POLARIS 2015 Sleds: Photos and Details

[Slick]

20,000 plus options is AWESOME, I'll take the 800 ho in an rmk......wait, okay how about the LED headlights..... damn, Okay how about a 2014 Skidoo xm. Being the king of the mountains also means your sled not only works well, but holds together. Why not put the h.o in the mountains? It can't be any worse than the time bomb 800!!!! Land guys did a little better, electronic power valves from a 98 Srx, lightweight crankshaft from an 02 viper... Electric oil pump is awesome, as are LED lights and lightweight silencer, great stuff there, but hardly a game changer. Skidoo could leave their lineup exactly the same and still win market share.

Doo is already scrambling to maintain the market share they have now. I see it shrinking further the next few years, perhaps if they release a butt ugly all yellow one with the skis damn near touching each other underneath the belly pan and big wide plastic cheeks sticking out the sides, and a few more goofy floppy bendy things to compensate for the flat handling characteristics, maybe they can maintain not lose ground.

 

[HenkeEdge]

I am guessing the Axys bulkhead and bodywork is the future of the Pro.

That will be a sad day in history. Its freaking ugly!

 

[sledneck_03]

On the Polaris website if you do just click on the "overview" for the Assault Switchback, its implies the 800 Cleanfire® Engine. but If you "build" a 800 Assault 144 Switchback you get the 800 Cleanfire® H.O. Engine.... Confusing

you can also build a 163 non pro rmk. Think it doesnt have all the bugs out of that sled builder program yet.

 

[LoudHandle]

you can also build a 163 non pro rmk. Think it doesnt have all the bugs out of that sled builder program yet.

Also as (I believe you) posted in the AXYS Chat thread; The HO with its motor mounts built in will not fit in the current PRO Ride chassis, according to a spokesman for Polaris. So to get the HO for the mountain segment a bulkhead change is in our future, whether the plastics change to the AXYS style plastics remains to be seen.

 

[geo]

I thought I read somewhere that you get all the upgrade picks (fancy shocks, paint, bars) for no extra charge but nothing here??
That would be weird. Something for nothing and a "Golden ticket"?? It's like Polaris is saying thank-you and sorry all at the same time lol.
It's okay Poo, I understand it's hard to beat perfection lol. Thanx for the offer though.
If they keep prices in line, they will sell all they want to make.

One thing is for sure and I'm sure no one could argue this unless your blind, you can make the prettiest sled on the snow for you.

I'm looking forward to Dyno Jim's testing on the HO and more technical data like where the parts are sourced. Hopefully it's all that.

 

[rmscustom]

I wonder if there's any weight savings on the axys bulkhead and motor vs the current one on the RMK?

 

[Mike]

Wish Polaris gave us the ability to change the rail color to black on the stock Assault with the black/grey side panels. Hopefully my dealer can get it done.

 

[LoudHandle]

I wonder if there's any weight savings on the axys bulkhead and motor vs the current one on the RMK?

They claim the 800 HO engine is 3.5 #'s lighter and my best guess is the bulkhead and other applicable parts are lighter also.
All I have is this Pic but I would say yes, it is likely lighter yet. When you look at the current Pro Ride pieces and compare material volumes / sizes. As well as their quote about the entire PRO X fits inside the physical dimensions of the Rush / PRO Ride chassis (other than the wind deflectors).

http://www.polaris.com/en-us/snowmobiles/800-rush-pro-x

 

[RMK935VA]

It is annoying to me that they rolled out the H.O. engine to the flatlanders first. We mountain riders are the ones who needed increased power and lower weight with, I hope, increased reliability. I love my 13 and it has a 4 year warranty. Polaris did not give me any incentive to buy a 15. Maybe/probably next year we will see the H.O. motor in the RMK. I hope so. Meanwhile, my 13 with the 3" Camoplast track and the SLP Mohawk skis is where I will stay.

 

[Jaynelson]

Nothing wrong with it...just was hoping for a little more. Not much more was realistic IMO, but with the buzz it really seemed we were going to see something from the engine room.

Guess I wanted a better reason not to just rebuild the motor on my 2011 and put BM boards on it....kinda on the fence there now.

 

[rmscustom]

It is annoying to me that they rolled out the H.O. engine to the flatlanders first. We mountain riders are the ones who needed increased power and lower weight with, I hope, increased reliability. I love my 13 and it has a 4 year warranty. Polaris did not give me any incentive to buy a 15. Maybe/probably next year we will see the H.O. motor in the RMK. I hope so. Meanwhile, my 13 with the 3" Camoplast track and the SLP Mohawk skis is where I will stay.

I agree... But we are only 30% of the market and the Pro Ride Rush chassis is older than the current RMK.

 

[thumper450]

Bold new graphics and a 60th badge. Has to make em 3 or 4 sled lengths faster?

 

[kylant]

so basically all the RMK gets for next year is BNG?? with snow check you can choose some options and get a voucher for ’16 when all the real changes happen???

 

[Jaynelson]

....and get a voucher for ’16 when all the real changes happen???

That is pretty gimmiky for me....how about just give me a thousand bucks off the one I'm buying?? Not the one I "might buy" next year.

 

[2XM3]

Yea I get to keep my voodoo blue 2014 for at least 1 more season !! I really thought we would at minimum see a power increase, oh well.......

 

[Newby2sleds]

A little disappointed..... I know I'm bitching but they could have at least updated the plastics to the newer style. Really nothing new other than "customization" and colour combos.... wwwoopppeee

 

[Devilmanak]

It seems disappointing, but like was posted, shorties are a larger majority of the market, so what they did makes sense.
Not many 2015 Pros are going to be sold compared to the previous 4 years. Polaris knows this and offers a bribe of a discount on a 2016 in order to bandaid what will be low sales for 2015.
To be fair, the 2014 sled had a very large amount of new/updated part numbers over the 2013. I know because I have parted them both and looked up all the numbers. That means that things are improved and updated, even if they are not talked about at snowcheck time. I am sure that Polaris has made improvements over the 2014 models, even if it is not advertised. Plus, advertising improvements does not help dealers sell the 2014 sleds they do have left.
Personally, I think the best thing they could have done is fixed the unreliable engine, added a couple pounds of aluminum to the tunnel, and advertised a "reliable" 2014 model as a 2015 release. It would sell big.
Not everyone has problems with their Pros, but I see what does happen/fail, and it is not acceptable for any manufacturer. Arms are still coming unglued, ECU and TPS failures left and right, tunnels folding, engines going boom, primaries coming apart.....
People were talking the other day about one that had issues, and it was commented that "It does have 2000 miles on it", like 2000 miles is an acceptable lifespan for a sled. If so, most of us will spend $12K a year on a new sled and it will be used up and thrown in the garbage by the end of the season!

 

[mountainhorse]

Don't necessarily bank on 2016 as THE year.

I am taking this as something big is coming out next year in the MTN segment. The writing is on the wall for it!

Sucks it didn't happen this year but by next yr the new 800HO will have had a year of testing and any bugs worked out, I am guessing the Axys bulkhead and bodywork is the future of the Pro.

2016 is going to be a great year for the rmk, 800 ho motor, new body, rolled chain case and bigger track!!,

Why did they go with electronically controlled power valves? That's one thing I always disliked about cats set up( frayed cables, bad servo motor, etc).
More parts to break.... I'd rather have Polaris be conservative on their 60th rather then what happened to cats 50th.

so basically all the RMK gets for next year is BNG?? with snow check you can choose some options and get a voucher for ’16 when all the real changes happen???

I've heard the rumors and I've seen some images from the field of prototypes for the future the same as others "in the know" on here. Some old some new. This indicates a direction of thought, but not of actual production offerings per se. The engineers are pushing the envelope and I've seen some pretty amazing, awesome wild ideas on the snow in some remote places that never made it to reality... from all the manufacturers.

Plain and simple... The "Golden ticket" is for 2016 AND 2017 purchases.

There are some top-level dealers out there telling their racers and regular clients they have seen the future production sleds... not the case... what they have seen are prototypes. The dealers that might have some direct exposure to to engineers and some proto offerings are not privy to the "bean counters" decisions for what makes it to production and what does not. The top dealers and DSM's were "off" in 2009/10 for what hit the snowcheck brochures for the 2011 sleds.

The engineers would love to pull off a 320lb, 190 hp, mountain shredder that beats all... In reality, that decision is pushed by them.. but NOT made by them (much to the engineers chagrin).

Dealers, even the best ones, don't know what comes out the next year from the decisions that a publicly traded company that is affected by production considerations, market share, unit cost vs. sales price/volume.

Before the PRO Chassis RMK's came out the rumors abounded from the same sources. Rumors like the 2011's having 3" tracks, belt drives, new electronic clutches, 900cc engines, Direct injection, factory turbos etc.

Some of the predictions came true, some didn't and none of them ended up in the 2011's... HMM...

There is a strong likelihood of the 2016 PRO RMK/RMK/Assault remaining with the current engine and chassis and that 2017 will be the year of the new release.

As far as the engines or chassis being shared on the Mountain and trail sleds....That also is a big "what if".... In my conversations with Polaris, they made it clear that the focus of future sled design will be more market specific and designs will be specifically targeted towards that segment... Meaning... truly don't expect a 2017/16 mountain sled from Polaris to a long-tracked version of the AXYS-Rush.

Electronically controlled power valves... gives more precise control over the exhaust valves... helps with power delivery and with emissions... The emissions is a big thing... To meet CAFE standards, It is possible that the flatlanders will have one type of control system and the Mountain segment will have another.

For the Arctic Cat servo-valve comparison... an analogy.... Just because "Chevy may have an issue with something in their trucks does not mean that the same thing will be an issue in a Ford"... if you follow my meaning. Cats servo system is not the same.

For me, personally, I'm glad that the 800HO engine for 2016/17 will be tested and proven in consumers hands. A mountain sled, which...in the consumers hands... will be used from sea level to over 12000' requires a much more developed ECU program (MAP) to allow the sled to not only perform in the wide variety of altitude/temp/snow conditions...but hold together in the hands of consumers that "can break an anvil with a rubber hammer"

The "Golden Ticket" allows current buyers to have, in effect, a Loyalty discount for a future mountain-segment purchase so that they have peace of mind and satisfaction that they've purchased wisely for their needs.. A very similar program was run by Polaris in 2011 for the same amount... and a new sled was not looming in 2012.

Could an all-new sled come out for 2016...absolutely... could that year of release be 2017... absolutely again.

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[trackvs2wheels]

Can anyone answer the warranty question yet???

Snowcheck = 4 year???????????

 

[mountainhorse]

I'm really liking this one... A custom RMK .... Low bars, the orange/black color scheme, low windshield, Colored tunnels, upgraded bumpers, Colored accents (springs/rails/spindles/ski-tips), "Assault-stlye" piggyback shocks, RMK width ski stance, and chaincase, front tunnel cooler, with a 163

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