Motorguide x5 – opinions please

The X5 is not bad, it is just not what Tour Edition motors were. The price is within range and they have issues on the dial and retainer on the head. The motor and steering both work fine as does the mount.

Ive ran an x5 for a year. While I dont like it as much as the tour edition I havent had any issues. Motor guide people cant get past the plastic foot pedal and plastic head. If you get a min Kota thats what youre getting. So pick your poison. The oval gear for steering is OK and the composite shaft is OK.

When they decided to quit making the tour edition I bought a new one while they were available. The new one I bought is sitting in the shop and still have the old one on the boat with the new bracket. The last tours were not as good as the original ones based on the new one I got.

As said above, the X5 is a good trolling motor — just different than the Tour. MG people are accustomed to the metal head, metal foot pedal, Stainless steel shaft. They also should be accustomed to the mounts getting sloppy with no bushings to tighten them up, Steering cables that break more often then others, the digital system being in the lower unit – a place that is going to get water in it at some time., and a shaft that bends. One of the issues with the X5 is cost of repair. The first two years is on Motorguide, after that, its the consumers dime. You dont buy a steering cable, you buy a steering harness that contains the electrical wiring as well as both cables. While your purchasing, you get a hardware pack the contains the pulleys and hardware to install because youre going to break the push nut when you remove a pulley. All this to say the Tour was probably more durable than the X5 and less expensive to maintain, but as a trolling motor, the X5 is a good trolling motor. If you would like to discuss, give me a call.JohnJones Trolling Motor Services870 773 3474Motorguide/MinnKota/PowerPole/Lowrance/Humminbird