Lengths of Apex Mountains........

[Super Sled]

I have an Attak and it's not long enough for much of the back country riding I do in Northern MN. I would like a 144" or 153" track with 1.75 or 2 inch paddles.

I've heard 162" is the shortest Apex Mountain or MTX made. Is that true? Did they ever make a 153" Apex?

Here are my options as I've considered them......... Any opinions which would be best for me???????

1. Make my Attak into to a Mountain sled: Would it be easier to make my Attak to a 144 via a rail extension? Or add an XTX skid? Some other skid aftermarket? Which is the best? I've heard to get a new skid to get a lower approach angle for better flotation...... Can't get better approach angle from stock skid and extension? Which skid is best for a low angle?

2. Buy an apex Mountain and shorten it to 153" or 144"? Is this possible? (I suppose with a new skid.....) Anybody ever done this before?

Or, third option, just punt and hire someone to do this for me..... Not preferable or in the budget, but I'm just not sure. Anybody in Minnesota who specializes in this work?

Thanks in advance everybody!

MJB

 

[Viper_Dave]

I installed an Expert 136" set back for 144 this season. Very low approach angle and much more durable than the Monoshock skid. I am running a Camo 144x1.5 Backcountry, and did pretty well in the UP powder. Planning on buying another axle and 8 tooth drivers and a 144x2"ish track for western trips. I also run a Rox Adjustable Riser and a Mounain Mod seat. Powderhounds with 8" Bergstrom Triplepoints. I can still comfortably trail ride this setup, with little worries offtrail. Tunnel extension and bumper came from Hartman, but Muffinworks builds nice stuff as well. I also geared down to 21/38, and didn't have to touch my clutching. Talked to Ulmer and this was his suggestion. I have destroyed every stock Yamaha skid I've owned. Got tired of all the issues so decided aftermarket was the way to go for the skid. To my knowledge, there are no Apex/RX1 skids in 153. The 08 Nytro's were introduced with the 153 stock. If you go that route, there are used ones available, but I believe the durability is no better than ant other stock Yammie skid. Hope this helped you in some way

 

[sobfrogg]

I have been thinking about the same mod for my Attak. However I was thinking more along the lines of moving the mono back to take up a 144" track.
I keep thinking what am I going to do with 2 144's. So the thought of a 151/153. Taking a Timbersled 144 and setting it back for the longer foot print. I want to reduce the aproach angle that the Attak has. As you mentioned it is not a very good backcountry sled.

So set the rear back and give her a 2" paddle. Lets rip up the POW!!



VD, once you put that 2" on you will be selling the 1.5", Just keep thinking of our last ride Comming back to you yet????



I could really use 6' of POW right now SUMMER SUCKS!!!!!

 

[Super Sled]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the thoughts. One thought I have is that 144" would probably be more than enough for me and my purposes, but then again there lots of 144" and 154" Summits I ride with. To compensate for the heavier sled I was thinking of 151" to 153" range track length. I wonder if I'd be better off just getting an MTX! (162!?!?!?!?). I wonder how well they trail ride??????

But what I really want is my Attak to be a competent back country sled. To get there, I'm beginning to feel a whole different skid might be in order. It seems the approach angle on the mono shock skid (which I like for bumps a lot btw) is too high for decent powder performance........

About that, I'm only about 5'11" and 185 lbs..... I've never wrecked any skid on any sled ever and my sled sees rough trails from time to time. I saw that user name Nate put an XTX skid in his Apex and it looked sweet, but I'm also thinking maybe the 153" may just be the better size for me...... Or maybe just an XPert X (Sp?) set back to 153" or so........

Thanks,

Mike

 

[niko]

Should be fine with a 163" for trail riding, thats what I'm using down under.
They are a little tricky on fast corners as they under steer a little.

 

[Super Sled]

Any body have any experience on an Apex or Attak with a ZX2 skid extended to 151" ???? This where I'm leaning right now...... Then with a 2" Challenger track.

 

[yamahaboy701]

PM username "tkuss". He rides a lot of backcountry up in the UP and WI. He is building a 144 backcountry sled, 2" camo and 144 ZX2.

Link to his build: http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php?t=74154

 

[RTYsxv]

I don't think you want to be setting the suspension back in the tunnel. It will give you a lower approach angle but you're messing with the suspension setup, putting more weight on the skis. I have an Apex and I'm going 153" with it, and here's my plan:
- I bought a 2007 Polaris Switchback 144" skid with Fox Zero Pro reservoir shocks for $400. This is an uncoupled crossover skid with the rails tipped up in the rear just like a Nytro XTX. So I'm getting all the benefits of an XTX skid with better durability and far better shocks for less money. Makes me wonder about how Yamaha hyped up the XTX like it was the next best thing, when Polaris had it already? Polaris makes some very good suspensions IMO, and this will be the second one I've stuck in a Yamaha.
- Here's another thing to think about if you buy a different skid, you can sell your mono and make most of your money back.
- Found a set of practically new Tracksusa Polaris rail extensions to go to 153" for $100
- Got a 153"x2.25" 3.00" pitch Camoplast Maverick with 500 mi for $130 off Snowest (these are CHEAP because they come stock on the Nytro MTX and people change them out all the time). I'll probably cut it down a bit depending how clearance looks with the drivers.
- I'm getting some used Nytro or Apex MTX drivers (they are the same), which are 7 tooth 3.00" pitch and come with extrovert sprockets from the factory.
- Tunnel extension from Muffinworks

There's a lot of stuff in the Snowest classifieds and you can find some pretty good deals if you look long enough.

I've never ridden a ZX2 so I can't attest to its ride. But like many, I can't justify spending that kind of money for a skid anyway

 

[Super Sled]

I don't think you want to be setting the suspension back in the tunnel. It will give you a lower approach angle but you're messing with the suspension setup, putting more weight on the skis. I have an Apex and I'm going 153" with it, and here's my plan:
- I bought a 2007 Polaris Switchback 144" skid with Fox Zero Pro reservoir shocks for $400. This is an uncoupled crossover skid with the rails tipped up in the rear just like a Nytro XTX. So I'm getting all the benefits of an XTX skid with better durability and far better shocks for less money. Makes me wonder about how Yamaha hyped up the XTX like it was the next best thing, when Polaris had it already? Polaris makes some very good suspensions IMO, and this will be the second one I've stuck in a Yamaha.
- Here's another thing to think about if you buy a different skid, you can sell your mono and make most of your money back.
- Found a set of practically new Tracksusa Polaris rail extensions to go to 153" for $100
- Got a 153"x2.25" 3.00" pitch Camoplast Maverick with 500 mi for $130 off Snowest (these are CHEAP because they come stock on the Nytro MTX and people change them out all the time). I'll probably cut it down a bit depending how clearance looks with the drivers.
- I'm getting some used Nytro or Apex MTX drivers (they are the same), which are 7 tooth 3.00" pitch and come with extrovert sprockets from the factory.
- Tunnel extension from Muffinworks

There's a lot of stuff in the Snowest classifieds and you can find some pretty good deals if you look long enough.

I've never ridden a ZX2 so I can't attest to its ride. But like many, I can't justify spending that kind of money for a skid anyway

Hey RTYsxv!

Thanks for replying to my posts....

I'm going to try out rail extensions for my mono skid for now. I know it won't solve the approach angle issue, but my mono ec skid is in such great shape, and I do actually really like it a lot for most all riding and I really like the ec feature, that I want to stick with it for now.

Maybe down the road I will grow tired of it and swap it out for an Expert or something -- or your idea, which sounds excellent!!!!

Put some pics on here of that Polaris skid on your Attak!!!!

 

[RTYsxv]

The approach angle might not bother as much as you think. Sticking a 151" track on there with 2" paddles is going to make a big difference even with the higher angle. I'd run it as is and see how it goes

As far as pics go, I started a work log of my project Apex in the 4 Stroke Garage section. I'll be keeping that updated with pics.

 

[mulot30th]

Any body have any experience on an Apex or Attak with a ZX2 skid extended to 151" ???? This where I'm leaning right now...... Then with a 2" Challenger track.

My rx1 mountain is with a zx2 151 set back to accomodate a 162" extreme track.

Very good in hillclimbing and on powder, but not so good when we drag race sleds... it does not have enough weight transfer for a good start.