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First ride: Wow

The Fourth Wolf

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Jan 8, 2008
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Anchorage, AK
Finally got my new '12 Pro 163 on the snow for some break-in mileage/handling characteristics testing.

The snow was mostly decent--snow was 3-4' but set up and tracked up in spots. Overall conditions were sucktastic--flat light, snowing hard, and we waited to get low on gas before bothering to get lost for an hour.

So, I let the sled warm up to 120* before riding as recommended, and set the MFD to RPM/Temp/trip. I logged 81 miles of mixed trail and open swamp riding (meadows to you non-Alaskans).

So, as others have reported the Pro is a hot tempered little hussy. I got careless and let it get a bit hot. The MFD read 188 but didn't flash. I was following the group and the leader took us on this twisty, tree-lined narrow trail. The snow on th etrail was loose enough but I was stuck at a steady 4500 to 5500 RPM going about 15 MPH. The issue with this sled is sufficient snow depth and ground speed. If you don't move fast enough to throw against the tunnel you will run hot.

Once out on a lake or swamp where I could open it up it ran a steady 125*

I need to stiffen my skid preset a bit--stock setting is 220lbs max. I'm 205 nekkid and about 240 with my gear and pack. I also need to lessen the ski pressure a bit.

As for the Pro's handling: Wow, just wow. Now to be fair I'm coming off an Edge so that's kind of like going from monkey's flinging Poo to space travel. As advertised, it lays over with not much more effort than think it-do it...maybe 3-5 degrees of countersteer and it comes right around. I left the sway bar linkage connected and had no trouble. Tightest powder turns I've ever carved. Zigged and zagged it through acres of black spruce...pretty nimble sled for a 163.

Throttle response was crisp. I'm looking forward to next season and a PA head and some clutching.

Dings:
-I don't like the way the angular depressions in the upper cowling hold water. It's a minor thing but it bugs me.
-The snow was wet today--usually AK snow is dry powder--and it packed up on the boards, especially the outter rail. My feet were slipping a bit. There will be some new boards in my not-too-distant future.
-I wish the snow flap was about 2-3 inches longer. The track throws enough snow and I think more would get recirculated to the tunnel if the flap was longer.
-If I was the Mountain Sled manager at Poo I would put some sort of low profile exchanger at the front of the tunnel for the 2013's

Overall, I give my new ride a solid A. Looking forward to better weather and better snow. I think this thing will shine if I can find some deep dry powder to throw it around in.
 

trickedout700

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Feb 17, 2004
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Great Falls, MT
All we had was a good foot maybe more in spots and I like how it floats better than the dragon I had and it doesn't dive in the front as bad. Definitely impressed. Needs to be geared down and a can installed but other than that sweet ride.
 

Calvin42

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Premium Member
Oct 14, 2008
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Cantonment, FL
Got my first ride in on Saturday and found the Pro to be absolutely amazing! Coming off a Doo XPX 800 and a Turbo Nytro, this polaris is nothing short of incredible. The throttle response is soooo crisp and instant. It lays over easy and can cut cookies for days. Fuel and oil consumption was awesome. Come to a hill and it just keeps climbing. Clutching was perfect and held RPM's on a pull without even moving. I now understand the permagrin everyone is talking about. Haven't been on a poo for 10 years and am glad Polaris is finally back in the game in a big way. The sled feels soooo light. Had a good mix of different snow conditions. Am soo glad I bought an underpowered Poo.
 

Old Scud-doo

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Dec 28, 2007
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Middle Montana
You'll love it more and more each time you ride. It's just that addicting! We rode for the first time this year at King's hill and found a couple good spots of powder to do some carving. I forgot how much fun it is to put on it's side and peg it! Still smiling.
 
V

Vfrtrader

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Aug 25, 2009
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Cache Valley, UT
So, as others have reported the Pro is a hot tempered little hussy. I got careless and let it get a bit hot. The MFD read 188 but didn't flash. I was following the group and the leader took us on this twisty, tree-lined narrow trail. The snow on th etrail was loose enough but I was stuck at a steady 4500 to 5500 RPM going about 15 MPH. The issue with this sled is sufficient snow depth and ground speed. If you don't move fast enough to throw against the tunnel you will run hot.

What is the tipping point on temp before it goes into limp mode?
 
D
Oct 17, 2011
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What is the tipping point on temp before it goes into limp mode?


My buddy has a Pro RMK and mine is the standard RMK. Mine went right up to 180 on a groomed trail without the scratchers down. He had his down right from the parking lot and never got over 125.

I had to put down scratchers and then dropped to 125 also. The front cooler didn't do much as far as cooling the sled. I bought the Standard thinking I wanted the extra cooling. So far, I had to run the scratchers just the same amount of time as the Pro.

I don't know when it goes to limp mode but 180 was to hot for me.

Next sled is gonna be the Pro and forget the front cooler, save the weight. Your gonna run with scratchers either way.

D
 

summ8rmk

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Feb 16, 2008
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If u r on a trail that is frozen and for whatever reason u can not go fast (above 25mph) the pro will over heat even with the scratchers down. Then u will b happy that u have a front cooler. My buddy's pro would run hot with scratchers down and my scratchers were up! I would just drag a foot every once and a while.
 

Bagger

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Nov 26, 2007
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South Central WA
If u r on a trail that is frozen and for whatever reason u can not go fast (above 25mph) the pro will over heat even with the scratchers down. Then u will b happy that u have a front cooler. My buddy's pro would run hot with scratchers down and my scratchers were up! I would just drag a foot every once and a while.

Yeah, but you've got that tricked out Muff Pot on your's !! :face-icon-small-win

I have only had a couple of occasions where my Pro didn't run 125-130 on a trail and it was a sheet of ice where the scratchers wern't able to bite. I'm gonna do the washer trick to mine this year and see how that goes!

Bag
 

G-Force

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Nov 21, 2002
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Kamloops BC
Similar results. Put the first few miles on the Assault last weekend. Trail was packed and very little loose on top of it. got a few miles up the trail and noticed temps were in the 150's and climbing. Put scratchers down and never saw past 125 the rest of the ride up, nor down the trail home.
Suspension is great, love the adjustability with the clickers. Still lots of farting around to do with it yet, but heck of a start!! Nice and crisp on the throttle response, even with the mixed gas and ethanol plug in place..
Happy chappy so far!! :face-icon-small-ton
 
C
im not sure if anyone else have seen this. i put the first 50 km on my new standard 800 rmk on trails into the mountains where my temp was around 135. i switched off the ethenol safe risistor after a few hill climbs to see if there was more power noticable and it was. on the was out on the same trail with the high performance risistor still on i was running around 165 and finding myself jumping off the trail looking for deep snow more to cool it off. so was wondering if its normal for the motor to run hotter on the high performance setting? also what temp is considered safe to run up to normally?
 

RMK-King

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Dec 25, 2007
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North Dakota
The motor doesn't go into limp mode till after 200F, so the manufacture must think it is safe until then.
If you think about it all aluminum car engines run around 200F all the time, why would a sled engine be any different? The only thing is the drastic temp change if you are running at 200, then ride into powder and the engine temp drops to 125 in a minute. I cant imagine that is to good on it?
 
M
Nov 26, 2007
609
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Puyallup, Wa.
We rode out of Easton on Saturday and Sunday with our 2011 Pro and standard RMKs.

We knew it would be icy down low and we would be testing the cooling system on the Pro since it has been running anywhere from 130 to 195 on our first three rides with scratchers down.

As others have stated replacing the ported Pro snow flap with an IQ snow flap, along with a little Redline Water Wetter, seemed to do the trick as we never saw temps over 160 on the Pro even when riding up steep icy hard pack trails.

My standard RMK ran at 123 all day with temps dropping to 113 when riding downhill.
 

ditch1000

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Jul 6, 2008
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So, as others have reported the Pro is a hot tempered little hussy. I got careless and let it get a bit hot. The MFD read 188 but didn't flash.
QUOTE]

You beat my temperature of 178 on my first ride...haha I did the same; got lazy with the scratchers on the way out on my first ride and thought the truck was around the next turn for about 5 turns in a row and got to 178 degrees!!:face-icon-small-coo
 

Cascade Addiction

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Sep 21, 2011
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WA Cascades
overheating

I rode up the trail at Salmon la Sac to the Gallagher trail 3 wks ago, soft snow and powder on edges to get into, I did go into limp mode at 210 at the turnoff, I should mention that I also cut about 3" off my rear flap. Put scratchers down coming off hill and never above 135. Last Saturday made same loop again and ran scratchers from the parking lot, twice as icy up trail but with scratchers I never got above 155, and that was through the trees with little to kick up to the coolers, these things just need scratchers down if your not in the pow, but I can live with that, they were not nuilt to be trail sleds.
 
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