Big Ugly
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- ZR 9000
Chaparral SSX (dirty bird)
- LOCATION
- Middle River MN
Has anyone had a chance to compare the apex to the cat turbo, power, handling etc.? Thanks
nadekeys
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- 2017 Sidewinder LTX LE
2009 Apex LTX GT
2008 Nytro MTX Turbo
My brother has a cat turbo so I've spent a decent amount of seat time on one (although it is the old chassis, not the procross). Apex is super smooth, even power from stop up to 100. The cat turbo has a huge power band between 20 and 70 after that it kind of falls off. (relatively speaking, the thing still hauls the mail). Cat is super fun to play with but definitely not as cool sounding or smooth as the apex motor. I can definitely tell the cat as an extra 20 plus horses but the Apex power has always felt a little understated, I feel like this is just because it is so linear throughout the entire range.
I thought very hard about getting a new XF 9000 this year or an Apex XTX, but am holding out for the new yamaha sled that I hope is on the horizon...just didn't feel like having to buy belts in bulk at the beginning of each season. I'm still hearing that some of the 2015 Cats are still having belt issues.
I thought very hard about getting a new XF 9000 this year or an Apex XTX, but am holding out for the new yamaha sled that I hope is on the horizon...just didn't feel like having to buy belts in bulk at the beginning of each season. I'm still hearing that some of the 2015 Cats are still having belt issues.
Bluebullet
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- 2021 sidewinder LTX GT, 2010 Apex LTX GT
- LOCATION
- Maine
I ride with a guy who has an 1013 snow pro 151" chasis with Turbo 1100. Power is strong but sounds like a leaf blower. Turbo is noisy spoil up and down. Chasis handle well and rides comfortable. I have a 2010 Apex LTX GT and just prefer the Apex for the sound and ride quality. I am a true yamaha guy and have done many updates recommended here and now enjoy every day I ride. I have had only the usual small issues and have 8000 miles on my sled. He has had many warrenty issue's. Had the reverse issueX2, Chasis replaced, oil/coolant resevoir replaced fuel sending unit and lines replaced and more I am sure he hasn't disclosed to me.... lol. I have had him on a tow rope twice. I walk him on hard packed trails but his sled works well in deep powder. That is my response so good luck
icebreaker
Expert
My buddy has a procross turbo and it is not much faster in stock form, handling and ride sucked until he went with all hygear stuff $750.00 and lowered the suspension, many many mechanical issues finally addressed after a lot of money spent$$$$$$. And still buying and trying every belt made$$$$$$. Still don't think the durability is there like a apex. He has cold air intake, different muffler, different motor mounts, clutch kit, charge tubes, gearing change, stock tune and my xtx with ulmer clutch kit, pc5, gear change kicks his Cats A$$ and a hell of a lot less money spent. If your into wrenching and buying a new sled every couple of years go for the cat.Has anyone had a chance to compare the apex to the cat turbo, power, handling etc.? Thanks
snowbeast
TY 4 Stroke God
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- 2015 apex xtx traded for a 2017 sidewinder L-tx-le
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I just traded back to an apex from a 2013 procross f1100 lxr turbo,biggest POS I have ever had,but if you want to compare power don't bother,the cat is in a league of its owne,both my boys have one my old apex gt goes very good the other a very good going 06 rtx and from about 30 mph on its all cat,if the yammies are running along at a buck I could pull up to them and just wave by by,ok so I had a stage 4 tune on it w/a turbo dynamics muffler,but it was only on tune 1 lowest setting about 200hp,and this POS never went the way it was suppose to of gone,had ring blow by from mile one on,blew the chaincase out at 2500 miles and by than 10 blown belts to boot,and next year,i got a whopping 600 miles till it leaked down so far it could barly run 100mph,but it handled and rode 5 times better than any apex I have had to date,this new 2015 xtx still sucks compared to it,i may be able to make it handle and ride better than when I picked it up,but it will never ride or handle like a very good dialed in procross chassie!
Big Ugly
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- ZR 9000
Chaparral SSX (dirty bird)
- LOCATION
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Thanks for the input! Sounds like they have power that is similar with the cat being a mechanical wreck. I was thinking the cat would ride and handle better but appears that is not the case either....guess should go apex, which track lenght?
icebreaker
Expert
The 144 has great traction and needs upgrade for better ride, but for trail I would rather have the mono short tract IMO.Thanks for the input! Sounds like they have power that is similar with the cat being a mechanical wreck. I was thinking the cat would ride and handle better but appears that is not the case either....guess should go apex, which track lenght?
bix96
Veteran
I own both. A 2012 Apex XTX. and A procross turbo that has the power turned up, with many other upgrades to suspension and chassis. The Apex is really fast and refined. Love the power steering. For long distance, I ride the apex as I know it will always work and again is a nice trail cruiser and ride. Again, the Apex is fast........until you ride a tuned up cat. There is no comparison to the raw power the cat has. I love them both for what they are. The Apex is a Lexus on snow. Nice and refined, a gentleman's fast cruiser. The cat is a Shelby Cobra GT500, rough, raw and angry. I consider myself a very fortunate guy that I am in a position to own both.
icebreaker
Expert
Lets run a turbo apex to a turbo cat and see what happens. The cat still is a mechanical breakdown nightmare.
bix96
Veteran
I had a turbo Apex. It was way more of a maintenance nightmare than any of my Cats. Any turbo - tuned up sled is a potential maintenance nightmare, but for reliability I would never go the Turbo Apex route again. If you are talking racing on a track with controlled environment and controlled fuel, built internals on the motor, etc. & lots of $$, that is a different story and there has been great success with Turbo Apex's.. I am a trail rider and that is the environment I use my machines in. That is why I bought a stock Apex and left it stock. That motor was not originally engineered to be a turbo motor and you have to change internals to hope to have any reliability. The Cat (Suzuki) motor was built and engineered from the ground up to be a turbo motor. It is so easy and inexpensive on the Cat to gain close to 100 hp with the cat and still have reliability. Both bring me smiles. I'm not trying to start an argument, just staying with the question of the original post of what is the difference between the 2. In stock form, Apex much more refined and close to stock turbo cat in power. As far as handling, the Cat is better as it is a modern chassis design, lighter and has a more modern upright riding position, but the power steering rocks on the Ape. Cat has notorious quality control issues and design is great, but not nearly as refined. (built by farmers wives in TRF, lol). Again, I have both, I love both, the OP wanted to know the difference, which I tried to point out. It comes down to being honest with yourself on where and how you ride and what you do on your sled.
nadekeys
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- 2017 Sidewinder LTX LE
2009 Apex LTX GT
2008 Nytro MTX Turbo
Good analysis bix, I agree. People who write the cat turbos off as complete junk and say the apex is a better handling sled than the procross chassis maybe have a little too dark a tint on their blue goggles. ;-)
snowbeast
TY 4 Stroke God
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- 2015 apex xtx traded for a 2017 sidewinder L-tx-le
- yes
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- yes
Ya,I have to agree with most all of your statements about the cat tuned turbo vrs the apex. Now I cant comment on a tuned ape,as I have never had one,I did wait till 13 for my cat hoping the problems with the first year were all cleared up,well most of us know how that one went,i never had one reverse problem,but nothing but problem after problem with clutches,belts,and chain cases problems,as most cat guys know,the torque link design is what gives most cat turbos there belt issues,if you spend 1500 bucks right out of the gate,you may be trouble free,but mine had that problem plus ring and cylinder problems to boot. But when it ran like it should w/a TD stage v19 tune should,wow was all I can say,and it will out handle any apex on the snow,plus ride is sweet too.I had a turbo Apex. It was way more of a maintenance nightmare than any of my Cats. Any turbo - tuned up sled is a potential maintenance nightmare, but for reliability I would never go the Turbo Apex route again. If you are talking racing on a track with controlled environment and controlled fuel, built internals on the motor, etc. & lots of $$, that is a different story and there has been great success with Turbo Apex's.. I am a trail rider and that is the environment I use my machines in. That is why I bought a stock Apex and left it stock. That motor was not originally engineered to be a turbo motor and you have to change internals to hope to have any reliability. The Cat (Suzuki) motor was built and engineered from the ground up to be a turbo motor. It is so easy and inexpensive on the Cat to gain close to 100 hp with the cat and still have reliability. Both bring me smiles. I'm not trying to start an argument, just staying with the question of the original post of what is the difference between the 2. In stock form, Apex much more refined and close to stock turbo cat in power. As far as handling, the Cat is better as it is a modern chassis design, lighter and has a more modern upright riding position, but the power steering rocks on the Ape. Cat has notorious quality control issues and design is great, but not nearly as refined. (built by farmers wives in TRF, lol). Again, I have both, I love both, the OP wanted to know the difference, which I tried to point out. It comes down to being honest with yourself on where and how you ride and what you do on your sled.
Sasquatch
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- Yamaha's
I own both. A 2012 Apex XTX. and A procross turbo that has the power turned up, with many other upgrades to suspension and chassis. The Apex is really fast and refined. Love the power steering. For long distance, I ride the apex as I know it will always work and again is a nice trail cruiser and ride. Again, the Apex is fast........until you ride a tuned up cat. There is no comparison to the raw power the cat has. I love them both for what they are. The Apex is a Lexus on snow. Nice and refined, a gentleman's fast cruiser. The cat is a Shelby Cobra GT500, rough, raw and angry. I consider myself a very fortunate guy that I am in a position to own both.
Question? How about the Cat turbo stock? Guy I know has one and has about a 112mph top end stock! He's stronger in the middle but on the top not so much!
Murse
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What about the 09 z1 Turbo's? Are they faster than a stock Apex?Question? How about the Cat turbo stock? Guy I know has one and has about a 112mph top end stock! He's stronger in the middle but on the top not so much!
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