NOTES

Sled : 2024 Polaris Patriot Boost Pro RMK 165 Slash Engine : 840cc , liquid-cooled , semi-direct injected , turbocharged , two-stroke twin . Front suspension : RMK React with Walker Evans Racing Light shocks and Gripper skis Rear suspension : Matryx RMK with Walker Evans Racing Light shocks and a 15- by 165- by 2.75-inch Series 8 track

FIXIT : The Pro RMK proved to be a delightfully responsive , fun and capable snowmobile , but Polaris ’ quality issues put a drag on the season .

BY T . J . KROB

The lackluster start to the winter of 2023-2024 in Montana left a garbage snowpack in the upper mountains , and in elevations below 6,000 feet we were bouncing off rocks and roots through the month of January that are usually covered by November .

All of that created wonderful conditions to let our new 2024 Polaris Patriot Boost Pro RMK 165 Slash demo stretch her long legs – NOT ! But once snow came in earnest , we were able to spin some real mountain miles on the RMK without worrying about obstacles .

First impressions were made before we even hit the snow . The color scheme on this Polaris was stunning . Its orange color really popped , and the black tunnel next to the orange rails and panels was also eye catching .

Our most lasting impression was how quickly we were reminded of how the Pro RMK package is such a wicked-sharp knife to carve and zip on . After spending the past couple of winters on RMK Khaos models , the technical terrain that our riding crew likes to play in made the Pro package well suited for us last winter . The skis didn ’ t flail unless we wanted them to , the sled sidehilled like a dream , and the suspension was spot-on .

Speaking of suspension , it took a mere day to dial-in this Pro ( unlike the Hi-Lo shocks we ’ ve chased for months before settling ) with a quick tweak to the front / center springs followed by clicker adjustments to make it ride well on bouncy trails without sacrificing maneuverability and playfulness when we had it on an edge .

The rear suspension threw us for a loop at mile 310 , though , when a hyfax strip was noticed missing after a day ’ s ride . The local dealer didn ’ t have any in stock for the 165-inch length track . In fact , they were on back-order through the end of March . So a piece for a 155-inch skid from the rental agency let us complete the trip . We later located a 165-inch piece elsewhere so we could fully support the track against the rail again . Polaris officials say a new iteration of rail cap / hyfax / anti-stab interface for 2025 will fix the problem .

Sticking under the rear skid , one of the reversible scratchers also decided to dismount the skid after cracking the aluminum boss . The Pro RMK was fun ; some of Polaris ’ ongoing durability issues were not .

We had originally ordered our Pro with the new Polaris Series 9 325 track , but it showed up instead with the Series 8 with 2.75-inch lugs . With the oodles of power under the Boost ’ s hood , we validated that the track speed and lift provided by the shorter-lugger left us more than satisfied on deep snow days . Whether a 325 would have

BRAAAP : For long , full-throttle pulls in big meadows and for steep climbs , turbochargers have really changed the game .

CLAWING : The 2.75-inch track lugs proved more than adequate for every condition we found last winter .

trenched more , stayed afloat differently or spun as fast remains TBD .

The engine was a shining star . Boy , did we know there was a turbo under the hood ! It came out of break-in with a snarl and roared with big power on the top end . We kept this machine in Ethanol mode to tame it down .

Even so , the bolt holding the primary clutch decided to back itself out and leave the outer half of the P22 laying in the bellypan . Luckily we caught it during the ride , tried to keep it tight using a Leatherman / screwdriver wedgeplus-twist method , and made our way back near the trail before it let loose . A quick reassembly at the dealer had us underway the next day again . For the remainer of the season , we kept the T60 torque wrench handy in the trailer to retighten it after every ride .

This was also our first full-season mountain sled with the 7S display , which produced stellar results . Setting up custom gauges , tracking rides and seeing the locations of buddies were all phenomenal and intuitive . Polaris is a winner in the gauge department .

This boost proved to be a hard machine to follow , whether through trees , in the open or across skittish slopes . The balance and traction kept it chugging along while on an edge . Tossing around and maintaining a grip on the turbo took significantly more effort than last year ’ s 9R , but it offered wildly different power to smile about when it lit .

JANUARY 2025 / SNOWGOER . COM / 45