Skidoo T3 163 vs 174

[snowseeker]

I am looking at going from A 163 T3 to the 174. I am wondering how much difference they are for throwing around? I know the 174 will climb better. I am wondering for tree riding and in the creeks if there is a huge difference.
Looking for guys opinions that have experience with the 2 sleds. Thanks in advance for all the help and info.

 

[ferniesnow]

I have a T3 174 and for my type of tree riding it is awesome. I'm not a WOT type of guy going through the trees. A little slower and picking lines and that extra forgiveness is there with the 174. It is not like a 146 nor a 154 but I haven't noticed a lot of difference in manoeuvrability in the trees from the 174 to the earlier 163 (rode them for 4 years). I have noticed when the snow is hard or set up more, the 174 is harder to carve and harder to get on edge than the 163. I am not a heavy dude (160 most days). The 174 definitely floats better and there is a little more time to pick a line. Hoping this is information you were looking for.

 

[norona]

I have both t3 174 and 163 and now I almost always ride the 174 over the 163, both are awesome and turning if the length sticker was not there you would not notice, but turning up a hill the 174 is amazing, it is the easiest sled to ride that ski doo makes int he mountains.

 

[snowseeker]

Thanks guys for the info I appreciate it.

 

[YFZ 450]

Hey Darren

 

[Foxstar45]

I have both t3 174 and 163 and now I almost always ride the 174 over the 163, both are awesome and turning if the length sticker was not there you would not notice, but turning up a hill the 174 is amazing, it is the easiest sled to ride that ski doo makes int he mountains.

Wow, a lot has changed since you have started this job with BRP. I believe you were a 146'' guy previous and during your first year or 2 with the company.

 

[Brentk]

The 174 is like cheating, it works amazingly well...especially in the tight technical trees, more forgiveness. If your always looking for steep and deep, then it is the king. I have ridden 163's for 4 years
The only time I really notice the length is when I'm doing a downhill to uphill turn. it takes longer to do it as u can't just pin it half way thru and spin the track around to get your turn going...the 174 goes where it's pointed, it doesn't really spin.
Also, when I get really badly stuck now, I can stomp out the running boards, lean it side to side and then crawl it out of monster holes on my own. Have never done that before on any other sled.

 

[maxwell]

The 174 is like cheating, it works amazingly well...especially in the tight technical trees, more forgiveness. If your always looking for steep and deep, then it is the king. I have ridden 163's for 4 years
The only time I really notice the length is when I'm doing a downhill to uphill turn. it takes longer to do it as u can't just pin it half way thru and spin the track around to get your turn going...the 174 goes where it's pointed, it doesn't really spin.
Also, when I get really badly stuck now, I can stomp out the running boards, lean it side to side and then crawl it out of monster holes on my own. Have never done that before on any other sled.

pretty much my findings aswell. but i will say doing a downhill button hook to go back up may take slightly more room ( hardly noticable ) it actually keeps going uphill where a 154 or 163 would be stuck. its really quite impressive. Ive spent some time in the steep deep trees now with both machines and while the 163 always gets to the destination it takes alot more work and fighting it to keep the front end planted compared to the 174 which can just walk up a wall on comand where a 163 may need to make a couple runs due to flipping over backwards. the 163 is deffinetly a more "playful" sled in regards to the front end being up in the sky. i kind of miss this sometimes but not when my 174 walks out of a crappy situation with ease!

 

[norona]

Wow, a lot has changed since you have started this job with BRP. I believe you were a 146'' guy previous and during your first year or 2 with the company.

Not sure what you mean by this, but actually my first sled I ever rode was a 151 zx, then I had a 144 07 which I loved, next was an 09 146, then when i started working with ski doo 2010/11 I had a 154 xp and a 154 freeride, loved them way more than the 146 as I ski a lot and two guys tandeming up on a 146 was pinned where a 154 was 3/4, and made no difference to me carving so the next year 2012 I had both 154's again due to the fact that I believed a 163 was for hill climbing, I rode a friends and it was much harder to carve the 163, then introduced the xm that year and had a 154 as well, then had a 154's in 2013 cause I was scared to do a 163, then with knowing the 174 was coming Carl Kuster made me get a 163 in 2014 and I also got a 154, thought I would ride the 163 once and go back to my 154, I rode the 163 the first weekend and did not touch my 2014 154 till the end of march, having ridden the 174 in 2014 I thought I would get the 163 for both my sleds but then last minute decided I would get one in 174, same thing happened, I have 1400km on my 174 and only a few hundred on my 163 t3, I am a real rider, yes I am sponsored but what you get with all of us riders are real riding experiences. I like many riders are scared to go bigger in fear of losing the carving in the trees and powder, however I have yet to find any disadvantage to running the 174, in fact this morning on a super steep climb that was spring set up icy chunks I barely made it through on my 174, my buddy did not make it through on his 163 t3, that is where the 174 shines...easiest sled to ride. If I lied to you and others my job would be over in one year, but I have been doing this since i was 18 in over 12 different sports, working with sponsors for over 20 years is all about trust and honesty! I do a lot of dealer rides throughout North America and ride test sleds and prototypes, I will hop on anything from a 146 to a 174 or whatever is given to me on that day by the awesome dealers that have gone out of their way to supply me with a sled so I can fly in an ride, I am honoured and always have a smile on my face and never been disappointed with a ride yet! They are all fun and awesome, ride what you like, but there is no doubt the easiest and funnest sled out there with Ski-Doo is the 174 T3.

 

[giddyup]

thanks for the honest post dave. i agree haveing come from a 163 to the 174 no looking back

 

[tmix]

thanks Dave stay rad!! Can't wait to get a 174 next year!!

 

[Foxstar45]

Not sure what you mean by this, but actually my first sled I ever rode was a 151 zx, then I had a 144 07 which I loved, next was an 09 146, then when i started working with ski doo 2010/11 I had a 154 xp and a 154 freeride, loved them way more than the 146 as I ski a lot and two guys tandeming up on a 146 was pinned where a 154 was 3/4, and made no difference to me carving so the next year 2012 I had both 154's again due to the fact that I believed a 163 was for hill climbing, I rode a friends and it was much harder to carve the 163, then introduced the xm that year and had a 154 as well, then had a 154's in 2013 cause I was scared to do a 163, then with knowing the 174 was coming Carl Kuster made me get a 163 in 2014 and I also got a 154, thought I would ride the 163 once and go back to my 154, I rode the 163 the first weekend and did not touch my 2014 154 till the end of march, having ridden the 174 in 2014 I thought I would get the 163 for both my sleds but then last minute decided I would get one in 174, same thing happened, I have 1400km on my 174 and only a few hundred on my 163 t3, I am a real rider, yes I am sponsored but what you get with all of us riders are real riding experiences. I like many riders are scared to go bigger in fear of losing the carving in the trees and powder, however I have yet to find any disadvantage to running the 174, in fact this morning on a super steep climb that was spring set up icy chunks I barely made it through on my 174, my buddy did not make it through on his 163 t3, that is where the 174 shines...easiest sled to ride. If I lied to you and others my job would be over in one year, but I have been doing this since i was 18 in over 12 different sports, working with sponsors for over 20 years is all about trust and honesty! I do a lot of dealer rides throughout North America and ride test sleds and prototypes, I will hop on anything from a 146 to a 174 or whatever is given to me on that day by the awesome dealers that have gone out of their way to supply me with a sled so I can fly in an ride, I am honoured and always have a smile on my face and never been disappointed with a ride yet! They are all fun and awesome, ride what you like, but there is no doubt the easiest and funnest sled out there with Ski-Doo is the 174 T3.

Thx for the follow up. Your honesty and integrity were never in question. I just didn't have my facts straight. Have a great year. We all appreciate your input.

 

[snowseeker]

Thanks guy great information. Appreciate the info and it was helpful.

 

[norona]

thanks for the honest post dave. i agree haveing come from a 163 to the 174 no looking back

You are tougher than me, i had to start small!! But we have ended up in the same place!

 

[norona]

Thx for the follow up. Your honesty and integrity were never in question. I just didn't have my facts straight. Have a great year. We all appreciate your input.

Sorry I jumped, when i first read your post it seemed you were doubting my integrity(my issue not yours), but after re-reading it, I see that was not the case. I forgot to add I had an 05 151 too in that mix..cheers and happy riding guys!

 

[77Crash77]

I have the T3 163, After dialing in the suspension to keep the front down, it is a whole new machine. And I love it! Rode a 174 this past weekend and found it almost too easy. Think of the 163 as the @ssh0le cousin of the 174.