How is the rest of the product?

geo · Mar 13, 2010

Always difficult to switch brands (especially if you have a good dealer), but after 7 sleds of the same chassis, my excitement on getting the same thing again (AC 800) is a little low.
I don't need a new sled every year, but it's my passion and helps the work season go quicker, lol. The Cat's have been super dependable (compared to the Doo's before) and I've figured out the ride etc. But, should I or shouldn't I. Never owned a Polaris. Never envied a Polaris owner, but the 2011 has my excitement going and that's what this sport is all about to me.

I try to get in a 100 rides a season. Sooo,,, Can the Polaris cut it!!

Heard about engine problems. Have they been top ends because of poor engine management or are the cranks breaking because of poor design?
How long can I expect from a belt, primary clutch, secondary (had Teams on my Doo's and were great then), chains and sprockets, etc.. Basically, from those that have had them, good or bad, I would like to hear what to expect in a 4000 to 5000 mile MOUNTIAN RIDING season (you know deep snow, rough access trails, trees in the way, oops I better get the compass out type of riding, LOL).

Should I or shouldn't I?? Tell me your experiences so I can make an educated purchase. Hate walking LOL.

Geo

geo · Mar 15, 2010

No comments on Polaris reliability?

Must be some people out there putting on some mountian miles on their late model 800's. Just looking for what to expect in maintenance parts to put on the shelf if I take the plunge.

Are the rumours true??

geo

Clarke673 · Mar 15, 2010

no one knows about reliablity on the new sleds as none of us will know till this time next year.

nrewerts · Mar 15, 2010

Good old 800's

I ride an older sled a 2001, 800 snowcheck. I do have it ported and polished with a single piped. The original motor has never been broke open. I compression tested it this year and still had 156 lbs of presser in each cylinder. I took the stock hood off at 250 miles. If I had to guess I would say it has 6,000 to 7,000 miles on her now. Still can go were I want and I don't worry at all that she wont get me there and back.
Simply has been the best motor I have delt with. This is an old school sled but lets hope there new 800 will be similar.

SNOWMANN · Mar 15, 2010

I have had 5 polaris sleds and never had any trouble but my 09 800 motor going down once, like you said, not a bad engine just bad engine management. PCV and it runs awesome, climbs well, rides nice and is easy to handle and I have a SUPER dealer to work with. Go for the switch I think you will like it.

edgey · Mar 16, 2010

I was a die hard poo guy for years but after the 900 problems and now the 800 dragon I switched to cat end of last year and bought a 09 800 and love it.

As far as the poo's go there clutching is the best in the biz in my opinion. The arms are fairly tuff I don't think as strong as cat's but better than the xp's. The only thing that would keep me away from the new 11 is that they went to 2 injectors vs 4 and they have spent 3 yrs and big $ trying to make that motor work how well is the new one going to run, but I have heard that if you put a fuel controller on the dragon that alot of the run quality issues goes away because the maping has to be so lean to pass epa. Geo with your tunning ablitliy at worse case you would have to put a fuel box and do some adjusting (you shouldn't have to on a brand new sled) to get it to run good. I have heard of very few other problems with poo sleds. If there is a good poo dealer in your area and you can keep your M sled as a back up it would be fun to try out the new poo. My .02

AndrettiDog · Mar 16, 2010

Always difficult to switch brands (especially if you have a good dealer), but after 7 sleds of the same chassis, my excitement on getting the same thing again (AC 800) is a little low.

It's good to see an AC guy admit that. I agree that the M chassis is a good chassis, but so was my Gen II back in 1999. That doesn't mean I would still be riding it 8 years later.

Anyway, I've had a D7 and D8 and have never lost the motor or had any breakdowns other than a wiring problem on my D7 from me wiring the grips the wrong way. There is a lot of info out on the 4M about bad motors but it's one of those things where you hear about 1 bad engine and you would think 100 went down. I think they finally got the EPA thing under control. That was the source of the burn downs (fuel changes), not neccesarily bad engineering of a motor.

The rest of the sled is bullet proof. I say this because I've hit some big rocks with both sleds. Broke a rib on my D7 hitting a rock so hard. Broke the shock in half and tore three a-arms in the process. Bent the steering post. Sounds bad? Not really, everything happened just as planned in this scenerio. No bulkhead or tunnel damage at all.

All that said the 2011 is a new sled, but I hope they left some of the structural integrity around. Polaris moved the steering post above the motor which is good because they have always made crappy steering posts and they are hard to change under the motor on the IQ.

jg442 · Mar 16, 2010

I have an 08 Dragon and love it but I'd be real leery on this "new" engine as Polaris still hasn't really fixed the old ones - my 08 is on it's second crank, cyl, and cases and third set of pistons! I Put a Power Commander 5 on mine and it has been reliable since. I highly recommend a fuel controller if you get one of these sleds. The EPA fuel mapping is too lean.

Clarke673 · Mar 16, 2010

BugIto said:
It's good to see an AC guy admit that. I agree that the M chassis is a good chassis, but so was my Gen II back in 1999. That doesn't mean I would still be riding it 8 years later.

Anyway, I've had a D7 and D8 and have never lost the motor or had any breakdowns other than a wiring problem on my D7 from me wiring the grips the wrong way. There is a lot of info out on the 4M about bad motors but it's one of those things where you hear about 1 bad engine and you would think 100 went down. I think they finally got the EPA thing under control. That was the source of the burn downs (fuel changes), not neccesarily bad engineering of a motor.

The rest of the sled is bullet proof. I say this because I've hit some big rocks with both sleds. Broke a rib on my D7 hitting a rock so hard. Broke the shock in half and tore three a-arms in the process. Bent the steering post. Sounds bad? Not really, everything happened just as planned in this scenerio. No bulkhead or tunnel damage at all.

All that said the 2011 is a new sled, but I hope they left some of the structural integrity around. Polaris moved the steering post above the motor which is good because they have always made crappy steering posts and they are hard to change under the motor on the IQ.

I don't see this? I have broken of both nuns on my IQR chassis, which has the overall same design as the Raw chassis. It is a PAIN to weld back on and fix the holes from the rivets.

undercat · Mar 16, 2010

polaris

Friend bought a 08 800 dragon with the new recall on it.Rode it twice and has been in the shop ever since,that was january and still there .Pretty much replaced everything even the top end again.They took it for a ride and still falls on its face at about 7000rpm.They are stumped!! They haven't built a good big block ever since the 900 and on!! I would wait and see how dependable they are going to be.

Ron · Mar 16, 2010

There were/are a lot of good running 8's. I haven't had an issue in 3 years with an 08 and then an 09. None with my buds and haven't run into any on the hill either. I believe the reports of issues but still have to think that the dealer plays an important role. When I see a problem with a sled reported that can't be fixed?-have to wonder about the dealer!

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How is the rest of the product?

geo

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geo

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Clarke673

Somewhere between too dumb to quit and flat earth

nrewerts

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SNOWMANN

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edgey

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AndrettiDog

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jg442

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Clarke673

Somewhere between too dumb to quit and flat earth

undercat

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Ron

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