Indy VR1 137 - Ice Scratchers or Not

[Rbell14]

Got my new VR1 137 and I'm wondering if ice scratchers are needed or not? I'm coming off a Yamaha Viper 129 and never needed scratchers, not issues on hyfax or temps. Ride mostly U.P groomed trails.

Going to a 137, are scratchers necessary or should I be fine based on the conditions I ride?

 

[Doug]

Got my new VR1 137 and I'm wondering if ice scratchers are needed or not? I'm coming off a Yamaha Viper 129 and never needed scratchers, not issues on hyfax or temps. Ride mostly U.P groomed trails.

Going to a 137, are scratchers necessary or should I be fine based on the conditions I ride?

I've not used them and don't plan on using them. There may be a couple times a year were I could have used but can normally find some snow to dip in. Others use them and if nothing else would be some insurance if you need. I'm sure others will chim in here that have scratchers and how offen they put them down. Yes conditions play a big role.

 

[Bontz]

Early reports from the guys who've been able to ride seem to indicate the Matryx cools better than the AXYS. I can't remember if @TurboJamie even commented how cool the sled runs, but I think he did. I remember seeing somewhere (not sure if it was Facebook, HCS, or here) that someone said they don't see any temps climbing like they did on last year's Indy.

I have a set ordered, just to be safe, because we do a lot of forest road running and a lot of times they're plowed down.

 

[Lid1]

Most likely if you didn’t feel you needed them on a viper you shouldn’t need them on a matrix. 4strokes put off a lot of heat. I find that my axys (tunnel ) cools better than my buddies doo or cats. So if you need them then they all need them. Again if you didn’t need them before you shouldn’t need them now. I will add a few times a year here I could use them but rarely so I don’t put them on. But Iam going to be carrying 1 with me that I can mount with a wing nut on my ski or arm. Just in case. Some guys who don’t need them often drill a hole in the tail of a ski. Amen nust drop a bolt through it with a washer and a cotter pin. Seems to work better than nothing.

 

[Rbell14]

Most likely if you didn’t feel you needed them on a viper you shouldn’t need them on a matrix. 4strokes put off a lot of heat. I find that my axys (tunnel ) cools better than my buddies doo or cats. So if you need them then they all need them. Again if you didn’t need them before you shouldn’t need them now. I will add a few times a year here I could use them but rarely so I don’t put them on. But Iam going to be carrying 1 with me that I can mount with a wing nut on my ski or arm. Just in case. Some guys who don’t need them often drill a hole in the tail of a ski. Amen nust drop a bolt through it with a washer and a cotter pin. Seems to work better than nothing.

Go suggestion Lid1, is there a specific brand you like that mounts on the ski? Not a bad call to be prepped just in case.

 

[Bontz]

Go suggestion Lid1, is there a specific brand you like that mounts on the ski? Not a bad call to be prepped just in case.

Homemade version here:

Otherwise, you could buy a Duraflex scratcher that mounts to the rail and install as needed (my buddy used to do that with his Cat, and install them as needed - but now he just keeps them mounted). The other option is the O.T.T.P. ski mounted scratcher if you want to stay away from your rails. I had those on my Indy XC last season.

 

[Lid1]

I have actually seen the use the Homeade bolt one on a lake. And it worked. I can’t remember exactly where I saw it but was easy to find on a search. A mount that was easy to put on and take off lower arm. That you could put a duratkex scratcher on. And there is another kind that is like a piece of flat spring metal. Thatcats as claw on back of ski

 

[Lid1]

I understand that these are nit as good as rail mounted etc. but for someone like me who rarely if ever actually needs scratchers. It’s a decent oh shit option