Draped in ****, the 2027 Polaris Patriot 9R RMK® SPS 165 7S shows up like a dare on fresh snow: quiet confidence on the outside, absolute mischief in the belly. It’s a purpose-built **mountain** sled that looks ready to climb the moment it’s unloaded—and once you grab the bars, it’s clear it was designed for riders who think “the long way” is the fun way.
At the heart of it all is the **Patriot 9R**—a **liquid-cooled**, **2-cylinder**, **2-stroke** built in a **horizontal in-line** layout with **reed valve** breathing and **fuel injection**. With **899 cc** on tap, it delivers that crisp, eager response that makes technical terrain feel like a playground. Thumb the **thumb throttle**, give it a confident pull (yes, **pull start**), and the sled comes alive on **regular** fuel with **gas / oil injection** handling the mix. Power flows out through a **single exhaust**, then into a **CVT** setup with **belt** drive and the P-22 / TEAM LWT clutching—smooth when you want it, urgent when you need it. And when the trail gets tight or the parking spot gets awkward, **reverse** is ready to save your boots (and your patience).
The whole experience is anchored by the **MATRYX aluminum frame**, keeping the platform strong and responsive without feeling bulky. With a **dry weight of 428 lb**, it stays lively under you, especially when the terrain turns three-dimensional. The body keeps things practical with **plastic** panels, and the details you appreciate on cold, long days are all here: **skid resistant** running boards, **rubber** grips, a **belt guard**, and a **snow guard** to help keep the ride clean and controlled when the powder gets deep.
Up front, the sled rides on an **independent A-arm** setup with **RMK® React™** suspension and **9 inches** of travel, tuned via **shock-mounted adjustment**. The shocks are serious equipment: **WER® Velocity** **adjustable gas shocks with remote reservoirs**, complete with **coil-over** design up front. Out back, the **RMK® KHAOS®** rear suspension brings **16 inches** of travel and a **two-shock** arrangement, again backed by **WER® Velocity** remote-reservoir adjustables, plus a matching **WER® Velocity** center shock. It’s the kind of suspension package that encourages you to push farther into the day—because when the bumps stack up, the sled stays composed.
Point it where you want with **ProTaper®** manual handlebar steering, and let the front end do its job with **Gripper®** plastic skis and **carbide** skags biting for authority when conditions change. For speed checks and steep descents, the **RMK® hydraulic disc** brake gives you reliable control without drama.
And then there’s the business end: the **Series 8** track. At **165 inches** long, **15 inches** wide, and packing **2.75-inch** lugs, it’s built to turn soft snow into forward motion—and to keep you floating, clawing, and climbing when the line you chose starts looking vertical. Add in a generous **11-gallon** fuel capacity, and the distance between “let’s head back” moments gets a lot longer.
The cockpit keeps things simple, focused, and ready for long winter missions. You get a **one-piece vinyl** driver’s seat, a **low tinted LED** setup for visibility, and **heated, adjustable** driver grips for those days when the temperature drops but your plans don’t. You’re also backed by **RIDE COMMAND™ GPS**, plus a **fuel level gauge** and a **temperature warning light**—the kind of small reassurances that let you stay locked in on the ride instead of worrying about the details.
If you’re shopping colors, this model is offered in **Gloss Black** and **INDY® Red / White Lightning / Gloss Black**—but there’s something especially sharp about seeing it in ****, waiting at the edge of the lot like it already knows the mountain’s best kept secret.
