Polaris snowmobile racers head into the new racing season with a leg up on the competition as the 2012 Polaris 600 IQ Race Sled features race-ready suspension calibration that carried Polaris racers to podium finishes in the second half of last season. The 2012 Polaris 600 IQ Race Sled also features the powerful, title-winning Liberty 600 engine and a white hood with retro graphics that were featured on Polaris production and racing sleds in the 1970s and `80s.
Plus, technology developed through racing is now enhancing the riding experience of enthusiasts. The Independent Front Suspension (IFS) that provides easy steering and responsive handling in the race sled is now used on several model year 2012 Polaris consumer snowmobiles.
Polaris Snowmobile Racing Manager Tom Rager, Sr., said the race sled's suspension setup was fine-tuned throughout last season and delivered outstanding performance, so racers will take delivery of 2012 race sleds that are ready to hit the track.
"We have Ben Hayes, who previously worked with Fox Racing Shox and Walker Evans
Racing, as our in-house suspension specialist and he worked really hard on setups last season," Rager said. "Working closely with our racers, he came up with an incredible setup that two teams used in last season's final four or five races.
"We continued testing and development with our racers after the season and made further calibration changes so the front and rear suspensions are better than ever and we're going to continue to move forward."
The current setup features revised shock valving and stiffer rear torsion springs than racers started with on the 2011 race sled.
"It delivers improved performance because the suspension is compliant through high speed bumps and when the sled comes off doubles or table tops, the sled absolutely goes straight," Rager said. "We gain speed through the rough sections because the sled stays so straight."
The Independent Front Suspension (IFS) has proved to be so durable and delivers such easy, responsive handling that it is featured on several model year 2012 Polaris production sleds such as Rush models, Switchback models and Switchback Assaults.
This IFS design requires less steering effort and provides flatter cornering. Racers will stay fresher throughout a race and be able to run at maximum speed from start to finish. Consumers will also stay fresher and be able to ride hander longer.
The 2012 Polaris 600 IQ Race Sled was developed as a snocross sled, but extensive additional testing was done to fine-tune a chassis setup for cross country racing. Cross country racers who want to campaign this sled will receive information about how to adjust their shock valving and springs to achieve premium terrain performance.
2012 600 IQ Race Sled Details
The 2012 IQ Race Sled is built on the Polaris-exclusive IQ chassis, which is strong, durable and lightweight. Designed for maximum efficiency, the chassis' part count is minimized and advanced assembly techniques are used to produce the strongest bonds among components. As a result, Polaris racers compete on sleds featuring maximized structural rigidity and the performance and durability required to win championships.
The IFS uses Walker Evans Aluminum IFP (Internal Floating Piston) 16-position
compression-adjustable shocks with piggyback reservoirs and has 10.3 inches (26.2 cm) of travel.
The IQ Rear Suspension has a Walker Evans Coil Over Shock as the front track shock and the rear track shock is a Walker Evans Aluminum IFP 16-position compression adjustable large body shock. The rear suspension has 13.9 inches (35.3 cm) of travel.
Under the hood is the class-leading, liquid-cooled Polaris Liberty 600 twin, which has dual Mikuni Rack TM 40 carburetors, NiCaSil-lined cylinders for optimized heat dispersion and the Polaris VES (Variable Exhaust System) for outstanding power and instant throttle response.
Managing the power delivery is the legendary Polaris P-85 clutch, and for braking the race sled has a Cyclone master cylinder and lever and a liquid-cooled Phantom dual-piston caliper.
See the attached PDF for the full specs.