Polaris RMK questions........

G

groomerdriver

New member
Originally I had asked about SkiDoo Summit's on another thread in this Forum.

Now my son is looking at "older"....2006-2010 Polaris RMK's and I'm reaching out to y'all for your thoughts.

Here is an edited version (now for RMK's) of my original post about Doo Summit's:


My USAF son up in Anchorage is shopping for a sled. For what he wants to do with it a a MY2006 - 2010 Polaris RMK 800 14X or 154 is at the top of his list. He does not want a Cat even though I told him an M8 would be a great choice.

His riding will be a mixture of mountain/powder and "trails". Trails in AK are nothing like they are here in the upper Midwest. Think "wide open spaces/lakes/rivers with flattened down snow with sticks for trail markers".

So can anybody shed some light on all things good and bad with this vintage Polaris chassis and 800 Poo motors?

He is not a wrench at all and will be relying on a dealer or a friend for any work that might be needed.

Thanks for any input I can pass on to him.
 
Last edited:
S

snoluver1

Active member
Groomerdriver, I know you said he is not interested in Cat but imho I think within the vintage your talking about, Cat is the ONLY way to go for reliability in an 800. I'm sure many will disagree but both Doo and Poo were going through growing pains with their 800's in those years. If he is insistent on anything but Cat, would he consider a 600? The elevations in AK are mostly low enough that I think a 600 would be plenty capable, and that would open the door to a lot more reliable options of the non Cat variety.
 
indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
snoluver1 said:
Groomerdriver, I know you said he is not interested in Cat but imho I think within the vintage your talking about, Cat is the ONLY way to go for reliability in an 800. I'm sure many will disagree but both Doo and Poo were going through growing pains with their 800's in those years. If he is insistent on anything but Cat, would he consider a 600? The elevations in AK are mostly low enough that I think a 600 would be plenty capable, and that would open the door to a lot more reliable options of the non Cat variety.
Click to expand...

X2
 
S

Skylar

Super Moderator
Staff member
snoluver1 said:
Groomerdriver, I know you said he is not interested in Cat but imho I think within the vintage your talking about, Cat is the ONLY way to go for reliability in an 800. I'm sure many will disagree but both Doo and Poo were going through growing pains with their 800's in those years. If he is insistent on anything but Cat, would he consider a 600? The elevations in AK are mostly low enough that I think a 600 would be plenty capable, and that would open the door to a lot more reliable options of the non Cat variety.
Click to expand...

X3. The 600 rmk in those years, rock solid, the 800, umm, no.
 
S

sweeperguy

Active member
Austin was telling me that polaris dealers got a memo from Polaris not to take 800's in on trade. He has a friend that works at Tousley he said they put it up on the wall so when customers complain about not taking trades they show them the memo. Sounds fishy to me cuz polaris has no stake in trades, it'd be the dealer that gets stuck with bad motor sleds. Story goes Polaris expects 12 to 15 800's to only make 2100 to 2500 miles and burn down.
 
L

lenny

Guest
X4 stay away for poo and doo 800. Cat 800 no probs and poo 600 good, Doo probably has the old trusty 600 carbed and that would be good but o cannot say for sure
 
P

polarisrider1

New member
sweeperguy said:
Austin was telling me that polaris dealers got a memo from Polaris not to take 800's in on trade. He has a friend that works at Tousley he said they put it up on the wall so when customers complain about not taking trades they show them the memo. Sounds fishy to me cuz polaris has no stake in trades, it'd be the dealer that gets stuck with bad motor sleds. Story goes Polaris expects 12 to 15 800's to only make 2100 to 2500 miles and burn down.
Click to expand...

Lol
 
E

ezra

Well-known member
I had a cant remember 07 or 08? rmk6 motor was a ripper once I got it dialed in with a slp pipe set up. now the chassis I was not a big fan road ok but it was a flexing pos. 09 up M8 is the hands down best bang for his buck in those yrs .not to mention most poo in those yrs still carb and the efi u don't want. cat had extremely reliable efi on everything . for the elevation change can be in do u really want a carb? if I had to go those yrs rmk it would only be a carb 600 with dial a jet and slp set up .
 
A

ac600sp

New member
I'd recommend a cat. Those M-Series mid 2000's were good chassis and motors are rock solid. Can't go wrong with a 700 or 800 cat motor. Best sled engines hands down! I run into people with M-7 or M-8's with 7-10k for miles. Motirs that have never been opened up. Polaris 600's in the era were good to though. I had one as a backup sled with over 6k and it was never touched inside the engine. Stay away from the Pol 800's and Ski-Doo 800's from those years. The one ring piston on the Doo's never made it past 4,000 miles without a burn down. Lol
 
G

groomerdriver

New member
There is a distinct possibility that I'll buy a sled here and have it shipped up to him in AK. A trailer too! Sled and certainly TRAILERS (open or enclosed) are really expensive up there. I'm getting quotes to ship from Uship.com.
 
S

sweeperguy

Active member
groomerdriver said:
There is a distinct possibility that I'll buy a sled here and have it shipped up to him in AK. A trailer too! Sled and certainly TRAILERS (open or enclosed) are really expensive up there. I'm getting quotes to ship from Uship.com.
Click to expand...

Depending on when you get something, and when I get laid off. You could maybe hire me to deliver it. Would give me a reason to drive there and make a dollar. Let me know what Uship quotes, must be like 3000 miles. Give me a week of not being bored sitting around the house. Plus keep me away from wife for a week, maybe I'd pay you LOL.
 
Last edited:
E

ezra

Well-known member
is your kid not in the army up there?
has to be a lot of guys getting shipped from around the US back and fourth to AK who want some gas money . that said my bro in law paid a guy going back to MN on leave to drive his 3 mo old f150 to MN when he was getting deployed for 18mo. he know he was done after deployment and not going back to ak
guy rolled his truck in Canada lol
 
S

sweeperguy

Active member
ezra said:
is your kid not in the army up there?
has to be a lot of guys getting shipped from around the US back and fourth to AK who want some gas money . that said my bro in law paid a guy going back to MN on leave to drive his 3 mo old f150 to MN when he was getting deployed for 18mo. he know he was done after deployment and not going back to ak
guy rolled his truck in Canada lol
Click to expand...

His kid is Air Force, that story doesn't inspire alot of confidence in our troops when on leave. Not to mention when I was home on leave from the navy. Bought a 76 Nova, wrecked it in 5 days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top