New Ascender.

[ggcustoms]

With some crazy good deals out there for '24 holdovers I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on a new Ascender Alpha chassis. Been scouring the forum and have a few questions:

Coming from an Axys will it be easy to learn? I read shock pressures play a lot into how it rides.
How do you adjust the shock pressure?
Is an Elevate upgrade needed? Read some mixed reviews. Been checking for a used set to pop up for sale.
BDX a good bumper upgrade?
Cooling issues with that?

I'm not brand loyal but have been on a Polaris for years so please share if you've also made the jump from Pol to AC.. And I still might get a Matryx instead but at 2500 bucks cheaper and a longer warranty it seems worth it to make the jump (and I like the look of them). And if it matters, I'm not the most technical rider but I've been told I ride pretty hard with do a good mixture of everything (jumping, boondocking, climbs, etc.)
Thanks for your help, gang.

 

[ggcustoms]

Sorry, few more things.
Stock skis good?
Durability of monorail? I heard that some dealers were covering cracked ones under warranty. I'll be sure to ask.

 

[koolaid]

I made the transition from a 21 Alpha to 23 Matryx with no problem. They ride similar and you should not have any issues going from one to the other. That Ctec800 is a strong engine, I had no issues with mine of 3 years and 1,700 miles before it sold. No issues with my Alpha rail either and I ride hard enough but not a big jumper. Shock pressure on qs3 is done with Fox air pump. Lots of threads on here about suspension set ups. I personally like the bumper that came with the Cat. The Alpha will overheat on trails if you don't put scratchers down. But, it is an easy sled to ride and a phenomenal climbing machine. That track is probably the best deep powder one out there

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

With some crazy good deals out there for '24 holdovers I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on a new Ascender Alpha chassis. Been scouring the forum and have a few questions:

Coming from an Axys will it be easy to learn? I read shock pressures play a lot into how it rides.
How do you adjust the shock pressure?
Is an Elevate upgrade needed? Read some mixed reviews. Been checking for a used set to pop up for sale.
BDX a good bumper upgrade?
Cooling issues with that?

I'm not brand loyal but have been on a Polaris for years so please share if you've also made the jump from Pol to AC.. And I still might get a Matryx instead but at 2500 bucks cheaper and a longer warranty it seems worth it to make the jump (and I like the look of them). And if it matters, I'm not the most technical rider but I've been told I ride pretty hard with do a good mixture of everything (jumping, boondocking, climbs, etc.)
Thanks for your help, gang.

You will notice the weight and low wide bellypan right away.

Plan on spending money to make it handle as well as your axys.

Whatever you do if you don't want buyers remorse, don't ride a matryx back to back with an ascender........

$2500 is definitely not worth the difference between them.

 

[Pinchecharlie]

If your near Bozeman, I have a 21 you can ride to see if you like it.

 

[ggcustoms]

Thanks for the replies guys. And thanks Charlie, I actually lived in Bozeman/Belgrade from 2017-2022 but now moved back to WI.

 

[tswan]

You don't have to spend a bunch of money to make the Ascender ride good. You are right tho the suspension set up is pretty important.

 

[akdanno]

Forget the interbrand pissing match, go ride. My 23 has been great to me for over 1500 miles, easiest sled I've ever ridden. Never broke down, starts every time, goes everywhere. It's just a toy, go play with it

 

[1962Cat]

I have a 2023 Hard core 154 x3, you can try. Its back in Northwestern (Trego) Wisconsin. I currently live In Moran Wy, But I am retiring in 2 weeks and have moved everything back to Wisconsin
I did not ride it last season due to getting my hip replaced last February.

 

[farmall400]

Once the suspension is set up these ascender cats will handle a lot of conditions easier than an Axys Polaris. My 800 is stronger on the bottom than every non boosted 850 I've ridden with but the 850s have more on top. Might be the track. Cats are also more reliable and harder to break. It's impressed a lot of Polaris guys who write me off before we start the ride. Cat's marketing sucks because they missed telling the story of how good these sleds were.

 

[Clark42]

These are awesome sleds. They ride great and are really tough. I wouldn't even bother with the alpha rail, pretty easy to piece together a twin rail track, skid and driver online. Other than that, the only "must have" is an intake prefilter.

Stock skis and rubbers are great

 

[ratlover]

You plan on riding it out west or in WI?

Seems from the factory suspension is set up way too stiff for off trail. Either need to drop air pressure or back the coils way off.

Front bumper even the Mountian bumper(mangled one) from cat isnt the best, I like my backwoods.

Seal the intake and throw a filter from bdx in there. And pin’d makes some running board inserts if you don’t want to mess with new boards. Stock boards load up with snow and suck.

 

[ggcustoms]

You plan on riding it out west or in WI?

100% mountain sled. I got some vintage sleds for around home.

 

[Sage Crusher]

Ha- I just slap on the K mod skinny under the Alpha's here- and night and day different handling- and with the Ice age rails- it's very durable.
I still have my 2016 Turbo Axys and like the handling on the Alpha so so much better- Easier to keep on edge-and more forgiving- but the Ascender does like to dive on a J turn more

https://www.kmodsnowmobileparts.com...d-skinny-turn-key-skid-available-late-october

 

[bnorth]

Going back and forth between Cat and Polaris is very natural. I personally am a fan of the Elevate spindles on that chassis. I'd recommend a stage 2 kit to wake it up and outrun everything short of the turbo sleds.

 

[ggcustoms]

I see the Elevate spindles are on sale for 700 currently. Might do them or the TKI set up for 744. Would rather not deal with revalving shocks though.