Am I the only one that has a sled that eats starters. The bendix on my 600 cllassic touring eats them. I have a feeling they were all defective but the dealer keeps putting the same junk back on. They last a week typically.

What should we do other than buy a doo

We have an 03 Classic 550, and the starter has been fine, although the sled only has 800 miles.
Are they just throwing a bendix on or a whole starter? Does it sound smooth when you engage or grinding? Perhaps there is a meshing problem with the ring gear. Certainly the dealer would have had a close look at this considering the comebacks.

First time I ever heard of a Polaris having trouble with a starter. Cat's were famous for it for years, but I think they're better since they started using the flex drive. But Polaris? You're the first person I ever heard complain about one.

The bendix goes. It begins normally but after 40 or 50 starts the gears grind and eventually the bendix stays out (extended).
Pete/NY has a buddy with the same problem.
My sled has 4999 miles on it

DECEE- My friend RJMLAKOTA just got his 600 touring sled like yours back after spending quite a few $$ getting it repaired for the third time in a 1000 miles!!It was eating starter drives.You got alot more starts out of your new ones than he did.When we were on our trip it went bad and we stopped at the Polaris dealer in Kearney.Rickwards Small Engine I believe it was. He went out of his way to drop what he was doing to get us on the trail again.He showed me a small box full of late model starter drives he has replaced.Says Polaris knows of the problem but all the replacements are the same junk ones.His lasted about a half a day.The rest of the trip he used the recoil starter.Upon getting home took it back to the selling dealer and let them try to find out what the problem was.Come to find out the problem was all along a broken stud coming out of the bottom of the motor block.This holds the starter tight into the block.Seems when you turned the motor over only 1 bolt was holding it into the ring gear and the torgue from the motor flexed the starter away from the ring gear.He also replaced the ring gear free even though it was not bad.He had a heck of a time getting the broken stud out of the block and replaced it with a regular bolt and now its fine. Check your bolts!! My 1999 500 Touring Classic had the same starter and starter drive on it since new so I really don't think they are that bad as the dealer had said.

You would think that if there was a loose or broken stud holding the starter on then the dealer would have found it, especially after the fifth time.

A buddy of mine has replace three starters on his 02 Vertical Escape. All were replaced under warranty.

CORY- this stud is hard to see as its under the back of the starter bracket and yes you are right BOTH dealers should have caught it but they didn't .These drives are not cheap, like $75 just for the drive plus the installation.Its fixed now and yes if yours starts to go bad you will know it as there is a terrible grinding noise and on my friends, when you saw the drive kick in to the ring gear there were sparks a flying!!!It would tear off the ends of the starter drive gear so bad it would no longer engage the ring gear.Yours is most likely good as you would know it by now if it wasn't.

Thanks Pete, I will definietly keep and eye on the starter and stud.

I have a 2003 600 Classic Touring and late last spring my dealer replaced my starter drive.It also tore up the ring gear so that was replaces also.Then last fall they put in a complete starter,it was making a squeeling sound.I have had no problems since.I have over 4000 miles to date.

Now you guys have me concerned. Polaris Man, did they give you a reason for the failure? When the starter was making a squeeling noise did it still function normally? I have seen starters, especially in marine applications make a squeeling noise that can be cured with a service and lubrication.
Was this the case with you, or did the starter cease to function properly?

The first time,they replaced my starter drive and ring gear.The drive stuck out and ruined the ring gear.When I would try to start the machine it would screech.Then in the fall i noticed the same squeeling sound again so i made an appointment and they replaced the whole thing.Although i think the sound was due to a low battery.I charged the battery before i went for the repair and it was fine.I told them this and they said not to worry they'd still replace my starter.

Sounds like you've got a good dealer. Hopefully this was all under warranty!