IQ vs Pro

[rjkoll]

So I just sold my sled and I am trying to decide which route I should go with for the next one. I am trying to decide between an 09-10 D8 or a high millage pro. If I were to do the Dragon I would put SLP pipe/can and boondocker box on it and probably do some clutching which would put me at about $6300 total for the D8 I am looking at. The pro I am looking at was a rental this season and has 3500+ miles and is going for $7000. I am in college so my budget is very limited and I do not want to spend the extra money for the pro unless it is definitely worth it. So my question is, is it worth spending the extra money for a high milleage pro? Will a pipe/boondocker/clutching on the D8 bridge the gap between the two sleds?

 

[Scott]

If you CAN swing it...I'd get the Pro, but that's just my opinion.
If CAN afford it, then go ride both.

Have you ridden both? Do that, and then let that help you make your decision.

 

[rjkoll]

My last sled was an 08 600 rmk so I am used to the iq chassis and I like the way it handles. I have had very limited time on the pro, I liked it better than the iq but it didn't completely blow my mind when I rode it.

Unfortunately I am from the midwest so I don't have any more opportunities to try both sleds so I kind of just have to go off of what people recommend.

 

[tdblakes]

for $700 I would get a Pro... I think you'll be ahead in the long run

 

[WyoPro]

You can't compare the two. Coming off an 09 D8 163 the Pro took everything I loved about the D8 and made it much lighter (40lbs). As far as handeling, I think the chassis behaves similar but being 3x stiffer the same move requires much less effort and it will hold a line where the IQ chassis will not.

 

[rjkoll]

handling aside, will the pro outperform a dragon with slp/pc5/clutching?

 

[tdblakes]

Yes... And without having to deal with dialing in maps... Just right out the box

 

[mountainhorse]

Please do a search...

Use the advanced function and search "Polaris"

This topic has been covered MANY times.

 

[AndrettiDog]

Couple things here...

First off, I think the D8 can be a great machine, but it does need a few things (camo track, suspension changes, head mod, PCV, etc.). Make sure you get a smoking deal on that sled. There are a lot of guys trying to unload IQ sleds these days. They all wanted to wait and see if the Pro was going to pan out. Now they know and their old iron isn't worth much. Keep that in mind if you buy an IQ. They just don't pull in much money these days.

The Pro is worth all the hype. But it depends on your skill level. If cost were not a factor I'd say just buy it. But if you are just getting your boondocking skills and haven't ridden much (plus your limited budget) you might look at the IQ, XP, Rev and M chassis sleds. None are as good as the Pro, but you will find some deals out there.

As far as high mileage Pro sleds, that is something everyone is wondering about. What happens when they surpass 2000 miles? So far so good for most of us. I'm always leary about buying a rental sled and avoid it myself. It's not just the condition of the chassis, but the way people ride sleds. I'm talking about fast cold starts and constant RPM's versus a guy who warms his sled up, blips the throttle, stays out of long hard pulls, etc.

Good luck.

 

[rjkoll]

Thanks for the good insight BugIto. I consider myself to be a pretty experienced rider and my riding skills can definitely take advantage of the handling qualities the pro has. You also bring up a good point that the value of the dragon is going to be next to nothing very soon. Like you also mentioned, it is risky going with a rental sled because you know that people have not taken care of it like they should, especially since the one I would buy would likely be around 4000 miles. At this many miles, who knows how long the motor/suspension is going to last and I also would not have very much money for any catastrophic failures. The D8 I am looking at already has slp/pc5, better boards, and holz a-arms and I can get it for $5800. A few more hundred dollars in performance parts and I am still well under the price of the high millage pro. This had me leaning towards the D8 until a lot of people said they think that the stock pro is still better than this setup, so that is where the decision has become a little more difficult.

 

[GoBigParts]

Well I bought my first RMK IQ as a less than a year old rental. It had like 3500 miles on it. I did not have any problems with it even though it had higher than new milage. I think I found a flaw in the clutch that I had to replace and that was it. I liked it so well the next year I bought a brand new IQ.

 

[sykosledhead]

Like MH said but to just throw in my .02, it depends on your riding. Over all, don't waste your time and money on a dragon. Go for a pro no matter what and have fun. I base this on the fact my dragon is down right now with a bad motor, I got 50 miles on new top end, snapped a crank and hope it doesn't happen again and I also am a college student. just go with a pro and enjoy.

syko

 

[Clarke673]

Couple things here...

First off, I think the D8 can be a great machine, but it does need a few things (camo track, suspension changes, head mod, PCV, etc.). Make sure you get a smoking deal on that sled. There are a lot of guys trying to unload IQ sleds these days. They all wanted to wait and see if the Pro was going to pan out. Now they know and their old iron isn't worth much. Keep that in mind if you buy an IQ. They just don't pull in much money these days.

The Pro is worth all the hype. But it depends on your skill level. If cost were not a factor I'd say just buy it. But if you are just getting your boondocking skills and haven't ridden much (plus your limited budget) you might look at the IQ, XP, Rev and M chassis sleds. None are as good as the Pro, but you will find some deals out there.

As far as high mileage Pro sleds, that is something everyone is wondering about. What happens when they surpass 2000 miles? So far so good for most of us. I'm always leary about buying a rental sled and avoid it myself. It's not just the condition of the chassis, but the way people ride sleds. I'm talking about fast cold starts and constant RPM's versus a guy who warms his sled up, blips the throttle, stays out of long hard pulls, etc.

Good luck.

x2. the reason they are selling the rental sled is because it has reached a point where it may start to fail and cause issues which no longer makes it worth owning to them. If they felt comfortable pulling another year on the sled they would.

 

[ryan_625]

When it comes down to it, the PRO is a much better sled than the IQ. I had an 08 D8 and traded it in on a PRO after riding one for the first time. In your situation though I would rather go with something I know the history of, the peace of mind that comes with not always thinking about whether or not your sled is going to leave you stranded or not is HUGE in my opinion. With the PCV D8's are pretty reliable in my experience.

 

[rjkoll]

well I guess this where my question really is. Is the performance difference between the dragon and the pro enough to make it worth taking the risk with a high millage rental pro rmk? There is no doubt that the pro is a better sled, but given my situation, I have to weigh in the risk that I would be taking with either sled.

 

[tdblakes]

shouldn't the rental have 1 yr left of engine warranty?

 

[rjkoll]

that is definitely something I will have to look into. I am not sure how warranty works with rental sleds. thanks for pointing that out!

 

[Clarke673]

you can buy extended warranties... if i were you in your situation... id sell your sled NOW. and buy a "rental" pro in about july.

 

[goforbroke]

Rentals only have one year warranty. If I were you, i'd put out an ad looking for a pro and offer 7500. I'd be willing to bet in June or July you'll find someone needing the money. The pro rocks, but all non rentals have a 2nd year engine warranty. 3 years ago I wanted an xp and I picked one up in July for6200 with 600 miles. Sold it the next year for 6500 with a pipe. I saw one locally sold for 8k. Good luck. Love my sled.

 

[AndrettiDog]

Rentals only have one year warranty. If I were you, i'd put out an ad looking for a pro and offer 7500. I'd be willing to bet in June or July you'll find someone needing the money. The pro rocks, but all non rentals have a 2nd year engine warranty. 3 years ago I wanted an xp and I picked one up in July for6200 with 600 miles. Sold it the next year for 6500 with a pipe. I saw one locally sold for 8k. Good luck. Love my sled.

2nd that. I told you that the D8's can be good sleds and I believe that. But they do not compare to the Pro. I just don't like the idea of a 4,000 mile rental sled even if it is a Pro.