Added MTX handle bar riser to the XTX se

[yamahaguy]

Well this just turned out to be more then I expected but its done and works nicely and a lot stronger then the regular riser mount. Now both our XTX have the same handle bar riser setup. The XTX LE came factory with these but not the SE. The goal here was to upgrade the SE to the MTX upright handle bars. Since the parts list are not out yet for Yamaha I ordered the A.C kit for the 11oo turbo and I figured it should be the same?? Well it wasn't !!!! Everything worked but the tripod mounting post in the rear by the gas tank was 1/2 inch short. At this point I had most of the kit installed and was not turning back so after some careful measuring I cut the rear tube, installed a slug, welded it back together , a little bit of bondo to fill in the low spots, primer and paint and its now 1/2 inch longer. Yes I know what your thinking wait for the parts list a order the right one but I don't want to be messing with this once we have snow to ride on so I got it done.

Here is before with the regular riser

The AC kit gives you a new post, top to bottom and all the hardware that's needed.

Here is the front tripod mount installed, once I installed the rear one thats when i relized we had a problem.

Its all finished up

This mounting post just above the gas cap is the one that was 1/2 inch short. After some cutting, welding and a nice paint job you cant even tell it was cut in half. The white plastic has to be cut also but I used the LE plastic and made a template for cutting this one out.

 

[TestMaster]

Beautiful job, now I see where the 1/2" issue was!

 

[Zampinator]

Looks factory!

 

[loudelectronics]

It is actually not a 1/2" short. You have to use the AC steering block with the kit that is not included or the OFT block. The stock steering block on the viper is more rider forward than the cat version kinda like the turcotte OFT rider forward kit. So if you just cut the stock block down a 1/2" or so or use the AC/oft block the rear post will bolt down. I would recommend going right with the OFT block cause the stock block only lasts a few rides and you will have tons of slop.

 

[yamahaguy]

I
[QUOTnothingoudelectronics, post: 1183529, member: 8214"]It is actually not a 1/2" short. You have to use the AC steering block with the kit that is not included or the OFT block. The stock steering block on the viper is more rider forward than the cat version kinda like the turcotte OFT rider forward kit. So if you just cut the stock block down a 1/2" or so or use the AC/oft block the rear post will bolt down. I would recommend going right with the OFT block cause the stock block only lasts a few rides and you will have tons of slop.[/QUOTE]


I did nothing with the block, that's oem and correct for the mtx.. The difference is in the rear tripod mount. Got 2 sleds here so it was easy to measure the difference. I think the block you're referring to can only be used on the standard steering column like found on the ltx , rtx and some xtx. The mtx steering column has a universal join at the top of the column and that's where the angle Is changed for the upright bars.

 

[loudelectronics]

That's what I am saying. You gave to cut your stock block down to make the vertical steering work. Yamaha actually gave us a steering relocate from factory for once but it does not work with the vertical steering.

When I installed mine I thought same as you that the rear arm was to short and I was going to have to lengthen it. If you look at the security block vs the le block you will see that there is a difference in size. If you look at oft site the one they offer is for the vertical steering which is the right size. If you want the stock xtx size than you would have to go with the turcotte model.

 

[yamahaguy]

Are you talking about the plastic block toward the top of the column, where the steering column goes through this block as well as the throttle cable? If so my XTX LE which has MTX bars from factory has the same identical plastic block to the standard XTX steering column. The rear tripod post I had to lengthen is from the A.C. kit so I figured there would be something different. When comparing the kit parts to a factory Yamaha sled with this set up is when i discovered there was a difference. The plastic blocks were identical but the post lengths were different by 1/2inch when you lay them side by side. I think we are both talking about different things here. lol

 

[loudelectronics]

Man a picture is worth a thousand words here I think, lol.

I am talking about the plastic steering block that holds the steering column on the SE version. If you want to convert a Viper xtx to the vertical steering with the AC kit you have to either cut that block down roughly a half inch or a bit more to make the AC vertical steering fit. Otherwise you are left with a rear post that is1/2" short and will need to lengthen it. So if you buy the AC steering block with the AC vertical steering it will all fit with no cutting or welding is all I am trying to say.

I just ran in to the same thing as you when installing the AC vertical steering on my xtx. I thought the rear arm was to to short but the block was all that needed cut. Since the stock block only lasted a few rides I now have the OFT viper steering block which is the correct size for the vertical steering with no modification.

 

[yamahaguy]

OK I understand how you made yours work.. By adding the block your bars are now titled more toward the rider and no modifications needed. I was waiting the true vertical steering like on a factory Yamaha mtx. Yours is pretty much the artic cat version which is not as vertical .

 

[loudelectronics]

Yes, well sorta. It is still vertical as the angle of the vertical rise has not changed and the u-joint still allows it to be vertical. The only difference is that the whole vertical steering unit is shifted back a touch.

Here is a picture of the OFT Viper blocks which need no modification.



Those that want to add the OFT blocks and keep the forward location will need this one from OFT.

 

[yamahaguy]

The 1/2 inch I added doesn't seam like much but that little bit makes well over an inch difference at the handle bars because your tilling the bars forward more. This is what yamaha did on there version. There is nothing wrong with your method but I wanted to have the same setup as true mtx not a AC. We ride a lot of back country and stand a lot so that's why we wanted the yamaha vertical steering added to this one.

 

[birkebeiner]

It is actually not a 1/2" short. You have to use the AC steering block with the kit that is not included or the OFT block. The stock steering block on the viper is more rider forward than the cat version kinda like the turcotte OFT rider forward kit. So if you just cut the stock block down a 1/2" or so or use the AC/oft block the rear post will bolt down. I would recommend going right with the OFT block cause the stock block only lasts a few rides and you will have tons of slop.

So the stock Viper setup is the same as the OFT Turcotte steering, i.e. more rider forward? How much more forward/upright is the Viper XTX LE/MTX steering vs. the Viper XTX SE steering?

 

[yamahaguy]

I have no idea what OFT has but I am guessing its not the strong upright tripod mount like the MTX's have, maybe I am wrong? Whats nice about the MTX/XTX LE for 2015 and the MTXs for 2016 is the bars are more forward and perfect for standing up plus they stay level as you turn to right or left, that's a huge plus. If you look at stock XTX SE and turn the bars from right to left you will see the bars drop close to your knees due to the angled steering column. As you have read in earlier posts I converted our XTX SE to this MTX vertical steering and and it works great, prefect for boondocking. This coming weekend I am helping a buddy convert his Viper LTX to vertical MTX steering because he loved how my sled felt after driving it with the vertical steering. When I did it the Yamaha parts were not available at that time so I purchased the A.C. kit that needed some fabrication to convert to the Yamaha specs( not recommend). My buddy ordered all the OEM Yamaha parts for his so it will be strictly bolt on and no fab needed. Plus and its close to the same price as the A.C. kit so its a no brainier. Its the best steering setup from oem i have have ever used. I hope I have answered your questing?

 

[cannondale27]

Glad this came up and great job Yamahguys! I am not going with the MTX stuff but am for sure going to go forward with the block Loudelectronics talked about. Maybe mine is already since I have the Oft block. Will check. Was riding off trail last season and side of ski must have hit a rock bars swung into my leg so hard it moved the bars. Just missed the nads but didn't feel good anyway. If bars were forward that would not have happened. I thought the MTX felt better. Now I know why. Thanks Yamahguys and Loudelectronics!

 

[yamahaguy]

I looked up the oft block and looks like a quality product and it would move the handle bars forward a bit for sure. However its not going to keep the handle bars level in a hard right or left turn because the steering column is not vertical like on a mtx. Comparing oft block to the mtx vertical steering is like comparing apples to oranges.

It's all about personal preference on how you like to ride.