My first ride on the Polaris Axys Mountain Snowmobile Chassis in Alpine, Wyoming

Better than Burandt?

IS an average mountain rider better on the Pro RMK Axys than professional rider Chris Burandt on his “old” 2015 Pro RMK? Nope. However, the thought that came to me riding the new 2016 Polaris Pro RMK 800, “I might now be a better rider than Chris Burandt on his 2015 Pro.” I could make the sled do whatever I wanted. Later, I got it stuck in a hole surrounded by trees – I dug a nice, deep trench. Yep, I proved you can still get stuck on the immortal 2016 Pro RMK. I might have been the first to get the 2016 Pro RMK stuck. But I won’t be the last.

All the stuff that feels so good on the Pro chassis is still DNA of the new Axys RMK chassis. The running boards, the handlebar orientation, the feel of the quick belt drive, it’s all there. Polaris did not fetch it up, they took the ProRMK to the “NXT” level. Literally. The ride was out of Dan Adam’s NXT Level Clinic‘s shop in Alpine.

The new 2016 Polaris 800 Pro RMK 155 is more powerful, more responsive and more controllable. It transfers the mood and personality of the rider right into the sled. What ever mood you’re in and regardless of snow conditions, the  sled will do what you want with less effort than ever before.

CONCLUSION: The new 2016 made me a better rider, but only in my dreams as good as Burandt. I may have to wait a few more years for that sled. How can it make you a better rider?

Jack Rabbit on Rockstars

Best part….the button that turns on the power. Power is reeling out the track, in a hypersensitive way. It’s like they replaced the throttle lever with a control button that fires the power instantly to the track. I did not really notice hesitation before, but Polaris engineers made it more responsive. A new electronically controlled oil pump makes the engine as responsive as a light switch. The new 2016 Pro RMK hops up on the snow like a jack rabbit revved up on Rockstars. 

168 Horsepower

The 2016 Polaris Pro RMK 800 engine puts out 168 horsepower. DISCLAIMER: “At some dudes dyno shop somewhere on some day in some conditions.” Regardless of the numbers being thrown around, this sled is more powerful and more reliable – as proven on the flat-lander sleds the past season.

The devilish details include a lighter crankshaft, grooved pistons and 3-stage electronic exhaust valves. Polaris engineers fine tuned their power plant recipe to even the horsepower playing field with Cat and Ski–Doo. The dyno wars will be buzzing, but the real tests will continue to play out on the mountain.

408 Pounds Strong

I know what your thinking, “Did they use more glue on the a-arms?” Or, “Are the a-arms going to fold at the first mogul now?” Nope. In fact, the new a-arms are forged aluminum. Lighter, check. Tougher, check.

Track. The all new track has mean, lean 2.6” lugs. More traction and even lighter than the 2.5 track.

SIDETRACK: Watch a guy bench press a 2016 Polaris 800 Pro-RMK (basically)

To Play Video of this guy bench pressing 408 pounds CLICK HERE.

Headlights. The new LED lights are lighter in both ways.

AXYS Platform. The new chassis is actually reinforced more at the weak points on the chassis making it stronger than the 2015 Pro chassis. But, they still managed to make it even lighter.

 

Have Fun Pretending

I am Chris Burandt while riding my Pro RMK the same way I was Michael Jordan on the Elementary School ball court. Kudos to the engineering team at Polaris. 408 pounds made it a little easier to lift out of that treacherous hole in the trees. Now we’ll have even more power, lift and energy to boondoggle through the pow and pretend like we’re Chris Burandt.