September 2002 issue of dirt wheels mag that I had just received today has just confirmed the Predator is indeed a Polaris.

 

I hope they settle this one way or another,I realize it is exciting to hear about a "new and powerful,full race set up quad available at your dealer",but all the rumors and hype are getting old. I bet the guys behind marketing this quad are doing the "happy-happy,joy-joy" dance,practically counting their money from all the people drooling over the scant tidbits and 'sightings' around the country. Don't get me wrong, I sincerely hope it is all the stories tell it to be,but until it is actually out, and proven,I can do with out all the free press and hype being generated for a quad that is yet to be ridden by one of us,we are just doing what the big business types want,getting crazy over rumors,pictures on a web site, and a few sightings with no one offering any info. Yes, I have been to the web sites to look it over, seems to be set up well, not a lot of imagination on the bodywork, looks like a Raptor bred a Cannondale,and this is the offspring. Please don't take this as a flame,I am glad more quads are being designed for us,lets just not get crazy over rumors and web sites.

 

I'm sure no one in the Yamaha forum was excited when the Raptor rumors started. They probably just sat back and said "yeah, yeah, I'll believe it when I see it."

 

Well, to be honest,with all the years of 'bold new graphics' on the Yamahas all these years with no real changes,a lot of Yamaha fans I knew (including my dealer) said just that,that they would believe it when it was actually on the floor in the shop.Yes, is was exciting when the Raptor hit the dealers,but there was no where near the hype that they are using for the Predator,I don't fault the quad at all, just the money hungry suits dangling the "leaked" secret photos and specs to make a larger market before their product is even out.I say,announce your new model,test it well, and put it in the dealers hands,not spend the better part of a year making stories and rumors to line their pockets.If it is a good product, the good word will spread fast,and will be more believable than all the 'sightings' and sparse info. As I said, I'm not bashing anything except the marketing tactics of greedy corporations trying to get our hard earned money.