Motorguide or Minnkota

[lpugh]

I was a die hard motor guide guy until minkota came out with the ulterra which I put on my lund, liked it so well I put a ultrex on my cougar as soon as they came out, about 3 years I think and one set of cables is the only thing that has been done to it. Nice feature is, with a broken cable you can still use it with the remote

[skeeterbass]

I've owned both. Minn Kota over Motorguide all day every day.

[catdude28]

Thanks for the input. Minnkota Ultrex it is. Is it worth waiting for the new Lowrance trolling motor or just buy the Ultrex?

Can't see buying a first year issue from a company like Lowrance that has never made a troller before. You will really like the Ultrex.

[Junk Fisherman]

I love my Xi5 and it has been flawless over nearly 3 years of use. I fish a lot of big water so I don't miss the cable drive that much. My Xi5 turns as fast as I need it to. I would definitely buy another but I would look at the Ultrex too. $1200 is an excellent price IMO.

[Lk9311]

The wireless foot pedal on the mg is awful. I have had mine fro a year, and I still can't control the boat with the foot pedal. You are basically committing to remote control around your neck for boat control. That is an issue when casting around cover. I think you will miss your cable steer capability. Other than that, the xi5 is great. To help with control issues, I installed Power Poles, so now, I tm from spot to spot, pole down, and fan fish. Best of both worlds:)

[wicknilly]

Wrong:

MK Terrova > MG Xi5

No company has a comparable motor to the Ultrex available yet.

#1 The OP is comparing the Ultrex and Xi5, so my response was in context to his initial post

#2 The Terrova is shit.

[Rohilk]

I’d go with Ultrex myself. Strictly for the cable steer feel. I love my Ultrex personally. I don’t have anything bad to say about MG. I just think resale if you ever moved on from your boat the Ultrex is more attractive to buyers. Everyone wants an Ultrex.

[e-tec]

I hope MG does not come out with one that I have to get the latest Lowrance head unit to use it to it's full potential. Lowrance legacy support is lacking in that respect. If they do that I will be switching to Birds and MK. I am tired of buying the latest and greatest only to find out that they are obsolete in a year. Then they stop offering update support after two years. They cost too much for that. I feel like they do that so you have to buy the new stuff. Guess I will have to wait and see.

[Junk Fisherman]

The wireless foot pedal on the mg is awful. I have had mine fro a year, and I still can't control the boat with the foot pedal. You are basically committing to remote control around your neck for boat control. That is an issue when casting around cover. I think you will miss your cable steer capability. Other than that, the xi5 is great. To help with control issues, I installed Power Poles, so now, I tm from spot to spot, pole down, and fan fish. Best of both worlds:)

I have no issues with the foot pedal and find it relatively easy to use. I have read other complaints about the pedal so it really just depends on the person. I never use the remote even though I probably should.

[Lk9311]

Or, I could have a faulty pedal. When I toe down to turn right, I can bump the pedal and it responds, but heel down to turn left gets no response unless i stand down on it, and that results in motor swinging wildly 180* left. As stated earlier, I love the remote, but the pedal, mot so much.

[Junk Fisherman]

Or, I could have a faulty pedal. When I toe down to turn right, I can bump the pedal and it responds, but heel down to turn left gets no response unless i stand down on it, and that results in motor swinging wildly 180* left. As stated earlier, I love the remote, but the pedal, mot so much.

Mine definitely doesn't respond like that. I would look into it. I have no real complaints about the pedal and am very pleased with the motor overall. The only thing I would change is making it easier to turn off anchor-mode. When you turn off anchor mode the light stays on for constant use so I have to turn it off and then back on. Sometimes you think it is on when it is off or vice versa. That's my biggest gripe.

[Lk9311]

It has to be a contact problem. I can feel the spring being compressed, but no response till it bottoms out hard. Ill look at it but I'm mot real mechanical. I just got interested in using it since the bass bite is on in the deep south.

[Nailbender8]

They are just to completely opposite trolling motors. Personally I wouldn’t put that motorguide on my boat if you gave it to me.

This!

[Bassmeister]

I mounted a new Ultrex on my Dad's 1992 Stratos... it probably accounts for 30% (guesstimate) of that boats value now, and worth it... EVERY. STINKIN. PENNY.

Put that ultrex on your rig and get Dad an ulterra.....My daughter talked me into getting the ulterra......I LOVE not yanking on that rope!!!

[contium]

No it does not, it just sets the new heading towards where it is pointed

Woo hoo! Updated my Ultrex and now it is changing heading. One more thing I love about the Ultrex.

[Dogfish_Jones]

Please correct me if I am mistaken here...….
With the new Ultrex/Terrova with the DI imaging cone head, I think a Lowrance unit will not work with the DI sensors on the MK?

[Teadow1972]

Beating this horse again? The Xi5 is a nice troll motor, however apples to apples it cannot compete with an Ultrex. I have both anf hands down the Ultrex is more traditional as far as using and a better unit. the foot pedal control is the diff maker. Xi5 is wireless so you cannot tell direction by placing foot on pedal so at night it was a huge pain.

[kercha83]

which ever one says Ultrex is the one I would get

[granite]

Never had an electric steer foot pedal, but here's a hypothetical question: Why couldn't they design a foot pedal without cables that moved like a cable steer foot pedal and had a pedal position sensor in the pedal that would link the pedal position to the trolling motor direction?

[contium]

Never had an electric steer foot pedal, but here's a hypothetical question: Why couldn't they design a foot pedal without cables that moved like a cable steer foot pedal and had a pedal position sensor in the pedal that would link the pedal position to the trolling motor direction?

I wondered the same thing when I had an Xi5. Doesn't seem like it would be that difficult. And not having those cables would be great.