I am looking to freshen up my 2016 Axys this fall. Looking at a couple options I think I am staying with OEM. My question is looking up part numbers I find the piston kit for the 16 to be 2206158 and for the 17 and 18 2206374. What are the differences, is the newer part better? What should I do? Thanks in advance.
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Your choice on staying with an OEM piston will insure that you get to ride all winter instead of joining 300 mile or less 4 corner seized forged piston club.
( contrary to a very small select few self proclaimed piston experts ( which they are not ) surfing Facebook Instagram and all the forums trying to fear monger people into believing that the OEM's have a sub-par piston.
A few facts will IMO forever be true in the ( 2 stroke ) Dirt bike, snowmobile
ATV motor world.
#1 - high retail price making it hard for after market shops to make a profit because of the ( well needed ) dealer network in place.
#2 - No one that you or I will ever know, or meet will ever know more about Pistons or make a better piston then a OEM manufacture.
It is simply not possible, no one has the resources or capital to test and purchase enough product to ever beat them in this area.
There are plenty of areas where the aftermarket can literally beat the tar out of the OE's.......bumpers, shocks, suspension, comfort things, and many many many other things.
And IMO no 2 stroke company ( in my life time ) in America will ever produce a Piston better then ( ART JAPAN ) past producers of Pistons for....
Yamaha
Suzuki
Honda
Mercury Marine
Johnson Evinrude
The percentage of people rebuilding their motors for preventive reasons such as preventing possible piston failure or cylinder sleeve support failure because of Internet fear so mind blowing....... And most people that do it will go backwards in dependability and performance if they choose any piston other than OEM.
And as far as porting goes....... ( 6000 feet and above you are going backwards ) every Polaris 800 Small block cylinder past 2010 is already has to much transfer port timing for high elevation.
Dyno numbers ( generated at sea-level ) for High Elvation riders for the purpose of advancing a performance nartive are completely useless. And completely false to what is relevant for mountain riders above 6000 feet.
Over the last several years we have been lowering our cylinders on our long rod motors and strategically designing bigger combustion chamber to match.
Which causes several important things to happen.
#1 - increased motor life & dependabilty
#2 - Increased torque from clutch engagement to full RPM
#3 - these motor have consistent day after day month after month year after year even performance. Not a freak day that they turn 8400 rpm that the rider forever reflects back to. ( they just really run )
Yes..... At sea-level this type of design motor will not show increase HP on a Dyno....
But Dyno sheets ( on Polaris Small Block motors ) that are generated to increase sales on ported up ( stage 8 motors ) or what ever stage motors they are in fact ( generated by Incorrect calibration ) to give a number that is false.
I have spent many hours in a Dyno cell in my drag race days.
And I can say this, in the last 15 plus years I have not seen an accurate Dyno sheet relative to a mountain sled. ( corrected brake horse power is for morons to believe )
The only way to get more mountain riding muscle out a small block at high elevations is to lessen port timing not increase it.
( or a Turbo or super charger )
I dare any full modded 800 small block to lock horns with a Long Rod set up
Exclusively for high elevation.
Then throw a endurance test on top of that.
Ask yourself this question......... How many forged Pistons & cylinders get replaced at no charge on a ( fresh rebuild ) 300 mile or less 4 corner seize ?
It's very simple forged verse cast ( Fram oil filter commercial ) pay me now or pay me later.
As for your piston question ...... No need to use the Axys piston.
Order the 2013 thru 2015 Rmk Piston without the grooves. It's $45 bucks less per piston and works the same.
Either don't hone it.......( and I mean don't touch the bore ) put it together and ride it.
If you want it measured and check I am the only shop in the USA that can put a finish on it finer the The factory.
Plate cylinders are in the middle of wants going to be a finish revolution.
And old fashion thinking about cross hatch is going to die a brutal death.
I will not be back to check on this thread or post again.
There are plenty of inexperienced after market piston sellers that will be out raged by this.
Facts tend to cause problems now days.
Want a happy Polaris ? Get the cylinder measured and honed to a mirror finish and your riding life will be very long and happy.
There are no aftermarket motor modification that will bring back a motor that has been eaten alive by a poor factory cylinder finish of a silicon carbide plated cylinder.... I ruined a lot of pistons and cylinders in the past before I learned this simple but complex mystery that does not exist in a cast iron bore.
Dan
