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Polaris is so confident in the durability of the Switchback XCR, they have already sent them to Alaska as the Polaris teams’ Iron Dog race sleds. No doubt those sleds will be modified to each racer’s preferences, but that’s about as tough a proving ground as you can ask for!
Our early rides on this new iron have shown similarities to last season’s Rush XCR offerings. The sled feels supremely confident yet lightweight. The gearing was more for low-end power, enabling arm-stretching holeshots, but that was on a prototype. We expect final consumer models to favor the high end a tad more than the prototype demos we rode. The bump-bridging abilities we love about the longer skid are still there, and just like the Rush version from last season, the new Switchback XCR can take a beating!
While this latest XCR may be the newcomer for 2018, the Switchback lineup still features the Pro-S 600s and 800s, Pro-X 800, and the Assault in 600 and 800 offerings.
For the rest of the trail segment, Polaris has the same Rush lineup for 2018 as they did in 2017. You’ll have your in-season choice between a Pro-S and an XCR, with both coming in either the 600 or 800 engine displacements. You can also SnowCheck the Rush Pro-X that’s only available in the 800 again.
The Indy lineup also remains unchanged for 2018, which unfortunately still means no Indy 800. The Indy is still only available in the 550 fan-cooled or 600 Liberty power plants. It’s a little sad for me to see such a legendary name be relegated to the “value” bin, but for the money, the Indy has nothing left to prove, and it’s still a very capable trail machine for the entry-level consumer.