Polaris Predator Trail Mod Project

It seems as though the time for the Predator has come and gone. Still there are still thousands of these units throughout the country. Perhaps you have one in your garage right now. While Polaris has replaced the Predator with their new Outlaw 525S, the Predator still has lots to offer for its owners. The Predator offers good handling, super smooth power and excellent brakes. We put a year of abuse on ours. Our Predator has seen it all from the sandy terrain in Ocala Florida to the soft mud at the Big Rock ATV Park in Maysville, KY. We’re here to report the trusty Polaris never experienced a mechanical problem greater than a punctured tire. Our verdict, – it’s a very dependable and quite capable machine for the aggressive trail rider, but we can make it even better for minimal dollars.

Predator Problems

While we felt that the Predator was a good all around trail machine, it did have a few problems that held it back. Our biggest complaint in the handling department was the rear shock. The “Anti Squat Rear Suspension” system found on the Predator was designed to prevent unwanted wheelies under hard acceleration. We found this system performed well through the bumps, but did more harm than good elsewhere. Polaris basically created a rear end that would not squat under hard acceleration. Since the rear end of the machine couldn’t squat coming out of corners, the machine’s center of gravity remained high. This caused the rear end to get unstable before the front — sometimes resulting in completely unexpected two-wheeling.

Perhaps an even bigger problem was the strange air box design found on the Predator. Under the easy to remove lid lives a paper-lawn-and-garden-filter covered by a foam pre filter. Trust us; this should be the first thing you address on your Predator. A Paper filter can’t be cleaned and we doubt that it did a good job of either flowing air or preventing fine dust from reaching the intake.

Although it wasn’t considered a “problem” the Predator’s midrange power sometimes held the machine back a bit on extremely steep hills when there was little run at the bottom. The Predator’s bottom end wasn’t very impressive even by 400cc class standards; however it would run at a lower RPM much happier than most 450s. For slime-ridden technical tails and steep cliff-like obstacles we wanted more grunt out of the machine. On top the Predator signs off gradually so it’s necessary to keep the Predator in the sweet spot of the midrange in order to utilize its power to the fullest. For a 500cc machine we knew there was more top end lurking in the motor. We just needed to figure out how to get at it.

This Pure Polaris/White Brothers E2 silencer was installed in hopes of gaining more torque and better top end. It features aluminum and stainless steel construction and has a removable spark arrestor. It also has an extra long body to help keep noise levels reasonable.

Predator Solutions

Rath Racing sells this White Brothers Foam Power Filter and aluminum billet adapter plate to replace the Predator’s wimpy stock paper filter for better intake performance and engine longevity. While we’re sure it will stop more dirt, we wouldn’t recommend you get too crazy with deep water holes or river crossings since you won’t be able to use the air box lid. Okay, like we said the air box issue demands immediate attention so that was first on our hop up list. Daryl Rath, owner of Rath Racing raced one of these machines for several seasons. We’re pretty sure he probably has more experience tuning the Predator than anyone. Rath Racing sells a White Brothers Foam Power Filter and billet aluminum adapter plate to replace the wimpy stock paper unit. The billet adapter mounts to the intake where it formerly attached to the air box lid. On the other end of the billet adapter we mount the White Brothers Filter. This is a setup that we are confident will flow properly and allow far less dirt into the carburetor, while greatly increasing airflow through the intake. Although the new filter doesn’t quite fully reside inside the air box, we left the old air box mounted below the filter for some splash protection. This setup no longer allows the use of the stock air box lid, so you’ll need to be careful in extremely deep water crossings.

With more air flowing into our Predator’s motor, we decided to complement it with a Pure Polaris slip on exhaust, manufactured by White Brothers. The Pure Polaris exhaust features a stainless steel inlet pipe, an aluminum silencer body and a removable screen-type spark arrestor. The silencer shaved a few unwanted pounds off the slightly hefty Predator and hopefully gave us the extra bottom and top end we were looking for.

The Predator’s stock rear shock wasn’t bad, but it wouldn’t let the rear end settle for acceleration out of turns. This made the machine feel tippy at times. Rath Racing cured that problem easily with their ZPS revalve kit.Next came the rear suspension. We sent our Predator’s stock Fox Podium shock off to Rath Racing, where they converted it to a ZPS setup. The ZPS, “zero preload” setup allowed the rear shock to sit farther down in its travel allowing for more stable acceleration out of turns.

Of course, with its new multi spring setup, we were also hoping to improved suspension action, (although we didn’t have any major complaints with the stock rear shock when it came to shock absorption).

More Goodies

After a year of hammering, our Predator’s plastic skid plates were looking pretty warn. To improve our machine’s undercarriage protection, we ordered Pro Armor’s Full Chassis Armor, Swing Arm Armor and MX Front Bumper. When our package arrived we were a bit bummed to find no swing arm skid plate. Pro Armor tells us that they do not offer a swing arm skid for the machine; although their website advertises that they do indeed offer one. This left us a bit disappointed and our Predator’s swing arm a bit unprotected. Fortunately the Chassis Armor bolted right up as we expected and we feel that Pro Armor has the best looking bumper on the market for this particular machine.

For improved safety and control, we ordered a set of Rath Racing Competition Series Nerf Bars. The nerfs are constructed of 6061 heat treated aluminum tubing; feature a netted heel guard and a replaceable steel foot peg. Although we didn’t plan on racing our machine, we think nerf bars are a sensible safety addition on any sport machine. If your foot slips off the peg, you’ll be glad you spent the extra money. Rath’s Competition Series nerfs are a lot less expensive than a broken ankle.

Pro Armor products tend to live up to their name from our experience, that’s why when our Predator’s stock plastic skid plates failed us, we ordered this Full Chassis Armor and Swing Arm Armor from Pro Armor. Unfortunately when the swing arm skid didn’t arrive they told us that they don’t make one for the Predator. We are a bit confused?When we got our package from Rath we were surprised to find some extra goodies we didn’t order. We figured that since Rath Racing did our shock and supplied us with a set of nerf bars, we might as well run their bumper and Grab bar as well. Unlike the Pro Armor bumper we ordered, the Rath bumper is designed for and comes with its own number plate. This makes their bumper ideal for racing applications. Rath’s grab bar also comes with a number plate which we left uninstalled since we were only going to trail ride the machine.

Although we didn’t have any issues with the Predator’s front shocks, we figured we might as well try something new anyway. Since the Predator is a bit hefty, we decided to outfit the front of our Predator with a pair of Fox Racing Float Shocks. They are a bit lighter than the Predator’s stock front shocks and are easier to adjust than any other standard shock on the market. No measuring or counting threads on these bad boys, simply attach the included air pump, fill each shock to the desired identical air pressure and detach the pump. It is virtually impossible to mess up when adjusting these shocks and this makes them ideal for recreational riders.

Rath Racing Competition Series Nerf Bars are constructed of 6061 heat treated aluminum and feature their unique netted heel guards which allow for mud to fall through rather than build up. Combine those features with a beefy serrated steel peg and you have a set of nerf bars that are as much at home on the trail as they are on the track. The Float shocks feature much larger diameter shafts than standard coil over shocks.

The larger shafts should reduce unwanted flex under compression, resulting in extremely smooth movement with virtually no “stiction”. Included with the float shocks are a pair of shock covers, similar in design to those sold by Quad Tech.

The guards protect the shafts from flying rocks and other debris.

 

We ordered a Pro Armor MX Front Bumper to complement our Pro Armor Skid Plates. To our surprise, Rath Racing sent us one of their bumpers and grab bars, so compare them for yourselves. For trail riding, we think the Pro Armor bumper may complement the angular shape of the Predator, but for competition purposes, the Rath bumper with number plate mounting bracket and included number plate are hard to beat.

Although we liked the Predator’s stock front shocks, we liked the Fox Floats way better. They offer greater plushness over the smallest of hits yet offer better bottoming resistance than the stock shocks provide. An air pump makes these the easiest to adjust shocks on the market. Finally after adding the second plug to one of our machines front tires, we decided to install a set of 21×7-10 Maxxis Razr 2’s. The Razr 2’s feature a six ply rating making them considerably more durable than the Predator’s two ply stock tires. Additionally the taller more aggressive knobs and larger size should help the machine in deep muddy conditions while providing excellent control in the dry. Since the Predator’s Maxxis Razr rear tires are such good performers and still had some edge left on them, we didn’t see a point in replacing them.

Along with the trick aftermarket parts and manufacturer stickers, we wanted to do something to farther enhance the looks of our machine. Rath Racing offers graphics kits constructed of heavy vinyl that are downright inexpensive at just $40! Rath offers different colored kits for all of the different color schemes that Polaris used through the years so they’ll match your Predator nicely.

Rath Racing’s aluminum grab bar comes complete with a rear number plate for the competition minded among us, since this was going to be a trail build; we left the number plate home in the garage.

 

This affordable Rath Racing graphics kit improved the looks of our machine. It’s constructed of a durable heavy vinyl material so it should last. They offer kits in various colors for the different colored Predator models that have been offered through the years.

With two plugs in the Predator’s two ply stock front tires, we decided to replace them with a set of 21×7-10 Maxxis Razr 2’s. The Razr2’s should also enhance performance with their taller lugs and race proven GNCC performance. Since the stock Maxxis Razr rear tires were still holding up strong, there was no need to replace them.

The Ride

With our new intake system from Rath Racing and our new Pure Polaris/White Brothers exhaust our Predator can now be lugged up slimy hills a gear high without slipping the clutch. On top, the Predator now pulls much harder. We found ourselves bouncing off the rev limiter a lot more than we did with the stock exhaust. It’s now faster and easier to ride.We tested our machine in the middle of December in Harrison, Ohio at ATV Pro Aaron Meyer’s private motocross and cross country training track. With temperatures in the mid 30’s cold sloppy mud was the name of the game on this day. Not the testing conditions we had hoped for, but none the less it’s what we had to deal with. With the new foam filter suspended above the air box we were aware that we had to keep our machine out of really deep mud holes.

Our newly piped and filtered Predator fired up to a much more substantial roar then it previously emitted. Although not objectionably loud, the Pure Polaris White Brothers Exhaust barked with a lower harder hitting thump than the stock muffler produced. The additional power was immediately evident. Even in the wet sloppy conditions with our machine weighed down with a 250 lbs rider and an extra 30 pounds of mud, we could climb a gear higher than usual and let the motor lug without having to clutch to get at some more power. This made traction on slippery climbs much easier. In wide open spaces we found ourselves hitting the rev limiter more often than we did with the stock exhaust. The Pure Polaris exhaust and Rath Racing filter setup definitely let us rev the machine out farther. Instead of falling off on top, the Predator now feels like it is still pulling hard just before the rev limiter kicked in. If we rode this machine in the wide open quite a bit, we would consider adding a rev box with a higher RPM limit.

G outs and deep runoff trenches pushed both ends through nearly all of their travel yet our new suspension still resisted bottoming. On the trail Rath Racing’s converted rear shock did a much better job than the stock setup. The Fox Float front shocks were pillow soft whether the hits were big or small.

Out of corners, the rear end of the Predator stayed planted whether it was sliding or hooked up hard. Rath Racing’s ZPS mod made the rear end squat in turns offering much improved stability.We left the rear shock alone and added 60 pounds of pressure to our Fox Float shocks. On Aaron’s 12 Hour cross country practice tack, the Predator’s suspension was super plush. It’s hard to believe how well the Fox Float front shocks absorbed the smallest roots and rocks. Meanwhile the Rath Racing ZPS revalved rear shock was equally cushy. While we weren’t able to hit the MX track due to the sloppy conditions, we did attack a few water trenches that were several feet deep quite aggressively to see how the shocks would react to big hits. While we were able to access nearly all of the travel at both ends, however neither ever felt as though it bottomed out. If the suspension needed to be stiffened at all for track use, there was plenty of adjustment still available at both ends.

Another thing we noticed about the Rath modified rear shock was the progression of its travel. When we ran our stock shock with no preload on the spring to try and get the rear end to settle, it would be plush on small bumps but bottom on larger ones. Once we added more preload to prevent bottoming, we lost some of that low speed plushness. The Rath conversion offers good low speed plushness yet stilled offered good bottoming resistance on G outs and drop-offs.

Through corners the Predator was now much more predictable. Instead of that tippy top heavy feel we got with the stocker, the Rath Racing modified rear shock would squat under hard acceleration while exiting turns keeping the rear end glued to the ground even in areas where traction was optimal. In sloppy turns, the Maxxis Razr tires hooked up well at both ends. As long as we weren’t crawling down the trail at a snails pace, the tires did a great job of keeping themselves free of mud build up. The Predator’s stock Maxxis Razr rear tires continued to wok well and are still holding up great after a year’s worth of use. The Razr 2 front tires blew the stock tires performance and durability away, especially in the muck.

We were especially glad that we had ordered the Rath Racing nerf bars. In the wet conditions, we appreciated the traction provide by the gnarly steel foot pegs. In addition, the netted heel guards did a good job of letting mud and debris pass through while keeping our feet well protected. While they are a bit pricey, the Rath Racing Competition Series nerf bars are ideal for trail riding or GNCC racing.

While we liked the looks and performance of the stock predator, we think our machine is tougher, faster, better handling with killer new looks to match.

 The Bottom Line
It’s still not perfect, but it’s much better than before. The Predator now lets us enjoy that big four stroke power in much easier and controllable ride. The suspension is perfect for aggressive all day trail riding. It looks better than stock. And it’s more reliable thanks to its new filter and skid plate. Our only disappointments are that you can’t use an airbox lid for wet conditions or get a matching Pro Armor skid plate. O well, if you don’t mind adding another company’s swing arm skid plate and avoiding a few deep mud holes you’ll be fine. Bottom line, our Predator is a much improved big bore trail machine and we love it all the more.

 

 

MUST HAVE MODS
Intake/filter	Rath Racing/White Brothers intake system includes filter and billet flange.	$90.00
Rear Shock Conversion	Rath Racing converted to ZPS	NA
Chassis Skid Plate	Pro Armor Chassis Armor	$124.95
BIG IMPROVEMENTS
Exhaust	Pure Polaris/ White Brothers E2 silencer	$399.99
Front Bumper	Rath Racing Bumper	$119.95
	Pro Armor MX Bumper	$109.95
Nerf Bars	Rath Racing Competition Series	$385.95
Front Tires	Maxxis Razr 2 — 21×7-10
MORE GOOD STUFF
Graphics Kit	Rath Racing Predator Standard Editon Graphics Kit	$40.00
Front Shocks	Fox Float air shocks	$695.00
CONTACTS

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