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There was too much rebound on the big bumps and a fair amount of bottoming out, despite the Pro-Ride rear suspension's 14 inches of travel. And we ranged from taller and heavier riders to shorter, lighter ones. All responded that they needed to stand through most of the rough stuff.
However, if you get the Rush on a groomed trail, or one with rollers, but not severe bumps, with tight turns or gradual sweepers, the sled handles and rides better than any past Polaris I've ridden. Plus after years of struggling with the IQ's heavy steering, we were happy to find the Rush much more responsive in turns. We're sure some of that comes from the new rear-end, but the overall balance here feels much better than with the former IQ-based models. The Walker Evans piggyback shocks up front help Rush handle well in stutters and the rear suspension deals well with short choppy bumps.
In addition, the 600cc Liberty CFI 2-stroke remains one of our favorites in the 120-horse stable. Torque is excellent and the sled will jump away from its competition in the first 100 yards off the line.
The Rush also doesn't feel as heavy as its Polaris reported 459 lbs. dry. You feel in control in the turns, and there's only minor pushing when you are more aggressive with it.
Traction was good too, and we were on some pretty icy trails, especially in the mornings. By mid-day we sometimes were riding in oatmeal, but the 1.25-lugged RipSaw track, a 2-ply model, always pushed us aggressively out of corners.
Test riders found the seat pretty hard but the standard windscreen was adequate, and the running boards are wide and well vented to keep snow from stacking up. Note too that the standard Rush, like Cat's F6, is a pull-start sled, while the 427-lb. Ski-Doo tested here includes electric start standard.
Everyone liked the sled's front styling, and the reddish-orange trim gave it a well-tailored, sporty look. Not everyone liked the short back porch that makes Rush look almost like a ¾-size sled, but we all appreciated its high-tech open design.
Things we'd add? Electric start and the saddle and trunk bag for some storage, but you sacrifice some of the stylish looks by adding storage bags.
Overall we see the Rush as ditch banger friendly and a sled that offers the best power and torque in this segment. It's aimed more at the aggressive rider who likes to fiddle with his setup.
We'd rather spend more time riding than fiddling!