1st real ride 2014 XM 154.

[Mort2112]

1st ride today on my 2014 XM 154 in anything other than 8" of snow in a field. For context, I'm coming off of a 2006 Polaris 600 RMK so you might imagine the absolute change in my sledding experience. Also, I'm 6'4" 260. Now, as a caveat, I loved the 600 like no other. It's been one phenomenal sled, and I am having trouble giving it up.

A little about my experience today. If I thought the IQ chassis was skittish, I apparently don't know what a skittish sled is. Good lord this thing responds to the slightest change in pressure on a running board, and half the time I didn't realize I was even doing it. I am having trouble adapting to wrong-foot forward (I mean I only have 4 hours on it) so there was a lot of oversteering and I actually bullseyed a small tree because I came out of a tree stand and over-leaned to one side. Didn't hurt anything but still....(and I'll post the video once I edit it). In short, I'm a beginner all over again. Wrong foot position, no understanding of the power/body position dynamics, and definitely no finesse, even with the taller bars.

The slow speed manuvering in the trees was like nothing I had ever done before. Power and traction were just there when needed, and I know I avoided about 6 stucks that I would have been in had I been on my 600. In fact, I wouldn't even have dared try some of the spaces I went with the 600.

Now I don't take myself any sort of seriously, I am no pro or even close to it, but I am proficient at handling a sled and today was truly an eye opening experience for someone with lots of experience. I'm in my 32nd season of weekend warrior style snowmobiling, and I felt like I had not ever touched a throttle before.

It was great. And I'm looking forward to many seasons on this thing. Writing the check was no fun, but the ride sure was.

 

[mb1]

Good to hear! I rode a lot of trail miles on a 92 RXL back in the 90's when I was a teen, now I've only rented half a dozen times since then and finally picked up a '13 xm. So far so good but only in the ditches so I can't wait to hit the hills!


154 XM

 

[Tahoepow]

Just wait... it gets better

 

[winter brew]

I rarely find the "wrong foot forward" thing necessary on a XM..just not necessary for every rider. Some guys do this regardless of how steep the sidehill or what sled they are on, probably because they saw it in a video. You might find you have more control in most situations by simply transferring your weight to one side. Some of us aren't as young and agile as we were 20 years ago. Put your body weight on one foot on one side and leave the other leg on the other side...much quicker and easier to shift your weight. Sometimes the wrong foot forward thing is just overkill....IMHO. Yes, there are times it is is helpful.

 

[mikesbike2003]

I remember going from an 09 XP to a 13 XM. wow had over two feet of fresh powder first time out
Didnt think I would figure it out that day.
Oh boy was I wrong.
After a couple of hours I was riding all over again. Just better!!!!

 

[wwracer]

I hear you.... I fit the definition of physically crippled and I can still get this thing into the mountains, very forgiving sled.... It'll keep me in the saddle a few more years.

 

[adamg]

One thing to watch for. If you put your feet on the outer edge of the running board it makes weight shift far more powerful in leaning the sled over. By keeping your feet against the tunnel it tones that down, should feel a little less tippy / sensitive.

I also find wrong foot forward only necessary when you are off-camber trying to tilt the sled on the up-hill side. Wrong foot forward allows you to really kick it up-hill and force it to tip up. Other than that I try to stay straddling the seat and feet as far forwards as I can hold. When I need to keep weight on an up-hill side for a long time I'll put both feet on the up-hill side and that is usually enough to balance.

 

[roddyrmk]

Yep, I hear ya, came off of a 2008 Dragon, which I loved and went on to a 13 XM. Very tough to figured out for a while, but once you get used to it you'll like it!

 

[Shermanator]

I still ride with "two feet one side" when sidehilling, rather than straddling the seat. Although the XM is very "tippy" with its Flex Edge and T Motion, I still prefer to have both feet planted on one side when doing a decent sidehill, never any worries about all of a sudden having to flip the one foot over to prevent washing out should I lose an edge on my ski, its much easier to recover from..Sherm