rider forward opinions needed

[mtncat1]

what do people think in general about the rider forward concept has ski doo pushed it to far or not far enough? when doo comes out with a new chassis will they push the rider more forward pull it back or stay the same? has cat pushed the rider position as far forward as doo ?. should Polaris move the rider more forward? what are you thoughts on this subject. thanks guys.

 

[capulin overdrive]

One ski is the future!


Climbing around like monkeys to sidehill a sled is silly!

 

[Uncle si]

One ski is the future!


Climbing around like monkeys to sidehill a sled is silly!

I like the rider position on my Kawasaki, though I sometimes find myself toward the back of the seat.

The ski doo is way too wide, heavy, and has too many skis!

 

[xc6rider]

I think polaris has found a decent balance. Very small movements back or forward makes big changes in its handling. I think.

 

[mtncat1]

One ski is the future!


Climbing around like monkeys to sidehill a sled is silly!

you could be right , trail handling may be a bit of a problem.

 

[turboless terry]

what do people think in general about the rider forward concept has ski doo pushed it to far or not far enough? when doo comes out with a new chassis will they push the rider more forward pull it back or stay the same? has cat pushed the rider position as far forward as doo ?. should Polaris move the rider more forward? what are you thoughts on this subject. thanks guys.

Rider forward is a preference thing. There are some things that are better and some that are worse. I don't believe doo will go any farther forward and obviously cat isn't as far forward as the doo. They are probably about what the old revs used to be. Whether polaris should go farther, or maybe they did on the axys, is up for grabs. You can't knock it before you try it. I believe doo went too far forward. They do ride better but with the combination of that and t motion, they are harder to go through the rutty stuff when on a side hill. You get some serious feed back through the bars once in a while . That is why they changed the skis on the t3 which did help. They can also be divey. Whether one is better than the other is up to the rider and how they ride. As far as the one ski thing, I don't believe it is the future. It is just another option in the mix.

 

[snowmobiler]

mid engine sled with the bars and seat on the front would be a rush..LOL

 

[89sandman]

Motor between your legs just like a quad, totally neutral

 

[freekweet mods]

I would think the longer the track the more to the middle you should be.I hope polaris keeps rider position right where it's at, the balance of the pro is one reason why it works so well.

 

[mtncat1]

it really makes me wonder if when doo comes out with their next sled they will back off the rider forward or go back to a rev type platform. I went from a traditional sled cat 1m, to a more forward rider the m series , a little better, then the pro ride, better still . then jumped on the x/p and felt like I went to far . I have never ridden a new cat or the new t3 so just looking for discussion on it.

 

[Coldfinger]

Kawasaki made the rider forward position a possibility with their 1995 zx 900 jet ski. We used to sit on the cowling but facing the rear of the machine. When u gave it a handful of throttle the front would rise up in the air some and it was so fun watching the jet expell the huge rush if water to the rear.

Enough of the past. I don't see the rider forward position going any further forward because too much weight on the front will increase the feel of sled diving. Maybe ski size will be increased to compensate if they do.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

Doo went way to far as the nosedive and rut grabbing takes a very skilled rider to overcome the sleds quirks.
Cat feels fine but takes more input than a Poo.
Poo is nearly perfect I hope they don't screw it up, holds a great line easily.

 

[ripnit]

One reason I think people think it is divey is because you need to be 4-6 inches farther back on the boards then you need to be on a pro....I like the doo better then the pro, I'm 6'4 and being back farther because of the rider forward of the doo is more comfortable. I own a pro now but will be checking a doo.

 

[snowmobiler]

doo wont go backwards to the 70s sleds.forward is king for wfo mountain riding.if i only wanted to putt putt around and was scared of front end diving,id go rider back

 

[CO Powder]

There is a picture somewhere on the web, probably this site, that shows rider positions of the three mtn sleds. The Doo places the rider furthest forward, Cat is a VERY close second and Polaris positions the rider several inches further back than the other two.

My Pro seems to respond to moving my weight around better than the others I have ridden. Get back a few inches while climbing through the trees and the front is so light you just fly over the downed trees. Knees against the panels coming downhill allows great steering and set-ups for turning back uphill. Somewhere in the middle, feet a few inches out of the footwells seems very natural for moves where you let the sled move freely under you.

Hard to say where the new Axsys is. I see a ton of issues yet to be worked out on snowbikes. They are more expensive than a new sled, they have a fraction of the power but most of the weight. I could go on and on but that would just enrage the converts.

I REALLY like where we are with the Pro today. I am sure they will continue to get better and better. I will try the new innovations as they come out, I will ride the one I like best. I do not think you can say one way is right or wrong when it comes to rider position. There is a lot more to the design than that.

 

[geo]

If someone built a rigid and light sled that puts me in the middle and lets me decide if I want to be more forward or rearward,,, I think it would be perfect for going up and down the side of a mountain.

Anyone know a sled built like that?

 

[LoudHandle]

My Thoughts on where sled design CofG should be heading

If someone built a rigid and light sled that puts me in the middle and lets me decide if I want to be more forward or rearward,,, I think it would be perfect for going up and down the side of a mountain.

Anyone know a sled built like that?

The PRO is very close and I'm guessing the AXYS will be even closer. My thoughts are the CofG of the sled should be between the Upper end of the front Rear suspension mounting bolt and the drive shaft. You the rider should have the option of foot placement just fore and aft of the Sled's CofG, That will gain you the most control in all situations as you the rider's CofG will work in harmony with the sleds CofG and very small / near effortless moves on your part will allow the sled to behave the way you want it to. It will be very intuitive and a very easy learning curve. You won't have to overthink every manuver, it should be nearly thought controlled, just look where you want to be and the sled is heading where you are looking and you are there. After all the average head weighs 8-10 pounds, and with the synergistic effect of common CofG's just your melons movement should be enough to take you there.

That is the plan with my builds which I was planning before I saw the AXYS RMK patent drawings Posted on here back in early 2013. I'm still shooting for a sub 400# wet weight, ready to ride sled though so my large melon may be more than enough to make a look and go there sled.

 

[The Fourth Wolf]

Rider forward ergonomics was the industry's response to consumer demand, and like everything else, there is a point of diminishing returns with this design.

In my mind, asking if sleds should be "more rider forward" ignores what that was supposed to enable in the first place. Namely, allowing the rider to more effectively raise the CoG with his/her own body, and to increase leverage over the skis for more maneuverability.

I agree with geo and LoudHandle in that every chassis design has a sweetspot with regard to balance. If the ergos of a sled force the rider too far forward then that places more weight on the skis which necessitates altering the skid dynamics to maintain balance.

Every sled has a natural rider position--that spot where you feel most comfortable. I want a sled that puts my natural, intuitive, most comfortable position as close to rider neutral as possible. I want to easily optimize the sled's maneuverability range by adjusting my position forward or back, left or right.

 

[snowmobiler]

and the xm notches so you can stand over the driveshaft are a extra bonus.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

I think the biggest thing guys need to learn, is that just because the foot wells are forward doesn't mean you need to stand in them all the time.

I have quite a few miles on pro's and then my personal XM. I really like the pro chassis and it works well, but I do findmyself on downhill maneuvers wanting to get my feet farther forward. ON the doo, I love that, I can shove my feet up in the little footwell notches and get it to roll into a downhill roll super easily. That being said it took me a minut to realize most of the time I need to stand back just a little as riding around with your feet jammed forward created a very darty sled with too much input from the nose.

Each sled is different, and dont try and say the sled doesnt work because you hopped on it and tried to ride it like your sled. They each take a second to get used too and have their own riding style going with it.