I'm looking to connect with some folks who bought the 2008 Polaris Dragon (IQ - 121 inch track) and see what they enjoy about the sled, any changes they made after the initial set up as well as hear what to look out for. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

I bought this sled early spring (what a time of year to buy a new sled) and haven't had it out yet. It's safe to say I'm chomping at the bit and anxious for the first big snowfall.

Best handleing and riding sled I've ever been on. My dealer put 6"Woody's carbides on and it carves real nice. It's quick up to 90 stock and was running pig rich. If cruising 30-40 she would load up and have a bog if I cracked the throttle. Fouled the PTO side plug at 900 miles. Shortly after that I put the SLP pipe and can combo on. Picked up 5-8mph on top end, 103-104. The pipe helped lean it out it didn't load up as bad and what little it did it cleared up fast. At the end of the season I put on the SLP air intake kit and picked up some good acceleration. I was topping out in my field stock at 73mph with the exhaust and air intake I was getting 86mph. She's also sucking alot of oil 24:1, so I'm going to turn that down before the snow flys again. In all your going to love the sled.

well i raced mine xc and can say its a very good sled. i made alot of suspension chagnes but being in the shock business it was easy for me. only thing is recommend right off hand would be to revavle the rear track shock (i have a great stack, i tried a handful of differnet stacks an this one works great) and get the tunnel bag because the little storage area it has on it is not very much. plus the door can break if you ever mash it with your knee hard enough like i did twice. stopped putting new ones on after that. the tunnel bag has a ton of room though.

I really appreciate the feedback. I've only been riding for 2 years - will be going on my third season. I had a 99 XC 700 that was silly fast off the line but killed my knees and back and any other moving part I have. I've not had this sled out yet but am jazzed beyond belief.

Only having 2 seasons under my belt - I'm not nearly as technical with respect to the sled but the one thing I've seen that could be an issue for me - a complaint is the fact it loads up and has a hesitation when cranking the throttle (at 30-40 mph). I asked the dealer and was told that this was an issue on the 2007's but the problem was taken care of on the 08 models.

One of the issues with the 2007s was a hesitation when you wacked the throttle open quickly, or backed out of it abruptly. Polaris found the pressurized fuel rail in the EFI system needed to be “burped”, so they have added a “Fuel Vapor Separator” to all of the CFI engines to eliminate this problem. This was also added to all of the 2007s in the field that experienced this issue, as well.
Even with this update, the running quality of the CFI engine package continues to develop, much like the Ski-Doo SDI did in the first few years of production. Switching over from carbed engines to fuel injection isn’t as easy as one might think, and Polaris has done a great job at bringing their two-stroke engines up to where they needed to be after being sidetracked with the 755 and 866 big blocks for a couple of years.

That was out of an online article by snowtech.

What about pulling the ski's up - can you do this with the stock version (700) without much effort?

All in all - I'll take your suggestions to heart and look to add the can and intake and pipe and obviously add the tunnel bag but to me - that's a no brainer.

PS... I saw the Fusion you sold. You had that thing looking seriously sweet!

the stock 7 will pull the skis easy, just ahve to adjsut them suspeniosn right which i can help you will all the suspension setup. also all the mods to listed are great things to do. everyone with the slp single for that sled loves it.

I'm enjoying getting to know some folks who have this particular sled and gaining a little knowledge in the process. I can't ride the thing so I mine as well talk to some of the folks who know alot more about it than I do.

ya they really are nice sleds, im sure youll love it.

Maybe even keep up with the guys I ride with who all have Doo's? They always lost me in the bumps! Between being taller and the sled sitting lower as well as the limitations of the suspension - I'd end the day's tired - sore AND frustrated.

Trust me that sled handles so good you'll leave those Doo boys behind. I have a REALLY bad lower lumbar (I live on steriod shots) and have had knee surgery. The sled is so comfortable I'll do 200 miles and be ready for more.

The responses I got to this point have been very encouraging. Through the responses - I've learned alot in one day. Each and every one of you know how to tune in the sled to your particular liking. My concern is I won't know how to identify that it's pushing, pulling, the shocks need air or nitrogen and on and on. I suppose all I can do is keep on learning and know I have some time on my side. I'm starting to halicinate while looking outside. I know it's May but I swear I'm seeing snow flurries.

Keep the responses coming and know that each thought or idea is well received and greatly appreciated and jacks me up for next winter with the hope of being able to blow the doors off of some of the guys I ride with.

hey if you ever have a question jsut shoot me a pm. shocks and suspension is what i do for a living (besides college, mechancial engineer major) so it really no both asking. i always loving helping people get is feeling jsut right, makes my day. also the website should be back up in 2 weeks and more updates through out the summer in the shocks and suspension page will be added (lots of new products for this next year) allpartsracing. we will also be an advertiser on HCS shortly.

Yeah...I will vouch for that for sure.Skidoo's have a hard time keeping up they will tell you that themselfs.With very little effort and rough trails you will leave them.We rode 268 one day 242 the next I felt fine my buddys{on skidoo} were done! Pain killers all the way home.Next year their buying dragons.Hey Jim did you get the pictures I sent?

Take care,Dave

Dave,

I did get the pictures. I actually saved on of them as a screen saver. Your sled is now one of my screen savers. How do you like that? I'm slowly - much to my wife's disappointment - becoming a Youtube junkie. I spend some time at night going through snowmobiling video's and the one thought I have is that it seems Polaris builds their sleds with alot of low end speed - 0 - 80 or 90 then most other sleds with the same displacement run past them. Accurate opinion in anyones mind or am I off course here?

Let's keep the Dragon thread going if for no other reason - than to get us through the summer months.

Dave,

You sending the pictures you sent made me think of our trip up to Tugg Hill last year. We were at the Montague Inn late at night. They had snow drifts coming up to the back deck some 10-15 feet high. In the middle of the night, flying up the snow drift and almost on to the deck of the Montague Inn was some guy who would have blown a 2.5 on the breath-o-meter. He came so hard, so fast up the drift that he almost landed on the deck of the Inn. He was plastered drunk to the point he had no business riding. He was on the same sled you blew away - the Skidoo 1000. Poor guy was so drunk - he couldn't get himself turned around from the 50 degree hill he was sitting on. We had to dig him out. It was hysterical.

Have a good one.



Jim

0-90 I havent come across anything that can keep up or at least be in front.Im honered to be on your screen saver.Maybe next season we could meet up and ride the more the marrier.

I myself like Michigan trails I also like Wisconsin but you have to drive through Illinois I hate Illinois born there lived there done that.

Fortunatly my wife understands when there's snow I gotta go.Thats the only way to justify having a $10,000 machine to ride 4 months of the year.

Keep in touch,Dave

I would say my old XLT and my XC700SP where rather quick for their CC's. The XC is pretty dam quick from a stop and it does 105(gps) top end. Not too shabby i would say.

Dave,

Hey - your sled looks great as my screen saver. You're not collecting royalty checks on this I hope.

I laughed when reading your e-mail because we're obviously the same person living in two seperate bodies. My wife Teresa, has the same approach. If it's snowing - I'm gone. And she seriously scratches her head wanting to know why you'd spend 10K on something you use - at best - 4 months out of the year.

I'd do Michigan. I try to make a trip or two to Tugg Hill NY and that's a great time but I've been wanting to head to Michigan. Teresa is from Battle Creek. There's an area in the UP. I'll butcher the name so bare with me but I believe it's called St. Iginla (easier for me to call it St. Iggie for short)? I've heard some wonderful comments about that area. So the question is - when you say Michigan - are you referring to the UP?



Jim

YES..,.St.Ignace,Paridise,Grand Marais.Or the other side Lake Gogibic ,Watersmeet,Copper harbor.It's all good in the UP.Thats the Best ridding Ive ever done.

I'm sure everyone that has ridden there will agree 110%.Any comments from anyone on these places?I know I missed a few.

See ya there.

My sled sat for a month and is leaking oil. Brand new sled with zip miles on it. I have it stored at a friends house and he called saying (Skidoo guy mind you) that my sled has a big time problem. He's being dramatic and he used the misfortunte to rib me about owning a Polaris but the issue is still there that this thing leaked fluid before riding it. Anyone have this issue with the new 08 Dragons? I called the dealer and they'll take care of it but a little irritated that they didn't notice or correct this before I spent 2 hours carting it all over the place. It probably wouldn't be an issue if gas prices weren't so high but at 3.79 a gallon here in sunny (not) Pittsburgh, PA. the cost of taking it back to the dealer is not cheap. Think I should do a charge back to the dealer of freight and delivery? I'm teasing but tempted.

Dave - looking forward to hopefully catching up with your group in the UP or Michigan in general. If I make it to June - I'll feel like we've reached the halfway point and are marching towards next years riding season.

Regards,



Jim

Funny that the Doo guy is laughing at your leaking sled. Just have to bust back, the XP has had its share of chaincase oil leaks and coolant leaking issues of its own not to mention bad hollow driveshafts (Maybe Doo should ask Polaris how to make them right.), busted rear idlers, bad hand-warmers, overheating, wonky gauges and electrical gremlins, bulkheads and we wont even get into the secondary supports ripping out of the chassis. Then Revs 'nun' seem to bend if you breath on it wrong as well.

Have you looked at it to see where its coming from? Gotta be just a bad grommet or seal on either the chaincase or oil tank. That stinks though. Let us know what you find out.

It is most likely leaking from the sender grommet as 700edged had said mine leaks from there as well.If you take some of your oil out so it goes below that grommet it will stop.You probally did like me and filled the resevoir to the top.

Then at your convienance take it back to the dealer for warranty Im pretty sure thats on the recall list.When you do get out on the trails the doo-ers usually shut right up.

D08

Yep, I bet it's the oil tank as mentioned. Many guys on SnoWest have had the same problem on their '08 Polaris sleds.

I coated the rubber grommet with silicon on my `02 oil tank after a new one still didnt fix the issue. Never leaked a drop since. Is this a common problem now on the IQ's or is this a new design for `08+?

Edge,

I'm hoping I can have the Doo boys eat there words when snow's beneath the tracks. One of the guys was teasing and said it looked like my sled pissed it's pants when it saw a Doo boy walk in.

It looks like it's coming from the top of the oil sending unit. I'm going to take it back in and have it fixed and see if the dealer will throw in a tunnel bag for me having to run a sled back to the dealer when it should have been right before they released it to me. Whattaya think? Fair on my part?

I'll keep you posted on what they find out.



Jim

Dave,

I'm pretty sure your right but with the sled being at a friends house and him living an hour away - I've not had the chance to look at it. I pretty much bought it - stared at it for 3-4 days (and nights much to my wifes dismay) then hauled it off to a friends house. I did see it leaking and it looked at the time as though it was leaking from the oil tank. My thought then was that it would stop when it got past a certain point. 3 weeks later - and cleaning it up twice - it's still dripping. I don't want my buddy cleaning up a mess all summer so I'm going to take it in and have them fix what should have been addressed in the first place.

These are minor issues though and I can't wait to ride the thing. I'm accusing the Doo boys of being closer Polaris riders and taking my sled out in my absense and doing grass runs. I'm threatening to do a fine tooth comb inspection of the tunnel - looking for grass stains to which they reply .... powerwashers work wonders.



J

Sounds like your dealer simply didn't perform the service bulletins issued on your sled before delivering it to you. There's 2 bulletins out on that sled, one is for a handwarmer wiring update and another for the oil sender grommet that has a significant leak from the top of the tank only when the oil tank is full. Handwarmer bulletin is number S-07-16...I'm not sure of the oil sender bulletin number, but it's S-07-(something), and your dealer can look it up by simply running your VIN number. Then again...I believe you're the same guy who mentioned in another earlier post that your dealer was not equipped to nitrogen-charge your Air 2.0 shocks that were flat?

They don't seem to be on top of their game too much. I might recommend you seek out another Polaris dealer...I know when that bulletin first came out, my dealer hopped on the phone and called me right away to schedule an apointment and told me he had already ordered parts for me to beat the rush. And I hadn't even discovered the oil leak myself yet!

Anywho, I generally really like the sled, but my biggest complaint is lack of top end in stock setup (slightly slower than a 600 beyond 95 mph, but much quicker to get there) as well as poor fuel and oil mileage. This topic was beat to death all season on this forum by many and more of a clutch/gear setup issue than an actual problem with the sled, so I won't start rehashing here. Handling is great, and generally reliability has been good. That said, I have had over $1,600 worth of warranty parts replaced on mine already...both rear shocks, exhaust pipe and temp sensor, couple idler wheels, plus the two bulletin repairs and a recharge of the front shocks. Nothing critical that cost me ride time or anything, but this seems to be a bit much for a brand new sled compared to what I would expect. I fixed oil consumption myself by turning back the pump. Fuel consumption is still high, but not horrifying. Engine and drivetrain has been trouble-free, but I'm glad my warranty extended to 4 years by spring ordering the sled...if my shock absorber durability problems continue it'll be on Polaris's dime and not mine until 2011.

I still like the sled and have no regrets. Will be running it another season, and chasing more clutching/gearing setups and now a Dynoport pipe in search of more power and top speed without hurting out-of-hole punch which is excellent. Mine's a switchback, your 121 is setup differently so don't put too much stock in what I've said here on my speed complaint, the 121 inch owners will know more about that than I will with respect to your sled.\

Get yer dealer in line and I'm certain you'll enjoy it!

Tell them the sleds not 'pissing its pants', that would be antifreeze. Its actually taking a DUMP on the Dooboys floor!
Just total disrespect!

Edge,

I noticed that you had a XC700 - nice sled and something close to what I had although mine was a 99. That thing was silly quick off the line and had good mid-range speed. I'm curious to know whether you picked up or lost low end speed and/or torque with your new 600? What made you go with a 600 over the 800?

Thanks for the posts.



Jim

I love my edge, does everything well but the sit down position is too much for me to handle anymore and its time for a new one. I almost hate to get rid of it, its quick, very quick. I raced a modded SXR in a large group, i got a great hole shot and jumped out first and stayed there for a long time until the Yam came walking by on the top end. I wouldnt believe i was a stock 700 and said never seen one run like that. Its got an awesome midrange, i would recommend a 1 1/4" track on this sled as it overpowers snow conditions much too easy. Im accused of leaving little piles of snow at corner exits yet im just cracking into the throttle and getting good MPG numbers (12 riding aggressively in tight trails). Top end was 105gps this year (~109 dream-meter). That was with a worn belt but in perfect conditions. Ive gotten on the high side of 110 (~112) on other occasions but no gps to back it up. There is a certain XP800R in our group that wouldnt line up next to me while riding across the lake for a full MPH blast. He was aware that it wouldnt hang there, however from a stop was a totally different story.

I went with the 6 (havent gotten it yet, its not built yet) for possibly some more fuel millage with the prices now around $4/gallon i hope this pans out. The E-tec is the future but i dont want the chassis its in and reliability is still an issue for both chassis and engine. The power difference between the Doo and the Dragon6 isnt even a competition though, think of the Etec as the prius. Plus the 600 Polaris CFI in most cases seems to be one serious contender in the power department and i think will satisfy me fine. In short runs the small motors run just about right with the big dogs. Not until you get on the lake do you see a difference in most instances. Look at the shootout results between the classes. Plus i just keep telling my old body with responsibilities i have no need to go faster than 100mph... but it feels so good....