SideWinder XTX LE Skis

[Joseph Levandoski]

I'm selling the stock skis on my SideWinder XTX (the Yamaha mountain ski) and would like to see what people have used as a viable replacement. I was looking through the "Skis Poll" on this page and noticed it's all over the place. Realistically, I will NOT be installing the Tuner skis as we all know how well those really work on the Arctic Cat chassis. I was looking at the Curve XS or XSM skis or the C&A Pro XCS models?

Hopefully you guys can help point me in the right direction? I'm a trail rider who enjoys pulling off the trail and messing around in whatever deep snow I can find, so a trail-width ski really isn't going to cut it. But I also don't need a full blown mountain ski as I tend to ride 250+ miles per day when possible.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[maim]

i would say go with curves. i was happy with mine on trail and they worked not too bad off trail too.

 

[InRBigness]

I would agree with Maim. I hated my tuners. I got two sets of curves, one for me on an XTX and one for a buddy with a 141 Cross Country. Both sleds were drastically different and much better.

 

[ROCKERDAN]

Most people run the 6.9s.....most cost effective, lightest effort, and just plain work well.

If you havent seen the massive thread on them, here is the link.

https://ty4stroke.com/threads/pilot-6-9-skis-installed.146599/

Dan

 

[Roost 'Er]

I would highly recommend trying the MTN skis first.

I ran a set of the Yamaha Mountain Skis last year on a 18 SW L-TX LE with 4" Round Bar for ~1500miles, then when we got to spring riding some road running killed those carbides so i switched to a 6" Woody's ACE square bar for another ~800miles. The 6" bar handled a bit sharper but it did increase steering effort. Overall for aggressive trail riding with an un-studded 1.25" Ripsaw II the 4" round bar worked good! If i was running a studded 137" or a 141" i would opt for a 6" round bar.

These skis were surprising! They handled great in all conditions, they sat up on top of loose snow and steering effort was far less then other aftermarket options, only downside i had was in certain conditions low speed handling seemed to take more steering angle then i would have anticipated.

I ran with a Sidewinder L-TX 50th on Curves with 6" Roundbars and swapping back and forth the Curves did have more "Bite" in the corner, but they also were harder to steer. After riding a few times on each the consensus was the MTN Skis were the way to go.

Over the years i have run C&A's, Curves, Tuners with tons of carbides, Ski-doo Pilots, Cat Skis and im impressed by these Yamaha MTN skis, they work damn good.

 

[DranttelSS]

I got to drive my buddies BTX with these skis and stock carbides. Skis are a very subjective thing so what works for one might not for another. I thought they worked pretty good! I would try them first.

 

[Joseph Levandoski]

I was offered good money for someone to purchase the stock blue ones (I was never a fan of colored skis - so realistically, I'm already in the market). If you say the stock skis work, I'll just purchase them in black and save some coin. Much appreciated!

 

[ROCKERDAN]

I would think the MT ski would work well too...i assume its a single keel?

Most any ski works well on this chassie, with exception of ONE ski, the TUNER..its a dual runner ski that was designed for the apex, in conjunction with EPS....Not supposed to even be on this cat chassie period.

Dan

 

[JPS]

I run the Doo pilot 6.9 on my Sidewinder XTX 6 inch carbide on both runners works very well

 

[ApexXTX/Viper]

I would highly recommend trying the MTN skis first.

I ran a set of the Yamaha Mountain Skis last year on a 18 SW L-TX LE with 4" Round Bar for ~1500miles, then when we got to spring riding some road running killed those carbides so i switched to a 6" Woody's ACE square bar for another ~800miles. The 6" bar handled a bit sharper but it did increase steering effort. Overall for aggressive trail riding with an un-studded 1.25" Ripsaw II the 4" round bar worked good! If i was running a studded 137" or a 141" i would opt for a 6" round bar.

These skis were surprising! They handled great in all conditions, they sat up on top of loose snow and steering effort was far less then other aftermarket options, only downside i had was in certain conditions low speed handling seemed to take more steering angle then i would have anticipated.

I ran with a Sidewinder L-TX 50th on Curves with 6" Roundbars and swapping back and forth the Curves did have more "Bite" in the corner, but they also were harder to steer. After riding a few times on each the consensus was the MTN Skis were the way to go.

Over the years i have run C&A's, Curves, Tuners with tons of carbides, Ski-doo Pilots, Cat Skis and im impressed by these Yamaha MTN skis, they work damn good.

Were the Mountain skis are a direct bolt on or did you have to modify?

 

[Joseph Levandoski]

Were the Mountain skis are a direct bolt on or did you have to modify?

Direct from the factory.

 

[ApexXTX/Viper]

Just got back from dealer and discussed putting the blue mountain skis from the XTX LE on the SRX. He mentioned that due to different spindle angles and the placement of the mount (further back) on the mtn. ski that they will "stick out" about 5 inches longer than the tuners. He also said that may increase steering effort and turning radius marginally. Anyone experienced this?

 

[Roost 'Er]

Were the Mountain skis are a direct bolt on or did you have to modify?

I was able to re-use the same mounting hardware that came with the tuners, the rubber block transferred over and if i recall i used the bolts too.

Just got back from dealer and discussed putting the blue mountain skis from the XTX LE on the SRX. He mentioned that due to different spindle angles and the placement of the mount (further back) on the mtn. ski that they will "stick out" about 5 inches longer than the tuners. He also said that may increase steering effort and turning radius marginally. Anyone experienced this?

I ran them at full width (spacers on outside of spindle), not sure about turning radius ill have to compare this year. As far as steering effort, with 4" roundbar it was less then the Tuners, even the 6" square bar i felt was easier to turn then tuners with 6" square inner carbides and 4" Outer carbides.

I plan

 

[Dieselxtx]

Put woodys ace carbides on stock skis and they will be much better off trail than pilot 6.9s I have about 1200 miles on 6.9s and 2200miles on the stock skis and I sold the 6.9s to go back to stock skis they work well on trail and the mount being farther back makes sidehilling much easier. This is on a BTX