2011 Polaris® 600 Rush® LX Review
Since the launch of the new pro ride chassis at the end of 2009, Polaris® has kept impressing us with the constant evolution of its lineup and the remarkable quality of its products. For 2011, the American manufacturer is serving up no less then five models equipped with the Pro Ride rear suspension. The 600 Rush® LX is part of this new vintage, a solo touring sled that arrives like a breath of fresh air in a slightly humdrum segment.
With its unusual looks and original, in-your-face rear suspension, the 600 Rush® LX is all about shaking things up. Starting with the Pro Ride chassis that imposes an all-new riding position, higher and pushed forward. Ski-Doo had originally broken new ground with a position inspired by supersport bikes, and three years later Yamaha joined the fray with the Phazer and a riding position straight off a sport ATV. Polaris® is following in their footsteps with the Pro Ride chassis, offering a riding position reminiscent of an ATV. The new platform can be summed up in four words: balance and weight centralization.
To achieve this, designers placed the rider nearer the front, reduced the overall length of the machine compared to conventional sleds and increased suspension travel, to allow the rider to precisely control front-rear weight distribution and encourage intense trajectory changes and corner exit power.
The Cleanfire engines have just been getting better and better since their introduction, and the 600's mill is no exception, to the competition's dismay. True, it still smells too much like burnt oil, but its sporty yet not overly throaty exhaust note is music to a rider's ears and not anathema to his or her neighbours. Though it generates nearly 200 hp per litre of displacement, the Cleanfire 600 engine gives the impression of being more powerful than it truly is. Thanks to its 120 ponies, the 600 Rush® LX never seems to run out of steam, even in a foot of fresh powder, and it effortlessly transports you where you want to go.
Nimble and featuring a long-travel suspension, the 600 Rush® LX absorbs large bumps surprisingly and reassuringly well, so riders can go all out on rut-strewn, powder-coated, frozen lakes without fear.
On sinuous, uneven trails the LX holds its own, as long as you don't try to keep up with a Rush® Pro-R. The soft suspension and the 1-inch Hacksaw track limit the LX's sportiness. This combo entails too much weight transfer, which causes the front end to sway on corner entry and the track to slip when slowing down or speeding up.
However, if you take the time to calibrate all three points of the suspensions according to the surface and type of trail, you can ensure better ground contact and more control over weight transfer, although you'll never come close to the efficiency of the Walker Evans suspension and 1.25-inch Ripsaw track of Polaris®'s Pro-R models.
Like the other Rush® sleds built on the Pro Ride platform, the LX requires more physical effort in order to coax optimal performance out of the machine. You don't ride the Rush® with the handlebars, but rather the whole body. Take the time to get used to it, and you'll see how well the chassis responds to your weight transfers when preparing to turn.
Created for long-distance trail riding, the 600 Rush® LX is delivered with a ton of touring-oriented equipment, such as a baggage carrier, a removable storage bag, a 12-volt universal outlet, an RCA outlet, a high windshield, two rear-view mirrors and an electric starter.
Polaris® seems to have concentrated on ergonomics and suspension smoothness, and happily the 600 Rush® LX is one of the better equipped and more comfortable models in the industry.
What's more, it has all the artillery the long-distance trail rider could wish for: a potent and smooth powertrain, exemplary brakes, a precise and light steering system, excellent ergonomics, a high level of comfort and a complete array of travel accessories. This is an appealing touring sled designed for the active rider.
Plus
- Powerful engine.
- Efficient CVT.
- Revolutionary chassis.
- Bump absorption.
- Complete list of equipment.
Less
- Suspension is too soft for aggressive riding.
- Front end sways.
- Smells heavily of burnt oil.
