Any other owners out there? I bought one today.

Two nights ago, I was wondering if there was a single seat quad with a seat and steering wheel, instead of a saddle and bars. I found the old Hondas and the like. And I stumbled upon the Ace. Most of the web references were in advance of its debut, so I was really not sure if they really existed yet.

I talked with my quadding buddy, and she thought the concept was great. She has a Yamaha side-by-side. I checked the inventory of my local shop and they had a few new 2014s.

I stopped by the shop the next day. The first quad I came to in the parking lot was a used 2014 330. I sat in it, asked lots of questions, and went home to think. Ten minutes after I left the shop, my buddy and her spouse stopped and looked at it as well. They called me all excited to see if I was buying it.

I went and bought it today. I think I really like it! It is not a rocket, but it seems as peppy as the Honda Foreman it will replace. I like sitting in a seat, and the cockpit being organized like a car. It fits me well - I am six foot and 220 pounds. I like having the roll bar for safety. I am 55 in a couple of weeks, and though I like technical riding, I know I might not recover quickly from a serious injury.

We don't have much mud here, and water crossings are rare. Half of my riding will be rough dirt and rock trails in the mountains, and half will be the roads around home. I live in an area with mostly beaten-up dirt roads, and wonderful Arizona lets us tag for street riding.

Anybody else?

Matt B

 

They are nice, just released a 570 too.
Here is the Ace forum...

Polaris ACE Forum

Please come back and keep us updated.

 

Congratulations on the new ride. I was behind one up in Northern New Hampshire a couple months ago and it seemed to do fine in the roots, rocks, water, and mud common here.

 

I hope you enjoy yourself with the Ace and would like to hear back from you after you've had it awhile. For nearly 15 years I wondered why they didn't make one but now that they do I'm just not that interested in them. Without driving one I think I'd rather ride than drive the trails I use, but if I drove one I might change my mind.

 

Thanks all!

Regarding the ride vs. drive question, you have a good point. The chair position does not allow much "body english" for using body weight to control the vehicle. If someone has been riding quads or bikes since they were six, the seated and neutral position would really feel restricted.

I am still pretty new to riding, just a couple of years. I feel safer in the Ace because it is what I am familiar with from 40 years of driving - smash big pedal to go and smash little pedal to stop.

Wife rode it yesterday. Today she thinks it might be easier on her back and shoulders than her Recon, and said she might want one. Time will tell if she is serious...

Matt B

 

I'm sure the ride is better than a Recon. Polaris has one of the most comfortable rides out there. If she is serious, she gets the one you have now and you can get the 570 when it's available. Win-win.

 

We went on a ride today, maybe 10-15 miles on the dirt roads near the house. Me on the Recon and her in the Ace. We have had monsoon rains recently so the roads are really cut up. Foot deep soft sand, ten inch drops, new washes in the roads, etc. Some locals need high clearance and 4WD to get to their driveway. It is the roughest ride she has been on.

Normally after a short and smooth trail ride she will come home with back pain and wrist numbness. Today she parked the Ace and said "We're gonna need a bigger trailer."

Looks like I am shopping for a 570 now...

Matt B

 

Cooooolll!!!

Sounds like things are working as planned.

 

Congrats on the purchase, The ace seems like a great machine for a casual trail rider. It certainly has it's niche in the market. Just be a bit more conservative on off camber areas along with steep or uneven hillclimbs. It's quite narrow and doesn't allow for rider English like a atv does.

 

I get the feeling the ACE has a lower center of gravity. It sure looks like the seat height is lower than on the Sportsman. Both are 48" wide which puts them in the widest quad sized vehicles other than a RZR. Hope I can get to ride one of the 570's just to see how it feels.