Motor Guide vs Minn Kota

[Bluebasser86]

11 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

Didn't MG switch over to composite shafts now? I know my W45 is composite and I thought once the Tour model was discontinued they went to composite. 

They might have, haven't had to look at a TM for several years thankfully. I have an older model MG on my johnboat that has the metal shaft but it barely reaches the water and is on a much lighter boat so if I do hit something it has much less weight to damage it. I had a boater bend a MG shaft at about a 45* angle hitting a stump square on 100% at Truman Lake, MO during a tournament several years ago, wasn't fun. 

[12poundbass]

10 hours ago, clh121787 said:

Ultrex blows the xi5 out of the water. Cable power steer vs electric steer. I'll take a cable steer over any electric steer any day.  I've operated several electric steer motors ulterra, terrors, xi5, and I can't stand them. But it's personal preference. They do have great features. Spotlock lock link etc. But those  don't out way the feel of a cable steer to me. 

I'm in agreence with you on the Ultrex. All the other models are pretty much the same across the board.

[3dees]

I was a life long motorguide user. last year I got a new X5. first trip out and the direction arrow went crazy. took the head off and could not fix it. called MG and they told me there was no fix yet. I was surprised at the cheap plastic parts inside the head. bought a new boat this year with a Fortrex. love the motor. MG should never have discontinued the Tour models.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[12poundbass]

56 minutes ago, 3dees said:

I was a life long motorguide user. last year I got a new X5. first trip out and the direction arrow went crazy. took the head off and could not fix it. called MG and they told me there was no fix yet. I was surprised at the cheap plastic parts inside the head. bought a new boat this year with a Fortrex. love the motor. MG should never have discontinued the Tour models.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll start by saying I currently have a MG and have had a MK. I've had no issues with either. 

 

My brother in law used to work at Attwood in Lowell, MI which is where a ton of the MG TM's are assembled. He has said they have in the past few years switched over to more cheap plastic parts and have had several issues since then. It's not a dig against MG by any means, more of a "listen to your customers"

[clh121787]

2 hours ago, 3dees said:

I was a life long motorguide user. last year I got a new X5. first trip out and the direction arrow went crazy. took the head off and could not fix it. called MG and they told me there was no fix yet. I was surprised at the cheap plastic parts inside the head. bought a new boat this year with a Fortrex. love the motor. MG should never have discontinued the Tour models.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My x5 has that problem. But it doesn't bother me anymore. Which is the beauty of a cable drive you learn by feel, muscle memory and foot position which way you're going to go. But none the less after buying a 1000 dollar unit I surely didn't expect the arrow to go out after a few months.  Plus 1 for fortrex 

[gim]

On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 6:57 AM, 12poundbass said:

Chevy vs Ford 

 

Ford > Chevy

[Junk Fisherman]

On 8/2/2017 at 8:59 PM, clh121787 said:

Ultrex blows the xi5 out of the water. Cable power steer vs electric steer. I'll take a cable steer over any electric steer any day.  I've operated several electric steer motors ulterra, terrors, xi5, and I can't stand them. But it's personal preference. They do have great features. Spotlock lock link etc. But those  don't out way the feel of a cable steer to me. 

 

For a nearly 50% higher price, I hope for your sake the Ultrex is a better motor.

 

With that being said, the Xi5 turns incredibly fast.  In over a year of use I have never been in a situation where the motor did not turn fast enough.  I have some minor design issues with the motor but overall I am happy with the Xi5.  Love the wireless pedal. 8/10

[clh121787]

On 8/5/2017 at 7:45 PM, Junk Fisherman said:

 

For a nearly 50% higher price, I hope for your sake the Ultrex is a better motor.

 

With that being said, the Xi5 turns incredibly fast.  In over a year of use I have never been in a situation where the motor did not turn fast enough.  I have some minor design issues with the motor but overall I am happy with the Xi5.  Love the wireless pedal. 8/10

You like it for the same reason I dislike it. Wireless pedal. Can't do it. 

[Further North]

On 7/31/2017 at 7:47 PM, Bass2124 said:

All the reviews say Minn Kota are the better motors

Really?  All of them?  I must be reading the wrong ones...

 

They're both great motors from great companies.  Go with the one that has the features and performance you prefer.

[Further North]

I'm not going to say this is the problem the OP is experiencing...but with one exception every person I know who has "burned out" a trolling motor has not had anywhere near enough motor for their boat.

 

I saw that the OP had 12 volt units...but no mention of the size of the boat...I would not run a 12 volt unit on any boat bigger than a pretty light 15 footer...even there, I had a 55 lb. Terrova on a Tracker V-14 Pro...and it was usually out of juice by the end of the day after running hard all day.  I seldom run my 36 volt Ulterra above 4 with the exceptions being heavy current or very high winds.

 

When a motor is under-powered for its application, it gets run on "high" all the time and often for longer than it would were it matched to the boat better.

[Junk Fisherman]

21 hours ago, clh121787 said:

You like it for the same reason I dislike it. Wireless pedal. Can't do it. 

 

You enjoy having a wire on the deck?  

[tcbass]

1 hour ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

You enjoy having a wire on the deck?  

 

 

Only negative about my Ulterra. Because I move the pedal around, it would be nice to have wireless pedal with a backup cable.

[Further North]

A wire on the deck is no big deal unles you are somehow trying to stand between the pedal and the trolling motor and do something...and I can't think of anything important that needs to be done in that 12" space.

[tcbass]

1 hour ago, Further North said:

A wire on the deck is no big deal unles you are somehow trying to stand between the pedal and the trolling motor and do something...and I can't think of anything important that needs to be done in that 12" space.

 

 

I move around a lot on the deck and sometimes fish two people, I don't want to step on it and damage it if at all possible. 

[Russ E]

with most models it is a Ford vs Chevy type of argument. I have owned both.

The Ultrex is completely different. It has changed the way I fish. The wind almost always blows here in Kansas.

 A cable steer motor with Auto Pilot and Spotlock gives me a lot more time fishing and less time controlling the boat. 

[Further North]

13 hours ago, tcbass said:

 

 

I move around a lot on the deck and sometimes fish two people, I don't want to step on it and damage it if at all possible. 

 You wouldn't damage it unless you're wearing metal cleats...I'm exaggerating a bit, to make the point, but both Motor Guide and Minn Kota build the units with the expectation that they are going to get used in a pretty rough environment...

 

But as I said above, if you're managing your cable (I coil up my excess and secure it with zip ties, there's little reason to have much more than about 2 foot of loose cable and mine is more like a foot), there's not a lot of times you'll be between the pedal and the motor...there's just no that much room up there...

[tcbass]

1 hour ago, Further North said:

 You wouldn't damage it unless you're wearing metal cleats...I'm exaggerating a bit, to make the point, but both Motor Guide and Minn Kota build the units with the expectation that they are going to get used in a pretty rough environment...

 

But as I said above, if you're managing your cable (I coil up my excess and secure it with zip ties, there's little reason to have much more than about 2 foot of loose cable and mine is more like a foot), there's not a lot of times you'll be between the pedal and the motor...there's just no that much room up there...

 

You're probably right about not damaging it. I have mine zip tied and about 2 feet of wire hanging out too. I just don't like stepping on it. It's a $2,400 motor, I'd just hate to damage the cord and break it. 

[Further North]

1 minute ago, tcbass said:

 

You're probably right about not damaging it. I have mine zip tied and about 2 feet of wire hanging out too. I just don't like stepping on it. It's a $2,400 motor, I'd just hate to damage the cord and break it. 

Yep...for some piece of mind, cords can be replaced pretty cheaply.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I'm a die-hard MK fan myself. Never had an issue with mine unlike with MG. But... My newest boat came with a perfectly working MG so i will use it till it goes out. 

[Further North]

On 8/11/2017 at 10:45 PM, Weedwhacker said:

with most models it is a Ford vs Chevy type of argument. I have owned both.

The Ultrex is completely different. It has changed the way I fish. The wind almost always blows here in Kansas.

 A cable steer motor with Auto Pilot and Spotlock gives me a lot more time fishing and less time controlling the boat. 

More time fishing and less time messing with the boat is what Terrova and Ulterra users experienced for years.  It absolutely changes the way you fish.

 

Combining that functionality with the responsiveness of the cable steer is what is revolutionary about the Ultrex.

 

Give it power trim like the Ultrex and I'll upgrade tomorrow!

 

...What'd be really cool would be auto-power trim so that if the sonar senses bottom less than...say 6"...under the motor it'd come up by itself.  With a way to disable it of course...or some fisherman would complain it'd snap the rods he left on the TM, somehow...

[tcbass]

33 minutes ago, Further North said:

More time fishing and less time messing with the boat is what Terrova and Ulterra users experienced for years.  It absolutely changes the way you fish.

 

Combining that functionality with the responsiveness of the cable steer is what is revolutionary about the Ultrex.

 

Give it power trim like the Ultrex and I'll upgrade tomorrow!

 

...What'd be really cool would be auto-power trim so that if the sonar senses bottom less than...say 6"...under the motor it'd come up by itself.  With a way to disable it of course...or some fisherman would complain it'd snap the rods he left on the TM, somehow...

 

 

Auto trim would be cool. The new Etec has auto trim, although it's for getting the boat on plane, not ground clearance.

[Further North]

54 minutes ago, tcbass said:

 

 

Auto trim would be cool.

It would.  Be nice to not have to worry about running a $2800 (the Ultrex is $2700) trolling motor into the bottom...

 

I wish they made a short shaft 112 Ulterra with iPilot Link.  The shortest one they have is 60".

[tcbass]

22 minutes ago, Further North said:

It would.  Be nice to not have to worry about running a $2800 (the Ultrex is $2700) trolling motor into the bottom...

 

I wish they made a short shaft 112 Ulterra with iPilot Link.  The shortest one they have is 60".

 

 

I can't believe they don't, that's not very smart.

 

 

I think you can cut down the shaft length, but that would probably void warranty and who wants to take a saw to their $2,700 motor.

[Further North]

3 minutes ago, tcbass said:

I think you can cut down the shaft length, but that would probably void warranty and who wants to take a saw to their $2,700 motor.

No-can-do on Ulterras.  The toothed belt length is programmed into the software that deploys and trims the motor.

 

I asked right away...that motor head can be a PITA sticking up in shallow water.