there really is a new polaris sport quad!!!!
#1
08-15-2001, 05:28 PM
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this article is out of the dirt wheels magazine:
2003 POLARIS SPORT QUAD-THE FIRST MANUAL CLUTCH, MANUAL SHIFT SPORT ATV.
We spoke with several test riders who test rode the polaris prototype high perforance quad out here on the west coast. While there is no guarantee that polaris will include this machine in their lineup, our best quess is that the machine will be slotted to debut sometime in 2003. A large group of test riders were hired to ride the polaris and two other sport quads that were broght along for comparison. A honda 400ex and Yamaha raptor were on hand and the test riders rode all three of the machines and gave feedback on what they liked and did not like on each quad. Here is what we know. The engine was a strong running single cylinder 4 valve, double overhead cam, liquid cooled fourstroke of betwwen 400cc and 600cc displacement. visually the engine was very similar the the yzf426 thumper motor. A set of dual exhaust exit the cylinder head similar to the 400ex, but the machine only used one carburator.
A honda 250r type radiator was mounted low and up in front of the machine. the frame apperead to be a conventional steel tube chassis. Geometry-wise, the testers felt it handled very much like a 250r chassis. The quad used an electrical starter to get the machine fired up. The engine itself was said to be very smooth and much quicker accelerating than the 400ex and very competitive with the raptor. The test riders reported that it ran very wellon the low end of the powerband and was very rider friendly and easy to ride. There was no big hit but the machine did continue to pull on and rev out. handling was on a par with the 400ex and the steering was said to very predictable. No tippyness was evident and the machine went where it was pointed and steerted and responded well to rider input. The overall feeling was one of lightness with nimble handling. Some of the riders reported that the dimensions and egronomics on the quad fit riders under six foot just fine but taller riders said they felt a bit cramped on the machine. Off the jumps all the testers we spoke to said the machine even better than the 400ex or raptor. The suspension consisted of a non-linkages singls shock rear swingarm, similar to custom axis with a remote resevoir with compression and rebound adjustments. Up front, a conventional set of shocks were mounted to a dual A-arm front suspension. Travel was estimated to be in the 10 inch range on the front and back ends. Braking action was extremely good with dual disc brakes up front and a single disc on the rear.
Know we really know that there isn't to 700cc model
2003 POLARIS SPORT QUAD-THE FIRST MANUAL CLUTCH, MANUAL SHIFT SPORT ATV.
We spoke with several test riders who test rode the polaris prototype high perforance quad out here on the west coast. While there is no guarantee that polaris will include this machine in their lineup, our best quess is that the machine will be slotted to debut sometime in 2003. A large group of test riders were hired to ride the polaris and two other sport quads that were broght along for comparison. A honda 400ex and Yamaha raptor were on hand and the test riders rode all three of the machines and gave feedback on what they liked and did not like on each quad. Here is what we know. The engine was a strong running single cylinder 4 valve, double overhead cam, liquid cooled fourstroke of betwwen 400cc and 600cc displacement. visually the engine was very similar the the yzf426 thumper motor. A set of dual exhaust exit the cylinder head similar to the 400ex, but the machine only used one carburator.
A honda 250r type radiator was mounted low and up in front of the machine. the frame apperead to be a conventional steel tube chassis. Geometry-wise, the testers felt it handled very much like a 250r chassis. The quad used an electrical starter to get the machine fired up. The engine itself was said to be very smooth and much quicker accelerating than the 400ex and very competitive with the raptor. The test riders reported that it ran very wellon the low end of the powerband and was very rider friendly and easy to ride. There was no big hit but the machine did continue to pull on and rev out. handling was on a par with the 400ex and the steering was said to very predictable. No tippyness was evident and the machine went where it was pointed and steerted and responded well to rider input. The overall feeling was one of lightness with nimble handling. Some of the riders reported that the dimensions and egronomics on the quad fit riders under six foot just fine but taller riders said they felt a bit cramped on the machine. Off the jumps all the testers we spoke to said the machine even better than the 400ex or raptor. The suspension consisted of a non-linkages singls shock rear swingarm, similar to custom axis with a remote resevoir with compression and rebound adjustments. Up front, a conventional set of shocks were mounted to a dual A-arm front suspension. Travel was estimated to be in the 10 inch range on the front and back ends. Braking action was extremely good with dual disc brakes up front and a single disc on the rear.
Know we really know that there isn't to 700cc model
#2
08-15-2001, 08:48 PM
#3
08-15-2001, 11:19 PM
well i'm not sure about reliabelity of dirt wheels, but that would be awesome if they did come out with a new sport qaud. if what they say is true about it and the raptor it wont be the raptor/banshee/ds killer we hoped for but at least it be able to compete with the 400ex on the mx track. just my two cents
#4
08-16-2001, 10:07 PM
Frankly guys, Polaris will never come out with a high performance quad, PERIOD! They might learn that people would want to jump, wheelie and go fast on them. They can't have people doing that on a quad (I guess it's O.K. to do these things on a motorcycle, PWC or snowmobile though). Polaris is the biggest bunch of wussies in the quad bussiness. I've been hearing rumors about a new high performance quad for going on five years now, and they've given us NOTHING but CRAP!
The only way that Polaris would ever come out with a high performance quad is only after everyone else has. And then it will either be a dog or break the first time you jump it.
The only way that Polaris would ever come out with a high performance quad is only after everyone else has. And then it will either be a dog or break the first time you jump it.
#6
08-16-2001, 10:57 PM
Now, now Mike. Take it easy . . . and grab a beer. You are starting to sound just like me. (Heaven forbid!) But, I believe you are asolutely correct. The chickens have finally come home to roost for Polaris.
Polaris is having lots of problems with PWC sales off 60+% and ATV sales down 6%. Their sleds are holding them together for the time being. We'll see.
All that talk over the years and no action has finally caught up with them. And they don't know which way to go. Maybe they know "the way out", but I doubt it. They have a new ATV boss now, whoopee, maybe he knows "the way out" . . . Probably another bean counter that's never even ridden a wheeler, but "thinks" he knows how to market the product. Maybe they will quit promoting and sponsoring "loser" and "has been" nascar drivers and spend the money on ATV r&d like they should have over the years. How about develping and sponsoring a factory race team . . . I think that is against the Polairs religion or something.
They need to cut the special edition crap and get with making "competivive" atv's. I'm predicting they are in for a major league downturn. The Kawi and Grizz will eat their lunch in top of the line 4-wd atv's. Everyone is eating them up with sport/performance quads except Suzuki and that will change shortly. Can't wait to see what they will bring to the startng line.
All I can say is they deserve what they got themselves into. The lack of a real serious R&D program has left them in the dust. Sure, lots of talk about FI and V-twins, etc, big deal. They will find it very difficult to play catch-up. They have had many prototypes over the years that never, ever materialized into anything.
Show me the hardware, not the hype. Polaris "does not" know "THE WAY OUT" anymore. They have lost touch with what has been happening in the atv business the past few years. They are reading marketng data instead of talking to atv riders. I know the game.
--To all of us with "built polaris setups" . . . I guess we will have to bear the pain even longer or bail out. I doubt that anything serious could be at at least a year, or longer, away. Now I know how the famed Hudson Hornet racers felt at their demise in the 50's. Left out!
Polaris is having lots of problems with PWC sales off 60+% and ATV sales down 6%. Their sleds are holding them together for the time being. We'll see.
All that talk over the years and no action has finally caught up with them. And they don't know which way to go. Maybe they know "the way out", but I doubt it. They have a new ATV boss now, whoopee, maybe he knows "the way out" . . . Probably another bean counter that's never even ridden a wheeler, but "thinks" he knows how to market the product. Maybe they will quit promoting and sponsoring "loser" and "has been" nascar drivers and spend the money on ATV r&d like they should have over the years. How about develping and sponsoring a factory race team . . . I think that is against the Polairs religion or something.
They need to cut the special edition crap and get with making "competivive" atv's. I'm predicting they are in for a major league downturn. The Kawi and Grizz will eat their lunch in top of the line 4-wd atv's. Everyone is eating them up with sport/performance quads except Suzuki and that will change shortly. Can't wait to see what they will bring to the startng line.
All I can say is they deserve what they got themselves into. The lack of a real serious R&D program has left them in the dust. Sure, lots of talk about FI and V-twins, etc, big deal. They will find it very difficult to play catch-up. They have had many prototypes over the years that never, ever materialized into anything.
Show me the hardware, not the hype. Polaris "does not" know "THE WAY OUT" anymore. They have lost touch with what has been happening in the atv business the past few years. They are reading marketng data instead of talking to atv riders. I know the game.
--To all of us with "built polaris setups" . . . I guess we will have to bear the pain even longer or bail out. I doubt that anything serious could be at at least a year, or longer, away. Now I know how the famed Hudson Hornet racers felt at their demise in the 50's. Left out!
#7
08-17-2001, 12:35 AM
Just another thought, as I stated in a similar thread, so they do come out with a new quad? How many of us, who have spent countless hours of tweaking and huge sums of money getting our current bikes to where they are, are going to rush right out and spend $7K+ on a new machine only to start over, with little aftermarket support?
Hell, with nearly $5K into mine, plus the cost of it new, I'd be lucky to get $4500 out of it putting me $2500 behind in getting a new one, then add another $1500-2000 into a new one (which is what a decent performance set up would run) now I'm $4K in the hole, and my current bike would still out perform it, for my application.
Hell, with nearly $5K into mine, plus the cost of it new, I'd be lucky to get $4500 out of it putting me $2500 behind in getting a new one, then add another $1500-2000 into a new one (which is what a decent performance set up would run) now I'm $4K in the hole, and my current bike would still out perform it, for my application.
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#8
08-17-2001, 10:23 AM
Sorry guys, I just had to vent. I get so sick of hearing all this crap about the "high performance" quad being just around the corner, only to be let down year after year.
The HMFIC of ATV testing and development was just in the September issue of 4 Wheel ATV Action. They say he has had his fingerprints on every ATV Polaris has ever made. From the looks of him, he appears to be the utlimate "yes man". After seeing some of the models that were introduced ( i.e. Sportsman 335, Diesel Sportsman, the 1997 Scrambler 500 N.O.) I can believe it. What they really need new blood in there, not just "bold new graphics". Pitty we don't have a home phone number for this guy or even an e-mail address.
The HMFIC of ATV testing and development was just in the September issue of 4 Wheel ATV Action. They say he has had his fingerprints on every ATV Polaris has ever made. From the looks of him, he appears to be the utlimate "yes man". After seeing some of the models that were introduced ( i.e. Sportsman 335, Diesel Sportsman, the 1997 Scrambler 500 N.O.) I can believe it. What they really need new blood in there, not just "bold new graphics". Pitty we don't have a home phone number for this guy or even an e-mail address.
#9
12-03-2002, 05:24 PM
