M8 snow pro or Polaris 800 RMK Dragon

[05Tacoma]

LOL SKIDOO 10 yrs ahead of CAT.... riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...
.. with regards to this thread though, can't honestly say i've been on a new d8 but i do love my m1k 162. handles like a dream.

 

[Snocross 100]

Open mouth... insert foot. Chew vigorously.


I have been a fan of the RMK line for the past 8 years. And I own and love an 08 700 Dragon. That being said, I would recommend the 09 M8 over the 800 Dragon any day. I have spent quite a bit of time on the 09 M8 and IMO it is the best all around package (stock or lightly modded) out there. The handling is excellent with the fox shock package and the motor is strong and reliable.
Take a look at the Grand Mesa/Thunder MT. thread in the CO. section and you will see the type of terrain and riders in our group. You will aslo see that we have good riders on a variety of excellent sleds. Including the 800 Dragon and the 09 M8. Buy the Cat. IMO

I agree 100% I have not owned anything but a polaris since 1996 When i bought a 600 RMK XLT 136" but i wold not ride a new 800 if they gave it to me there not any more reliable than a 06 900! Id buy one of the brand new 06 900s sitting at my local dealer, at least then it would peform good till it blew on me!! Now my 2008 700 155" is a completely diffrent story, I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! You could not trade me a 2009 M8 for it any day, all i have done to it since I bought it is change the chain case oil at the end of the season and the same with the belt and spark plugs neither needed changed I just like to take care of it so i did. And 2000 miles later and it still looks and rides like the day i bought it! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[07Switchback600CFI]

Thanks for all of the great opinions and recommendations! I am currently looking at a 2009 M8 sno pro 153 with 235 miles on it. Dealer says it is in new condition...stored in an enclosed trailer. Warranty until December 2010. Dealer wants $8800 firm. I am wondering if this is a decent price...I know people have purchased new for $9400. Any thoughts...

 

[wasatchrider]

Thanks for all of the great opinions and recommendations! I am currently looking at a 2009 M8 sno pro 153 with 235 miles on it. Dealer says it is in new condition...stored in an enclosed trailer. Warranty until December 2010. Dealer wants $8800 firm. I am wondering if this is a decent price...I know people have purchased new for $9400. Any thoughts...

8000 max if you can find a dealer with a hold over 09 you could probably get it for 8500 brand new

as for the dragon mine has 1500 trouble free miles so i guess im a one of the lucky ones ill be running the same sled next year

 

[Steamboat-RN]

Thanks for all of the great opinions and recommendations! I am currently looking at a 2009 M8 sno pro 153 with 235 miles on it. Dealer says it is in new condition...stored in an enclosed trailer. Warranty until December 2010. Dealer wants $8800 firm. I am wondering if this is a decent price...I know people have purchased new for $9400. Any thoughts...

I agree. 8000/8250 max. 253 miles is NOT new condition. A lot can happen in 250 miles. Depends on the rider. In this economy and at this time of year he will be lucky to get 8k. He will sit on it all summer and then sell it for 8k next fall. Any mods? Pipe, can, y-pipe..etc
If you look around a bit you should be able to find a left-over. If you buy from the dealer you have to add tax to the price as well. If you're buying used, go private or out of state.

 

[Steamboat-RN]

Here's one.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=5965370&cat=146&lpid=6
8000 new.

 

[beefspots]

Listen hear you hillbilly _unt Arcticfx was talking like AC owns the mountains when it is not even close. The only sleds that will touch the XP's in the really steep and deep are turboed cats and dragons and turbo fourstrokes. Stock sled equal rider the xps dominate all day long period. So maybe one day I will come down to wyoming to do some riding and stick my foot up your hillbilly brand loyal stupid a_ _!!!

Ok your right oh mighty Ski Doo lover.....................Talk about brand loyalty!

 

[Steamboat-RN]

Ok your right oh mighty Ski Doo lover.....................Talk about brand loyalty!

Don't bother. Most likely some 14y/o loser with a keyboard stirring up crap. Ignore him and maybe he will just leave when the short bus comes to pick him up for school.
No point in censure. 12 posts and nearly all just talking trash.
Just a parking lot poser. Easy to talk big on the net.

 

[Frostbite]

This post is interesting.

After riding a modded RX-1M for 7 trouble free seasons, I just had to have a new "lighter" mountain sled. I really wanted to wait until Yamaha came out with their 2010 models before I pulled the trigger. Let's just say, Yamaha's 2010 release didn't make me do backflips.

I had been doing so already but, I really researched the Skidoo's (since I grew up riding them and had one several years ago). I really liked the Blue and White XP 154" but, the after reading Dootalk and the Snowest Skidoo forum, all the posts on the seemingly ongoing engine and clutching related issues (yes, the clutching is somewhat better for 09) more or less scared me away from Skidoo this time around (I really wanted to ride one though).

Then I focused on my number two choice, the 09 Polaris 800 Dragon. I almost fell for a red 09 800 Assault (I love they way they look) but, the track was a bit stiff and a bit short for my application and the ski stance was a bit wide and there was no mountain bar. This might be a great sled for your application?

So, I read everyhting I could find on the Polaris forums and I was really shocked to read of all the problems with the engines on the 09 800's. I had no idea Polaris was having problems with their 800 motor. My buddy has a 09 700 and loves his sled. The 08 800's don't seem to have the same issues.

I have always hated Cats! Growing up in Northern Minnesota in the late 60's and early 70's we rode Skidoos and my neighbors rode Cats. My dad worked at the Skidoo dealer/lumberyard and it was in my blood very early in my life to hate Cats. I always called them "ditch pickles" because they always seemed to be broken down on the side of the trail!

Much to my amazement, after probably hundreds of hours of reading everyone elses mail, It dawned on me that Cat seemed to have the least amount of engine problems and perhaps the most relaible 800cc two stroke engine. Huh, who knew? Cat relaiblity was an oxymoron to me, for sure.

For months, I had called every dealer of every brand within 100 miles and asked them for some type of demo ride before I made my decision. I didn't have much luck. Only one dealer finally called me back. The Cat dealer in a small town 50 miles away. He was kind enough to take me out on a 09 M8 Sno Pro and a 09 M1000 Sno Pro.

I rode the sleds and to make a very long story short. I was shocked to find I liked the M8 better.

So to be absolutely sure, I badgered the daylights out of the Skidoo and Polaris dealers one more time for a chance to ride their products. No luck.

So, the small dealer that offered me the demo ride made me a deal I couldn't refuse on a white 09 M8 Sno Pro 153" and I bought it. It came with a Boss seat and an SLP pipe. I like it for the most part. The power seems good with the SLP pipe and I can say for sure that it makes me a lot better rider than trying to herd my very manly RX-1M with a 162" camo extreme around the mountains.

The Fox float shocks on the M8 are light but, they aren't so hot for ride quality. Fett brothers makes a little reservoir that screws onto the servicing port of the shocks. It provides more air for the shocks and they work much better. They are under $80 a pair. Nextech also makes an adjustable pair that are the cat's pajamas but, they are just under $300 a pair.

The stock seat is pretty low and supposedly sucks. Mine came with a Boss seat so I can't explain the differences in riding positon.

The adjustable handlebars is great idea! It was one of the things that drew me to the Sno Pro. The adjustability is great, especially for your application) but, the wiggling all over the place (the mounts keep coming lose) and the breaking of some of the bars has me wondering if I'm going to keep mine on the sled. Great idea worth saving but, the design could use an engineering update.

Now, that I have the adjsutable bars (and the Snow Pro) if I had a do over, I'd probably save the money and buy the standard (if you don't hate Arctic Cat green like I do). The standard M8 has coil over shocks and non adjustable bars. Thye may be too high for your application?

I still wish I had gotten to ride the other brands before buying but, I do like my M8. I think a Polaris Assault or an Arctic Cat M8 HCR (get the two year waranty with either) might be just right for your application.

Good luck chosing. Sorry for the book.

 

[07Switchback600CFI]

Thanks for all your great replies! I ended up picking up a used 09 RMK 700. I think that I will be very happy with my choice.

Now all I have to do is sell the switchback!

 

[beefspots]

Keep this thread going I'm also on the fence between the two.

Thanks

 

[Alaskan_awd]

I switched to Cat for next season, I snowchecked an M8 LE. Right now I ride an 07 Switchback. My dad has an 08 700 RMK 155", he loves it, and if they still had the 700 I probably would have went with it, but the 800 is too much of a gamble.

I love the IQ Raw chassis, the way it carves just fits my riding style. I haven't had any seat time on an M-series sled, but I am sure it was the right choice for me. From what I have read and every one I have talked to Polaris and Cat handle very much alike in the deep. None of my riding is on the trails so I could care less about how it feels on the way to the fun stuff, I just want it to perform in the trees and on the hills. Besides, it's pretty easy to throw in an aftermarket skid.

My biggest worry is that the seat won't be tall enough, the 08 RMK has the perfect seat height IMO and I think even the new cat seat will be a little lower. I also don't care for the telescoping handle bars, it is a good idea, but they do wiggle and I am tall so I will need them out all the way at the very least. My switchback has the adjustable (front to back) handlebars and they wiggle like crazy, it drives me nuts. I may have to switch them out with good old solid risers if possible.

 

[Mcx Nytro]

I currently have a 2007 Polaris Switchback 600 CFI 144 in track that scored both pistons and took out one cylinder this past season. I live in North Dakota. All of my friends head out west to ride. I would like to go with next year, but I doubt that I will be able to make more than 2 trips a year. I have been debating on getting a mountain sled, but I still want to ride around here as well. The Liberty 800 engine makes me nervous as Polaris has not come out with a definitive fix. My friend has an 2008 M8 sno pro that he loves, but he says it sucks for riding around this area. The 2010 M8s look sweet, but it is the first year with a high output engine...so I am leary of AC as well. I think I could put a deeper lug track on my current sled, but I am not sure what that entails or if I have to purchase additional parts besides a track. Any suggestions? Anyone from ND that has either RMK or M8 that rides around here as well?

Have you been reading the polaris forums lately>>>might wanna check them out B4 you spend your$$$$