out with two pros yesterday, how they compare to the etec

[AndrettiDog]

Hey Ricks,

Good information. I always thought the Doo went straight up beat up hills very well because of great stability (that contributed to tough sidehilling). My buddy can "park" his Pro on a steep side hill and said he would never do it with his Doo. It just had a mind of it's own at times (don't they all!).

I was curious how you felt coming off of your M8. Did you still favor your M8 (you have been used to that chassis) or did you feel "naturally" better on the Pro? Coming from my D8 it was a very easy transition to the Pro. It does everything the IQ did well plus so much more.

 

[Ricks 32]

Naturally, the Pro is a better fit. I've had an IQ and I rode Polaris from '95 til '09. I've been able to acclimate to almost any sled I've rode. The Rev and XP required some seat time but the Pro is very easy to feel comfortable on right away.

I liked the IQ chassis, Cat just offered more power (M1000) and my M8 is turboed and I haven't rode it but up the trail a little bit. So most of my experience has been with the 1000 which gives up a lot of weight to the Pro. I'm a healthy lad at 6'2" 213lbs, probably 225 with gear on. My 1000 should be right at 465 lbs dry. I really like the M chassis, especially on the sidehill. Carving in the powder through meadows, tree's and creeks the Pro is easier to ride. It almost makes you lazy. The M is good here too, just takes more work from the rider.

So do I feel "naturally better" on the Pro? No offense here, but I think the guy who can ride the M and the XP in the places a great rider will take a Pro is naturally better. I do think the Pro would give most guys more confidence in technical riding than the other chassis' from Cat and Doo. Plain and simple: the Pro is the best feeling, lightest and tightest chassis out right now. The geometry is just right on the Pro. Foot placement, handlebars and balance are spot on. This is how my simple mind works: the Pro is the Honda CRF450 of the sled world. It doesn't have the most power, but it has the best feel, best ergonomics, best balance, lightest weight and most confidence inspiring. Pro guys should be screaming for joy...your sled is the best feeling sled. Most "unbiased, honest" mountain riders will tell you so.

Now, I feel I've given some good love to the Pro. Let me say that the XP is a great sled and under a good rider the Pro really won't have many advantages. XP guys should stay calm, there sled is great, the only limitation on the XP is the rider

The Cat feels bigger and on the trail and is not comparable to either the Pro or XP. But I could care less about the trail like most of you. I still think the Cat will take a sidehill better than a Pro. The Pro is excellent on a sidehill, but I think the Cat will cling to a steeper slope. I played with this yesterday on a very steep slope and I could sidehill the M sled in between some trees that I just couldn't get the Pro to stay level on. It was dang steep too. However, I do feel that it may have been more of a power or traction factor b/c I don't feel the chassis was holding me back. Again, the M I rode is dialed, it's a full SLP kit M1000 with weight taken off. The only place my M had an advantage was a steep sidehill and obviously climbing. We didn't have any M8's without turbo's to get a feel for. Cat guys, relax. Your sled is still really good. If your thing is sidehilling I think you still have an advantage, although if a Pro guy puts a PC on his sled you'll have company.

I'm keeping the M sled's for now. Most of the guys a ride with are slender hipped little farts in the 160 lbs range and between me and my sled we probably have an extra 100 lbs on them. As good as the Pro is, it's gonna take some serious track poaching for me to get over some of the same hills my 1000 will pack me over. But my M1000 is paid for ....If I was buying a new sled today the Pro would be my pick.

Happy sledding all........

 

[wilsonck]

good review.

 

[fredw]

just got back tonight and we found the pros could not get with in 25 feet of the doos in hill climbing, the poo rider said hands down...etec wins

Had a great ride today and we had 3 Pro's and an Etec out today. 1 of the Pro's was on the first ride. What a fun day this was. Everybody was excited to be on great sleds that worked well. The Pro riders especially.

I'm not into debating which sled is better, all the 800's are very good. So far, after 3 great rides in great snow, the "mountain dyno" has revealed to me that the difference in power between the Pro and the Doo is minimal, if there is a difference. The Doo sounds better. The Pro is crazy light. The differences between the two are many, however the results on the hill are the same. In a straight line climb in powder without track poaching, they put the same mark on the hill. When climbing in rough tracked out hills trying to punch a trail to the top, the Doo handles the rough sections great, especially when going straight. So does the Pro. Maneuvering the Doo through switchback sections does take a lot more effort and rider feedback than the Pro. In really technical sections on a steep slope, the Pro is easier to ride. The Doo will get the job done, it just takes more effort from the rider.

After riding 5 different Pro's this year, they have all felt the same. Effortless when riding through the trees, they sidehill great. The best way I can describe riding a Pro is comparing it to a jet ski. They feel a lot a like. The Doo and Cat feel like a snowmobile. Still fun, you just sweat a little more.

I ride an '09 and '10 Cat. They work great in the deep snow. The Pro does handle better. The lighter weight is very noticeable on the Pro. I'm not a brand loyal rider at all. I like to ride a great sled that will get me where I want to go and still make it to the parking lot at day's end. I love the '09 and newer Cats, but the bar has been raised. Great job to Polaris. They have set the new benchmark in handling and they set it high. We will all benefit from this b/c Cat and Doo will have to step it up.

Now that Polaris can rest for a year or two with the Pro chassis, hopefully they work on a big bore . If I was a turbo installer, I'd be jumping all over the Pro b/c the Pro on boost will be the ultimate.

 

[Slick]

We also just got back from a great day ride, lots of snow, some big climbs. Well the top half of the big climbs were pretty much exclusive Pro's, the Etec 2 fellas tried hard, sorta like a young steer , but they couldn't compete. But thank god they were there, those muffpots on those new etecs are friggen awesome. The etec fellas couldn't get up anyway so we put our hot-pockets in the muffpots and gotr them to play around in the smaller hills and lower meadows, when we got sick of climbing, we came down and had a nice hot lunch. I say , Yay Etec.

 

[Snodawg]

 

[polaris1]

FRED W

LAST TIME YOU WERE BEATING THE PRO BY 50 FEET! DID YOUR SLED LOSE SOME POWER OR WHAT! I RIDE WITH AN ETEC AND WE ARE BOTH THE SAME WEIGHT AND IN UNTOUCHED POWDER ON A HILL DRAG WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE. I FEEL LIKE IN MOST CONDITIONS I COULD TAKE HIM BUT THAT STIFFER TRACK MIGHT GET ME IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

 

[fredw]

we will be comming your way shortly, where do you ride, you can see it first hand, and then their is no more speculations.... pm me

LAST TIME YOU WERE BEATING THE PRO BY 50 FEET! DID YOUR SLED LOSE SOME POWER OR WHAT! I RIDE WITH AN ETEC AND WE ARE BOTH THE SAME WEIGHT AND IN UNTOUCHED POWDER ON A HILL DRAG WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE. I FEEL LIKE IN MOST CONDITIONS I COULD TAKE HIM BUT THAT STIFFER TRACK MIGHT GET ME IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

we will be comming your way shortly, where do you ride, you can see it first hand, and then their is no more speculations.... pm me

is your sled bone stock?..and how would anybody know for sure? I am sure that in certain snow conditions one sled could out perform the other and in other conditions the opposite did better...but it seems that the majority of reveiws have come back with the pro on top...honestly..does it really matter that much to you?..honestly..I ride with all makes..poo,doo, cat, and yammy..for me its more about the peeps..and the adventure..not about who has the highest mark...

 

[fredw]

your correct, it does not matter, as for mods i have a ypipe and can

i drove a pro up one little climb threw the trees, it felt good and was stable, i find the etec to unstable, and will be widing the skis a bit, good snow today, and etec got ontop i thought quicker, still having a issue with the stering

other than that both sleds were equal

is your sled bone stock?..and how would anybody know for sure? I am sure that in certain snow conditions one sled could out perform the other and in other conditions the opposite did better...but it seems that the majority of reveiws have come back with the pro on top...honestly..does it really matter that much to you?..honestly..I ride with all makes..poo,doo, cat, and yammy..for me its more about the peeps..and the adventure..not about who has the highest mark...

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

your correct, it does not matter, as for mods i have a ypipe and can

i drove a pro up one little climb threw the trees, it felt good and was stable, i find the etec to unstable, and will be widing the skis a bit, good snow today, and etec got ontop i thought quicker, still having a issue with the stering

other than that both sleds were equal

what impresses me the most...is cat, doo and poo for the first time that I can remember..all have excellent 800 mountain sleds available at the same time..and all are excellent sleds....

 

[hillking]

just got back tonight and we found the pros could not get with in 25 feet of the doos in hill climbing, the poo rider said hands down...etec wins

Not here the pro wins everytime.. I don't even own one.