2008 Polaris SwitchBack™ Turbo

2008 Turbo Switchback

After reading many reviews myself before buying my 08 Turbo Switchback.



I am overall glad to have bought the sled. It rides great! Power is tops in my book and I've had 800's. Once the turbo kits in you get set back. Don't drag with this sled though as it just digs a trench. There's to much... torque! No 2-stroke and even other 4 stroke's don't have this kind of tractor pulling torque! The sound is tractor like. So I added the Mbrp exhaust It really woke this sled up. The sled actually felt faster and on my GPS it showed a 5mph increase in top speed. This machine isn't without it's hiccup's. I had a problem with gas in the air box. I drive aggressively and well. The engineer team should have routed the Blow by into the Valve train. Like a PVC valve in a car. I have since modified the air box to catch this blow by and have to drain the Oil/gas mixture every ride. I still love the machine though.

The Ride, once set is excellent. I weigh 180pound and my wife rides on the back at times. All I do is set the adjuster block up on Med and we're good. This Machine does handle better then I hoped. 3 turns down on the front shocks and it handles around corners just like the short track. Toss the 4inch carbides and by a set of 8inch's or Dual 6's.

The ski's Worked ok but could be a little better.
In powder snow. The back end of the ski's push into the snow to much and the machine wallow's like a pig. I moved the ski back half and inch (had to drill new holes). Now the ski's float on the snow instead of the heel of the ski digging in and the tip pointing in the air. It also helped the cornering. The read skid needed Graphite slides. I actually had the track stick to the rails until I swapped out the plastic for the graphite. I also added a Wheel kit mid way down the rails to help rolling resistance.

I've never had the "hot foot" like so many other review wrote. I actually felt warm on this sled. Unlike being on a friends Nytro! or Rev bbbrrrrr. It's not as warm as the older edge body (I still have one).

The Handle bar are great. I like being able to move them around. As when I'm riding two up. I move them to # 5 and then I'm trail riding # 3 works great for me. The Switch for the heater's works great too, Easy to use and I don't care if they use them now till whenever. If it works! it works.(AKA if it ant broke don't fix it).
The digital dash I could do without.The left side of the dash looks Barron. Like there should be something there. It's also hard to read at speeds above 60mph. At night it's good, The blue color is not to bright an not to dark.
I like Ski-doo's new Xp gauge's Best. They are easy to read at any time of day, any speed. You have the best of both world with them.

The headlight at night is excellent. I added the center projector beam light. It's like turning night into day. You'll never have to worry about over driving the light! All machine's should be this bright!.

The fit and finish is OK but could use some touching up.

I don't like the tail end at all! It need's to be finished off. The brake light is small and hard to see. I added some small LED lights to the outer flanks of the rear of the sled and everyone say's they can fallow me now even with the snow bust. The snow Flap does not do a good job at keeping the snow dust down. It does stay up and out of the way though when backing up.

The Seat is Just Plain pitiful! Like one reader wrote in another place. "At 40years old, I don't want to be sitting on a tooth pick!". I agree! and I'm much younger. I ride often 300mile days and it took me forever to get rid of the saddle soreness on my butt. I'm 5'10 an 180pounds. So average in size.I even Ride a Peddle bike in the summer and it's seat isn't as bad! I hate 09 seats even more!!! The 08 seat should be at least an inch wider. This machine is not targeted to the "sno-cross" crowd...or the power Rider. So why have a skinny little seat?? Polaris's Raw look = Raw bum!

I see for 09 they added a taller wind shield. Good for them :) Let the Sno-cross guy Option his sled with all the little things! I have one of those and Well..I put a smaller seat on that sled but I also don't drive it 300 miles..nor would I. I can't option up a wider seat for my 08 Turbo. Polaris just doesn't get it!

Most rider's who can actually afford Sledding in mass...are late 30's and up age range. Where the Sno-cross crowd is the 25 and under. The Over 40 crowd are the one who buy the sno-cross sled for there kid as a whole.

As for my 08 Fst Turbo Switchback. I do love it and was going to buy another one this year but my dealer fudged that up.

This is no Powder Machine! Sure it works out for us in the east. I would say it's mostly a groom trail sled though. Kinda Like a Classic. :) Hopefully this you. Read Full Review

Not as Good as I thought

I had this Machine for 2 winters. Put 9000 miles on it. First 4500 were pretty much problem free. Chain case bearings Went at 4700 miles. The Turbo impeller vains were rubbing on the housing at 5200 miles. Dealer mechanic had no idea what I was showing them. They Would not replace it, even though it... was under warranty and was faulty. It was causing Excessive heat, Loss of power etc. Belts only lasted 300 miles on avg(the clutches were aligned perfect). To much underhood heat on long lake runs. These Machines should have had an EGR value. I Vented the Crankcase gas's out to the ground via a rubber horse instead of onto the paper Air filter, Which gummed up the Intake system at first and is why I think the turbo housing failed eventually. The Bulkhead tabs that held the front Susp Actually bent just from riding on grounded trails. After all the issues and the 10 belts the last year I had the machine. I will never buy another Polaris Snowmobile! To high maintenance! In the Mari-times where I live. Polaris Didn't stand by there dealers or there product. An Went from many dealers to Just 2! Read Full Review