vertical edge rmk

If you are an RMK fan, then the Edge RMK Polaris sired for the mountain segment is the stud horse to conquer the steep and deep.

Our long term test 2002 700 RMK Vertical Edge 151 was everything we expected it would be, especially after riding the prototype in the mountains near West Yellowstone, Montana in March of 2001.

In mid-December 2002, the AmSnow Mountain Test Staff picked up its fire red RMK 700 Vertical Edge from Tri-City Polaris (TCP) in Centerville, Utah. TCP's general manager, Max Maxedon, directed his service manager, Tracy Seegmiller, to dial in the 700 with the dealership's latest set up; the result of months of spring and early fall testing. The red head, as we called it, was ready to shred.

On our first ride, we knew this mountain sled was all business. First, the twin cylinder motor, with cylinder head pressure-controlled exhaust valves, had pull and grunt that never wavered against its rival 800s in the AmSnow mountain test fleet. Of course, we also credit TCP for its ability to pull every snippet of HP and torque from the stock motor and deliver them to the track.

The dropped and rolled chaincase, which allow the track drivers to rotate under the steering post, gave the Edge RMK balance that the Gen II RMKs did not have. Add to that the Edge front end and a tipped up deep-powder tunnel, and Edge RMK was a nimble 151-
surprisingly boondocker friendly.

One very praiseworthy feature on the Edge RMK was its new cockpit. We cussed and scorned the '00 and '01 Gen II RMKs for their poor fuel cell-to-seat blending and pull rope position. Kneecaps and shins fell victim to many collisions with the pull rope handle and fuel cell console. Not on this '02 Vert Edge, with its upper console rope housing and improved seat/tank integration.

The '02 RMK's race-inspired Edge XC front end, configured for mountain-specific riding, reduced the skis' diving when off-camber cross cuts (side hills) or steep descents were made. We found, though, that as with Polaris chassis of the past, the '02 RMK's trailing arms are easy to bend. We tweaked one on a five-mile-an-hour rock. We wish for a stronger arm that can withstand slow impacts. Ski-Doo's and Yamaha's trailing arms fare better.

A debate has been raging between Polaris and Yamaha drivers against Cat and Ski-Doo owners- wide vs. narrow runningboards. We believe this is a matter of perspective, want and need. After finalizing some spring riding, we believe wide boards will cause a sled to hang up, not all the time, but enough to cause a Mountain Cat or Summit rider to be the stuckee more than the RMK or Mountain Max. Realistically though, driver error is still the leading cause of a stuck sled, hands down. However, the confidence and surefootedness wide boards give when aggressively sawing a hill in half make the Summit and Cat a tad bit easier to toss around.

RMK drivers demand narrow boards; and that is OK. What the RMK engineers have done to give RMK owners that wide running board feel is sculpt a seat that allows easy foot transfer and does not "over shadow" the runningboards. Hence, expand runningboard use by rethinking seat function and design. That is different, and it works.

If we could change a few things on the Vertical Edge RMK it would be these. The upgrade shocks on the Vertical Edge RMK were not much of an upgrade. The RydeFX shocks were soft. For the rear suspension we added a pair of TCP Rising Rate Blocks to assist shock compression and rebound.

We would also ask Polaris to move the rear bumper-mounted stop light off the bumper. Its position is exactly where hands need to wrap around the bumper for the ol' heave-ho when the sled is trenched in.

The other matter is the seat. Foam density was soft and the pilot squashed down low into the cockpit. When combined- the soft seat and weak shocks- mogul blasting was less than desirable. We learned from RMK engineers at the '03 Photo Shoot that these problems are corrected for the '03 Edge RMKs and Vertical Edge RMKs.

The skis on the RMK are OK. Regardless of how well the Edge front end worked to protect the ski from diving, it could not fully compensate. For '03, the RMK engineers developed a new Sidehiller II ski that is partial center offset, runs a deep 90-degree keel (similar to a C&A Pro ski) and tracks on two carbide runners- set directly into the keel. This ski does not dive, does not trail dart, and works in concert with the front end.

We can honestly say that throughout the '01-'02 season, Polaris' 700 Vertical Edge RMK 151 was our preferred mountain sled. It has honed and polished mountain savvy. Skillful, active, competent and proficient are the words that describe our favorite mountain sled. We will hold that thought.