Got Spanked Today by an '09 XP 800

[Blue Dave]

Well, I got handed my first defeat today. After continuously beating up my buddy last year on his older MXZX 800 he got a new XP 800. We lined them up on the lake today and he gave me a spanking. He has always been secretive about his mods and all I could get him to admit to is some "clutching work". He is runnning the single ply track with 200 some new (sharp) studs.

Out of the hole he just kills me because of the incredible weight transfer and hook up that the XP has. The conditions were not in my favor as we were racing on ice with a couple of inches of snow on top. I have my transfer rod set at maximum transfer and my limiter strap at full length but I still just spin in these types of conditions.

We tried rolling starts which made it closer but I still was having problems hooking up. We weigh about the same and when I rode his sled I could really feel the difference. I have to admit that I was impressed. I am pretty sure that I can take him on top in a long enough race, but from a dead stop I will need a hard packed trail or road to have any chance of keeping it close.

Word to the wise, unless my buddy is more modified than he is admitting to, I would watch out for these new XP's!

 

[rehm70]

Get used to it.........The power to weight ratio cannot be logically argued with.
We are all proud of our own machines, but if somethings quicker, it's quicker.
Just get our asses back to the shop so it doesn't stay that way!

 

[Dano]

Not saying the XP’s aren’t quick, but soft snow on ice really works against the Apex with the extra weight and any aggressive clutching puts you in a useless spin. If your spinning twice as much as the XP, that pretty much says you need to run on a better surface such as good hard packed. A brand new sled usually has brand new studs and if he has over 200, well its gonna hook on ice compared to dull ones. Might be a good running XP and still may not beat him, but I would pick a good ground before throwing in the towel.
The XP s a great sled especially now in its second year, but I do think they should be faster with all their ingredients. Technically reading the spec sheets, the Apex should be the slowest sled in its category, but I guess sometimes the law of physics gets broken.


Dan

 

[06apexrtx]

i'll still take the nice comfortable 4 stroke w/ the ele. start and reverse w/ 150 hp that has pretty much bullet proof engine stock. turn key and drive lol.

 

[Blue Dave]

Dan,

I'm not throwing in the towel quite yet. I am just going to pick my battles more carefully. The conditions on the lake yesterday were definately hurting me more than him. I rode his sled and I could tell that the XP was getting the power to the ground (ice) much better than my Apex.

I will race him again on a hard snow packed trail or road where the Apex is at it's best. Maybe his new studs will be dull by then LOL. However from a dead stop it is going to be hard to get the holeshot on that XP even in the best of conditions. I will definately need a long enough race to reel him in if it is possible.

 

[Blue Dave]

1xr wrote in my accidental redundant post on the general discussion board:

The 09 xp 800 I raced the other day, it was the oposite. I spanked it 4-5 lengths from 50-100 mph.
_________________
2006 rtx



1xr,

Was the XP stock? What was the surface conditions? Did you race from a dead stop?

I suspect that my buddy has done more than just clutching so I am anxious to race a bone stock one on a good hardpack surface.

 

[whitedust1]

If you are talking Mxz ZX 800 chassis like last of in 2003 @135HP you should be spanking him....no contest. Xp 800r @ 152 HP is a fair race to your Apex. Now 200 studs is way too many studs for me unless all you do is straight line racing but if that is the case then install as many as you like for hook up & hope you get it. MY 2007 Attack will trench if I don't ease it out of the hole with 108 studs but I'm set up for the trail. I have gone up against numerous XP 800rs on the trails & my Attack is right there with them no problem. 08 Xps don't get the 14.5 mpg I get & still stink of 2s smoke & had numereous recalls. May be better in 09 but not impressed with 08 XPs at all.

 

[Blue Dave]

whitedust,

My buddy's previous sled was the MXZ 800 (2003?) and I had no problems with him last year with that sled. However his new '09 XP 800R is a totally different animal!

 

[whitedust1]

All 800s are not equal in HP. Take him on the trail & see what happens? 2008 XPX 800r guys liked my Attack better & I thought the Attack was a smoother ride on the small stutter bumps about equal on the big bumps. Granted 121" vs 136" but handling was very simular. My bud had a bunch of recalls done including drive shaft & remapping & said he saw 112 mph on the lake only 104 last year. I see 117 mph on dream meter but don't think that is accurate either. Xp should be good race for Apex but hookup is always a problem.

 

[Yamahammer485]

Dan,

I'm not throwing in the towel quite yet. I am just going to pick my battles more carefully. The conditions on the lake yesterday were definately hurting me more than him. I rode his sled and I could tell that the XP was getting the power to the ground (ice) much better than my Apex.

I will race him again on a hard snow packed trail or road where the Apex is at it's best. Maybe his new studs will be dull by then LOL. However from a dead stop it is going to be hard to get the holeshot on that XP even in the best of conditions. I will definately need a long enough race to reel him in if it is possible.

You should pull your transfer rod just for fun on some of these races. Your track will hook up no matter what and wont spin. The level of hookup is night and day. The transfer rod is super easy to take off and there is no pressure on it, so you can do it without a lift. Two sets of 14mm nuts and bolts hold it on.

 

[kinger]

What was the power band of the XP like, I drove a 800R and it was lathargic compared to my ole RX. I am thinking of a XP just to see if the wieght thing is all its cracked up to be.

 

[journeyman]

Well, I got handed my first defeat today. After continuously beating up my buddy last year on his older MXZX 800 he got a new XP 800. We lined them up on the lake today and he gave me a spanking. He has always been secretive about his mods and all I could get him to admit to is some "clutching work". He is runnning the single ply track with 200 some new (sharp) studs.

Out of the hole he just kills me because of the incredible weight transfer and hook up that the XP has. The conditions were not in my favor as we were racing on ice with a couple of inches of snow on top. I have my transfer rod set at maximum transfer and my limiter strap at full length but I still just spin in these types of conditions.

We tried rolling starts which made it closer but I still was having problems hooking up. We weigh about the same and when I rode his sled I could really feel the difference. I have to admit that I was impressed. I am pretty sure that I can take him on top in a long enough race, but from a dead stop I will need a hard packed trail or road to have any chance of keeping it close.

Word to the wise, unless my buddy is more modified than he is admitting to, I would watch out for these new XP's!

Sounds to me traction is your biggest problem.

 

[Apex809]

Iam not to worried. Since i put this edge suspension in my sled hooks pretty damn good. Can't wait to put some chisels and picks in for ice. Polaris is always had good suspension for hooking up. Raced F7 new F8 and 01 srx all long tracks on the river semi hard packed 4 out of the 6 races i killed them. Next year it will be 136.

http://www.highbridgetrailblazers.com/VideoClips.html

 

[SledFreak]

Well, I got handed my first defeat today. After continuously beating up my buddy last year on his older MXZX 800 he got a new XP 800. We lined them up on the lake today and he gave me a spanking. He has always been secretive about his mods and all I could get him to admit to is some "clutching work". He is runnning the single ply track with 200 some new (sharp) studs.

Out of the hole he just kills me because of the incredible weight transfer and hook up that the XP has. The conditions were not in my favor as we were racing on ice with a couple of inches of snow on top. I have my transfer rod set at maximum transfer and my limiter strap at full length but I still just spin in these types of conditions.

We tried rolling starts which made it closer but I still was having problems hooking up. We weigh about the same and when I rode his sled I could really feel the difference. I have to admit that I was impressed. I am pretty sure that I can take him on top in a long enough race, but from a dead stop I will need a hard packed trail or road to have any chance of keeping it close. I will guarantee you that you will gain at least 5-6 sled lenghts after bolting those in, plus accelerate way harder...

Word to the wise, unless my buddy is more modified than he is admitting to, I would watch out for these new XP's!

If you remember about the studding post.. Go back and read it. I posted that if you want to hook up the Apex you need Woody's 1.450's in a Ripsaw track. You will not have a traction issue after that... If you are worried about marking anything. I have marks on my exhaust shield from the 1.325's which Woody's recommends.. Also, the 200 studs to your 144 arn't helping you either...


On another note, if you mainly race on ice, then run 192 and put 1.450 chisels on the outside belt or for the trail just run the 1.450 megs in a 168 pattern which includes the outside belt. You can just leave a 144 in the middle, but he has alot of traction, that you must overcome.. Trust me you will get him...

http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php? ... sc&start=0

 

[polarisconvert]

My 05 RX1 just spins on ice and hard packed roads. I have 144 studs and 48 chissels. Full transfer and limiter strap out. I want to go to 1.450 studs to see if that makes a difference.
Hard pack snow is what it likes. Hooks like no other.