The wait for a more powerful engine from Polaris is coming to an end, albeit not in time for this winter season.
The rumors turned out to be true. Polaris confirmed last spring that it would indeed offer a brand-new, more powerful two-stroke 850cc engine called Patriot on its 2019 snowmobile lineup.
We’re going to give you the jist of what you need to know about the 850 Patriot engine here. As you know, we mostly deal with cars for the time being and snowmobiles aren’t are main area of focus as Matt pointed out. On the other hand, snowmobiles go fast so whey not check them out from time to time?
The 850 Patriot is planned for spring of this year and will be offered on a wide range of Polaris models including the RMK-PRO and RMK Assault, Switchback, SKS, RUSH XCR and RUSH PRO-S, and INDY XC.
Plans are to offer the 850 Patriot in various track widths in each individual Polaris snowmobile lineup model as well. In other words, there’s a variety of ways riders will be able to experience the new engine, and a variety of ways they will be able to put it to good use.
Everything’s New On The 850 Patriot Engine
Running through the list of new features and components found on the 850 Patriot, you realize everything is new on this engine.
Polaris emphasized durability and power when building the 850 engine, namely by developing new pistons with a higher compression height and a thicker dome, and a larger clutch taper design among other features.
There’s also a new water bottle with a simplified design that seeks to reduce vibrations and maximize the integrated thermostat’s life.
Speaking of minimizing vibrations, Polaris designed a new engine mounting system that does just that while also maximizing belt life thanks to a more consistent center distance.
A new cylinder and cylinder head includes an advanced cooling system to ensure consistent flow velocities and a new combustion chamber design meant to stabilize performance regardless of what you’re doing or trying to do with your sled.
Other features and improvements include a power boosting regulator for quicker starts, a new and better sounding exhaust system, a new belt drive designed for the 850 to ensure durability, and a more reliable contactless TPS.
All this comes together to create an engine with the best power-to-weight ratio in the industry, beating its closest rival by 9 percent.
The end result is more fluid and linear power delivery in every situation including going uphill or just shooting over a frozen lake. If you were longing for more punch from your Polaris and the 800 engine wasn’t doing the job, the 850 Patriot will surpass your expectations.
