<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Scooter86

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: CALDS650



KTM will sell them more engines. KTM sells engines to other dirt bike makers I sure do not see them turning down a big order. ? is what engine does Polaris want and what engine is KTM willing too sell.</end quote></div>



Just speculation on my part, but maybe KTM is looking to sell more of their own quads and need the engines?</end quote></div>

In the press release that I read it said that due to ktm's rising popularity and the competitve nature of this market, after the contract expire that all part and technology sharing would cease.
I agree KTM wants a larger slice of spotlight and polaris does not want to support a competitor financially while buying their engines and them not buying polaris chassis pieces.

 

ide hate to see the outlaw (ktm powered) get discontinued, i mean the fuji 500 isnt a bad motor, the predator was a hell of a quad, but nothing like a ktm. i do hope that polaris makes a motor for it, or fuji can make them a 550 or somthing. but it will still be a step down from ktm.

if they quit using ktm motors, then the ktm powered outlaw will not die, it will go down in atv history as a legend, right next to the banshee, 250r, and the zilla.

 

I think It would be a good thing. Polaris has come a long way on making the outlaw 450/ outlaw 525. Polaris needs to make up there own engine. There well big enough to do so but i think polaris wants to be up there with sports quads like yamaha, honda, suzuki and cannam. I own a outlaw and its always running hot. but other then that they can make some more inprovements on the gearing.

 

Is this info verifiable through polaris?
If so I will find a more honest dealer to buy from
as he says that this is simply not true.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: pdl9

Is this info verifiable through polaris?

If so I will find a more honest dealer to buy from

as he says that this is simply not true.</end quote></div>

Yes its true, dealers never stay on top of the business. Heck they did not even know that the XP was coming before it showed up at the dealership.

 

Whats the highest HP ATV made? 70 hp at most? If polaris wanted to make a fast ATV they would just put one of there exsisting sled motors in one.

The 4 stroke 750 twin Turbo Switchback has 140 HP http://www.snowmobile.com/manu...chback-review-691.html ATV can not handle high speeds like sleds can so all the motors offered on ATV are considered detuned,most likely for safety /law suit reasons.

The least powerful motor Polaris offerers in there entry level sled is a 60hp 550 twin. The XP550 is lucky to make 40HP.

 

This thread got me thinking about this subject and I guess there are two schools of thought here...One, the idea that Polaris has spent too much time and money on it's racing program to drop the Outlaw or offer it with a lesser engine, which does make some sense.
BUT, let's take a look at the other side here...even though Polaris has worked their butt off in this arena, they still are not the "COOL KIDS" on the block and probably never will be no matter how hard they try! The MX guys and CanAm have that tied up and there probably is no reason to think this will change! Add to this the FACT that this segment is RAPIDLY shrinking and shows no signs of recovery! To a certain extent, it makes no sense what so ever for Polaris to keep butting their heads against the wall in a segment that, if we are honest with ourselves, doesn't translate to the meat of the Polaris marketing strategy, " THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST ATVS"! I dare say that more Polaris ATVs are sold in the work/farm segment then any other, and I know the farmers around here could care less who is on the podium every weekend!

I hope I am WAY wrong here, but anything right now is possible...do you remember Polaris PWCs?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: jokout

This thread got me thinking about this subject and I guess there are two schools of thought here...One, the idea that Polaris has spent too much time and money on it's racing program to drop the Outlaw or offer it with a lesser engine, which does make some sense.

BUT, let's take a look at the other side here...even though Polaris has worked their butt off in this arena, they still are not the "COOL KIDS" on the block and probably never will be no matter how hard they try! The MX guys and CanAm have that tied up and there probably is no reason to think this will change! Add to this the FACT that this segment is RAPIDLY shrinking and shows no signs of recovery! To a certain extent, it makes no sense what so ever for Polaris to keep butting their heads against the wall in a segment that, if we are honest with ourselves, doesn't translate to the meat of the Polaris marketing strategy, " THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST ATVS"! I dare say that more Polaris ATVs are sold in the work/farm segment then any other, and I know the farmers around here could care less who is on the podium every weekend!



I hope I am WAY wrong here, but anything right now is possible...do you remember Polaris PWCs?</end quote></div>

I do have to agree if you are not a Polaris owner and someone says Polaris to you what is the first thing you think of? To me it is not sport quad it actually is Snowmobile and then Sportsman! Kinda along the same lines as a dirt bike what brands pop up in your mind? How many said Suzuki?

 

Another question here...how long can CanAm keep pumping VAST amounts of cash into ATV racing with their market share shrinking? Between sponsoring several series, teams in all of these series, and having a huge pressence at all of these events I'm just wondering how long they can keep it up?

 

I have not seen the full breakdown of 2008 sales by category yet, due out next month. 2007 had sport quads making up 29.8% of the ATV market. Yes that means that utility makes up almost 70.2% of the adult ATV sales. POPO does very well in utility and side x side. In fact, if you take those two categories POPO is number one. IF you add sport quads Honda 1, POPO 2, Yama 3. If you add motocycles, HON 1, Yama 2, Harley 3, POPO 4. Victory is not burning up the sales numbers but POPO is committed to making it a success. They are expiriencing double digit marketshare growth year to year. 10% of 1 is not much but it looks good on paper. This was just an EX not a hard figure.
My point is this the sport Quad has turned a profit for POPO and it share comon part and supply chains with other ATV's. Polaris is committed to racing Snowmobiles and Sport Quads I do not see that ending. Even if there are more "cool" machines , racing is to important to brand image to just pull out. The PWC never was in the black from day one for POPO, so they shot a ssick horse before it could infect the stable.