Would I like the 600?

[AndrettiDog]

I've been trying to talk my girl into getting a Pro 600. I thought it would be fun to rotate that with my 800 Pro (but don't tell her that is my plan!). Like other said, the 660 kit has been famous for embarrasing 800's! At your size, I would think the 600 would be awesome. I'm no rocket scientist, but I think it will be better power than your M7 because of the great transfer in the skid, lightweight chassis and reputation for a great 600.

 

[LT]

i agree 100% with the concensius of this thread. the 600 is going to be a surprising sled!

bikeman performance dyno'd this motor at 131hp!! and 135 with their pipe mod.

its going to be a very nimble buggy. and like fbomb keeps fantasizing about....a 660 or 685....WOW!

 

[Rick!]

Make sure you get a chance to ride a PRO and a standard RMK. The difference in the handlebar package and different feel in the shocks and initial springing make a significant difference in my opinion. My wife prefers the stock bars compared to the Pro Tapers and there are times where I prefer the different bend, especially in tight stuff. You can also make this comparison on 800 RMK's if 600's aren't around. Lastly, the EXPO is probably the last chance you'll get to put some seat time in before snow check ends so maybe see if that fits your schedule. Good luck on your choice.

 

[WYsteph]

Well, didn't get to go on the ride with the polaris guys. They came in a day later then planned and hubby had to fly out for work a day sooner. Oh well need to get this knee healed up anyway. I'm really undecided at this point still, cat or poo, 600 or 800, resale value, weight, mods vs warranty, prices....

Won't make it to west yellowstone this year, going to Jackson instead. I did last year and got to ride them in some concrete snow. It didn't really make me want jump up and buy one, but that really wasn't a fair test.

Now that the 600's are officially out, they are more expensive then I had hoped. What are your dealer's snowcheck prices on them? I'm going to find out tomorrow what the dealer in town has to say.

 

[mountainhorse]

Rick! makes some good points...I agree that having With the amount and styles of different handlebars and grips out there... the bars should not really be a concern... Very easy to change them out...

I'm a smaller rider as well and actually found the PRO-Tapers to be a bit tall for me compared to the exact same bar on the Dragon.

I cant stress enough that there is a differnt "feel" in a 600 compared to an "800" as to how nimble it is... this is even more magnified when a smaller rider is getting on the sled.

What I have not seen on this thread is an accurate description of the riding you do...
The areas/elevations you ride, What do you like to do for riding style, what are your strenghts and weakness as a rider... What kind of terrain features do you enjoy the most.

If you to honestly rate your abilities and where would would you be? Where do you want to progress to?



















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[WYsteph]

I mainly ride the bighorns, with trips to the snowies and cooke city. 8000' +.

I guess boondocking would the most accurate term for my riding, but I like to do a bit of everything. Carving, jumping off/up drifts, sidehilling, just playing in the powder and just started to hit some bigger jumps.

Rate myself? I'm better then average girl rider, about average for a guy? I'm not a overly confident rider which is my biggest issue. Other weaknesses include, being a girl (120lbs, 5'4"), having a tendency to forget that I have a throttle, and overcoming my inner voice. Strengths include being agile and willing to try stupid things even if I'm scared and seemingly bounce like a cartoon character.

Current sleds, this year is the first that I finally feel like I can really use my sled like it was intended. Still feel like it has some power and nimbleness I'm not using but I'm definitely riding it now, not just going along for the ride. But I feel like I get in over my head with the hubby's m8. Too much, too fast and can't get it to respond like my m7.

Where I want to go with my riding... Well my right side carves and sidehills need work but that's nothing that more time at the gym and practice won't solve. I want to start trying some real drops and go bigger on the jumps. But what I really want is to be able to do more technical riding. I have started noticing a lot of interesting lines that I have never seem before on hills and through trees, just haven't had the guts to try most of them yet.

 

[mountainhorse]

Steph... that is one of the most honest and descriptive evaluations of abilities/goals I have read in a long time.

IMO (and there are a lot of opinions)... the 600 will NOT disappoint you.

As a smaller rider myself... I find that I have more control over a sled that has a smaller engine (less rotating mass)... It is easier for me to finess the sled and not get out of balance when I need to make quick changes.

I ride with a good friend that is taller and heavier than I am... we are at about the same riding level... he can throw around the 800 without getting out of balance when he needs to use body English on the sled....Where I find myself "jerking" the sled.

It is not about being "overpowered", Horsepower-wise, by a bigger motor... but more about.... (from another post)

My thoughts on the 600:
The 600 RMK shares the same lightweight, responsive chassis of the 800 PRO RMK but with a much lighter feeling 600 engine.

Now many of you will say "If it weighs the same... why get a 600?"

I can tell you this from experience... a shorter stroke, smaller bore 600 is VERY noticeably more nimble than the longer stroke, larger bore 800... simple physics... call it "flywheel effect" or "gyroscopic effect" for lack of a more scientific description... 600's are plain easier to throw around....

With a smaller "gyro" rotating under the hood... the sled is all that much more responsive to directional changes (read... thick tree riddled maneuverability).

Sure, there are those out there that can "throw around" an 800 with no problem... even easier to do so with the 600... regardless of the rider.

This advantage in maneuverability, it seems to me, will help you step up your game faster.

When you find yourself in a sticky situation where are trying to finesse the sled you will find yourself lasting longer with the 600 than the 800 before you have to go from "finessing" to "yanking" the sled around.

When you are riding with taller riders like Brandy or Emily.... you should be able to "hang" much better, and go bigger.

I know that lots of people look a the 600's as something to get when you cant afford the 800... well I don't think that is the case at all.

With your size, taking into account that Polaris shoots for a 190-200 lb rider when they calibrate the suspension... I'd shoot for the PRO model, have the shocks re-valved by Holz for your light weight (will make a big diff) and get the handlebars that will fit your height better (the Pro Tapers will be too tall for you at 5'4").

These small, relatively inexpensive changes will make the sled yours with a fit that will inspire confidence.

I think that this will be the just the tool you need to take your OWN riding to the next level...But that is just my 2 cents.

Good luck in whatever you choose.











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[dmkhnr]

Just buy an 2011 800. Not enough change to go to the 12, and you'll be under 10k on a nice low miler.

 

[WYsteph]

Thanks for the advice mountainhorse, it is very much appreciated.

 

[F-Bomb]

Disregard my comments on the 600.

If your stuck on a PRO watch and have your check book armed for action as the masses turn over the 11's. Good deals are always out there for those that are prepped.

This sled will make you a better rider within a few miles of owning it. It's that far and away better then the rest for boondock style free riding. That said after reading your rider profile. Technique is everything and can totally compensate for size and strength...being strong enough and fit enough are the keys to keeping your technique correct and not slipping back into bad habits and making (expensive or painful) mistakes.

You are totally correct in one aspect. Practice! But you have to practice with proper technique or you simply get really good at doing it wrong! (that is true of almost 99.5% of us riders)

Have you thought about investing some money in a rider clinic? I know there are several being operated around the nw. Don't know about all of them but that might really be a wise investment both in improving your confidence and riding skill set but also getting to test ride this sled model.

 

[PowderGirl]

I really want to drop down to the 600 from my 800....

The 800 has it's advantages for bigger wide open country for sure but we ride a lot more technical terrain, in lighter snow and with a pretty good pace and I often find the 800 just to be too much for that type of riding - especially at the end of the day when fatigue starts setting in.

I will say that the 800 RMK Pro is a more responsive and a more agile machine than the past Polaris 800's - I think the location of the motor being lower down in the chassis and closer to the rider makes it a much easier to throw around motor but it still does not come on as quick as the 600. The 600's shorter stroke makes it noticably different to me when I punch the throttle - an 800 takes a second to come on and get that track spinning and when it does come on, it's a hand full. I can punch the 600 and get track spin and RPM's up immediately without the hand full. So on the 800, I have to be more calculated about what I do in the technical stuff - meaning, I better be set up in the right direction before that motor kicks in or I'll be really having to put some effort into controlling it (which doesnt always work in my favor and is more tiring at the end of the day). The 600 wont recover as well as the 800 on a steep pull like for instance when your climbing and you hit a bump - you can let off on the 800 and it's torque will help you recover where the 600 might fall on it's face b/c it cant recover as well and retain it's RPM's that you need. But if you can keep your RPM's up (thus keep your momentum up) - that 600 will climb with that 800 in typical climbing scenarios.

I do want to get a 600 next year - and it's nice knowing that if I ever do decide I want or need more power, I'll get a Struthers 660 or 685 kit put on it (which have proven to be very reliable on my friends past 600s). Then i can have the agility of the lighter motor and more power. However, I'm 125 lbs so depending on how well built and set up a stock 600 is and how clean of a rider I am, I may never need to add a kit to it.

Another reason I want to go to a 600 is b/c of the money savings - not just sticker price (which isnt a whole lot) but because of yet better fuel efficiantcy and better belt life. I've gone through 3 belts this season on my 800 - I only went through one on my 700 and 600's are likely even better on belts. Belts are sooooo fricken expensive!!!!!! ($120 a pop!)

So to answer your question of if I like my 800 - yeah, I like it for about 20% of my riding style. I'd really appreciate that 600 more for the other 80%.

Just remember to never expect the torque of a 800 out of a 600 and I know for a fact that disapoints a lot people. So instead, focus on how you need that power given to you.

 

[Daniel Boondocker]

5' 4" and 120 lbs? Come on guys. 100 bucks says she wont like the 800. Another 100 bucks says the schoolers would all recommend the 6 to her. The proceeds can go to your new ride Cat Girl. Or a turbo after you get a year on it. Don't let your husband ride it with a turbo though. He will be constantly thinking of reasons why he needs to ride it.
My girls get bucked off of the 8's but not the 6's. The 8's frustrate them. They relax and have fun on the 6. Steph it sounds like you can ride, and you could also benefit from relaxing and feeling more comfortable so you will be less apprehensive. This 6 will eventually be easier to ride than your M7. Probably not the first ride. Sorry. But unless Cat comes out with a killer 6 or 7, this 6 is your ticket to the fun house. It is oversold for sure but still better than anything out there for you.
No question Cat Girl. Ride them both. Go to the Polaris website and watch the video of Dan Adams and Chris Burandt's description of the 6. Even Adams says he could ride circles around the others on there 8's with a 6. You especially can hang with those on the 8's with a 6. The only place it might not is in an extreme situation where you might not want to be anyway. Soften up the suspension for yourself so it is easier to handle, and it will fit you much better than it will fit him. Maybe even take off that front idler wheel since your lighter so it is easier to roll over.
I'll bet if you look close it will have your name on it somewhere. The polaris gang would all love to welcome you to the family, but please don't change your name. It just wouldn't be right. Sure it wouldn't fit you either.

 

[mountainhorse]

Powdergirl and Daniel make great points....

Plus... you need to "qualify" the advice giver and if they have similar size/experience/abilities/goals as you.

It is hard for a 210 lb athletic guy that is a hard core experienced rider to empathize with a petite and aggressive rider like yourself.
I've run into them... some are dealership owners, tour guides and Husbands ...It is hard to internalize, for a larger person (in your case say 180 lbs plus), that a larger motor can be harder to throw around.... I've seen frustrated couples on the hill where the husband says... How could you miss that? Why didn't you stay commited to your line?
IMO... that is often finding the right "Fit" of a sled for JUST YOU.

 

[Daniel Boondocker]

Funny. Considering you haven't even seen what Cat is coming out with yet, Powder Girl understands and relates to what you have already said in your first post and gives the perfect description of how it works for her and relates her experience as a woman of your size, then leaves it up to you to decide like you were a big girl or something like that. Us men just solve your problem in our mind and tell you what to do according to our own experience. No wonder women can't relate to men.
To be fair you can't relate to us either.

 

[WingNutRacing]

hmm

Looks like the 6 will weigh the same as the 8, and I doubt the center of gravity will be any different, so the difference in feel will be all throttle.

Actually, I think this 6 is gonna be a winner, may have to rediscuss these options with the wifey.. She too loved her M7 and just wants another one, but I've convinced her we are moving on...

I'm really thinkin differently now, some good points in here,,, from a woman's point of view!!!

I don't care what you GUYS have to say!!!!!.......just kiddin.........


in my old hillclimb racin days the 6's times ALWAYS smoked the 8's...

 

[WYsteph]

Lol- "big girl" I think I might have scared the boys at the local polaris dealership today. They really didn't know what to think of me coming in by myself to look into snow checking.

Thank you Sarah for your awesome post! It really helped!

Yes, F-bomb, I would like to do some clinic riding. Just feel like in order to do that I should be riding more often (this year hasn't allowed much) and frankly be in better shape to get the most for my time and money. Also there are still some basic things that I know I need to work on (with hubby watching and helping) before I will be able to step it up.

And yeah, Poo Girl just doesn't have the same ring to it.

This was a wonderful bunch of info to read after work today, thank you all!

 

[Daniel Boondocker]

Steph, I'm sorry but I have to withdraw my bets quickly before there are any takers. The odds just changed. RZR put up a video of his 10 yr old son tearing it up through the trees on a 163 800. I'm going to have to rethink my position. **** ** Once again I am going to have to admit I might be wrong. I hope my wife doesn't find out about this. I'm sure you realize that it would be a big help if you could prove me right on this. Is $100 bucks toward your new sled enough. I was hoping it could have been more. My apologies to you and your husband for doubting you.

 

[WYsteph]

Might have something lined up to try the 800, but pretty sure I'm going to get the 600 anyway.

Lol, don't worry about your bet, I for one am not afraid to admit that a 10 year old kid can put my skills to shame. I might need that money though, it looks like we have the highest prices around.

 

[Daniel Boondocker]

Awesome. Hope you enjoy it

 

[mountainhorse]

Here't the new logo for ladies ride next year!!