Pro 600 155" vs RMK 600 155"

[Pownar]

I'm buying this sled for the wife so she likes to take it easy and our trails to the goods can be pretty setup. I'm trying to find out the main differences between the two and if saving $600 can buy her aftermarket controls and get rid of that brake/headlight/mode/heater combo from hell. I could always sell her shocks new and give her my shocks of my pro skid and upgrade. I'm not worried about the money as much as the cooling for her style of riding.




Here's what I know and don't know:


Pro / RMK
1) (Handlebars) Protaper Riser/ old style
2) (Controls) on dash / Retarded old style
3) (Display) secure mode ? ? (same?)
4) (Jackshaft) lighter with brake / Heavier
5) (Shocks) WE coils / Crappier
6) (Cooling) lacking Front bulkhead / front bulkhead
7) (Wheels Scratchers ) + 2 more sets/ no scratchers


Please correct me if I'm wrong and help me decide if I should buy the pro and add a cooler or buy the std and change controls.


Thanks

 

[mtnpull]

I have a number of standards in my rental fleet. Even with the extra cooler you will want scratchers down on the trail. They are way easy to overheat even with the extra cooler. Personally I would probably buy the standard and use the extra $600 to put into the areas you are most concerned with upgrading. Why pay for shocks if she doesn't need them? Buy the standard upgrade the bars etc and pay for what you want. JMO.

 

[gcmci]

I have a number of standards in my rental fleet. Even with the extra cooler you will want scratchers down on the trail. They are way easy to overheat even with the extra cooler. Personally I would probably buy the standard and use the extra $600 to put into the areas you are most concerned with upgrading. Why pay for shocks if she doesn't need them? Buy the standard upgrade the bars etc and pay for what you want. JMO.

IMO X2

 

[mountainhorse]

RSI makes a switch kit... but the whole thing is pretty expensive because you need to get a new brake Master Cylinder.

Other than cleaning things up a bit on the bars in terms of wires going up the bars... what is it that puts you off so much about the left hand control cluster on the STD.

To me.. It would be easier to add an FTX rear cooler on a PRO 600 than to change out all the other controls/bars etc. on the Std. IMO, more surface area at the rear cooler will get the job done equally as well as the bulkhead cooler.

With your description of her riding... I'd add on some bogie wheel sets but agree that the scratchers really do the job. I have had good luck with The Between the Lines Designs "SlideKicks" scratchers... much more user friendly.. (yes I had a pair of the original designs slidekicks that did not work well too) You can leave them down without the "oh chit" situation when you put it in reverse.

Are you building it for her or building yourself a "backup"... lol.





.

 

[Pownar]

Haha, all guys think alike, huh! I might ride it one or two times, lol. I would like to be able to hop on it and it have enough balls so I can at least ride it out of a deep hole if she gets into a sticky situation.

I had her on a Pro and it was so much easier for her to get across off camber stuff than my D7. She's not really sidehilling yet but I think it will help her. I think the steering effort is that much easier for her.

I've busted up two of those left hand all-in-ones and just think they are very plasticky. I don't mind where everything is, it's just that they don't stay together. I also like the STD RMK Riser/bars setup because when you roll them, they tend to lay the bars over rather than breaking the steering column.

I think adding that extra cooler will be good insurance.

I like your idea about the slidekicks too. There is no way I see her putting scratchers off and on depending on snow conditions. Can those things just hang all day in the powder or do they hit the track a bit?

Thanks

 

[mtnpull]

Just because you busted up a couple of those "plasticky" controls doesn't mean she will. I have yet to have one damaged on a rental and they are, well, rentals.

She for sure will be able to side hill it much better.

As for you being able to hop on and get it out of a hole, you shouldn't have any worries. With the lack of snow this winter I failed to buy myself an 800 (first time in 8 years). I am now riding one of my standard rmk 600's from my rental fleet and it is rather impressive. I can hang with all my buddies riding their 8's.

Should be a great sled for her.....and you.

 

[catmann]

rmk

For the price difference I would go standard and make upgrades she wants.
We rented a standard 600 for my wife and I was uber impressed with shock combo compared to the pro. Even though they are the cheaper shocks they really worked well and it could pretty much do anything that I could do. It actually wanted to carry the skis a little more which I liked. Polaris didn't skimp on the calibration.

I liked the standard lower bars vs. the pro tapers anyway.

Either way standard or pro with the new rmks you can't really go wrong.

 

[Super A]

Standard

I bought a 600 standard for my wife, she likes the handlebar height and width, seems the pro's are a little tall and wide for her. It's much easier to sidehill and more comfortable on the trail for her.

My 2 cents

A

 

[AndrettiDog]

I have heard that the standard 600 RMK has the old skid from the 600 IQ RMK chassis. I do not know if that is true. Perhaps mountainhorse or someone else can confirm. If this is true, I would much rather have the Pro 600 RMK. I think that skid does wonders on the 800 and is certainly worth the upgrade cost. I also think the WE coil overs are good shocks for women and light riders. I swapped to X1's because I bottomed the WE's out too much and wanted more resistance than I would get in a revalve. I like the Pro Tapers and controls better than what's on the standard RMK. If you are penny pinching I can see getting the standard. Otherwise, I would do the Pro RMK.

 

[Pownar]

The skid is the same on the 155" Pro and RMK. I think the 144 is the old style. The money isn't what's swaying me in a direction, it's what will work best for a my wife.

Does anyone know if the display is different in any way?

 

[mtnpull]

The skid is the same on the 155" Pro and RMK. I think the 144 is the old style. The money isn't what's swaying me in a direction, it's what will work best for a my wife.

Does anyone know if the display is different in any way?

Gauge cluster / instrument cluster is the same.

 

[Nvr2deep]

Go pro with wheels and scratchers my wife loves it can't go wrong. Sidekicks don't work!

 

[1080paul]

Are the differences the same on the 800's? I'm looking at a 2011 RMK800 to see if I like it. I ride in the UP of MI so cooling is a must! Personally I like the look of the standard vs the Pro in 2011...I like the black.

Help a Cat guy decide! I know zero about these sleds.

 

[Pownar]

Does the pro have more track to tunnel clearance due to the fact it has no bulkhead cooler?