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Our first day of testing and shooting went well. We had the new Polaris lineup at our discretion. Of course we were eager to climb aboard the 600 Classic and 800 LE sleds with their M-10 rear suspensions. But we also wanted to spend quality time on the 800 XC SP and some of the other lower-performance machines to see how the EDGE chassis would affect our perceptions.
The M-10 in the back of the 600 and 800 machines delivered as promised. The six to ten inch chop simply disappeared as the Indies ran them down. "It's amazing," said test Rider Jeff Velander. "The way the M-10 just sucks up the stutter bumps, it's like they're not even there. I'd hit them and feel the front suspension go over them, but there was nothing at the rear suspension."
One thing our crew did notice that needs to be further calibrated and corrected is a sense of squirreliness and instability upon deceleration. This is the same sort of thing we have noted in our Blade tests as well. Polaris engineers know that this is something they will need to address before the sleds hit the sales floor next fall.
It's also worth noting that the M-10 in the Polaris machines is not the identical M-10 that a consumer would buy from FAST. Slight changes had to be made to the design in order for Polaris to facilitate production. However, Polaris reps, as well as FAST's David Karpik, state that the suspension's performance characteristics will not be significantly changed. We would agree, based on our first ride experiences.
Overall, we'd give the ol' AmSnow thumbs up to the two sleds with the new skidframe.
We were also interested in getting some time on the new Supersport in the EDGE chassis. "This is a totally different sled than the one we had in our long term test fleet two winters ago," said Test Rider Jerry Bassett. "The engine seems stronger and it's more nimble feeling than the '99."
But the real treat was throwing a leg over the 800 XC SP. "This is the best Polaris snowmobile I've ever ridden," claimed Test Rider Jeff. "It's strong, responsive and comfortable to ride."
Our crew was extremely impressed with the XC SP's relative lack of vibration and quiet operation. "One of the biggest advances we've seen this year is making those big twins so smooth," commented Test Rider Les Pinz. "Back in the old days, we never would have even attempted something like this [800 twin]. It would have rattled itself into pieces. These new motors are designed so smooth and dependable."
Polaris engineering has changed the way the engines mount in the EDGE chassis to incorporate a vertical mount point in order to divert engine vibration from being transmitted through the chassis to the rider. The engine cradle area has also been beefed up to reduce the engine's torquing in the chassis.
At the end of the day, our AmSnow Test Crew felt good about the Polaris lineup. The EDGE sleds were comfortable to ride, they handled very well and the engines performed to expectation.
Tune in tomorrow for some highlights on the Ski-Doo lineup, including our feelings about the new X and Adrenaline packaged MX Zs.