IceAge PRO MOTION... MY INSTALL AND SOME QUICK THOUGHTS

[XP Summit]

So I finally had a chance to get the Pro Motion in and get a little garage testing in, for what that is worth. Here are some of my initial observations I noticed that where a little different than I expected.

- the sled doesn't role onto it's side as easy as I thought it would. The T3 174 in West Yellowstone on the show room rolled easier than mine. I also have a narrow front end on my Pro
- when on edge and I hop up an down on the running board the Pro Motion cycles even more through it's motion or lean. Just having it on edge didn't put the skid full tilt.
- On the XM's they seem to hit there spot more quickly and that is it. On the Pro Motion it was a much slower, linear process with resistance.

Still thinking about how these will effect the sled once on snow, but thought I would share

Cheers
Shawn

 

[mountainhorse]

flex of rails... vs... pivot of skid.


.

 

[Davajn]

Man those are some sexy parts! Hope you get to test em soon

Nick havent answered me since 22th October and now my new iceage rails and promotion is probably collecting dust over there. Anyone else have problem with their customer support?

 

[niner]

I've been patiently waiting too. I've had a couple responses by email. They had a couple little hiccups. I think it's going to be worth the wait....

 

[Reese]

Anyone got the courage to mount a GoPro cam in their suspension so we can see it work?

I have often wondered if the gyro effect of the track in deep snow will bring it back to center when spinning under power.

 

[ullose272]

just ordered my pro-motion, will be with 36" front, so should lay over nicely.

 

[cateye5312]

I have roughly 130 miles on mine.....the first 90 to 100 miles were road miles but with 1' to 2' of powder. I added a number of things to my sled this year (Dynoport pipe & can, V-force 3R reeds, Walker Evan piggyback shocks in the front, Dan Adams seat, and the Pro-motion) so I needed to tune and get my sled dialed in. The first two days were just tuning, getting the clutching dialed in on the road and in some meadows. The last day I was more focused on shocks and the pro-motion. I went back and forth from my sled (2014 Pro RMK 163) & my friends sled (2014 XM 163) so a pretty good comparison. I could actually get on some steep side hills and so far I haven't noticed any washing out from the pro-motion. I'm thinking the lower pivot point (1" off the track with the pro-motion) compared to the (5" off the track with the t-motion) feels like it holds a way better side hill. They both roll over really nice (T-motion & Pro-motion). The pro-motion makes it so much easier to initiate now for the Pro than it did before. I think it is going to make a rider conserve energy through out the day for when you really need to use it. Time will tell with more steep side hills and seat time because if it washes out where it didn't before it will come off my sled!! Right now I'm really impressed with it though!!!!

Not even close to the same thing I know but I have a lot of experience sheep hunting in steep technical terrain and let me tell you that is the LAST place I want a boot that flexes! I want an edge that will grab and hold me on the sidehill. A boot that flexes tends to slide downhill, i.e. washes out. Spreading the force over more of the boot's surface as opposed to just the edge really kills the performance. I'll be interested to see if this really improves your sled in the true steep and deep. I don't think it will - just IMO. Might be great for carving and boondocking on lesser slopes but when you hit the real steep stuff that to me will be where the difference will come in.

 

[rmscustom]

Not even close to the same thing I know but I have a lot of experience sheep hunting in steep technical terrain and let me tell you that is the LAST place I want a boot that flexes! I want an edge that will grab and hold me on the sidehill. A boot that flexes tends to slide downhill, i.e. washes out. Spreading the force over more of the boot's surface as opposed to just the edge really kills the performance. I'll be interested to see if this really improves your sled in the true steep and deep. I don't think it will - just IMO. Might be great for carving and boondocking on lesser slopes but when you hit the real steep stuff that to me will be where the difference will come in.

If it don't start snowing we'll be talking about this next year...

Cateye, I have the same opinion as you and will be spending about 10 days with Nort10 over Christmas with an open mind. If things don't change I don't think we'll get a good comparison though

Something to think about. Where is the line/angle where a tippy suspension on a Pro will start to wash out vs a stock one? Are those of us that are mortals able to even push it to that limit?

 

[gtwitch]

I already have had my 11 Pro 163 with the Pro Motion link on the snow and in 3 ft of powder and the side hills are much easier and the machine does not wash out and power management to the track is much easier. I will put the link on our other two Pros this week. Great Work ICEDGE!!

gtwitch in wyoming

 

[FatDogX]

Anybody else have any time on the new Pro-Motion mod????

Ordered one up today.......figured what the hell, I've spent more on dumber crap!! ha ha

 

[mountainhorse]

Now they need to make a front arm that' s split (like the Doo) so the arm or rails don't fatigue. if it's the rails "flexing", the force required for them to flex is feeding through the front arm. If it's the front arm flexing, how many times will it flex?
Sorry....destructive testing for a living, I watch aluminum stuff fatigue and break on a regular basis so I'm always looking for the weak link. .

Paul, That would all depend on if you've exceeded the elastic limit of the 7129 alloy of the rail when flexing.

If you do... I can see an issue... if you dont... well... thats what I'm hoping for.

 

[FatDogX]

Installed mine today. Nice piece of hardware, definitely quality like many other Ice Age parts.

One piece of advice for installing with the skid in the sled is to loosen up your rear track shock spring. Just makes positioning things a little easier. I did the install mostly by myself but if you had an extra hand, I would go really quick and easy.

Now just need to head back west for a test ride!!!!

 

[ullose272]

mine was super easy to install took about 15 minutes.

 

[nort10]

Not even close to the same thing I know but I have a lot of experience sheep hunting in steep technical terrain and let me tell you that is the LAST place I want a boot that flexes! I want an edge that will grab and hold me on the sidehill. A boot that flexes tends to slide downhill, i.e. washes out. Spreading the force over more of the boot's surface as opposed to just the edge really kills the performance. I'll be interested to see if this really improves your sled in the true steep and deep. I don't think it will - just IMO. Might be great for carving and boondocking on lesser slopes but when you hit the real steep stuff that to me will be where the difference will come in.

Well I'm sorry but I think you are wrong because I took it to the test this weekend on some of the steepest nastiest slopes I've rode before. It didn't wash out, the Pro-Motion held the line and I know this because I've been riding with it. On another note I rode with my friend that has a Pro without a Pro-Motion and he followed my line and he told me it was on that fine line of where the Pro will wash out. We both can ride well, I'm not trying to say I'm the best rider out there...please don't take it that way, I'm just saying I can hang with good riders! Like I said before if it washes out where it didn't before the Pro-Motion was coming off my sled. I have no stock in it or do I have any interest in steering people wrong. This is my opinion and that is all it is with the added actually on the snow riding with one. BTW I 100% agree with your logic on the boot comparison...I'm not trying to offend anyone here.

 

[Ken Climb]

Bump for more ride reviews

 

[fugly27]

Went for a ride yesterday I thought the pro motion only enhanced the feel of the sled. I took some aggresive sidehill lines and the sled felt planted. When the sled was leaning downhill it was noticeably easier to get back on the opposite edge.

 

[sledhead9825]

Went for a ride yesterday I thought the pro motion only enhanced the feel of the sled. I took some aggresive sidehill lines and the sled felt planted. When the sled was leaning downhill it was noticeably easier to get back on the opposite edge.

When the sled is leaning downhill, with the Pro motion it leans further downhill. Common complaint from T-motion riders.

 

[goforbroke]

Have about 160 miles on mine now, and I like it. makes it a bit easier to initiate, not huge, but a bit. I don't notice it down a trail. Ride with other pros and some liked the change, some felt it made it to easy to tip and wash out. I would say if you love the way it is, leave it alone. I wanted it to be a bit easier to initiate for downhill turnouts etc and it is. I did wash out twice on steep sidehill with 8" of fluff and HARD snow under. stock sled washed out on it once also. so maybe a bit easier to wash out, but not much.

I would say any mod has plus and minus. most really aren't worth the cost. Buddies sled is bone stock. I have pro-motion, clutch kit, 3" track, triple rate springs - and not a lot of difference in performance. now in some snow conditions or in that one spot that the extra 1 mph track speed made a difference, it helped but not a big difference. That is the great thing about the pro, it is great stock.

all in all, I like the pro motion. My sled is a bit easier for me to maneuver and lay over and I didn't feel like it made it washout or unpredictable.

 

[FatDogX]

Have about 160 miles on mine now, and I like it. makes it a bit easier to initiate, not huge, but a bit. I don't notice it down a trail. Ride with other pros and some liked the change, some felt it made it to easy to tip and wash out. I would say if you love the way it is, leave it alone. I wanted it to be a bit easier to initiate for downhill turnouts etc and it is. I did wash out twice on steep sidehill with 8" of fluff and HARD snow under. stock sled washed out on it once also. so maybe a bit easier to wash out, but not much.

I would say any mod has plus and minus. most really aren't worth the cost. Buddies sled is bone stock. I have pro-motion, clutch kit, 3" track, triple rate springs - and not a lot of difference in performance. now in some snow conditions or in that one spot that the extra 1 mph track speed made a difference, it helped but not a big difference. That is the great thing about the pro, it is great stock.

all in all, I like the pro motion. My sled is a bit easier for me to maneuver and lay over and I didn't feel like it made it washout or unpredictable.

Just curious, some people claim the 3" track takes away some of the handling characterics of the Pro, did you think that when you put the 3" on? And if so, do you think you got some back with the addition of the Pro-motion?

Again, just curious on your thoughts with regard to the 3" track and the Pro-motion combo.

 

[keithw]

When the sled is leaning downhill, with the Pro motion it leans further downhill. Common complaint from T-motion riders.

I have a 15 T3 163 and a 2013 pro. I like the t-motion, but mostly when carving downhill in powder. I also put ALT's 36 inch front end on my pro and I think it is more nimble than the xm. Where I find the xm easier is for new riders who don't know how to use body position correctly yet and spend a lot of time sitting down and leaning. If Polaris ships a new motor and finds a way to lose weight without compromising strength, and adds a factory 3 inch track, I will be checking one for sure next spring.