It’s exciting when a company can reinvent itself. Polaris is such a company, and even though snowmobiles are only part of their powersports offering, it is the heartbeat. Without snowmobiles, Polaris wouldn’t be Polaris. We’ve seen the company’s offerings through many phases. During the ‘70’s was the era of the “TX”. During the ‘80’s and ‘90’s it was the Indy. In the early 2000’s, they tried to reinvent themselves, only to stumble. While the sleds were good, they simply weren’t much better than the Indy era. After a few model iterations, Polaris had to reinvent itself and in 2010 it did just that with the Rush. That momentum is pushing Polaris into a strong position with their exciting lineup for 2016.
New Tech Overview
The big news here is the AXYS in RMK. Polaris rebuilt the best-selling mountain sled with a new chassis and new suspensions, both front and rear. You can read the detailed information from our earlier release here.
Next, Polaris is going to give its customer a true Factory Customization experience on the AXYS based models. If you order your sled in the spring, you get all sorts of choices; Choose a chassis, engine, track length, lug height, suspension package, gauge, electric start, storage, color, and more. You can truly make the sled you buy fit your style right from the factory.
Rush
The Rush is back and badder than ever. Made for the snowmobiler who wants the best in chassis and suspension technology and trail or ditch performance, the Polaris Rush delivers. The Rush is based on the new AXYS chassis and now includes a new 800 Pro-S “Night Lightning” Limited Edition.
The Pro-S is designed for those riders who are more sit-down than stand up. This model offers precise steering, flat cornering, and better stutter bump capabilities.
The Pro-X is made for the stand-up rider and offers big bump control.
Indy
The Legendary name that made Polaris famous and the number one snowmobile manufacturer in the 1990’s was the Indy. It reemerged in 2013 and became a favorite. Based on the Pro-Ride chassis with a traditional suspension, handling and ergonomics are very predictable and familiar. Expanding the product line, Polaris adds the 600 Indy SP Terrain Dominator that features electric start, digital multi-function gauge, a 1.25” Ripsaw track, and a retro graphics package.
600 INDY SP Terrain Dominator
600 INDY SP Terrain Dominator
The Indy is available in all engine sizes (550cc fan, 600cc liq., and 800cc liq.) plus the 120 mini-sled.
Switchback
Take a Rush, stretch the rear suspension, and you have a Switchback. Or take an RMK, shrink the rear suspension and you have a Switchback Assault.
Touring
You might be wondering what happened to the touring segment in the Polaris lineup. It’s there, but you have to look a little deeper. Instead of offering a different model, Polaris is offering touring capability within the Indy, and Switchback models. New for 2016 is the Switchback Adventure 800.
Adventure packages are available in the Indy and Switchback, with various engines and creature comforts. The Indy LXT offers a no-frills model for the budget minded wanting a touring class sled.
RMK / SKS / ASSAULT
There’s no doubt that the Polaris RMK is the mountain sled everyone seems to compare to. They have simply worked for over a decade and every year they become better. Polaris introduced the Assault a few years ago to be the all-out hill climber and big jump machine for the extreme rider. While the RMK fit most mountain riders who like the deep, deep powder and boondocking, there left a gap for those riders who like to combine powder and trails with some boondocking or deep snow performance, but aren’t necessarily looking for the best sidehill control. Enter the SKS or Snow King Special.
Yes, Polaris brings back one of the iconic names from the ’80 and ‘90s. For 2016, the SKS is based on the AXYS RMK, but gives you more trail-friendly manners.
PRO-RMK / RMK
The number-one selling snowmobile model in the entire industry last year was the 800 Pro-RMK 155, according to Polaris’s numbers. The mountain segment remains the largest in North America. Polaris ups the ante with the 2016 Pro-RMK based on the AXYS chassis. All the details are outlined in this early release article. The AXYS Pro-RMK is available in the Pro series, SKS, and Assault, while the standard RMK remains in last year’s chassis.
RMK ASSAULT
In the mountain segment, the Assault offers a wider ski stance than the SKS for stability when planting after longer jumps. This model is made for the extreme rider.
Utility
Remaining unchanged is the Polaris Widetrak 600 IQ and Widetrak 550 LX. Uninspiring, yet very capable utility sleds. There is also the Indy Voyageur 600 and 550, giving the utility lineup a modern chassis.
Pink Ribbon Riders
Supporting Pink Ribbon Riders, Polaris is offering a limited edition PRR graphics package available on the RMK, Rush, and Switchback models if ordered during SnowCheck. A portion of the proceeds from every PRR sled purchased goes to the Pink Ribbon Riders.
The heartbeat of Polaris is stronger than ever, and they seem to be doing everything right. The distinguished families in the Rush, Indy, Switchback, and RMK give Polaris a strong lineup. Add in the subtleties of the Adventure, SKS, and Voyaguer, and they fill out the offerings quite well. Polaris just may well be able to garner the top position at the pace and direction they are going. Get all the specs and more information at the Polaris website.