2015 LTX Se or XTX Se?

[matt03r1]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I've literally spent a solid month reading everything I can find on the LTX-Se and the XTX-Se. Would those who own either one of those sleds please help me decide which to get?

I've only been riding for a year, but have many years of other Motorsport experience... A snowmobile was pretty much the last thing with a motor that I didn't have in my garage the year before last. I'm switching to the viper from a 2009 Nytro.

I ride in Minnesota for the most part, but will have at least 3 trips to the UP this winter. I'm 6' and 220#. I don't mind making minor modifications myself, but prefer to spend my time riding, rather than wrenching.

I do a lot of trail riding, but would like to start exploring some deeper powder riding.

Xtx concerns:

- Th 141" track length. My nytro was a 121", is it going to be difficult to get adjusted to a 141" track? Is 141" too long for the trails?
- uncoupled suspension. I like the idea of being able to bring my front end up if I get into trouble, but is it hard to control on the trail? Will I be constantly battling to keep the front end down?
- trail habits. I've read a lot of posts on here where people say they don't recommend the xtx for trail riders, but everyone who has commented who actually owns one says it handles great on trail?

Ltx concerns:
- suspension. I don't really want to send the suspension from a brand new sled out to be reworked. Is it really that bad? I haven't heard any complaints about the xtx suspension, even though it appears to be the same?
- coupled suspension. While I know it behaves better on trail, does a coupled suspension pretty much make exploring powder a non-option?

Price isn't really a concern. I found a ltx Se for $10,999 and an xtx for $11,299. All fees except tax and license are included. Both are brand new 2015's.

I appreciate any first hand insight anyone can offer. Thanks!

 

[TD Max]

Or LTX DX

My ride time on the 141 was limited, but I rode the Cat Crosstour 7000 on a demo last season. The ergonomics were pretty darn good, but the way the sled handled for me is that you need to be off the throttle completely or it wants to squat/transfer and push. I like to use some throttle in the turns so it's not the sled for me. The Hygear link may solve that, but from my perspective that is an awful lot of sled to dig out. I found out the hard way.

 

[Yamadog]

The XTX is a bit of a handfull in the turns. The uncoupled suspension is lifting the skis anytime the throttle is depressed. I ran Evol rc2's on the front last year and simmons skis with 2- 8" carbides on each ski to get it through the turns. It still had a push. you really don't feel the diff in track between the LTX and the XTX just the suspension. This year I put Axis front coil over clicker race shocks on the front and the Hygear coupler with Axis coil over in the rear.

I took it out last night in 8" of new wet snow and rode in the parking lot at my shop. It responds much better now lifting the skis on launch but keeping them at about 12" off the ground.

I rode an LTX a lot last season and that would stay planted and railed through the corners but stays so flat that with the turbo on it had a lot of track spin. I now believe that mine will be the best of both worlds after a bit of dialing in the new shock package.

 

[matt03r1]

The XTX is a bit of a handfull in the turns. The uncoupled suspension is lifting the skis anytime the throttle is depressed. I ran Evol rc2's on the front last year and simmons skis with 2- 8" carbides on each ski to get it through the turns. It still had a push. you really don't feel the diff in track between the LTX and the XTX just the suspension. This year I put Axis front coil over clicker race shocks on the front and the Hygear coupler with Axis coil over in the rear
took it out last night in 8" of new wet snow and rode in the parking lot at my shop. It responds much better now lifting the skis on launch but keeping them at about 12" off the ground.

That sounds like an awesome setup, but a little out of my price range and probably way out of my ability level. What would you recommend for a newer rider?

 

[Yamadog]

Go with the LTX & I have grown to hate the fox floats cannot remember wich model comes with coil overs in my humble opinion you will ride out of the box and never look back.

As far as ability level......... I have crashed with the best of them but I love to push the envelope on these sleds. I did it with many Rx-1's, apexes and attacks over the years. I am getting long in the tooth but still love the feel of big HP pull on an uphill trail. And love to ride through an intersection with other riders taking a break with the nose in the air and the skis dangling!!!!!!

 

[Genius]

Matt, sorry I can't really give any advice...
But sounds like a nice price on both if those!
I haven't rode in years & just bought a LTX SE & a XTX SE.
I figure I'll put my wife on the XTX while on the trail, she'll never know the difference
Both mine were priced $200 higher than your price.

 

[FAMILYMAN]

I had brain stem surgery and now with limited strength in left arm I handle my xtx just fine. Love the ski lift.


2014 viper, mpi
2009 Phazer 144"

 

[Studroes144]

Taking an ltx off trail is no problem at all, it won't have the fun factor as the xtx because it's not going to pull the front end and ride with the skis in the air, however in deep snow the ltx gets right out on top of the snow and just floats and you can still basically steer just by pushing down on the running boards. As far as on trail the ltx is awesome, it stays hugged to the trail and you really can fly through corners. Can't speak for the xtx as I've never driven one but I've heard very few complaints on the xtx. On the ltx if you go with an se model you'll get the fox floats which in my opinion kinda hurt the overall performance of the ltx chassis, I've ridden my ltx se back to back with a standard ltx with coil front shocks and the standard sled rode much better, it was much more plush yet handled big bumps every bit as good as my se, also if you were to go with say a brand new ltx dx vs an ltx se, the dx is going to have a much more plush rear suspension, you'll get a taller windshield, heated seat and a nicer storage bag. For 2015 the ltx dx gets my vote! I truely feel it's a sled I could buy and do zero adjustments to anything and love how it rides, where as my ltx se I've swapped out the fox float, had both rear shocks revalved and installed softer torsion springs.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

I would take Studroes advice. My buddy has the XTX SE and I can't stand the fox float shocks. If you were going to be mogul bashing the sled all day long then they would make sense but if you are trail riding any kind of distance than I would go for the LTX DX. The fox floats are really harsh to me. This is coming off of an 07 Skidoo XRS that was just as bad. I'm keeping that sled as a beater but I picked up the LTX DX this year and can't wait. Building a Hypertouring sled. Comfy suspension, good handling, full saddlebags and, the best part, MPI TURBO!!!

 

[stingray719]

I would take Studroes advice. My buddy has the XTX SE and I can't stand the fox float shocks. If you were going to be mogul bashing the sled all day long then they would make sense but if you are trail riding any kind of distance than I would go for the LTX DX. The fox floats are really harsh to me. This is coming off of an 07 Skidoo XRS that was just as bad. I'm keeping that sled as a beater but I picked up the LTX DX this year and can't wait. Building a Hypertouring sled. Comfy suspension, good handling, full saddlebags and, the best part, MPI TURBO!!!

As I said above, it seems guys try to set Fox Floats like they would a spring shock and they will not give you the ride you want. Not trying to talk anybody into Fox Floats but if you do have them set them correctly first before ditching them. That being said I rode the 2015 Demo with the cheap spring shocks and really liked it on the flat and smooth, but bang it around and no question in my mind the floats are better., but that is my opinion after running floats on 6 different sleds....maybe I just like them

Try floats at
65 pounds front (skis off ground)
100 to 120 rear (off the ground)
front skid shock where front feels right.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

As I said above, it seems guys try to set Fox Floats like they would a spring shock and they will not give you the ride you want. Not trying to talk anybody into Fox Floats but if you do have them set them correctly first before ditching them. That being said I rode the 2015 Demo with the cheap spring shocks and really liked it on the flat and smooth, but bang it around and no question in my mind the floats are better., but that is my opinion after running floats on 6 different sleds....maybe I just like them

Try floats at
65 pounds front (skis off ground)
100 to 120 rear (off the ground)
front skid shock where front feels right.

We played with the air pressures all over the place. They just didn't seem as smooth as a standard coil over shock. I know everyone claims fox solved the old issue but to me the only way I can describe it is "stickson". The initial hit on an impact seems really harsh then once they start to travel they do their job well. I guess i'm just a little more old school when it comes to shocks. I don't plan on beating on the new sled at all. When I travel we only ride during the week and go places that the trails are tabletop smooth. Weekend warrior trips I'll just ride the old XRS and kick the hell out of it on the rough trails.

 

[yamahaguy]

I agree with Stingray , they are a pretty good shock once you dial them in for your riding style, weight. I can tell that during my first year on Floats(6years ago) I did not like them but that was my fault because I did not understand them or understand how dialing them in correctly. I am very happy to have Floats on my new XTX. Boondocking 80% of the time and Trials 20% here. Maybe I would feel different if I was on the trails all the time, who knows?

 

[Studroes144]

What are you guys doing to "dial them in"? All you can do is add or take out air, there's no adjusting to them, you're basically at the mercy of the air temp outside and whatever internal shock setup is used, yes a standard coil over doesn't have any more or less adjustment than the float..but temp doesn't affect them. There's times in our area where the temp can change 50+ degrees in a matter of 2 days, that will really throw of the floats, for mogul mashing they're so/so, I preferred the coil over setup far more in every condition. For deep snow I'm sure they seem good but very little really revolves around how the shocks work in that scenario..atleast compared to trail riding

 

[yamahaguy]

I have never felt a "noticeable" difference with temperature on the floats. However I do agree that temperature will change the air pressure but is that something that noticeable when you ride or just something that scientifically measurable? I also ride close to a 50 degree difference some times and never readjust the shocks for temp.

You suppose to set the air pressure when the shock is at the temperature you ride at according to Fox. Well I can tell you I don't do that lol. When my sled is not having fun in the snow it lives in a heated 65 degree garage and thats where I adjust or check air pressure . Yes thats wrong if you follow Fox's directions but it works for me and I never take the air pump riding anyways .
Dialing them in is just a matter of setting the air pressure and once you have it where your happy then there is not much to do other then maybe check it from time to time.

 

[fiddlersgreen]

I don't know much about changes in air temp and how it affects the floats as I have never used them.
I do know that on my mtx with standard shocks and springs all around there was a big difference in the suspension/shocks in the morning then the evening.
It would never bottom in the morning but would be constantly bottoming on returning in the evening after a full dAy on the sled.