Keep your Pro...

[Tree Boss]

The XM isn't what I thought it would be. I had the opportunity to take a demo ride on the 13's today and I was impressed with the power but I don't feel like they were any more peppy then my 12 Assault.

If you enjoy boondocking and technical riding this chassis is still fighting you on your sidehill. We were in set up snow and anytime you went to flatten out the chassis it wanted to keep going down instead of staying on edge like the Pro does. This is all personal preference but for me it still isn't even close to the Pro like I had imagined it might be. For me the sled isn't what I want in a mountain sled it's too hard to ride in the trees.

Here's the helmet cam footage from today, the first part is on the 12 with a 163 the next is the XM with the 154.

It didn't take me long to realize the reason I left Ski-Doo for the Pro.

http://youtu.be/kHEUhwC3-3I

 

[savagecanuck]

Tree Killer or Tree Hugger would be better names !!Ouch that poor XM you proved its one tough sled.Remind me not to lend you my sled.

 

[Dabull]

kind of figured this, watching all the videos showed all the characteristics of the xp.rode my xp last week in spring snow,worked me,couldnt wait to get off it..thanks for the review

 

[94fordguy]

Nice to see some on-board video of the XM... I like to ride trees when given the chance (it's getting really thick here, so dont get to as much as I sometimes would like) and I could see how that sucker was riding you, as opposed to the other way around. Thanks for sharing

 

[vdog0531]

looks like it handles about how i would expect a renamed xp would handle

 

[M7DingBat]

It's nice to see a review of the XM on some set-up snow.
All the vids and testaments I've seen and read have been in deep pow.
As we all know, and has been stated on this forum a MILLION times, ANYTHING will sidehill in 5ft. of fresh. It's good to see some opinions of the XM on snow that is other than, heavenly or ideal. Beacause not everyday, can be slednecks material.

 

[wellfed777]

hey tree boss you put the demolition in demo ride
thanks for the report

 

[Xrider]

Looks like the sled handles great considering the rider, geez man.

 

[winter brew]

Holy s#it!! Ride a new chassis 100 yards and then take it into the trees without getting a feel for how to ride it??? LOL Everything I saw was rider error....get forward on that thing, of course it's going to pull down when you are way back....you don't have any leverage or control. I can't ride a Pro because I'm not used to the chassis...does that mean the Pro is unrideable? Or that I just can't ride it because I'm used to something else?
It takes at least 3 solid days of riding to get the feel for a chassis and get it properly setup for rider weight and style....I wouldn't judge a chassis based on a few minutes....If I did that with the Pro, it would be the worst chassis ever made and I think we all know better.

 

[jhurkot]

Just a repackaged xp, I knew it. Maybe get a 34" ski stance for 2014. When you ride the best sidehilling sled on the mountain, your expectations are high.

 

[fassteddie]

all those hits and you still rode it out. says something bout the sled as bad as you say it is.................................................

 

[ReTodd]

Holy s#it!! Ride a new chassis 100 yards and then take it into the trees without getting a feel for how to ride it??? LOL Everything I saw was rider error....get forward on that thing, of course it's going to pull down when you are way back....you don't have any leverage or control. Maybe take it out in the open after the first roll over when you realize you can't ride? Or did you get the extra rental insurance?
I can't ride a Pro because I'm not used to the chassis...does that mean the Pro is unrideable? Or that I just can't ride it because I'm used to something else?
It takes at least 3 solid days of riding to get the feel for a chassis and get it properly setup for rider weight and style....I wouldn't judge a chassis based on a few minutes....If I did that with the Pro, it would be the worst chassis ever made and I think we all know better.

A little sensitive are we....? You seem to poke in any time someone mentions they don't like the xp(xm) chassis like it is a personal dig against you. I know you make products for them and are a bit biased most of us have ridden the xp a number of times and most of us agree that the thing is fine in deep snow but like others have said, in firm snow the stock post SUCKS. Probably work great with a C3, but seriously, you on Ron's payroll or what?

I guess he should've asked the dealer to demo the sled for 3 days? How do you know how much or how little seat time he has on a XP? He looks like a confident tree rider and took it where he normally rides. Same thing I would do on a sled I was considering buying. Seriously, are you the XP moderator now or what?

 

[M8Chris]

Holy s#it!! Ride a new chassis 100 yards and then take it into the trees without getting a feel for how to ride it??? LOL Everything I saw was rider error....get forward on that thing, of course it's going to pull down when you are way back....you don't have any leverage or control. Maybe take it out in the open after the first roll over when you realize you can't ride? Or did you get the extra rental insurance?
I can't ride a Pro because I'm not used to the chassis...does that mean the Pro is unrideable? Or that I just can't ride it because I'm used to something else?
It takes at least 3 solid days of riding to get the feel for a chassis and get it properly setup for rider weight and style....I wouldn't judge a chassis based on a few minutes....If I did that with the Pro, it would be the worst chassis ever made and I think we all know better.

Took 5 minutes to get comfortabl on the pro.. It'd take me 5 years to get comfortable on an xp haha. Calm down buddy! Stick to your horse shoes on the hills!

 

[fassteddie]

wintrebrew also owns a 2012 pro.

 

[aebsledder]

wintrebrew also owns a 2012 pro.

But he is self admittedly pro-mophobic. I have seen some of tree boss's helmet cam video's...he has a fitting handle. I haven't rode the xm, but I do agree, for me the Pro RMK was just really easy to get used to. I think someone can learn to ride just about any sled, just depends on how much effort you want to put into it.

 

[TGitt]

Winterbrew...

I don't mean to sound like a prick, but I've loved all your builds for years. You always seem to post great info to help people out, and I've learned a lot from your posts, but I have to admit, I just lost some respect for you. Putting down someones riding ability for giving an honest review of his opinion on a new sled is not cool. I ride with tree boss quite a bit, i bought his last years pro. He rips. I consider myself to be a decent rider and I can't keep up with him as soon as we get to the trees. Each person is different and each person will like a different sled, that's why there are 4 manufactures of sleds. But just because tree boss doesn't like the new XM doesn't mean he's a bad rider.

 

[winter brew]

Sory guys, I wasn't implying he was a bad rider....I was TRYING to say that someone used to a PRO will not likely be able to get on a XP or XM and be able to ride it very well. As evidenced by Tree boss's video and my own experiences. That's ALL!!
And yes, we have both XP's and Pro....both good sleds but require a different riding style.
Putting up a video of crashing into trees and blaming the sled is just not accurate. I'm sure a video of me following tree boss on a Pro would be an even worse disaster, however quite entertaining LOL.

 

[Leaf27]

I think your asuming Treeboss just got on the XM and put his helmet cam to record. Just thinking out loud but maybe he did ride the sled for a while before he started to record his review. Also after watching his vid, it is apparent he knows how to ride in the trees.

 

[winter brew]

Winterbrew...

I don't mean to sound like a prick, but I've loved all your builds for years. You always seem to post great info to help people out, and I've learned a lot from your posts, but I have to admit, I just lost some respect for you. Putting down someones riding ability for giving an honest review of his opinion on a new sled is not cool. I ride with tree boss quite a bit, i bought his last years pro. He rips. I consider myself to be a decent rider and I can't keep up with him as soon as we get to the trees. Each person is different and each person will like a different sled, that's why there are 4 manufactures of sleds. But just because tree boss doesn't like the new XM doesn't mean he's a bad rider.

I probably could have worded it better. My apologies to Tree Boss.....he might be a great rider, I wasn't putting down his abilities, just his abilities on the XM without taking time to get used to it...and posting this as gospel on the capabilities of the sled??? How would the Pro guys react if some XP guy hopped on a Pro for the first time and piled it into the trees and then blamed the sled??

 

[TGitt]

I probably could have worded it better. My apologies to Tree Boss.....he might be a great rider, I wasn't putting down his abilities, just his abilities on the XM without taking time to get used to it...and posting this as gospel on the capabilities of the sled??? How would the Pro guys react if some XP guy hopped on a Pro for the first time and piled it into the trees and then blamed the sled??

Much better. Thanks for the clarification.