136" Track Any Good in the West

[ttyR2]

Have a 136 on my XLT and have rarely got stuck. Momentum is where it's at.

 

[Powder Pro]

I know a guy that had a polaris 800 136 track and he went pretty much were everybody else went in the pow, he may have got stuck one or two times more but hey that just means that he's trying harder. Also if your good on a short track just think how much skill you gain, then when you get a longer track you will be that much better.

 

[JJFlash]

Welcome to Oregon X2

A good rider with a 136 will surprise a lot of folks.

The other folks on this thread are right.....Momentum is the key.

I watched a 55 year-old guy on a 92 AC 550 136 go everywhere his 21 year-old kid did on his 06 M7 153.

 

[racingpit]

I started with a 136", it seemed to do ok. You should be fine though. Tracks are expensive. If you have the money, then go big. Otherwise just stick with the 136".

 

[duchunter]

Just ride and have fun and if you get stuck so what it is part of riding !!!

 

[moldy]

Rider ability has everything to do with it, I rode a 136" two years ago. Switched to a 151" last year and proved that I can get stuck with either. That being said the 151" was definately more capable. If your 136 is in good shape upgrading is pretty cheap, I found a 144" in swapmeet last year and changed out my brothers 136", it only cost him about $50 after I sold his track.

 

[Schwartz]

I have a couple 144" X 15" tracks off of my 800 RMK if you are interested. I'll get rid of them pretty cheap. Does your 99' have a 16" wide track. Let me know. All you'd need are rail extensions. I started out with a 136" 700 RMK and loved it but of course extended it out to a 151". I bought an 800 RMK 144" and extended it to a 159" track. I agree that the shorter track makes you a better rider and you always have an excuse for getting out marked!

 

[Jeff C]

I have a 99'X as my primary sled..........

I did a skid relocate and punched the track to a 151".......

THe relocate drammatically reduces the angle of attack of the track and lets you stay ontop of the snow. My old set-up, I would trench real bad.

With a 2" 151 and it geared down a bit, it will stay with the bigger sleds in the deep, but will never get highline against them.

I love this sled, it is really fun and extremely easy to sidehill.......

THis is not expensive to do either. YOu need a skid relocate kit ($100), a used 2"x151" track ($50-150), and some rail extensions ($75) Tunnel extension ($125) AND TIME.

PM Big John, he did the work for me and he can tell you how it is done and the measurements for the relocate.....

Totally different sled

 

[AKrider]

A good rider is always going to be able to do better on a longer track. Thing is, the longer you go, the more manuverability you give up and that lessens the fun factor for me.

I think the biggest issue is what your snow is like and how much moisture it contains. The dryer the snow, the less weight it will support, making the longer track sleds more desirable. If your snow is on the wet side, a shorter track will be able to get around surprising well with an aggressive rider. I'm doing a 16x136 on my Vector.

 

[Born2Burn]

Your fine with a 136".........anymore it seems with the longer tracks you need to build bigger hills as they will climb out of just about anything anymore. Once you climb out of everything..........then what......ride the short track and have fun trying to climb out of everything. When you climb out of somewhere with a short track then you know you accomplished something and used skill to get to the top instead of just "pointing and shooting" Isn't that what its all about? Having fun?? Ride what you got and be fortunate enough to be playing in the snow.

 

[Albany Mountain]

I am riding the same thing and remember that this is the sled that probably got the "mountain sled" revolution going. Is there better sleds?? After 8 years sure, Sleds are like computers and improvements will be made. Is your sled obsolete?? Hell no. Maybe it will be outshined 1 percent of the time but is that enough to replace it, I won't replace mine until its worn out (and a lotta miles and fun to go). From what I have seen of many riders that everything made prior to three years ago can't get across the parking lot. I returned to riding and in 1998, was riding my dad's old 72 arctic cat panther. I would still go places that I used to go in the 70's with the same snowmobile and run into new machines whose riders just couldn't believe I made it where they are at.

New Machines?? Nice and someday I will own a long track with reverse,, but I still have many miles to go (and remember, there may be some new sleds in front of me but there are just as many behind me as well!!!!!!!!)

KRL

 

[FEZ]

That sled with a skid relocate and a 144 works very well and this is really cheap to do. A little gearing and clutching and you will enjoy for many years.

 

[icr]

Your fine with a 136".........anymore it seems with the longer tracks you need to build bigger hills as they will climb out of just about anything anymore. Once you climb out of everything..........then what......ride the short track and have fun trying to climb out of everything. When you climb out of somewhere with a short track then you know you accomplished something and used skill to get to the top instead of just "pointing and shooting" Isn't that what its all about? Having fun?? Ride what you got and be fortunate enough to be playing in the snow.

yep, 136s are more fun even on low snow days, I just dropped down from a 151 to a 136 and I'm loving it, every hill presents a challange. Carry extra gas though, you'll need it.