• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

UNBELIEVABLE FIRST RIDE ON THE 2011 PRO RIDE RMK

T
Hate to rain on your good fortune of not breaking down on your test ride... However what about the guys that snow checked the BEST snowmobile out there in 09.....THAT BE ME and some buds.....and then had coutless engine problems and then the ecu going up in smoke????? Do we just write those pigs off and blindly buy again???? let me know how that works out for ya...Good reveiw just think it is premature. IF they are epa compliant...which they probably are not...(my opinion)..why don't they have a fix for the above mentioned sleds????--lets see what is it 6 or 7 reflashes so far AND a whole new upper end, and they have four injectors so they could pull two and walla.... have this same motor...POLARIS took the FUN out of my 09 snowmobile season....Not a sorry, have a rebate, hat, and now BUY THIS ONE ITS FIGURED OUT....will be fun to watch but I do hope they <POOLARIS, has it figured out not for polaris,but for the guys that do snow check. Sorry for the rant but things are not always as rosey as they appear and I wanted to make that clear. Also do they still have that STUPID center driver???? maybe if you snowcheck they will give ya a ice pick to keep it cleaned out.
 
E

Evolution Powersports

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2006
688
619
93
Hate to rain on your good fortune of not breaking down on your test ride... However what about the guys that snow checked the BEST snowmobile out there in 09.....THAT BE ME and some buds.....and then had coutless engine problems and then the ecu going up in smoke????? Do we just write those pigs off and blindly buy again???? let me know how that works out for ya...Good reveiw just think it is premature. IF they are epa compliant...which they probably are not...(my opinion)..why don't they have a fix for the above mentioned sleds????--lets see what is it 6 or 7 reflashes so far AND a whole new upper end, and they have four injectors so they could pull two and walla.... have this same motor...POLARIS took the FUN out of my 09 snowmobile season....Not a sorry, have a rebate, hat, and now BUY THIS ONE ITS FIGURED OUT....will be fun to watch but I do hope they <POOLARIS, has it figured out not for polaris,but for the guys that do snow check. Sorry for the rant but things are not always as rosey as they appear and I wanted to make that clear. Also do they still have that STUPID center driver???? maybe if you snowcheck they will give ya a ice pick to keep it cleaned out.

I am with you. I have not been burned by Polaris directly recently, but my Dad was and a few other guys I know. Polaris has a long history of releasing "ringers" which run good preseason, and are much less refined and problem ridden when they actually hit the snow. Polaris has ALWAYS used us as their test bed. If this sled turns out to be another problem ridden machine, Polaris will have slit their own throats. I cannot believe any company would be that stupid after almost 7 years of crappy products. If Polaris is reading this forum, know that you have a possible buyer in me. I am itching to buy something new next year - especially a 430 lb mountain sled. Show me how you have addressed your lack of customer service and your poor build quality. What was it 1 in 4 dragons have been turds? Even if it is 1 in 20, that is still too much.

My suggestion is to offer a bumper to bumper 3 year warantee with a buy back if the sled is in the shop 3 times for anything major in the 1st 1000 miles. That is about the only way I would buy a 1st year Polaris product.
 

F-Bomb

SnoWest Paid Sponsor
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
2,598
821
113
South West Idaho
www.f-bombracing.com
I rode 3 different 2011 buggies plus changed back and forth to the stock 155 2010 version for comparisons in McCall on Friday. Motoman's write up was absolutely dead on so I saw no reason to do anything other then agree with his assessment completely.

Once again this sled is absolutely an IMPRESSIVE all around performer. I have one of the finest mtn sleds any amount of money, time, tuning, and setup can put on the snow and in box stock limited production form the 2011's were as close to my $16,000 hand made sled as anything I have ever straddled.

Compared to the iq raw the new sled is BETTER AT:
TRAIL MANNERS BUT STILL EASY TO SIDEHILL/EDGE
BETTER SUPER SMOOTH POWER TRANSMISSION
OBVIOUSLY WAY LIGHTER
QUICKER MORE AGILE EDGING CHARACTERISTICS
FLATTER STIFFER BALANCE IN ROUGH TERRAIN HIGH SPEED RIDING
BETTER OFF THROTTLE HARD BRAKE SETUP TRANSITION BACK TO THROTTLE
NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE IN REAR SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE ON RUTTED CLIMBS AND QUICKLY HOPS UP ON PLANE.

To be perfect:
Needs an EGT....needs Better Boards...needs narrowed handle bars without the hooks...needs either a track mod, CE, or power claw as the stock 5.1 limits it's all around performance significantly.

attachment.php

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • excited little boy.JPG
    excited little boy.JPG
    59.4 KB · Views: 1,877
  • McCall Polaris demo.JPG
    McCall Polaris demo.JPG
    67.8 KB · Views: 1,874
M

Motoman

Well-known member
Dec 31, 2007
164
139
43
franklin, id
I feel bad for all of you guys that have had the problems. I've been lucky with my sled and have not had any problems, but I've had a turbo on it the whole time I've had it, so I'm obviously not running stock mapping. However, I have 2 guys I ride with a lot that have stock sleds, and they have been good.
I just think that polaris has enough riding on these that they will be right. The sleds we rode were spot on!
As long as the rest of the production line will run with those, we will be in great shape.
As for the 3 year warranty, they usually do on the snow-check models, hopefully they do again!

I'm still excited to get mine, it was the funnest sled I've ever ridden!
 
T
I will admit when they run they are one of the funnest sled to ride on the snow but mine started having problems after 1000 miles and it was all downhill from there. I do hope they have it figured out it just sucks for the guys that saved up to buy a new sled and now are left with a less than desirable product.

AND to make them perfect I would install snow eliminators on mine:face-icon-small-sho
 
6

600HOBandit

Member
Jan 12, 2009
68
6
8
45
Fremont, WI
RODE TODAY IN ALPINE, SLED ABSOLUTELY RIPS, BUT WHEN THE PRODUCT MGR WAS ASKED IF THIS IS THE SLED THAT WILL BE IN CRATES NEXT FALL HE SAID,"THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES MADE TO MAKE THE SLED COMPLIANT."
 
M

Motoman

Well-known member
Dec 31, 2007
164
139
43
franklin, id
That's very interesting because they told us these sleds met the 2012 emissions???? Who knows. I just sure hope the sled I pick up in the fall runs like the one I rode in island park!!!
 
F

FatBoyzfrenchy

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
275
57
28
I thought I just had to throw a bit of rain on this party.

Its interesting to read the description of how well this new sled is running and all, I would have described my 09 D8 about the same way last year. I really loved that power and quick throttle response, stock out of the box btw, until Polaris TOLD me to bring it in so they can "FIX" it. Since I got it back after the "upgrade" this thing is just lame lame lame. 8100 rpm max!
Yeah I still have warranty on it but that is not the same sled I bought. If I wanted 600 performance, I would have save my money and bought a 600!
I am VERY disappointed at Polaris.

Carry on with your party...

FBF.
 

F-Bomb

SnoWest Paid Sponsor
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
2,598
821
113
South West Idaho
www.f-bombracing.com
Wow if you thought a box stock 09 was a runner you are in for a treat when you finally climb onto the 2011.

Why? Well start with putting someone 40lbs lighter on your 09 buggy and see the performance result without doing anything at all to the sled.

I know you are making a point that you want your old performance back and that what the consumer gets is often a far stretch from what is demonstrated on prototypes. These sleds are line built and the marketing stuff is DONE and OUT so this is exactly what you guys will get next season.

The only variance will be in the final ECU map or hopefully MAPS and matching clutching specs. (if the system works like what we have currently experienced we need at least 3 compliant maps possibly 4...if the new airbox, sensors, and 2 injector system magically become fully air density compensating then one will do and the dealers can individualize clutching for regionalized performance) Manipulating your individual state of tune is basic stuff and will be even more common next season as more and more people including dealers gain experience assuming things remain status quote.

None of us know wether what we rode will be exactly what you guys will get but having been involved with this aspect of the game many many times in the past the single best thing you can do is make sure the dealer you chose to do business with has the competence and capabilities to make sure your sled is all that it can be.

Now you guys also need to keep in mind that this sled is not just all about power or HP ratings. What I rode last week was the single finest all around performing stock sled that is currently available or will be available until one of the other manufacturers steps up and meets this new standard. This model has one significant weakness and that is the stock 5.1 Polaris track. Simple at home $6 fix or go aftermarket for more money but that was IT.
 
P

pura vida

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
1,423
742
113
46
search his track mod. whole long thread on it. cut the tips add screws. good, easy, and works.

pv
 
B
Nov 27, 2007
735
120
43
Rovaniemi, Finland
I really like the new RMK - how it looks and how it's built. Checked just those vids and seems everyone were really happy. No-one seemed to have any improvements in mind. I do have one: Adjustable handlebar height. Cat has really good one and hoping to see similar thing in this too. It's really nice. Can't wait to get ride this RMK. Good work Polaris! I'm pretty sure this will be THE sled of the year 2011.

As I'm Cat guy I'm really hoping Cat will do something similar as they have really strong engines and no breaking chains :)
 
R
Apr 13, 2009
7
0
1
Looking to sno check an new pro rmk

Did you ride a 155 or 163 inch track. I am looking at sno checking a pro rmk 155 but am considering a 163. I prefer mountain riding, boondocking and sidehilling the strait hill climbs so I figured a 155 would be appropriate. Any thoughts?
 
S

sled-fiend

Well-known member
Nov 27, 2006
2,632
599
113
41
Victoria, BC
www.raintek.ca
Did you ride a 155 or 163 inch track. I am looking at sno checking a pro rmk 155 but am considering a 163. I prefer mountain riding, boondocking and sidehilling the strait hill climbs so I figured a 155 would be appropriate. Any thoughts?

The 163"s weren't available for anyone ride on any of the demo's.
 

F-Bomb

SnoWest Paid Sponsor
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
2,598
821
113
South West Idaho
www.f-bombracing.com
IROC...stuff they can see has to be stock. Stuff they can't see and are too ignorant to know about is ALL GOOD. WINNING IS FUN. Drinking on your buddy's tab is THE ULTIMATE REWARD. Plus it's all SOME us have left anymore!

Rode it again on Saturday...nanner nanner. Still stupid yummy. Once again not one single person, who can ride, and did ride this sled didn't want one! TO THE PERSON.

Oh and FYI...WE WILL SELL ALOT OF BETTER BOARDS FOR THIS SLED once you guys get to riding them. Anything less then champagne and it's a major clog that even industrial strength DRAINO can't deal with. YEA If I could figure out this fancy smancy work camara I'd show you the PROOF. Soon
 
M

Motoman

Well-known member
Dec 31, 2007
164
139
43
franklin, id
JUST FYI

I now have 61 miles on my new sled and suprisingly, I've burned only 1/2 tank of fuel??? and to my suprise there is more of a difference on the actual new sled verses my 09d8 than there was on the prototype vs. the 09 d8
Usually the prototypes have more power than the production sleds, but not the case this year
 
Premium Features