Polaris SPORTSMAN FOREST 800 Series User manual

1
WELCOME
Thank you for purchasing a POLARIS vehicle, and welcome to our
world-wide family of POLARIS owners. We proudly produce an excit-
ing line of utility and recreational products.
• Snowmobiles
• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
•RANGER®utility vehicles
• Victory Motorcycles®
Always follow the instructions and recommendations in this manual.
The manual contains instructions for minor maintenance, but informa-
tion about major repairs is outlined in the POLARIS Service Manual
and should be performed only by a factory-certified Master Service
Dealer®(MSD) technician. Please see your dealer for all of your service
needs during (and after) the warranty period.
For more information about POLARIS, visit us online at
www.polarisindustries.com.

2
POLARIS, THE WAY OUT, SPORTSMAN and BIG BOSS are registered trademarks
of POLARIS Industries Inc.
Copyright 2011 POLARIS Sales Inc. All information contained within this publication
is based on the latest product information at the time of publication. Due to constant
improvements in the design and quality of production components, some minor discrep-
ancies may result between the actual vehicle and the information presented in this publi-
cation. Depictions and/or procedures in this publication are intended for reference use
only. No liability can be accepted for omissions or inaccuracies. Any reprinting or reuse
of the depictions and/or procedures contained within, whether whole or in part, is
expressly prohibited.
The original instructions for this vehicle are in English. Other languages are provided as
translations of the original instructions.
Printed in U.S.A.
2012 SPORTSMAN FOREST 800 6X6 Owner’s Manual
P/N 9923408

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Winch Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Emission Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
POLARIS Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Maintenance Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

4
INTRODUCTION
The following signal words and symbols appear throughout this manual
and on your vehicle. Your safety is involved when these words and sym-
bols are used. Become familiar with their meanings before reading the
manual.
The safety alert symbol indicates a potential personal injury hazard.
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in
death or serious injury.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in
minor or moderate injury.
NOTICE
A NOTICE indicates a situation that may result in property damage.
The Prohibition Safety Sign indicates an action NOT to take in order
to avoid a hazard.
The Mandatory Action Sign indicates an action that NEEDS to be
taken to avoid a hazard.

5
INTRODUCTION
Failure to heed the warnings and safety precautions contained in this manual
can result in severe injury or death. This POLARIS vehicle is not a toy and can
be hazardous to operate. This vehicle handles differently than other vehicles,
such as motorcycles and cars. A collision or rollover can occur quickly, even
during routine maneuvers like turning, or driving on hills or over obstacles, if you
fail to take proper precautions.
• Read this owner’s manual. Understand all safety warnings, precautions and
operating procedures before operating this vehicle. Keep this manual with the
vehicle.
• Never operate this vehicle without proper instruction. Take a training course.
• This vehicle is an ADULT VEHICLE ONLY. Operation is prohibited for anyone
under 16 years of age.
• Never permit a guest to operate this vehicle unless the guest has read this
manual and all product labels and has completed a certified safety training
course.
WARNING

6
INTRODUCTION
Vehicle Identification Numbers
Record your vehicle's identification numbers and key number in the
spaces provided. Remove the spare key and store it in a safe place. An
ignition key can be duplicated only by ordering a POLARIS key blank
(using your key number) and mating it with one of your existing keys.
The ignition switch must be replaced if all keys are lost.
Vehicle Model Number: ___________________________________________________
Frame VIN: ____________________________________________________________
Engine Serial Number: ___________________________________________________
Key Number: ___________________________________________________________
####
Engine Serial Number
Key Number
VIN
(front or rear frame)

7
SAFETY
Safety Training
Never operate this vehicle without proper instruction. Take a training
course.
For more information about safety, contact an authorized POLARIS
dealer or visit the POLARIS web site at www.polarisindustries.com.

8
SAFETY
Safe Riding Gear
Always wear appropriate clothing when riding this vehicle. Wear pro-
tective clothing for comfort and to reduce the chance of injury.
Helmet
Wearing a helmet can prevent a severe head injury. Whenever riding a
POLARIS vehicle, always wear a helmet that meets or exceeds estab-
lished safety standards.
Approved helmets in the USA and Canada bear a U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) label.
Approved helmets in Europe, Asia and Oceania
bear the ECE 22.05 label. The ECE mark consists
of a circle surrounding the letter E, followed by the
distinguishing number of the country which has
granted approval. The approval number and serial
number will also be displayed on the label.
Helmet
Eye Protection
Gloves
Boots
Long Pants
Long
Sleeves
E
4
051039
0006.31

9
SAFETY
Safe Riding Gear
Eye Protection
Do not depend on eyeglasses or sunglasses for eye protection. When-
ever riding a POLARIS vehicle, always wear shatterproof goggles or
use a shatterproof helmet face shield. POLARIS recommends wearing
approved Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) bearing markings such
as VESC 8, V-8, Z87.1, or CE. Make sure protective eye wear is kept
clean.
Gloves
Off-road style gloves with knuckle pads are the best for comfort and
protection.
Boots
The best footwear is a pair of sturdy over-the-calf boots with low heels.
Clothing
Always wear long sleeves and long pants to protect arms and legs. Rid-
ing pants with kneepads and a jersey with shoulder pads provide the best
protection.
Equipment Modifications
We strongly recommend that consumers do not install on a POLARIS
vehicle any equipment that may increase the speed or power of the vehi-
cle, or make any other modifications to the vehicle for these purposes.
The warranty on your POLARIS vehicle is terminated if any equipment
has been added to the vehicle, or if any modifications have been made to
the vehicle, that increase its speed or power.
The addition of certain accessories, including (but not limited to) mow-
ers, blades, tires, sprayers, or large racks, may change the handling char-
acteristics of the vehicle. Use only POLARIS-approved accessories, and
familiarize yourself with their function and effect on the vehicle.

10
SAFETY
Failure to operate the vehicle properly can result in a collision, loss of control,
accident or overturn, which may result in serious injury or death. Heed all safety
warnings outlined in this section of the owner’s manual. See the OPERATION
section of the owner’s manual for proper operating procedures.
Operating Without Instruction
Operating this vehicle without proper instruction
increases the risk of an accident. The operator
must understand how to operate the vehicle
properly in different situations and on different
types of terrain.
Never operate this vehicle without proper
instruction. Take a training course. Beginners
should receive training from a certified instructor.
Never permit others to operate the vehicle unless
they have read and understand this manual and all
product labels, and have completed a certified
safety training course.
Age Restrictions
This vehicle is an ADULT VEHICLE ONLY.
Operation is prohibited for anyone under 16 years
of age.
Even though a child may be within the
recommended age group for operating some
POLARIS vehicles, he/she may not have the skills,
abilities, or judgment needed to operate this
vehicle safely and could be susceptible to accident
or injury.
WARNING