Polaris Octane opinion

[mrc123]

Just out of curiosity.... What is so great about a Polaris Octane besides them being rare and full of stock power?

I personally have never been on one, but was always curious to know why a Polaris Octane is so bad a$$?

Intrigue me!

 

[mrc123]

I guess here is the debate...STOCK POLARIS OCTANE vs. 2007 Superjet(w/ B-Pipe and other mediocre mods)

Which do you choose and why?

 

[jetski9010]

the octane already comes with everything your going to bolt on to a ski. Has a 777 motor polaris took out of a snowmobile, Factory B pipe, magnam pump, good prop, dual cooling, hull made by wamaltions, umi handpole, bildge pump, and other small things.
Its nice too when you go to hope it up because if you want more compression the stock head has the changable domes so all you need to do is swap domes for whatever gas your going to use.
The octane is a sweet ski from the factory. Yea you can bolt on mods on a superjet and beat it. But you can also bolt more mods onto an octane. Its just the fact that it comes like that all ready so if your one of those people who dont want to mess with anything and just have 100hp ski stock the octane is for you.
The eric malone motors are built around the polaris platform and I belive carls cycle still can make the big bore motors out of these also.

 

[MNTURBO]

from what I hear, that powerful motor adds a ton of weight. some guys ditch the polaris motor and run a yamaha 701 to lose weight. You also have to adjust a few other small quirks - check out the polaris section

 

[jetski9010]

the stock weight of an octane is 330 lbs which is in the middle of the sxr vs superjet crowd. The superjet I belive is sposed to be 290 from the factory and the sxr is around 370 I belive. Both superjets and octanes usally have wet foam so if your looking to loose weight that would be one of the first mods you do.

 

[OCD Solutions]

I bought and sold a 2002 Octane last summer without ever riding it. I kick myself everytime this question is asked because I had the chance to know the answer and I didn't take it. :banghead:

 

[mrc123]

Thanks for the responses... Yea I was always curious with this. I WISH I could get the chance to ride one but I know of no one where I live that has a Octane. Someday I guess!

Are Octanes good in the surf compared to a mod'ed SJ? Or built for racing better?

 

[Big Kahuna]

the octane already comes with everything your going to bolt on to a ski. Has a 777 motor polaris took out of a snowmobile, Factory B pipe, magnam pump, good prop, dual cooling, hull made by wamaltions, umi handpole, bildge pump, and other small things.
Its nice too when you go to hope it up because if you want more compression the stock head has the changable domes so all you need to do is swap domes for whatever gas your going to use.
The octane is a sweet ski from the factory. Yea you can bolt on mods on a superjet and beat it. But you can also bolt more mods onto an octane. Its just the fact that it comes like that all ready so if your one of those people who dont want to mess with anything and just have 100hp ski stock the octane is for you.
The eric malone motors are built around the polaris platform and I belive carls cycle still can make the big bore motors out of these also.

1. The hulls are not made by wamiltons. Wamilton did the original design, but what went to production was slightly different that what he had come up with.
2. The Factory Pipe was used because the OEM Runabout pipe would not fit, supposedly it made more power than the Factory Pipe but the cost to redesign was not justifiable.
3. It does not have a Skat Magnum pump. The pump is a Solas. Yes, it does work really well.
4. The first year or two the Octanes came with their own pole design, it was longer than the UMI and weaker.
5. The Octane hull does not turn very well at all. The electronics package is a bunch of unprotected open circuits. The electrical box can leak. The Hood Liner is junk. Seen many that were literally falling apart after just a year of riding (Light riding).

On the race course this ski was a killer race boat in stock class. But to make them turn was a chore. Sheldon did a lot to his to try and get it to handle nearly as good as a SJ. And that is coming nowhere near the handling of the SXR's. Sheldon did so well with his purely on the fact that he is one of the best racers ever. He did it with pure skill but he will tell you it is a chore.


So to answer your question, you would be much better off with the SJ.

 

[vitaly]

On the race course this ski was a killer race boat in stock class. But to make them turn was a chore.

If you talk about racing... tubbies on Octane. That leaves only two competing boats, SXR and Octane. The SuperJet is not really for racing anymore.

 

[Big Kahuna]

If you talk about racing... tubbies on Octane. That leaves only two competing boats, SXR and Octane. The SuperJet is not really for racing anymore.

Tubbies and cutting out the rear bondline at the rear corners. But finding the right spot for the tubbies was the difference from making it half way crappy handling to half way good handling.

The 08 SJ has been doing pretty well on the race courses lately. But you got to be an aggressive as hell rider. I got to ride Yamacat's Big Bore 08 this summer. If you ride it slow it is kind of a handfull. But as soon as I tried to ride it like my SXR it really shined. But you got to stay on the gas!

 

[XJCrawler]

I was told a superjet pump will bolt in an octane, so if someone was able to find a wrecked octane you could get a pretty cheap mag pump for your superjet?

 

[Big Kahuna]

I beleive there is some modification that is required.

 

[Shifty]

I remember hearing when the new SJ hull came out it was outperforming the SXR, was this true? I personally think the new design is much better than the SXR but im not a racer either.

I would still love to find a bargain on an Octane.

 

[jetski9010]

1. The hulls are not made by wamiltons. Wamilton did the original design, but what went to production was slightly different that what he had come up with.
2. The Factory Pipe was used because the OEM Runabout pipe would not fit, supposedly it made more power than the Factory Pipe but the cost to redesign was not justifiable.
3. It does not have a Skat Magnum pump. The pump is a Solas. Yes, it does work really well.
4. The first year or two the Octanes came with their own pole design, it was longer than the UMI and weaker.
5. The Octane hull does not turn very well at all. The electronics package is a bunch of unprotected open circuits. The electrical box can leak. The Hood Liner is junk. Seen many that were literally falling apart after just a year of riding (Light riding).

On the race course this ski was a killer race boat in stock class. But to make them turn was a chore. Sheldon did a lot to his to try and get it to handle nearly as good as a SJ. And that is coming nowhere near the handling of the SXR's. Sheldon did so well with his purely on the fact that he is one of the best racers ever. He did it with pure skill but he will tell you it is a chore.


So to answer your question, you would be much better off with the SJ.

I think that every jet ski you get stock is going to need some things fixed right away to make it act the way you want it. I have read about the octane e box problem but I figured send it to JSS and it will be good. Also the handling could be improved by doing a few things. Tubbies for sure and then I was also reading how somone was talking about how the motor stays spinning for to long and will push the ski through the turn. Lighten the flywheel might help that a bit.
All in all I am saying the octane seems like the best ski to start with from stock. I wish they still made them.

 

[ATS_Aaron]

The 08 SJ has been doing pretty well on the race courses lately.....If you ride it slow it is kind of a handfull. But as soon as I tried to ride it like my SXR it really shined. But you got to stay on the gas!

I am so glad to hear someone else say that. That is exactly how I felt. It turns GREAT, basically like a 96-07 with tubbies, BUT at high speed it doesn't have the spiral death wobble that all the tubbie'd earlier SJ's I have ridden had.

Aaron

 

[grezzmky]

I hated riding the Octane I rode. It had some power but less then MY sj. It felt like an sxr with extra weight in the front. Very stable, NO FUN. And not that much power.

 

[Big Kahuna]

I think that every jet ski you get stock is going to need some things fixed right away to make it act the way you want it. I have read about the octane e box problem but I figured send it to JSS and it will be good. Also the handling could be improved by doing a few things. Tubbies for sure and then I was also reading how somone was talking about how the motor stays spinning for to long and will push the ski through the turn. Lighten the flywheel might help that a bit.
All in all I am saying the octane seems like the best ski to start with from stock. I wish they still made them.

There is nothing that JSS can do that will correct any problems with the electrical box. It uses rubber straps/snaps to hold it closed.

With all the mods to do that will make it handle better still makes it fall way short of the handling of a SN superjet or even a kawi 650sx. It just does not turn. Straight line they are super stable.

You would be better off putting a super steep grate with aggressive scoop to help slow the motor, I think I remember them doing that when I rode them.


The original octane idea was going to be great until Polaris let their engineers get to it. After that it went down hill.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Something else I learned. If your racing against an octane and your behind him. Just be patient, race agressive against him from bouy to bouy (If your one a stock class SXR or SJ). You will not catch him on the straights. But at one point, you will see where he takes turns wide, usually when you have a left, right setup, single turns are not a problem, but when you turn hard left, and then have to turn hard back right, if you just wait and set him up, you can dive inside of him every time. May take a lap or two to be at the right spot.

 

[seatsR4toilets]

If there is anyone here who has an Octane and hates their Solas pump, I will gladly take it off of your hands, with CASH.

PM me.

 

[superwetbrett]

I might know one but I don't know if he is ready to part with it....haaahaaa