Motorguide Xi5 review: Give Direction To Your Erratic Outings

Fishing was an unpredictable sport but the advancement in technology has made us able to gain some control over it. Nowadays, neither you have to entirely rely on your luck nor you have to be too patient for a catch. There are numerous pieces of equipment that can guide you to the exact spot where the probability of catch is maximum.

Furthermore, the boats are faster than ever and capable of changing the cruising course in mere seconds. All of these factors combine together and make you able to control the game and catch more fish.

All of this equipment is important but what outshines almost all of them is a trolling motor because this is what controls your boat. While a quality motor can make your adventure much more fulfilling, a substandard one can break it for you. An excellent motor would help you maneuver faster and get to the right spot faster than an ordinary motor. The point is if you invest in an extraordinary motor it would justify every penny you spend on it.

Just like any other device, modern trolling motors look very different from the ones we find in old boats and kayaks. Instead of running on gas, these modern motors use rechargeable batteries which makes them cost-effective. In addition, these motors are loaded with tons of other handy features including the sonar, pinpoint GPS and much more. One example of such a motor is Motorguide Xi5 about which we would talk in detail in forthcoming sections.

Motorguide Xi5 Review - Does It Justify The High Price

Motorguide is a trustworthy and reliable brand especially when you have to buy a product like a trolling motor that costs over a grand. The brand holds a good repute amongst anglers and fishermen and has made its way amongst the top ranks for all the good reasons.

Motorguide has dedicated itself to bring innovations and then refine those innovations to deliver top-notch products.

The product we have at hand is an example of such products, the Xi5 trolling motor, which we are about to dissect in the forthcoming sections.

It is the flagship model of the Motorguide that checks all the right boxes in terms of performance. I have been using this motor for quite a while now and here is what I conclude from the experience.

Material of Construction - As Sturdy As It Needs To Be

Construction and the material used in the trolling motor play a key role in making it durable and sturdy. Be it the freshwater or saltwater there are certain elements in them that can deteriorate. To prevent these harms, companies have to use special materials with specific coatings.

Fortunately, Motorguide has kept these factors into account and used composite material to construct the shaft xi5. Motorguide does not disclose the exact materials but all you need to know is these are pretty good.

The shaft is capable of withstanding wear and tear the water has to offer and comes out as a victor. The key behind this strength is flexibility which allows it to bend when there is too much pressure from the water and resist it.

Design - Innovative and Refined

When it comes to wireless motors, the basic concern of every angler is the response of the motor to the given instructions. If a motor takes too long to respond, there is essentially no use of that wireless motor. Fortunately, this is not the case with Xi5 as it responds quickly to both pedal and remote controls.

There are some components that make a motor highly sensitive to the instructions given via remote controls. I would not go into the detail of those components as it would make it too technical. However, all you need to know is that it will respond to your instructions in a matter of seconds which undoubtedly will improve your boating experience.

Besides this, the overall design of the motor is well thought out and has dedicated space for every component. What I mean by it is that some versions of Xi5 do not come with Sonar and GPS to make the motor affordable. However, in case one decides to install those components after buying that particular version the design would not present any problem.

Though Xi5 comes with all the necessary hardware required to get the motor up and running I would recommend against setting it up by yourself. You must seek professional help as there are some areas that require steady hands and delicacy. For example, if you open the cover casually you can end up with broken LEDs. Therefore, as easy as it may sound, never try it by yourself.

Another point I must stress about is the selection of the right size and right thrust power in order to get a perfect motor. Different boat sizes require different thrusts and the depth of the propeller in the water. If you are able to get them right, they would make the whole experience a delight but if you cannot it would be a constant source of irritation.

Maneuverability - As Easy As It Gets

As mentioned earlier, this motor is very responsive to the instructions given via remote or pedal. This makes it easy to maneuver the boat around the different parts of the lake or river. However, what sets it apart is the pinpoint GPS which provides ultimate accuracy in boat movement of the boat.

Usually, if you find a spot with a dense population of fish you have to remember it by yourself for next time. Making room for human insufficiency, it is highly unlikely that the next time you would be able to reach that exact same spot. Fortunately, with Xi5 this isn’t the case as you can store those points in the memory. If you want to get there again, all you have to do is to press a button and the GPS would take you there automatically.

You can store eight such points in the memory which increases the chances of your catch by ten folds. What I like to do is to take a round around the denser areas and mark eight points while circling the area. It essentially makes the boat move in that circle which increases my chances of catching.

Anchoring Capabilities - Unique Selling Point

You are out on the water and have found a perfect spot for the catch but you are unable to hold your boat still, problem? Worry no more, because the anchoring capabilities of Xi5 are beyond amazing. It would be fair to say that at the moment there is no better motor than Xi5 when it comes to anchoring.

The Xi5 uses GPS to anchor the boat at a certain point by remembering that point and tracing it via satellite. Regardless of how strong the wind or tides are the motors will make sure you don’t go away from that point. In case it does, the GPS will immediately move it back to that point by using satellite. Therefore, you would be able to spend maximum time at that spot which would increase your chances of a catch.

However, things slightly changed after the Motorguide Xi5 software update which caused a fair bit of headache to the users. This became the major Motorguide xi5 problems as users were unable to pick GPS on a pinpoint. Fortunately, the company realized the mistake and rectified it with another update that has fixed things now.

GPS of Xi5 - Accurate, Precise And Responsive

GPS is the key feature in Xi5 that plays a role in pretty much everything on the boat. To serve such a variety of roles, it had to be good and fortunately, Motorguide has not disappointed. This system is deadly accurate and like some other systems does not lose the satellites. It is the reason why the company named it pinpoint GPS.

Control - Never Been Easier

To control the motor, it comes with a pedal and remote control both of which run on AA batteries. The pedal is a bit harder to use as it requires too much force to press the buttons to steer the boat. Contrary to that, remote control provides ultimate ease to manage each and every feature of the motor.

All of the features are just one push away from you when you are controlling it with remote control. The remote does not have any display but as you give the instruction motor makes a sound which indicates the instructions have been received.

You can control the speed of the motor with this remote, anchor it or turn off or on the motor if you want. Besides the control buttons, you would see eight numerical buttons on the remote control. These buttons are used to remember a certain point and to get back to it when you want.

In the case of pedals, it is pretty much all the same when it comes to controlling. However, since you have to press these buttons too hard, I usually do not prefer it and use the remote control instead.

Sonar System - Provides Control Over An Otherwise Unpredictable Sport

In the intro, we talked about controlling the unpredictable fishing sport and the feature right here plays a key part in making it better. Sonar system helps you locate the areas where the density of fish is high which increases your chances of catching. In most cases, you have to purchase it separately and trust me these systems cost a lot of money.

Luckily, the Xi5 by Motorguide comes with a standard sonar system which makes the entire package look reasonable. The system that comes with this Xi5 is 2D with 83/200 kHz frequency which is a standard one. This particular system serves best in freshwater and eliminates the cross-talk when two boats anchor at the same point.

The frequencies can be interchanged to get a clear view of what is going on underwater. It does not only show you the density of fish but also informs about the size of fish and the depth it is swimming at. In addition, the display also shows the landscape of the waterbody which can help you choose the best reel and rod for the purpose.

Price - Seems High But Provides Good Value

When it comes to equipment like a trolling motor you need to have an open mind about the price because these things cost a lot. Yes, you can find some motors at a lower price but you would not be able to get the same value out of them. Those motors would hardly last a season or two and then end up in your garage with other things that need fixing.

Therefore, it would be sane to invest a little higher on Xi5 as it provides an excellent value instead of spending money on substandard ones. The cheaper ones would, in fact, cost you more money with all the repair and the replacement of parts. The point is if you invest in something as good as Xi5 it will last your lifetime.

Motorguide Xi5 Vs iPilot - Which Performs Better

iPilot is the GPS used by Minn Kota in its various trolling motors. For the purpose of this comparison, we have put Xi5 against Minn Kota Riptide Ulterra which itself is a pretty good motor and has iPilot GPS.

When we talk about Xi5 Vs iPilot, the fundamental performance of both these trolling motors is pretty much the same, despite being produced by two different companies. However, there are some features where Minn Kota is ahead of Motorguide especially when it comes to convenience.

In the case of Xi5, you have to slide the motor in the water by yourself while in Riptide Ulterra iPilot all it takes is the push of a button. Moreover, the iPilot comes with both remote and pedal while Motorguide only comes with one depending on the configuration you choose.

The remote control of the iPilot features an LED screen that displays several important parameters but Xi5 does not have anything like it. In addition, the paint job on the shaft of the iPilot seems better than the Xi5 which loses its color comparatively quickly.

Table: Motorguide Xi5 Vs iPilot

Motorguide Xi5 Vs Xi3 - What Are The Differences

As you can guess, both of these motors are products of the same company but since Xi5 is the latest model it has some advantages over its predecessor. For starters, Xi5 features a low-profile mount compared to the bow mount of the Xi3 which makes the transportation of the former one easier.

The voltages and thrust speed of Xi5 have also improved at 24V and 80lbs compared to 55lbs and 12V of Xi3 respectively.

Furthermore, the Xi3 does not feature pinpoint GPS for anchor lock, but it can be upgraded to it. The propeller used in Xi5 is 2-Blade Safari which is a lot quieter than 3-Blade Machete.

Table: Motorguide Xi5 Vs Xi3

Motorguide Xi5 vs Minn Kota Terrova- Which One Should You Prefer

We saw earlier that  Minn Kota Riptide Ulterra was a clear winner when we compared it to Xi5. However, Minn Kota Terrova seems to be a trolling motor that has features more similar to Motorguide Xi5.

Despite being motors from two different producers, these two do not show much of a difference. The voltages, thrust and the type of GPS featured in both these motors are almost identical. However, when it comes to dimensions, I would say Minn Kota Terrova is slightly more compact than Xi5 because of its width and length.

The difference between these two is in the variation of speed with Minn Kota allowing only 10 different speeds. Xi5, on the other hand, provides digital variable speed that you can adjust to whatever you want.

Table: Motorguide xi5 vs Minn Kota Terrova

FAQs For Motorguide xi5 Trolling Motor

Conclusion

Fishing is not an unpredictable sport anymore as components like advanced trolling motors help us gain total control over it. Xi5 is one such motor that checks all the right boxes whether it is design or performance.

Motorguide has packed it with nifty features that come in handy when you set on water to catch some fishes. The controls of this motor are as simple as the controls of your car. Furthermore, features like built-in pinpoint GPS, anchoring and autopilot set it apart from the competition.

From the price point of view, it is on the higher side but it provides an excellent value for the money you spend on it. If you have this motor mounted on the back of your boat it will undoubtedly improve your fishing experience. The number of catches would surely go up if you get a hold of all its features.

This is all we had on Motorguide Xi5 review, we hope we have answered your queries. In case we have left out anything or there is more you want to ask, feel free to comment in the given section and we would love to respond.