maxwell
Active VIP Member
its the correct placement for your body in mountain riding. as "cimbing" is a major part of mountain riding having your body weight as far forward as possibly is an asset. the other reason is that with mountain sleds being so long it is easy to pivot the rear end around being as your body is the pivot point for the heaviest part of the sled. rather than having a large mass far ahead of you and trying to pull it around. it may feel strange for a few rides but once your comfortable on it you will like it and understand why it works.
me and the guys i ride with arent big guys either. we all went 163 after having ALL of the lengths right from 121-174. i just find it to be the best all around track length. it allows you to move slowly through the trees, get stuck less, and put you a little higher up the hill. we figured 80% of our days are DEEP and the 163 has the best floatation. less stucks and more enjoyment. if i was riding around in the flatlands alot i would consider the 154. i still beleive the 154 is more for the guys that like to jump drop and whip the sled around. other than that the 163 gets you through the deep stuff.
as far as your decision on the skidoo vs the arctic cat....they are both good sleds but the skidoo has some obvious advantages. it may seem more expensive up front. which it is. but you get what you pay for,
#1- the fit and finish of the skidoo snowmobile is the best in the industry. put them side by side and you will quickly see why. the way the panels go together right down to the way they install every nut and bolt. fire them up, the arctic cat will leave your hands shaking for days, while the skidoo is fairly smooth at idle.
#2- the floatation and traction that comes on the skidoo with the 16" wide track. it just works. better. basic math. a 15" wide snowmbile will leave you trenching and the time you have to recover from your slow movements in deep snow is far less than the 16" wide sleds. they also do not hop up on the snow nice either. last year skidoo figured out how to make a 16" wide track handle like a 15" wide track and even better with the t motion flex track combo. the sleds may be similar wet weights but the XM "feels" lighter. alot of people even say it feels lighter than the pro rmk which is clearly lighter #s wise.
#3- the efficiency of the etec engine cant be beat. at least it hasnt yet! oil comsumption, smoke, fuel consumption. its amazing. if your hard on the throttle all day in the deep stuff it still does use good amounts of fuel but nothing like that cat PIG. we can fire up 4 etecs in our enclosed trailer and hang out for a bit, as soon as we fire up the m8 everyone is looking for a exit. they are dirty, unefficient machines.
#4- clutching. the TRA clutch system in the mountains is a cool feature. being able to adjust your peak rrpm on the fly with the clickers is extremely important to keep a sled running at peak performance. snow conditions and temperature can change all day so being able to compensate for that on the fly is an overlooked aspect. no one wants to be wrenching on the hill...sure you can change weights pretty quick on the hill ive been told. but who cares. you dont have to with the TRA LOL....click...click...click..done.
#5 - the etec has shown to be a very reliable engine. while the cat engine is also very reliable its not backed up by arctic cat like the etec motor is ( 4 year warranty )
either way both great sleds but the etec summit is the Cadillac of the mountains and your going to pay a bit extra for it. but like i said earlier you get what you pay for...
enjoy your new ride, let us know what you pick up/
