PRO vs RMK... Worth It???

[JSun]

Sorry if this has been discussed before. After reading the discussion regarding PRO's overheating, it got me thinking, is the PRO worth the extra money? Yes it's 9 lbs lighter but the only thing I like over the standard is the weight off the drive. I would ride the sled both out west and in MN.

It sounds like on a PRO:
I'd have to AT LEAST add a non-ported snowflap to help keep it cool when trail riding here, and swap the handlebars with a set of the RSI's 5" (I also HATE the Protapers). Even with the new snowflap I'd still have a higher chance of overheating. All that and the PRO is $700 more than the standard.

It just sounds like the PRO is more money for what, the shocks? Am I missing something? Is there a difference out on the snow performance wise? I was thinking I'd regret not getting the PRO, but now I am thinking the other way... Any thoughts??

Thanks,

Joe

 

[POLZIN]

you need the pro if your gonna be one of the cool kids !

 

[greasemonkey3406]

Trust me, you dont need to worry about overheating. I drove my pro about 50-60 percent on the trails last winter and sometimes it was really hard packed. With the scratchers down it would run between 126 and 129. When there was a light fluff on the trails, it would run 122 to 124. No worries at all.

 

[F-Bomb]

Hmm I didn't know there was a problem with PRO's overheating. I took some of my idlers off! Was that bad? I guess that I got a really weird one (as one of the "cool" kids) you just put the little metal stable-izer training wheel arm thingies down by the track and that flipper deal under your right thumb kind of likes being pushed against the handle bar. The dash says 126 pretty much all the time. Wait..is that the speed or the temp?

All day long I've been worried about lubing my crank now I find out I've got temp problems too! These snowmobiles are a PIA!

 

[sledcaddie]

pro differences

This was discussed in a thread last spring, but I don't remember where. The differences between the Pro and Standard are that the Pro has: ported snoflap, carbon fiber rear bumper, Walker Evans shocks, different handlebars/switches, NO front tunnel heat exchanger, $700 higher price, different paint and decals. There may be something else, but I can't remember. Hope this helps.

 

[Oregonsledder]

This was discussed in a thread last spring, but I don't remember where. The differences between the Pro and Standard are that the Pro has: ported snoflap, carbon fiber rear bumper, Walker Evans shocks, different handlebars/switches, NO front tunnel heat exchanger, $700 higher price, different paint and decals. There may be something else, but I can't remember. Hope this helps.

And a hollow jackshaft....light weight brake rotor, PRO Taper bars, grip heat controls off the bars...maybe a thing or two more.

 

[rmk2112]

............... The differences between the Pro and Standard are that the Pro has: ported snoflap, carbon fiber rear bumper, Walker Evans shocks, different handlebars/switches, NO front tunnel heat exchanger, $700 higher price, different paint and decals. ...........

......vented, high performance brake disc & hollow jackshaft.

 

[ReTodd]

Yeah, and the WE shocs are like riding a 2x4on the trail while the standard is comparable to a rev.....and I dont own either (yet but I've ridden both and really liked the base rmk better.

 

[m8sandman]

overheating is an issue if your a tree rider and ride the tight stuff on harder days, we have several in our group and where we ride they all get hot when things get setup. i shut mine down about 180 at 200 they'll start to puke antifreeze. not a huge problem but does get to be annoying after you've had to stop for the 5th time. we open the panels and start putting snow on the tunnels and hope for softer snow ahead!!!

 

[Reg2view]

I have an 11 pro. Next year it will be replaced with an RMK. Moving the Evol R's to the new sled. Better cooling. Ride with both. Difference is real.

 

[jakey-boy]

Anyone done any side x side comparison of the two climbing wise? Does the lightweight shaft & rotor make any difference at all? A few lbs rotating mass could equal a big difference but I'm wondering if it really does.

 

[maxitout77]

I have an 11 pro. Next year it will be replaced with an RMK. Moving the Evol R's to the new sled. Better cooling. Ride with both. Difference is real.

Agree 100%. Thats why I bought a standard RMK. Throw on some Fox's and RSI bars and your good.

 

[WyoBoy1000]

overheating is an issue if your a tree rider and ride the tight stuff on harder days, we have several in our group and where we ride they all get hot when things get setup. i shut mine down about 180 at 200 they'll start to puke antifreeze. not a huge problem but does get to be annoying after you've had to stop for the 5th time. we open the panels and start putting snow on the tunnels and hope for softer snow ahead!!!

Thats getting pretty hot, I have heard running a sled at that high of coolant temp can raise the risk of 4 cornering pistons from to much swelling, (that is just what I've heard). Although on my past 2 stroke dirt bikes I have had them puking coolant and never scuffed one, but it did cause problems with piston skirts cracking in about half the time of normal riding.

On the cats some of the trail guys will put the trail sled rear coolers on, does poo make a larger cooler that would fit? Just saw this http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229485

I have seen one with a powerclaw track installed and they throw snow every where. Also saw some other guys that ride quite a bit of trail that had a few metal studs installed in the track and on the harder snow it seemed to help throw some more snow around.

 

[Jeff C]

Sorry if this has been discussed before. After reading the discussion regarding PRO's overheating, it got me thinking, is the PRO worth the extra money? Yes it's 9 lbs lighter but the only thing I like over the standard is the weight off the drive. I would ride the sled both out west and in MN.

It sounds like on a PRO:
I'd have to AT LEAST add a non-ported snowflap to help keep it cool when trail riding here, and swap the handlebars with a set of the RSI's 5" (I also HATE the Protapers). Even with the new snowflap I'd still have a higher chance of overheating. All that and the PRO is $700 more than the standard.

It just sounds like the PRO is more money for what, the shocks? Am I missing something? Is there a difference out on the snow performance wise? I was thinking I'd regret not getting the PRO, but now I am thinking the other way... Any thoughts??

Thanks,

Joe

Hmmmm, interesting

 

[mtnsledder]

We have both, and while we've only got three rides on them, the Pro runs hotter and annoys my wife, this is with lots of vents on it.

I like my standard RMK better, just replaced the red hood with a black one for $106, looks much better. I also prefer the controls on the bars and I can upgrade the shocks in the future if I want to.

As for the weight difference, I can take the four extra bogey wheels that come standard on my RMK and are not on the Pro and drop half the weight difference between the two.

 

[Bagger]

For me, it was the bars/no controls on top followed by the hollow shaft/light weight brake system.
Personally, I like the ProTapers. Maybe if I tried something else . . . .
Personally, I hated the controls mounted on the bars on my IQ. Busted them up twice.

After having ridden the sled last year, I can tell you I am very pleased with it. Had I bought the RMK instead, I would probably make this statement " Had the sled all last year, loved everything BUT the controls/bars".

As for the heating comments, I can only remember two times last year when we had trouble, both early, marginal (hard) snow. Sleds ran about 180 on the trail even with the scratchers down. Figured out that if I pushed the sled harder, it ran cooler. Didn't have another issue. Anytime I was riding and saw the temps get near 140, dropped the scratchers. Problem solved.
If I was running in an area where I had no choice in a differant route, and was boxed in by terrain, I can see maybe a possiility for an issue.
But for me, over heating has never been a problem. I know a couple guys that rode in August on the tiniest patch of ice you've ever seen and had zero heating issues.
Bottom line, if you don't see the value, don't buy the Pro. The RMK is a great value and I'd bet very few people could tell which sled they were on in the dark, except for the bars.

Bag

 

[JSun]

Jeff C -
Just make sure you bring an extra tow strap........ Inital testing shows the Pro RMK being easier to side-hill on the grass than the ProClimb, but the ProClimb feels like it has a little more power.... RMK will be easier to work on - I hope I never have to change the plugs or put a new belt on the ProClimb.

RSI 5" handlebars the only mod on the Pro RMK.

Game on.

Joe

 

[F-Bomb]

Maybe google up grass-mobile? Maybe you need to move the ball more forward in your stance or open the club face....oh wait

 

[JSun]

Maybe google up grass-mobile? Maybe you need to move the ball more forward in your stance or open the club face....oh wait

F-Bomb

The John Deere took them both in the yard slalom....

 

[GoBigParts]

I had 2 different standard RMK's IQ's. That is around 5 years of riding with the same bars and controls. That is the main reason I wanted the ProRMK. Different bars and controls. I really liked them but was just bored with the same look. The pro tapers look and feel great right from the get go. I also liked the fact the pro had better rebuildable shocks and weighed less. With that said I hope I didn't make a mistake.

Both great sleds for sure.