Metallicat
TY 4 Stroke God
Rode with my cousin this week, who has a new 2007 Polaris 600 cfi (basic model, not the Dragon). We rode together for 850 miles (and I now have 2300 miles on my Vector!) So...here is the scoop!
Ergos - both sleds have very similar riding positions, but I do like the hooked bars on the Vector better than the stubby hooks on the IQ. I also like the softer seat foam on the Vector. The seat on the Polaris is a little too hard for my liking. The IQ bars also seem a bit more narrow, but it was very easy to adjust to, coming off of my Vector. They both have great riding positions. The instrument cluster on the Polaris is a bit higher and is easier to read, however. Not a whole lot of differences here.
Suspension - The Vector's 136" mono rear easily outclasses the Polaris skid frame. In the sharp stutters, the mono provides a plusher response with less feedback to the rider. But it is in the deep 1 foot trail junk where the Vector really shines. Hitting the deep holes at 40, 60, 80 yields the same response - the skid sucks up everything and you don't even leave the seat. The ride of the mono is fantastic, amazing, even mind blowing at times. The Polaris does ride good, but it is noticably short on travel compared to the Yamaha and in the same conditions you leave the seat more often. In the big G-force bumps, they both bottom out about the same. Nothing too dramatic.
Handling - After riding the twisties on the IQ I thought it steered easier than my sled and pushed less, but then I got back on my Vector and found the steering effort to be about the same and the push in the corners to be about the same as well. My cousin commented that he also thought they steered about the same. But he still has the stock, Polaris 4" carbides on his sled. The Polaris does respond better to rider input (most likely due to the weight difference) and seems to stay planed better in tight corners, but the differences are really not that great and certainly not as great as I had anticipated.
Power - The 600 Polaris has an amazing mid-range hit that leaves you planted smartly in the back of the seat when the exhaust valves open at 7000rpm. It feels much, much quicker than my Vector, but when we lined them up they are pretty even to 60 and then the Polaris starts to walk away. By the time we reached 80 he was probably a good 5 sled lengths ahead of me and he was still walking away. I think his top end is a good 5+ mph better than my Vector. The linear powerband of the Vector just makes it seem so much slower than it really is and you would swear the IQ has 30hp more than the Vector when you ride them back to back. The IQ is indeed quicker and faster, but that is pretty much what I expected.
Other Things - The plastic and over build quality of the Polaris is not even close to the Yamaha. Not even close, like decades apart. The IQ isn't a bad looking sled at all, but man you really have to appreciate the build quality of the Yamaha after looking over Polaris' latest offering.
Which sled do I like the best? - My Vector, of course. It is simply the best built, best looking, best high mileage trail cruiser on the market IMHO. It is superior in the bumps and in comfort and refinement. The only thing that really impressed me about the Polaris was the engine response (very good backshift, and extremely potent powerband). The Vector deserves the 135hp Nytro engine to fully compete with the Poo 600 in the power department.
Ergos - both sleds have very similar riding positions, but I do like the hooked bars on the Vector better than the stubby hooks on the IQ. I also like the softer seat foam on the Vector. The seat on the Polaris is a little too hard for my liking. The IQ bars also seem a bit more narrow, but it was very easy to adjust to, coming off of my Vector. They both have great riding positions. The instrument cluster on the Polaris is a bit higher and is easier to read, however. Not a whole lot of differences here.
Suspension - The Vector's 136" mono rear easily outclasses the Polaris skid frame. In the sharp stutters, the mono provides a plusher response with less feedback to the rider. But it is in the deep 1 foot trail junk where the Vector really shines. Hitting the deep holes at 40, 60, 80 yields the same response - the skid sucks up everything and you don't even leave the seat. The ride of the mono is fantastic, amazing, even mind blowing at times. The Polaris does ride good, but it is noticably short on travel compared to the Yamaha and in the same conditions you leave the seat more often. In the big G-force bumps, they both bottom out about the same. Nothing too dramatic.
Handling - After riding the twisties on the IQ I thought it steered easier than my sled and pushed less, but then I got back on my Vector and found the steering effort to be about the same and the push in the corners to be about the same as well. My cousin commented that he also thought they steered about the same. But he still has the stock, Polaris 4" carbides on his sled. The Polaris does respond better to rider input (most likely due to the weight difference) and seems to stay planed better in tight corners, but the differences are really not that great and certainly not as great as I had anticipated.
Power - The 600 Polaris has an amazing mid-range hit that leaves you planted smartly in the back of the seat when the exhaust valves open at 7000rpm. It feels much, much quicker than my Vector, but when we lined them up they are pretty even to 60 and then the Polaris starts to walk away. By the time we reached 80 he was probably a good 5 sled lengths ahead of me and he was still walking away. I think his top end is a good 5+ mph better than my Vector. The linear powerband of the Vector just makes it seem so much slower than it really is and you would swear the IQ has 30hp more than the Vector when you ride them back to back. The IQ is indeed quicker and faster, but that is pretty much what I expected.
Other Things - The plastic and over build quality of the Polaris is not even close to the Yamaha. Not even close, like decades apart. The IQ isn't a bad looking sled at all, but man you really have to appreciate the build quality of the Yamaha after looking over Polaris' latest offering.
Which sled do I like the best? - My Vector, of course. It is simply the best built, best looking, best high mileage trail cruiser on the market IMHO. It is superior in the bumps and in comfort and refinement. The only thing that really impressed me about the Polaris was the engine response (very good backshift, and extremely potent powerband). The Vector deserves the 135hp Nytro engine to fully compete with the Poo 600 in the power department.
