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BUT, you won’t find nearly as much discrepancy on the radar gun. We are continually amazed at just how many MPHs these smaller engines can pump out. In many of our exclusive shootout charts, you’ll find the 600s nipping at the heels of the 800s when it comes to mid-range speed (although the 8s usually set themselves apart slightly on both top and bottom ends).
Tracking the trail
Once you head for the trail, the comparison gets even tighter. Handling comes more into play when you’ve got more to deal with than just a straight shot down a well-groomed drag track. The lighter sleds corner with less effort than the 8s and allow a seasoned rider to be super aggressive in tight corners if they so choose. They can also be less of a handful in those suspension-crushing moguls. The El Tigre and Rush Pro-S really excel in a wide variety of trail conditions, thanks to well-thought-out shock and suspension packages.
Although my personal preference is for the longer 129-inch skid of the El Tigre, the 120-inch Rush is easy to handle when it comes to tight corners on the trail. The light weight of the Rush also helps in close quarters, making it easy to whip around when you want to whoop it up.
The Pro-Ride Indy was once Polaris’ trail staple rear suspension (and still maintains its place as a capable and affordable trail option), but the Pro-XC of the Rush has proven more capable with its Walker Evans shock package, especially in harsher terrain. It’s clearly the new standard for Polaris trail suspensions.