Friday's demo of the 2013 PRO-RMK

[tdblakes]

assault was built for the hill climbers. who need the ability to swap out gears and change ratios. Since polaris does not plan to build different gears for the belt drive, they dont want to leave the racers stuck with only 1 ratio.

Hm interesting. You would think if it was that much of an advantage over the chaincase they would have no problem supplying this to their race program.

Thanks for all the good '13 info guys! You're a lucky group for sure!

Did they say why the front shocks got shorter? Did the bulkhead mount move or the a-arms and why?

 

[mountainhorse]

somewhat concerened about being more flickable, would some agressive riders see that as unstable...

good info thanks

Ask Phatty about that one... If you are more agressive than him... I'd like to watch your video.

 

[mountainhorse]

Did they say why the front shocks got shorter? Did the bulkhead mount move or the a-arms and why?

Shocks are shorter but the bulkhead remains the same.. A arm position of the shock did change.

I'm putting together a more detailed thread on the new chassis... I'll post up exact lengths etc on the new shocks and other features in there. So I don't side track Brandy's awesome thread here.

 

[icerider600]

Thanks to all three of you for talking about the 13's I love the pic's and honest opinions about everything!!! I just came to Poo this year and I love how they listen to the people who ride there sleds!! That being said I think this bad winter is because I got a new sled (new sled curse!!) I wont have a 13, but I am sure they are just going to make them better and better!! Thanks again, and some day that would be a dream for me also to ride with them

 

[dragonflats]

Is the gearing so spot on no one should need to change it? who makes the gears for polaris and will they have after market gearing?

 

[savagecanuck]

Thanks for the honest review.I have a 2012 and won't be upgrading any time soon as I only have put 231 miles on so far due to less than average snow.I love my 12 and have added BetterBoards already along with an MBRP can and 1" riser to tailor the sled to my liking.These Pros are very easy to ride and you fell less fatigued at the end of the day.I am finally going to get my wife out this weekend and will let her ride my pro as she currantly rides a 09 RMK700.The lighter easier to manouver pro will be easier on her5'6" 130lb frame.Good to see Polaris keep on refining this mountain segment instead of just offering BNG.I hope the a arms retrofit the 11-12 models

 

[mrquick68]

Is the gearing so spot on no one should need to change it? who makes the gears for polaris and will they have after market gearing?

great question. I'd like to know this too.

 

[modsledr]

Is the gearing so spot on no one should need to change it? who makes the gears for polaris and will they have after market gearing?

great question. I'd like to know this too.

"spot on" is a relative term. Gearing for trail/lake riders is going to be different than for backcountry mountain riders. I didn't get the impression that they were assuming everyone needed the same gearing...BUT...this is a huge step in the right direction and I'm willing to cut them some slack for the first year. lol.

I'm sure there will be many who will want to change gearing...the Polaris team told us there was no plan for the first year to offer different gearing. It would also require a different belt.

My guess is that there will be options in the future. For now, if you really wanted to gear down, you could go to a 7 tooth driver.

 

[Scott]

They don't need very tall gearing.

The Assault I rode on the demo ride Saturday couldn't get over 77 on the road going up to the riding area. I held it WFO on a LONG straight stretch and it wouldn't budge past 77. People might whine about that...but it's surely going to have a better bottom end and not labor the clutches as much.

And how often do you ever see 77mph on a hillclimb. LOL

BTW, the 13 held 46 for me on quite a few climbs Saturday. I think that was fair speed.

 

[TGitt]

Great write up!

So in all honesty, would you trade your 12 for the 13? Right now I have an 11 and love it, but the warranty is up. I just don't know if I should get more warranty, or if the improvments are worth snow checking a 13.

On another note, I'm a little disappointed the Assault won't have the belt drive. I wanted an Assault for the suspension, but I think it would be easier to upgrade the suspension rather than put a Belt drive on.

 

[mtnpull]

not at all. in fact its quite the opposite. the sled does exactly what you want it to do. Very stable and controlling. you can wait till the last second to maneuver and it responds like it should.

Agreed. When I have someone getting on a Pro Chassis from any other chassis including other Polaris chassis I always tell them not to force the sled into carves just think about it and shift your weight and it will go. Extremely easy sled to ride. Makes an amateur like me look good.

 

[alt]

Have to be honest......the not being able to gear change IS a big deal. How many guys will look at that as not only limited to gearing, but married to the "happy medium", because it is? Still love the sled, but it could be a game changer at least for me.

 

[phatty]

Great write up!

So in all honesty, would you trade your 12 for the 13? Right now I have an 11 and love it, but the warranty is up. I just don't know if I should get more warranty, or if the improvments are worth snow checking a 13.

On another note, I'm a little disappointed the Assault won't have the belt drive. I wanted an Assault for the suspension, but I think it would be easier to upgrade the suspension rather than put a Belt drive on.

For your style of riding i think you would love the 2013. Once you get it, head over to zbrozs and get you some exit shocks if you want to upgrade. Still a little bummed my 2012 exit shox wont bolt on to the 2013. At least the rear suspension will

Im 100% confident someone will build aftermarket gears for the belt drive. November 2012 is 8 months from now. Thats alot of time. There are people out there that will have access to this sled to get the specs they need to build the gears. Were just going to have to be patient.

 

[CoyoteGirl]

Great write up!

So in all honesty, would you trade your 12 for the 13?

Tough decision, my 2012 isn't a normal 2012... lol Timbersled front and rear suspensions with Zbroz shocks on both, VanAmburg front bumper and rear Boondock Bumper Kit. And then there is my fabulous green wrap.... so, tough decision.

 

[alt]

For your style of riding i think you would love the 2013. Once you get it, head over to zbrozs and get you some exit shocks if you want to upgrade. Still a little bummed my 2012 exit shox wont bolt on to the 2013. At least the rear suspension will

Im 100% confident someone will build aftermarket gears for the belt drive. November 2012 is 8 months from now. Thats alot of time. There are people out there that will have access to this sled to get the specs they need to build the gears. Were just going to have to be patient.

No question someone will build gears. Problem with that is after you buy the gearing you want, you then have to buy a new belt with every change. Are all those different sizes available? Not to my knowledge. This is where the tentioner comes into play. Im as weight concious as they get, and if weight was the reasoning behind no tentioner, that is silly. Even with a tentioner, you can only go one direction as far as belt sizes for that to eliminate purchasing another belt. Smaller gears, the tentioner takes the slack.....bigger gears......?? Not at all trying to be negative, just trying to understand, and put thing into perspective. Thanks!
Dan

 

[tdblakes]

No question someone will build gears. Problem with that is after you buy the gearing you want, you then have to buy a new belt with every change. Are all those different sizes available? Not to my knowledge. This is where the tentioner comes into play. Im as weight concious as they get, and if weight was the reasoning behind no tentioner, that is silly. Even with a tentioner, you can only go one direction as far as belt sizes for that to eliminate purchasing another belt. Smaller gears, the tentioner takes the slack.....bigger gears......?? Not at all trying to be negative, just trying to understand, and put thing into perspective. Thanks!
Dan

See below... Seems like there are plenty of ratios possible w/o changing the belt or adding a tensioner. I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it... I'm sure an aftermarket company will see the business opportunity and step up to fill the void of sprocket options...

Are you worried Gates won't have belts with different lengths to handle those ratios the stock belt wont reach? I can see that being an issue... in which case you would have to get as close as possible with the stock belt and wait for Gates to add options. I agree that would be a bummer and leave you with no options.

****NOTE****According to other test pilots of the '13; and word of mouth from one of the engineers, these numbers are useless as they did not and apparently have no intention of providing more than one ratio for 2013. I for one will not buy a 2013 on that premise alone. Our usually wet heavy coastal snow requires a different ratio than a sled running powder snow in the Rockies at elevation would run, and for them to try and lump us all into one ratio is very short sided stupidity on the design engineers part. So in light of new rumors and information take the following with a grain of salt. It is a system that will work with the center to center distance of the stock sled but it is not apparently what Polaris is going to offer.

PV, I did the math on the new drive and with the stock 11', 12', and presumably 13' CtoC distance and the 70T 11mm Pitch Belt the first ratio shown ratio shown was likely a 26/44 for a ratio of 1.692:1 (a flat lander ratio) from analysis of the photo and referencing the Gates information. Keeping that center to center distance without a tensioner work out as follows;

35/35 for a obvious 1:1 ratio (These first few assume brake clearance)
34/36 for a 1.059:1
33/37 for a 1.121:1
32/38 for a 1.188:1
31/39 for a 1.258:1
30/40 for a 1.333:1
29/41 for a 1.414:1
28/42 for a 1.500:1
27/43 for a 1.593:1
26/44 for a 1.692:1
25/45 for a 1.800:1
24/46 for a 1.917:1
23/47 for a 2.043:1
22/48 for a 2.181:1
21/49 for a 2.333:1
20/50 for a 2.500:1
19/51 for a 2.684:1
18/52 for a 2.888:1
17/53 for a 3.118:1 (nearly the same Pitch diameter as the stock driver so it may not have enough clearance)

All these ratios are using the same 70T belt and no tensioner. As long as the tooth count adds up to 70T (coincidence it is the same as the belt?) you're golden with this design. The first half dozen ratios would be for the flat landers should the design get carried over to those sleds.

I have no inside knowledge of what Polaris has planned. (This is strictly from my personal knowledge of how the Gates belts could be utilized in a prototype drive I've been developing for nearly twenty years waiting for the technology to make it possible).

 

[alt]

Now that would be great if it were to work out that way. I really hate to take the chance it would be that easy, and end up half way through, or even at the end of next season still running what i had to for gearing. Its early, and i know all the information is yet to be released as far as set in stone production, so its a game of wait and see at this point. All i know is i am super excited to possibly put a sled other than a Ski Doo in my trailer. Definetely not getting rid of the XP, but feel Polaris has finally got something to bump the fun factor here and dont want to make the same traditional mistake i usually do by buying a first year guinea pig sled. I have been that guy more than i care to admit..you know...05 RT 1000, 08 XP, etc. Just going to try to keep a possitive attutude, and be patient.

 

[CoyoteGirl]

Another write up on the 2013.

 

[tree-magnet]

155 or 163

I am really going back & forth between 155 or the 163. Had a 09 dragon 800 with the 155, sold it went to the 162 2010 800 cat. Love the power but it plows to much. But love the floatability of the long track, getting older & don't want to work so hard. Love the new polaris chassis, of all of the people who test rode the 2013 how many would go with the longer track? Also nicely written post Brandy, This is a huge decision, my thought is the 163 won't be that much of a issue with the tight turning ratio & flickability. What are your thoughts on this..

 

[tree-magnet]

155 or 163

I am really going back & forth between 155 or the 163. Had a 09 dragon 800 with the 155, sold it went to the 162 2010 800 cat. Love the power but it plows to much for me, need the new style chassis. But like the floatability of the long track, getting older & don't want to work so hard. Love the new polaris chassis, of all of the people who test rode the 2013 how many would go with the longer track? Also nicely written post Brandy, This is a huge decision, my thought is the 163 won't be that much of a issue with the tight turning ratio & flickability. What are your thoughts on this..