900 RMK's compared to other IQ RMK's in the handling department, some thoughts.

[Gmiller]

To the top. good info, What do people like for front shocks, Fox Floats, Air 2.0, other??

Thanks Grant

 

[josh900rmk]

Front Shocks

I put Fox Floats on the front of my '05 900 RMK at the beginning of last season. Awesome upgrade from the FX stockers! Its makes the heavy front end of the 900 handle rougher terrain very smoothly - almost feels like you're riding a caddilac ! So yeah, I give Fox Floats two big thumbs up! Another good aspect about the Fox Floats is their ability to take more abuse than stockers. I recently sheared off both left side a-arms due to a stump (landmine) and the Fox shock was totally unharmed. So that's another plus of the Fox Float. They are spendy though, but in my opinion, they are worth it.

 

[Redd]

I'm a flat lander, or atleast that what i see most of here in Michigan compared to you climbers. I just went up north 2 weeks ago and went out with 7 guys. I was second all day right behind a Cat sno pro race 600 that was converted into a trail sled. He is a top notch rider and just to stay up with him is a feat in itself! The other 5 were 1 IQ800, 1 Cat 1000 (both new) and 2 Ski-Doo 600's and 1 Ski-Doo "990" tripple. All of which were very well tuned.
The smaller sleds as expected ran hard in the tight trails, but I was still second all day. My 900 pulled hard, the "rubber band" sleds didn't know what to think! As we would pull in to fuel up, other sleders would look in
awe. Mind you it is piped with DynoPort and does sound BIG! But it was worth muscling around just to see the look at their faces against mine 900!
Yeah, it don't handle like the nimble smaller sleds do, but in the rolling "hills"
power line trails, it was poetry in motion campared to them! We got out on the lake and with the 990 and 1000 line up to see, I was able to stay at a 4 sled differance behind the new 1000 and the 990 was ahead by a dozen or so. (he has deep pockets)
Moral is...trails you don't need to go to the gym during sled season!
"our" climbs as far as I been never been sized to anything that will sit next to me, but never went against a 1200.
Flat out lake....I'm happy to be able to stay that close to guys that spent 4 times the amount of $$ and work, I don't mind gettin' beat. In my eye's I won!
As I read on this site in not so many words...
"You hafta' be a certain breed" and I beleave that!
Yeah, I'll buy another sled, but my 9 isn't goin' anywhere!

 

[SixtySevenGT]

900 Handeling -- Hmmm

Towed 2 Doo's back to the Truck Last Season with my 9.

When I asked if the REV's would have been up to the job from where we were. NO

Asked if the REV's would have been up to the Job to tow my 9 out from where we were --- Absolutly NO.

I don't get any complaints about my sled any more.

Lots of Power, hard to describe, rode 800's for 10 years.

2005 166 with almost everything.

 

[Z-Man]

throw a timbersled rear under the 900 and it becomes a completely different sled. I will sacrifice a little in the handling department for the torque of the 900.

 

[High Velocity]

I've lightened up my '06 900 by just over 60 lbs. Add to that my Holz rear suspension and front spindles as well as WE shocks and I believe (IMHO) that my lead-sled 900 is every bit as nimble a boondocker as the 800 Dragons I've rode.

 

[mountainhorse]

The Pro Chassis opens this "Nimbleness-gap" up even more...and I've ridden the lightest 900's out there with the best suspensions... not even close to being able to throw around as easily as a Pro.

 

[94fordguy]

The Pro Chassis opens this "Nimbleness-gap" up even more...and I've ridden the lightest 900's out there with the best suspesnions... not even close to being able to throw around as easily.

It only makes sense, in this age of advancing technology, the new geometry sleds really do have an advantage with going on 6 years of advancements. I love my sled and plan to keep running it for the foreseeable future, but you can't always deny technology advancing.

 

[SSWIM]

For those of you that are considering building a "full blown" 900 projects... here are some things to ponder before you do..

I like the 900's and the way they make power.

And That being said:

Though even if you were to build two identical RAW chassis sleds ... identical except for a 900 compared to a 800CFi... the 800 would hands down be easier to maneuver and more nimble due to less gyroscopic effect from the MUCH heavier 80mm stroke of the 900 compared to the 70mm of the 800. The larger the gyroscopic effect the more resistant the sled is to a change in direction or angle.

I like the torque that the 900's put out...they make power in a different way than their smaller cc brothers ... I like way they make power ... I just wish I didn't have to pay the price in the handling department.... there is a trade off in everything... It is all about finding the balance....

A 900 does not require that you wind it up and take run at a hill as much as smaller machines... they have that low end grunt you cant get with a 10mm shorter stroke.

For example... straight hill-chuters love the 1200 Turbo cats... but Chris Burandt/Brad Rasmussen prefered the 800cc turbo engines in the same chassis because of the improved agility of the smaller stroked engines.

A more nimble sled is easier to "correct" when you hit a bump or chunk of ice when sidehilling or swinging around a tree or doing switchbacks to get up a really steep hill.

It all depends on what you want to do...but you will never get a 900 engine sled to be as nimble as an 800 nor will the 800 be as nimble as a 600.... It's just the way it is. Physics (given the same mods/setup when comparing)

IMO...
For a hill drag IQ or hill climber... a 900 in a RAW 162/174" with a turbo and Dans crank.

For a "swiss army knife" of a Polaris sled... An 800 CFi 155" (Turbo even better)

For the ultimate boondocker... a 600 (64mm stroke) based, 144" tracked lightweight machine with 38" ski stance, and all the goodies.
I wish the 727 was offered in a CFi version.

I love the unerdog... and I really like the thought of showing up the "800 guys" with the Ole 9er... what extent am I willing to go to try to make this happen is the question and will the dollar investment make the end product worth while or not when compared to the same investment in something eles... this is a question only the owner/rider of the sled can answer.

I've been receiving lots of emails and PM's asking "how do I make my 900 handle like my buddies 800... I really want to show him up with my sled". With the attractiveness of the 900's because they look very similar to the RAW sleds AND they are MUCH less expensive to buy (not less expensive to own)... people are looking for a more cost effective way to get a great sled....But to get it up near the overall handling of the RAW chassis sleds... the $$ you have to put in them is pretty scary.

So very true. I have an OVS RG TM8 and an OVS TM1200. The 1200 is probably 40lbs lighter, Timbersled suspension, Fastlane tunnel and many other mods. The 800 is much easier to ride. Much more nimble due to the gyroscopic effect as you mentioned. One does not realize the rotational effect in the big engines. It really does make a huge difference.


Sam