2010 D8 vs. 2008 XP

[deschutes]

I am thinking about jumping from my 2008 XP to a 2010 D8. First off, my XP is running really well, everything from suspension to clutch to motor. I really like the sled, but have always been a fan of the Dragon.

My first question is whether the 2010 is a good sled, compared to previous years.

Second, if there is anyone that has gone from an XP to a Dragon and can share their thoughts, that would be great.

Thanks!

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

I am thinking about jumping from my 2008 XP to a 2010 D8. First off, my XP is running really well, everything from suspension to clutch to motor. I really like the sled, but have always been a fan of the Dragon.

My first question is whether the 2010 is a good sled, compared to previous years.

Second, if there is anyone that has gone from an XP to a Dragon and can share their thoughts, that would be great.

Thanks!

technically the dragons are a great sled..even the engine..the problem is how lean polaris has to run them to pass epa...with that said..the 10's have most of those issues resolved..but it is possible to lean them under certain part throttle steady cruise conditions...easily fixed with a fuel controller...(which also will lean the top end and get the full power it should have stock..chassis wise..by far the best pure handleing sled out there..but it is a different ride then the xp..while the xp likes to be flat ,stable and planted..the dragon loves to snap, carve , and flick..with that said first time any doo guy that has gotten on mine does is flip it over on its side the first time he turns it..wheree you have to work to turn a doo..it takes nothing more then suttle shifts of the head and feet to make the poo turn..good clutching makes a world of diff on these sleds(stock is good but custom is much better)gearing down a touch is good as well...otherwise..a very very good chassis...

 

[GKR]

Depends a little on your riding style too. AK nailed it with the handling differences. I have two buddies that converted this last winter from their XP's to Dragons and they can't believe the difference and how easy the Dragon is to ride. Of course we mostly boondock in the fresh and ride tight lines in the trees. If this is how you ride, no brainer.
If you like to climb all day and like the straight up lines and flat out runs on big open terrain, keep the XP.

 

[green_denali]

doo vs dragon

Everything that GKR and AKSNOWRIDER said x2.

 

[IDPOLARIS]

AK there isn't that much difference between the 09 and 10 D8 is there pretty much the same issues right or am i off base.

 

[MARV1]

I prefer to ride my Raw RMK's over my '09 XP Summit, I'm not as tired at the end of the day. Good luck with your choice.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

AK there isn't that much difference between the 09 and 10 D8 is there pretty much the same issues right or am i off base.

for the most part they are all the same from 08 thru 10..the 08 bodywork is about 5 pds heavier, the 08-09 swaybar isnt quite as nice(the 09-10 dragons get the new bar)and the 10 brake /rotor is nicer as is the chaincase..but overall they are very good, very reliable sleds except for the lean midrange/fat topend and issues with voltage regulators..my 08 has over 3000 miles on it..I just right at the end of the season replaced most of the electrical as far as sensors and voltage regulator (none of mine went bad or had issues I put my sled into 2 ft of water and then a couple rides later lost a crank trigger..so as a precaution I replaced everything including the stator...now I have perfectly good spares on the sled or at the truck in case someones sled does have issues..but for the most part reliability wise it has been excellent...for the right price on a sled in excellent shape I wouldnt hesitate to buy any year of them..I will say this I ride with all sorts of sleds..yammies, M's, XP's, revs..you name it..mine goes any where theres does..by and large..I found the 2 ply 5.1 track is a bit finicky on what snow it performs great in...so I changed to the camo extreme..since then..I run right with everyone every where we ride...I still think a good rider can go anywhere and everywhere on any of the new sleds when they are properly setup...

 

[theshadowrider]

for the most part they are all the same from 08 thru 10..the 08 bodywork is about 5 pds heavier, the 08-09 swaybar isnt quite as nice(the 09-10 dragons get the new bar)and the 10 brake /rotor is nicer as is the chaincase..but overall they are very good, very reliable sleds except for the lean midrange/fat topend and issues with voltage regulators..my 08 has over 3000 miles on it..I just right at the end of the season replaced most of the electrical as far as sensors and voltage regulator (none of mine went bad or had issues I put my sled into 2 ft of water and then a couple rides later lost a crank trigger..so as a precaution I replaced everything including the stator...now I have perfectly good spares on the sled or at the truck in case someones sled does have issues..but for the most part reliability wise it has been excellent...for the right price on a sled in excellent shape I wouldnt hesitate to buy any year of them..I will say this I ride with all sorts of sleds..yammies, M's, XP's, revs..you name it..mine goes any where theres does..by and large..I found the 2 ply 5.1 track is a bit finicky on what snow it performs great in...so I changed to the camo extreme..since then..I run right with everyone every where we ride...I still think a good rider can go anywhere and everywhere on any of the new sleds when they are properly setup...

Did you do a drop and roll kit and change the drivers also when you put the camo extreme 2.5 track on?

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

Did you do a drop and roll kit and change the drivers also when you put the camo extreme 2.5 track on?

yes, I did kurt's(fastrax motorsports) drop and roll but run stock drivers, I also run holz skid as well...but the skid has been in it with both tracks..at the same time I changed my track, my buddy did the same on his mod edge..we were neck and neck before and the same after..(he did the 3 pitch with no D&R vrs mine D&red with the 2.86 pitch) the only place my sled whips his is in super deep fresh pow(3ft. plus) everywhere else they are equal just as they were before..In deep pow mine puts on a clinic compared to his and that difference I put to the D&R...

 

[AndrettiDog]

Depends a little on your riding style too. AK nailed it with the handling differences. I have two buddies that converted this last winter from their XP's to Dragons and they can't believe the difference and how easy the Dragon is to ride. Of course we mostly boondock in the fresh and ride tight lines in the trees. If this is how you ride, no brainer.
If you like to climb all day and like the straight up lines and flat out runs on big open terrain, keep the XP.

This is so true and very important. I think one reason why people feel that the XP out climbs a D8 is not so much power, but the fact that it rides so much better on top of the snow because of its tenancy to be so stable (and fights you more on the sidehilling). The weight surely helps as well, but the D8 has a much stronger bulkhead assembly. I've had some serious hits on my old D8 that surely would have killed a Doo bulkhead. Both are great sleds and it really depends what you want to do. I'm hoping my new Pro RMK will bridge the gap between the two of them!

 

[suitcase]

This is so true and very important. I think one reason why people feel that the XP out climbs a D8 is not so much power, but the fact that it rides so much better on top of the snow because of its tenancy to be so stable (and fights you more on the sidehilling). The weight surely helps as well, but the D8 has a much stronger bulkhead assembly. I've had some serious hits on my old D8 that surely would have killed a Doo bulkhead. Both are great sleds and it really depends what you want to do. I'm hoping my new Pro RMK will bridge the gap between the two of them!

X2 and IMO the 16" track. Hopeing you are right on the bridgeing of the gap between the two!!

 

[Hawkster]

I guess the only way to answer that question is with a question. Are you brand loyal and if so you will always be unhappy with another. I've seen it a hundred times. If you want to compare a Polaris to something it would have to be a Cat because the technology of a Ski-Doo or Yamaha is so much superior, they just choose to beat to a different drum. I know for a fact that your XP will run 10,000 miles before you need to rebuild your primary clutch, how many Polaris can say that? That's to answer your second question and the only way I can answer the first is to say that the 2010 Polaris 800 was bought for it's nimbleness.

 

[AndrettiDog]

I guess the only way to answer that question is with a question. Are you brand loyal and if so you will always be unhappy with another. I've seen it a hundred times. If you want to compare a Polaris to something it would have to be a Cat because the technology of a Ski-Doo or Yamaha is so much superior, they just choose to beat to a different drum. I know for a fact that your XP will run 10,000 miles before you need to rebuild your primary clutch, how many Polaris can say that? That's to answer your second question and the only way I can answer the first is to say that the 2010 Polaris 800 was bought for it's nimbleness.

10,000 miles? Hmmm...even if that were true, it would be a good thing considering the price of a Ski-Doo clutch assembly. I wouldn't say that Ski-Doo's technology is more advanced (they just went to EFI!), just a different way of doing things. Both have their quarks and the 4M over exposes all of them. Ride them both and chose the one that you like better. Both will go just about anywhere.

 

[powdersnobb]

Doo's out climb because of the weight and the fact that they are carbed. Way more pop from the carbs as compared to the poo efi. The 16" track helps too. You will find the poo way easier on the carving etc.

 

[clutch man]

I guess the only way to answer that question is with a question. Are you brand loyal and if so you will always be unhappy with another. I've seen it a hundred times. If you want to compare a Polaris to something it would have to be a Cat because the technology of a Ski-Doo or Yamaha is so much superior, they just choose to beat to a different drum. I know for a fact that your XP will run 10,000 miles beforee you need to rebuild your primary clutch, how many Polaris can say that? That's to answer your second question and the only way I can answer the first is to say that the 2010 Polaris 800 was bought for it's nimbleness.

Well now 10,000 mile befor a clutch rebuild F@$%ing BS.
Ski-doo now (the xp needs the clutch rebuilt more often than the others) most Ski-Doos get 2500 to 3000 miles on the rollers and bushings but the XP is ruff on them should be more like ever 2000 miles.
which is just not much different than the rest of the manufactures.
Ski-Doo has the worst piston of any manufacture.
They still have 1930 technology in there piston pin bearing.
They still grease the bottom end bearing and this does not last more than 5000 miles with any reliability. Ski-Doo is not even close to cat or Polaris in technology
There driven clutch still sucks.

 

[Hawkster]

Call it what ever you like . I've got a 600SDI, 600 HO and an 800 HO. Two of them have 10,000 miles. Your the clutch man . I also have two Poo's a 600 and 800. The guy just asked a simple question and I gave him my opinion, Thxs for the F!#@& BS next time theres an air show in town look under the hoods, you might never fly again. one of them might even be a Ski-Don't (know that's kind of redundant since the Blue Angels and Snow Birds are in town this weekend) We should also get Yamaha involved, they where buildind two stroke golf carts in the early 80's whith a variable exhaust. There now that should include the Big 4 personally I'll stick to the Hawk for now because those two skis are to hard to ride.

 

[clutch man]

I sure hope your nose does not grow when your not telling the Truth because you would grow a whole forest.
A 600 you may get 5000 miles on a clutch but no way an 800 and now way the 800 will even live to 10000 miles besides that do you put over 3000 miles on a year. That would be if they were 07s WTF. don't in a million years believe you.

 

[Hawkster]

WOW your one mad dude. I've pushed the top end to 5000 miles on the 600 ( you could see the cracks on the exhaust side) so what your saying is that everything is shot under the hood at that mileage? The roller bushings on one or two rollers have collapsed in that time also but that's a simple fix (not like you need a clutch puller to fix that) it's not a complete overhaul of the clutch, not sure what the 800 has for mileage, no speedo, changed a lot of springs since they have like 30 plus to choose from. I guess your a die hard Polaris fan to make you so upset? There's a guy up here that put 10,000 miles on a Yamaha before the season was even up. Average mileage is about 2500 miles plus or minus depending on the year beginnning October or November to April or May. Theres guys still riding, it'll cost you 600$ to get there. We take a lot of people out riding so I get to play and see a few toys and how they hold up, they all have problems some more than others that's all and it changes over the years. I use to always say if there is a sled that gets pulled out it'll be a Cat, that is no longer true and I have to eat those words, their one of the more dependable ones now.

 

[Reg2view]

All these guys with blinders.

You can put 10k on a TRA3 in a 440, 500, 600/HO/SDI, if it isn't ridden much in the deep, or a trail sled. Seen it. They do eat the sliding half bushing, TRA3 or 7 in the summit 8 HO/R in the deep, 3k miles or so, and then you're pushing it. It's isn't black or white. Summits have their clutching issues stock, great kits out there. The QRS can work. Lots of peep's not thrilled with Poo 800 clutching stock, either.

Doo only getting "EFI" now is beyond ignorant. Not gonna try to explain the diff between "EFI" and direct injection. Or argue SDI vs. CFI, and how it came to be. If you don't understand it now, you never will. Motor tech-wise, Doo and Y do have some leadership across the entire product line. Doesn't mean they are the best sleds on the snow.

Poo has a great deep snow chassis. Just works, and is durable. I always chaulk it up to the R&D teams, and Poo and Cat are doing something right in Utah and ID, no idea what is bouncing around in those minds in Grand Lake, CO. But they had to cobble together a summit from the parts of a XP 121.

 

[clutch man]

now the truth comes out

WOW your one mad dude. I've pushed the top end to 5000 miles on the 600 so what your saying is that everything is shot under the hood at that mileage? The roller bushings on one or two rollers have collapsed in that time also but that's a simple fix (not like you need a clutch puller to fix that) not a complete overhaul of the clutch, not sure what the 800 has for mileage, no speedo, changed a lot of springs since they have like 30 plus to choose from. I guess your a die hard Polaris fan to make you so upset? There's a guy up here that put 10,000 miles on a Yamaha before the season was even up. Average mileage is about 2500 miles plus or minus depending on they year beginning October or November to April or May. Theres guy still riding the glaciers.

So you did not ride them with out replacing any clutch parts. replacing rollers is indeed part of a rebuild. so you now need to recant what you said earlier they needed parts just like the rest.
I never said every thing under the hood would be wore out, you took that out of contexts, all the manufactures need work on there clutch at 2500 to 3500 miles (all of them)
I called you on it and now you tell the truth