AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com
The PIDD (Polaris Interactive Digital Display) is easy to read, has the most functions and provides the rider with easy access to an array of information, from location and speed to diagnostic warnings and riding conditions. As a tech guy, this feature should not be overlooked. Having the Bluetooth functionality that allows the sled to communicate with cellphones was great, too.
The 800 has impressive linear power from top to bottom. This may be due in part to the improved thermostat in the 800 Cleanfire H.O. Engine. Polaris touts a 15-degree lower operating temperature (110 F vs. 125 F). The Western team was impressed with this advancement and noticed the value. A lower operating temperature gives the sled an improved overheating margin and more stable engine operation. The clutching out of the box on this machine is superb, too—no need for adjustments.
The Walker Evans suspension, while valued as a sled improvement, was something the Western team still found to be lacking. They felt little difference on the quick adjusts from soft to hard. While the ride might be different depending on the rider, our days included a trail to get to the steep and deep. It would be nice to have a suspension able to go from one extreme to the other with a quick adjust. It should be noted, however, the suspension was helped with a slight spring adjustment.
¦ Final verdict
Polaris boasts this sled as the lightest, strongest and most flickable. Some don’t like the word “flickable,” but we found the sled to be as claimed. It is light, with a great power-to-weight ratio and is strong through steep and deep tree country. While flickability to me is defined as the distance of my mouthy teenager to my snapping middle finger on her forehead; this sled meets Polaris’ definition of the word by being highly maneuverable and responsive.