Went for ride on the ApexXTX

[Sasquatch]

Well I got to try out my new (2011) Apex XTX. I like the touring shield and lowers. Keeps the wind off my chest and my knees. Mirrors work well enough. I kind of liked the higher bug eyes on my old RX but these work. Handwarmers get hot. Power steering just plain works! Skid is rougher then my ZX2 but seems hard to bottom with my weight yet rides not bad. A little stiff but not extreeme. Hmmered it a bit on some yet to be groomed trails. Going to play with the clicker and see how that changes things.

Transfer needs to be taken back a notch but it does hook up well. will yank the skis a foot or more with only mild throttle. Fuel injection takes some getting used to. Way harder to feather the throttle to move around trees and stuff on the trail I ride to the groomed trails compared to the Carbed RX.

Damn crisp throttle I can hardly wait till its broke in to fully get the feel of it at all speeds. Stock skis suck in the powder and dart around alot, knew they would no suprise. Going to try my Simmons out on it to see how they are with the power steering. They made my arms ache on hard trails on the old sled. Pushed a bit in fresh snow but easyier to turn on chewed up trails.

Yea it starts and stalls but I tried the hold the key for a couple seconds longer after it first fires and it stumbles a bit then smooths out. Its quiet, real quiet! I forgot how quiet they are stock. Got about 50 miles on it now. Itching to go out on the weekend need to get to that first oil change out of the way.

All in all a very different animal then My RX! Can hardly wait to take it on a long trip.

 

[yamaha1973]

Good review so far, hope your able to put some more miles on! We still have no ride-able snow...

 

[TBay Sledhead]

Where r u that u have ride-able snow, we have very little in Thunder Bay.

 

[polarisconvert]

Performance?

I know you are still breaking your sled in, but I was wondering if you have any feel for the performance difference between your RX1 and the Apex?
We have my 05 RX1 and a friends 2012 Apex in our group. He is very careful to follow the break in exactly as Yamaha wants it, so no idea how hard his sled will run compared to mine yet. He is almost out of the break in so we will know soon if we get any snow. I know it will take some miles for the motor to loosen up and run to its true potential.

 

[Irv]

Re: Performance?

I know you are still breaking your sled in, but I was wondering if you have any feel for the performance difference between your RX1 and the Apex?
We have my 05 RX1 and a friends 2012 Apex in our group. He is very careful to follow the break in exactly as Yamaha wants it, so no idea how hard his sled will run compared to mine yet. He is almost out of the break in so we will know soon if we get any snow. I know it will take some miles for the motor to loosen up and run to its true potential.

I don't own one but I would assume it would leave your RX1 in the dust?

Great review Sasquatch, curious though, did you do any pre set-up or just ride it the way it came from the dealer?

 

[polarisconvert]

2011 Apex

I have heard that the 2011 and up Apex's run hard. Truth is I have only run a couple Apex's total, neither of them were the newer Apex. I expect the 2012 will run away for the old RX1. I am hoping that I have a chance against it before it starts to loosen up.
Time will tell.
Are they running hard with the stock tune or do they need clutching and fuel/air to make them run right?

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Performance?

I know you are still breaking your sled in, but I was wondering if you have any feel for the performance difference between your RX1 and the Apex?
We have my 05 RX1 and a friends 2012 Apex in our group. He is very careful to follow the break in exactly as Yamaha wants it, so no idea how hard his sled will run compared to mine yet. He is almost out of the break in so we will know soon if we get any snow. I know it will take some miles for the motor to loosen up and run to its true potential.

I don't own one but I would assume it would leave your RX1 in the dust?

Great review Sasquatch, curious though, did you do any pre set-up or just ride it the way it came from the dealer?

Dealer and I set it up more or less the same as his is set up. Figured that was a good starting point. It has more transfer then I like so I'm going to see if I can get the skis to stay closer to the ground on launch. To early to tell how much ski lift in the corners I have, need some groomed trails to test on. Body roll however seems to be on par with my 12mm bar in my RX. Apex XTX comes with an 11.75 bar.

I know I have to play with it a bit but as there is no groomed trails to ride on yet it makes it hard to get a good feel for how its going to be on the trail.

We have about a foot or more of good ridable snow in Dryden. I heard T-Bay has nothing from a trucker yesterday. Trails are not open so just riding the lake for now. All arounds us got hit with the rain hard but after a bit of rain it turnned to snow and dumped about 8 inches on us. Since then we have got about 2 more. I'm sure the Apex will outrun the RX just because it has about 10 to 15 more ponies but to early to compare it yet. Give me a few more miles as I want to run the sleds back to back. I already know the throttle response is night and day different on the bottom.

 

[sleddog66]

You may not get totally creamed for the first few hundred miles, but as that 2011 wakes up, it will begin to kill the RX1 in stock form. (assuming rx1 is mostly stock)

 

[polarisconvert]

Apex

Mine is tuned and clutched and runs very good.

I have a friend that just bought a stock 05 RX1. We changed the oil and greased it and checked it over. I did take it for a little spin in the yard. I remember when i first got mine and was disappointed in how it run. My friends sled felt just like what I remember mine felt like. I am also excited to run his to see the difference. The only problem is that I know after we run them that I will have some work to do. He will not be happy.

 

[yamadoo]

Glad you like it.

I am going to watch your experience close as this is likely my next sled. Apex XTX with the power steering sounds great to me

Have fun be safe keep us informed.

 

[Daranello]

Your picture scares me

 

[Grimm]

Hey Sasquatch, which mirror kit did you install on your Apex? Do you have any pics?

 

[sgauthier]

not to highjack your post but does anyone who has the XTX have any good tips for setting these up for trail riding. I've got tuner skies that i have yet to install, running 172 - 1.375 studs down the middle right now i have the limiter strap set one hole up from the end and the transfer to the lease as possible and it still wants to lift the skies when i trying to turn tight and at slower speeds. i loosen the front rear shock as well to help get more weight to the front. I weigh 220-230 lbs dressed.

any good suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry but I've searched on here but haven't got time to look thru 1000's of posts and a lot are not realted to the XTX

 

[z28rx1]

Does the 2011s and newer still have that anoying exhaust drone?

 

[Grimm]

You should read your owners manual on how to set up your suspension, fully explained there. Start by reducing the weight transfer using the transfer rods.