Polaris re-invents the off-road again

[Noel Woods]

I have amphibs, a utv, and a 4 wheeler. I've pirated some of the features I liked from the 4 wheeler and utv into mods for my amphibs. The newer machines are more innovative, in general. Just imagine a factory amphib with that Polaris engine and controls. Not to mention a nicely padded adjustable seat.
I agree with Brandon that we need more innovation from amphib manufacturers to get back to the head of the pack. Just imagine how many units would sell if someone could come to the market with an $8000.00 new machine. Its possible. I challenge the AATV industry to inspire by design again like they once did.

[riotwarrior]

To me it's likely due in part to all the deaths and so forth from rollovers and back flips of ATV/quads.

As the 3 wheelers got abandoned due to safety concerns so shall be the demise of the ATV/quad and subsequently replaced with said new machine.

I forget where I read it but I did read something that they where talking about mandating roll cages for quads and it was laughed at. Well boys...it's HERE and HERE NOW.

Regardless I can see this as the future of ATV'ing seeing as Gooberment's like to mandate safety when in reality it's not their job it's the end users too stupid do do so!

[wfo]

id rather roll a quad than burn in a polaris RZR.....
and their are many others, very scary

[MaxRules]

To me it's likely due in part to all the deaths and so forth from rollovers and back flips of ATV/quads.

As the 3 wheelers got abandoned due to safety concerns so shall be the demise of the ATV/quad and subsequently replaced with said new machine.

I forget where I read it but I did read something that they where talking about mandating roll cages for quads and it was laughed at. Well boys...it's HERE and HERE NOW.

Regardless I can see this as the future of ATV'ing seeing as Gooberment's like to mandate safety when in reality it's not their job it's the end users too stupid do do so!

You're right that roll over protection might be required in the future as I believe it is already required in some countries. I don't like to see new requirements or restrictions forced on us but a roll cage is a good idea for these new ATVs that are much heavier and more powerful than they have ever been. The new Sportsman ACE almost seems like that's the way it should have been done in the beginning. It has the safety of a full cage and seat belt, comfort of a real seat and backrest, and very easy to get into. All that and it's the same width as a Sportsman quad and only 7" longer. I can't wait to drive one.

[smudvapor]

Here is my take. I ride 6x6’s because they are fun, unique, and inexpensive. They are extremely easy to work on with little skills involved, I don’t have to go to a service center to have anything done and if I have a question I have years of knowledge and know how right here at my fingertips. I have been in this hobby for exactly one year and as of last Saturday I own three. I am not going to say that one is better than the other because as others have stated they both have good attributes, but for me, I would not be in the hobby if the cheapest price for either was 7500 dollars. That kind of money might be cost effective if I were buying one for a business related reason but for a few rides a year that is just crazy to me. It seems to me that one of the reasons why (as stated in some of the articles on this site) that the 6x6 was slowly pushed out of the market by the four-wheelers is because they cost less money than a 6x6. It may never be possible but I truly think that a 6x6 in the 1500-2000 dollar range would sell like hot cakes. Lastly it seems to me that the 6x6 world is a lot more mature in the way they go about things which leads to a lot more fun at the rides with a minimum of the drama that you find with the younger crowd. I am just fine with the way things are.

[George]

If this new ATV sells well and causes the public to demand more places to ride it, our group will benefit from it.

[PlumCrazy]

If this new ATV sells well and causes the public to demand more places to ride it, our group will benefit from it.

I 2nd that George!

I'm paraphrasing here, not sure who said it!

"If you like your 4x4, you can keep your 4x4!"
"If you like your 6x6, you can keep your 6x6!"

The sport needs everyone.

OK.... those 8x8's too!

[Model Citizen]

[MaxRules]

Seeing those videos is so sad. So many different off-road vehicles to have fun with out here, but something like what happened at Glamis is not fun to see.
They weren't rollovers, so what happened?

Bridget

Yep it is a fairly common thing out there in Glamis from all the articles I read that a vehicle blows up or burns down. I think at least one burns each year at the Highlifter Mud Nationals event in Texas. The story behind the Rzr 4 burning is that it was carrying a spare gas can which leaked out due to the heat and wild ride and ignited on the hot exhaust. I don't remember if that was from the video author or a forum I read. Some of them do burn just from the extreme heat from running hard in the dunes and it's normal for the exhaust manifolds to glow red (especially the turbo'ed vehicles). Any debris or material gets near it and POOF! These videos are convincing more and more people to carry a fire extinguisher, I usually do.

[Nick O.]

Any debris or material gets near it and POOF!

Leafs can bunch up near the exhaust and ignite a fire. We added an exhaust wrap and it worked fine.