sway bar... stiffen shocks

grab hand full of throttle and lean hard.... start from the other side of sled if you have to get momentum.

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

life is good