WHY is the Freeride not more popular?!?!

[Devilmanak]

Rode my new 137 Freeride for the first time today. All I can say is WOW, why aren't there more of these around? Even though it is an "XP" chassis, it is NOT the regular XP chassis as it is the RS race chassis, it handles NOTHING like an XP! Comparing a 2010 XP, 2013 XM, and 2013 137 Freeride, the Freeride feels almost the same ergonomically as my XM, it sidehills a ton better than the XP, and eats bumps like an MXZ. It will lift the skis on command, and has a ridiculous amount of traction for a 137 track. I love this sled. The shocks are great, with the huge compression adjuster knobs on them, it only takes a second on the trail to stiffen the front up for the ride home or soften them for boondocking.
If they put the XM flexy track, and T-motion on the Freeride next year, we will have a Summit mountain sled with super cool adjustable shocks right out of the box! I don't understand why there aren't more of these out there on the trail/mountain!
If anyone has some 137 or 146 Freeride front shocks laying around, I will buy them for my XM, PM me.
Chris

 

[plumnuts]

cost and track length

 

[JoJack]

Most expensive in the lineup and it's the heaviest....154 anyway..Great sled but needs a serious diet...

 

[Racer220]

They are definitely on the spendy side, but for obvious reasons. I know they're marketed as the ultimate hard-hitting back country huck sled, but IMO just like the Assault and HCR models developed, I think they were built to provide a better platform for stock race sleds. Wider boards, top of the line shocks, stiffeners, wide front ends, harder durometer tracks, etc... Factories definitely know that people don't want heavier deep snow sleds, and most of these features wouldn't benefit an everyday freerider. I think Doo developed the shorter versions of the Freeride to accommodate mid-west riders that didn't want a true MXZ style sled, but the cost is still a little overcooked if you ask me. Doo-$13.7k, Cat-$13.1k, Poo-$12.3k :O I agree that the price is keeping the Freeride from being any more popular than it is.

 

[SUMMITREV]

cost as everyone else said and weight look how many people b*&^ about the xm's weight and it is extremely light to ride. Also freeride shocks wont work on your xm without drastically changing the handling as the freeride shocks are 17.5" and the xm shocks are 16.5" just get a pair of fox evol r and you can adjust plushness and have a seperate bottoming setting for jumping then you dont need to be adjusting them back and forth.

 

[wakeska813]

If they put the XM flexy track, and T-motion on the Freeride next year, we will have a Summit mountain sled with super cool adjustable shocks right out of the box!

shhhhhh...no ones supposed to know yet.....

 

[tek9tim]

I can agree with the OP, but from a Polaris standpoint. I have a 2012 Assault, and love it. Spring ordered it with the powder track, couldn't be happier. The big weight difference (in 2012) on the Assaults was in the stiff track, so eliminating that put mine a touch heavier than the pro. Okay, enough Polaris talk.

In general, people are hesitant to buy sleds that they don't know they'll like and are more expensive. It took me a while to decide, but my dealer got me mine for a lot less than the MSRP of even the Pro, so it was easier. The way I see it, those of us that own sleds in the Freeride category know what we've got, and the others don't know what they're missing. If you're looking for the ~154" track length, they're worth a look.

Keep ripping it up on your Freeride. But maybe don't tell people it rips, they might become too popular

 

[treeclimber]

I have a 2012 Freeride with a 154" track, it flat out rips! The suspension is sweet on the rough trails and big hits. No need to add tunnel or rail stiffeners either (stock), this is a stock pull and go sled that needs no mods. I'm not a big dude (5'6" 160 lbs) and I have no problem throwing this sled around or side hilling (yes, it will occasionallywash out and takes a little more rider imput). I like the beefed up chassis and in my opinion it is worth carrying around a little extra weight... how many riders could shed 20-30 lbs themselves? haha... I did ride an XM this year and do like how effortless it is to ride...

 

[Devilmanak]

THere are a lot of misconseptions about the Freeride. There are 4 different models, with three different rear suspensions and two fronts.
137 has the MXZX type rear to front coupled skid, with more rail cutout for more transfer before the blocks hit the stops. With a standard XP width front end.
146 has a mountain skid, same front end.
154 has the same mountain skid, and front end.
154 racer has a different rear skid and the wide mxz front end.
My 137 front shocks are the SAME length as my XM front shocks. I measured. None of them have that super hard track that the Assault has. (Maybe the racer does, but the brochure just lists it as a Powdermax.)
They all have compression and rebound adjusters on all four shocks.
The Freeride has the RS race chassis, lengthened. Extra foot rail brace. (Maybe a pound for both of them.) The footrail width is identical, I ride my XM and Freeride back to back when I go riding with my wife and teh ergos are almost the same.
I paid a thousand less for my 137 Freeride than my LE Snowcheck Pro.
Buy a Summit X, then buy aftermarket shocks, see what the total is. More than a Freeride for sure. Like the other poster said, I should just shut up and enjoy it, not let the secret out, lol. Find out tomorrow for sure, but the 2014 is supposed to have T-motion on the longer ones, and R-motion on the 137. Gonna be checking me a new one for sure. Also was told that htere was gonna be some green accents where the orange ones are now. Excited. Only thing I am thinking about changing is putting the wide MXZ front end on the 137, then putting the stock front shocks on my XM.
Skidoo is on the right track.

 

[lightforce]

I don't think the XM shocks are the same length. The Freeride's are 17.5" and the XM's are 16.5". I wanted to put the S-36 arms on mine, but the shocks are too long. Would have to either use the kit shocks or send mine away and have them shortened.

 

[IDAHO HOT SHOT]

My baby sis just bought a 2012 Freeride 146. Some guy ordered it last year w/ estart, and then changed his mind. She got a $14K sled for around $9K. I spent some time on it. What a sweet little sled. Its strange, she didn't like the 2011 Pro I put her on, or Pop's 08 M8, but she rides the hell out of the Freeride with tons of confidence.

 

[Devilmanak]

I don't think the XM shocks are the same length. The Freeride's are 17.5" and the XM's are 16.5". I wanted to put the S-36 arms on mine, but the shocks are too long. Would have to either use the kit shocks or send mine away and have them shortened.

People can believe whatever they want, but I believe my tape measure that tells me my 137 Freeride front shocks are 16.75" long. As I already posted, the race version uses a wider suspension, hence longer shocks.

 

[Devilmanak]

My baby sis just bought a 2012 Freeride 146. Some guy ordered it last year w/ estart, and then changed his mind. She got a $14K sled for around $9K. I spent some time on it. What a sweet little sled. Its strange, she didn't like the 2011 Pro I put her on, or Pop's 08 M8, but she rides the hell out of the Freeride with tons of confidence.

Were you guys in McCall last weekend?

 

[Ryan450r]

This is funny because I had the same word... WOW.. I just kept saying WOW over and over in my helmet. I rode mine for the first time this weekend. So much fun, what an awesome sled!

 

[Devilmanak]

Lol, I made the mistake of taking mine out yesterday instead of the XM, we went with a bunch of snowbikes so thought we were staying down low in lower snow. Nope, buried my 137 5 times. ROFL. Still had a great time.

 

[snowmobiler]

old people cant jump and most pups cant afford a $13500 toy

 

[Devilmanak]

I paid $11,500 brand new out the door and I know where there is another one for the same price, unless he sold it in the last week. Summit X is 12,500 and then guys pay $2500 to upgrade the shocks.
Next year's Freeride will be on the XM chassis, t-motion, etc., it is going to be one AWESOME rig. Snowchecking mine tomorrow, yaayaaaahhhH!

 

[PJ-Hunter]

old people cant jump and most pups cant afford a $13500 toy

Wrong on so many levels. LOL.

Look at Chris Brown. Older than I am and hucks bigger than most. I do some hucking when I can (when the snow allows it). Duke1n on the forums is one of the craziest and most talented jumpers I know and he's old. Skibreeze like to jump and he's old. BCIL likes to jump and he's old and short. Of course these are the guys I know that are known around the forums.

As for the young pups, they spend more cash on sleds than the old guys. Why? Most live with Mommy or Daddy and have no bills.

 

[chumbilly1]

I was going to say, but you did it for us. Lots of old moto-dudes that still huck the f^c$ out of it in the snow!! Kids dont know how to jump when you are as deep as the old boys ride in our neck of the woods.

 

[BCFreerider]

Most expensive in the lineup and it's the heaviest....154 anyway..Great sled but needs a serious diet...

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