Thinking of jumping from the RX to the Apex. Some Questions

[SLEDSTART]

Have an 05 RX 1 now and a friend and I are thinking of buying 2 new leftover Apex's

Dealer has 2 GT's ($7999.00 plus tax) and 2 ER's ($7499.00)and one Attack left.(Also $7999.00) All 07's All include freight and set up.

Seems thats a pretty good price. I have another buddy thinking of a nytro. Trying to get us all together and head in there.

Questions I have are these. Is there any difference between the 07's and 08's at all???
Also I know there is only a shock difference on the GT vs. the ER and the Attack is a 136". Will the GT hold up to heavy abuse or rough trails...or am I better going with the Attack? I know 08 the Attack (or what was the attack) got rid of the Mono. I'm thinking the GT and the Attack are basically going to hold up the same no? I would like to try the new skid (Pro-Active) but I hear it's a harsher ride...and I think I would rather have the plush ride. I ride weekdays only anyhow...

Anyone been having issues at all with the electronic shock on the GT? I like the sled but that shock scares me. I have the Mono in my 05 now and I had the cable rip out of that twice before they had the update boot for it.

Also I noticed on the brouchure it said the GT has a lineral ratio stabalizer bar. Thats not listed on the Attack or te ER. Whats the major difference there?

I have never been happy with the handling of the RX-1. But thats because my back up sled is the SRX and it rails in comparison. I was never willing to spend the extra cash on ski's and bars and everything else to keep the thing planted. I also never really tweaked the front end other than sucking up the limiter one hole. I just became content with riding it easier than the SRX.

My next question is for those of you who have come off the RX onto the Apex. Does it hanldle a lot better than the RX stock for stock? Seems like it does from what little I rode it. (very litte by my house on a used one I looked at)
I have never really had any serious time on one.

Also for those who went froma 121" to a 136"...was it a good move IF you do mainly trail riding? I want to try a long track sled but I hear mixed reviews for mainly trail riding. As in harder to turn etc...

What major problems am I going to be seeing on the Apex? I know I have seen tidbits about the exhaust, and even my RX is starting to backfire with 6500 miles on it. Also how is the hyfax issue on them?

Will a stock Apex run with a EVAC/filters/clutched RX? Does the clutching need tweaking on the Apex? I have not been following the Apexs as you can tell. Please fill me in guys. I want to hunt down an F800 and a F1000 that I ride with IF I buy it.

I guess I just really need to hear WHY I need to move to the Apex and if it's really worth it???

oh...and how do those prices look to you guys?


Thanks a ton...and any input is appreciated!!!



So in a nutshell...

07-08 differences?
GT shock Issues?
Will the GT hold up in the rough stuff?
Linear Stabalizer Bar on the GT? Difference?
Handling compared to the RX-1?
Major issues I will be seeing on the Apex?
How do they run top end?
Prices look good?

Thanks again.....

 

[welterracer]

Seeing how i went from a 04 Rx-warrior with ECP kit, clutching, 13mm swaybar with C@A skis to a Apex i will chim in here..

The apex STOCK rides and handles better than my rx-warrior did with tons of mods and half the steering effort..

My brother still has my old Rx-warrior and we have raced them.. I will kill it from a dead stop.. but from a roll on at 30mph. the will stay almost dead even with me pulling slightly at 80+ the mono shock has better hole shot.. But im sure you already knew that..

Both sleds have the Y-pipe and gasket problems from what ive read..

IMO stay away from the GT.. its over rated.. its a great GROOMED trail sled, but IMO there is no such thing as a groomed trail FOR LONG.. the rear shock is an over priced POS.. althou if you get it revalved and resprung it will ride really good.. but you still aways worry about the shock wire breaking and you have to keep the ice off of it..

You will only get 14-15mpg on the apex.. while my old Rx-warrior got 15-17 mpg.. But the apex has way better throttle response.. and no choke..

You wont have any more problems with the apex than you have with your Rx-1.. they are almost the same mechanically.. but different if you know what i mean..

My buddy has a F8.. it doesnt feel fast at all, but it is.. Just as fast as my apex... so you wont be KILLING it..

The biggest reason to move to an apex is the seating positon (doesnt hurt your back) and the newer A-arm and spindle design that handles and rides better.. and also the handle bars..

Hope this helps..

Brian

 

[ROCKERDAN]

the seat position alone is like coming from a 30 year old sled to todays rider forward sleds.....rx1s are really outdated in that respect.

IMO id try to find a RTX....the fox floats kick butt.....GTs are overpriced.....


I love my 06 rtx.

dan

 

[number1kyster]

I have an 07 RTX and I love it. Riding an rx-1 feels funny nowadays. The only advantage I give to the rx is gas mileage and ease of oil change and thats it. My 07 RTX is very durable and I would recommend it.

 

[BigMac]

Love my 07 GT. Great ride, great handling. I had the option of RTX vs GT, rode both - it was no contest on the poorly groomed trail I rode. The EC Ohlin's may be overpriced, but it sure doesn't sound like they're overpriced for you. That's a great deal.

 

[apltx08]

I've traded my RX1 '05 121" to a '08 APEX LTX 136" base model and I'll never look back, I love the STABILITY of the longer track, traction and SMOOTHER ride when riding gets rough, gas milage isn't as good as my RX1 but the trade off is PERFORMANCE is better...more top end and GRUNT!

P.S. HAND WARMERS S@CK!!! compared to my '05 fuel injection is a BIG plus and the seating position for us 6' plus is GREAT and higher bars WOW...

To resume GO for it, I'd go for the ATTAK 136" you won't regret it!

Good luck

 

[Nice Rumble]

Having a premium shock like the Ohlins that is adjustable on the fly is great.
It is what it is, a great trail sled on groomed trails. Using it in that venue you will be happy. Don't try to keep up with Nytro's or go boondocking or ditch banging as you will quickly realize you are out of your league.
The Apex LTX would also be a consideration with the 136 giving you a better ride in the bumps.
No problems with mine.

 

[DIwarrior]

I've got about 600 miles on my 2 week old 08 Apex LTX. Coming off of an 04 Warrior. What a difference. Much crisper throttle response, the mid range pull feels much stronger. So far, top speeds on the dreameter are almost identical, and the Apex is not broke in. The ride is significantly better! The Monos shock RA may not be a ditch banger, but for groomed trails and lake riding (drifts) no bottoming out where on the Warrior, it was not uncommon. I've tightened up the front ski/springload, it seems to roll more than the Warrior in the twisties. But this chassis is much easier to move around on. I didn't really expect to like the rider forward ergos better than the "sit-down" Warrior. For this year only mods will be hand guards and upgrade the sway bar to a 13mm. I had a chance to ride a GT prior to making up my mind to purchase, just couldn't justify the $ difference for the shocks. Once I've got it dialed in, I don't anticipate many more suspension adjustments.

 

[SLEDSTART]

I've got about 600 miles on my 2 week old 08 Apex LTX. Coming off of an 04 Warrior. What a difference. Much crisper throttle response, the mid range pull feels much stronger. So far, top speeds on the dreameter are almost identical, and the Apex is not broke in. The ride is significantly better! The Monos shock RA may not be a ditch banger, but for groomed trails and lake riding (drifts) no bottoming out where on the Warrior, it was not uncommon. I've tightened up the front ski/springload, it seems to roll more than the Warrior in the twisties. But this chassis is much easier to move around on. I didn't really expect to like the rider forward ergos better than the "sit-down" Warrior. For this year only mods will be hand guards and upgrade the sway bar to a 13mm. I had a chance to ride a GT prior to making up my mind to purchase, just couldn't justify the $ difference for the shocks. Once I've got it dialed in, I don't anticipate many more suspension adjustments.

Thank for all the comments!

So the LTX you have (08) has the Pro Active right? The leftover 07 Attack still has the Mono. I am wondering how much harsher the ride is on the Pro Active in the rough stuff? I do like my Mono...but looks like some of you feel the shock on the GT is over rated? For the price I don't think it's a bad deal. I know the GT was more when they came out but now they want to move them!
Attack and the GT are same price on the closeout. I only have 2 more days as the site says in bold letters "sale good thru 12/28/08"
Other option is to wait and see what happens on the 08 sleds once the 09's hit the trails. Then maybe look at the LTX?

So nobody has replied...
Is there ANY major differences in the 07's to the 08's other that the Attack is now the Apex LTX with the Pro-Active skid in the rear. Other than that I don't see any differences???

By the way...diwarrior...are you adding the 13MM sway bar because the Apex still lifts like the RX does in the turns? I was hoping the Apex would handle better in the corners. My RX is all over the place if I try to ride it hard...I can't stand it. I find myself riding the SRX more and more on groomed hardpack trails. It's just so much more fun to ride...

And I thought the handwarmer issue was resolved? No???
That's one thing that would really piss me off is cold hands. The 05 and the SRX bake my hands!

 

[ReX]

The only one with the ProActive is the 07/08 RTX. Everything else (Apex) has the Monoshock.

The Monoshock rides quite a bit better, but bottoms out easier and if you beef up the valving and/or spring and then ride it hard, you'll end up breaking the front pivot arm (at least).

You should know all about the Monoshock and if it is durable/strong enough for you since the 2005 RX-1 has the identical suspension to the 06/07/08 Apex.

Yamaha did beef up the front pivot arm and add reinforcement brackets at the inner idler wheels starting in 06, but there is a good chance your 2005 was updated with the same improvements (if it broke on you).

The ProActive is in my opinion a superior suspension if you are an aggressive rider, but Yamaha really missed the mark with the shock valving in 07. They revalved it for 08, but don't know how much better it is.

I always found the 05 RX-1, with an Ulmer clutch kit, would out accelerate the stock Apex ER and had the exact same top speed.

The RX-1 does have much better fuel range (30%+) and gets 10-15% better fuel economy, but the fuel injection is very nice (just turn the key) and the throttle response is incredible with the Apex.

The riding position is very nice on the 05 RX-1 (expecially compared to an 03/04 RX-1), but the riding position on the Apex is even better.

 

[Viper_Dave]

The 08 LTX is still a Monoshock. The calibration is much better on the 08 sled throughout the lineup. As far as the issue of ski;ift, I have 90% of it dialed out of my 06 Attak. I personally prefer the 136" skids over the 121" skids. Very stable under acceleration and braking. Better ride in the stutter bumps. And once dialed in will handle any riding I do. We ride in Tomahawk, Wi. and the UP and just about every place in between LOL! I own a stretched Viper and a Venture beside the Attak. If you haven't ridden a 136" sled, you owe it to yourself to try one. The handwarmer issue is a non-issue for me at this point. I have done the Rockerdan mod and my warmers work great.

 

[BigMac]

Thank for all the comments!

So the LTX you have (08) has the Pro Active right? The leftover 07 Attack still has the Mono. I am wondering how much harsher the ride is on the Pro Active in the rough stuff? I do like my Mono...but looks like some of you feel the shock on the GT is over rated? For the price I don't think it's a bad deal. I know the GT was more when they came out but now they want to move them!
Attack and the GT are same price on the closeout. I only have 2 more days as the site says in bold letters "sale good thru 12/28/08"
Other option is to wait and see what happens on the 08 sleds once the 09's hit the trails. Then maybe look at the LTX?

So nobody has replied...
Is there ANY major differences in the 07's to the 08's other that the Attack is now the Apex LTX with the Pro-Active skid in the rear. Other than that I don't see any differences???

By the way...diwarrior...are you adding the 13MM sway bar because the Apex still lifts like the RX does in the turns? I was hoping the Apex would handle better in the corners. My RX is all over the place if I try to ride it hard...I can't stand it. I find myself riding the SRX more and more on groomed hardpack trails. It's just so much more fun to ride...

And I thought the handwarmer issue was resolved? No???
That's one thing that would really piss me off is cold hands. The 05 and the SRX bake my hands!

In my limited seat time on the RTX, I felt it was a LOT harsher than the GT. Now, admittedly, I didn't get to play around with either suspension, but stock setup, the GT was a lot better. I got a pretty good deal too (not as good as yours) and for me, getting the GT was a no-brainer at those prices.

Since I've had it, I have switched to Slydog Powderhound skis (I ride about 1200 miles out west every year), and added a 13 mm sway bar. I had NO issues with inside ski lift, haven't done anything to the limiter strap. The sled handled fine on our tight local trails, but the sway bar really makes it rail the twisties. I did also drop to a 23-tooth upper gear. The difference is subtle, not sure why I did it...boredom I guess. The machine GPS's 103, best I've seen so far on our lake (packed powder - 1200 miles on the sled). I don't ride the ditches, trails around here get seriously neglected so we see some moderate moguls at time for long stretches. IMHO, that's the perfect scenario for an Apex GT. I've had no problems, no issues. It's a great sled. I recommend the GT over the RTX at the prices you're paying, but your trails, riding style, and expectations may be different from mine.

 

[apltx08]

[quote="SNOWDOG] So nobody has replied...
Is there ANY major differences in the 07's to the 08's other that the Attack is now the Apex LTX with the Pro-Active skid in the rear. Other than that I don't see any differences???

And I thought the handwarmer issue was resolved? No???
That's one thing that would really piss me off is cold hands. The 05 and the SRX bake my hands![/quote]

For '08 the front arm on the rear suspension was beefed up BIG time and the shock valving was re-calibrated...and for the @#$% HAND WARMERS NO!!! they waren't FIXED, sorry to dissapoint you on this 1...AH I just had to VENT! I can't beleive that YAM still hasn't resolved this since '06 model year...

 

[DIwarrior]

SNOWDOG, I plan to add the 13mm sway bar as the Apex exhibits more body roll in the corers than my Warrior. I've not experienced any ski lift to concern me. I'm thinking the rider ergos, higher and further forward contribute to the "feel" I get with the sled tending to roll in the corners, just looking to stiffen it up without sacrificing the ride, which is excellent. Even with the factory 4" carbides, it corners as good as I ever got my Warrior up to.

 

[SLEDSTART]

Thanks for the comments guys. So have any of you done the rewiring trick on the hand warmers on them and has it worked? Someone posted about wiring them in parallel instead of in series or vise versa?

I really don't want crap hand warmers! I know thats silly to NOT buy a sled but that REALLY takes the enjoyment out of a nice ride when you can't feel your fingers!