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

What???? The IRS Outlaw has not even been out for 2 years yet. It is hardly "struggling" to find a market. Look how many you see now and it's growing crowd of believers. The people with their "opinion" of bad handling are just parrot talking. All quads are affected by body position. Your analogy proves nothing and has absolutly nothing to do with the IRS suspension and your perceived limitation of it. Everyone that rides my 525 IRS is impressed with it's outstanding ride quality, smoothness of off angled jumps and its ability to rocket through corners. And of course its power.



The release of the 525S is simply replacing the Predator and the 450MXR is going after the MX crowd, something Poloris has never done. The 525 IRS will not be a MX machine because of it's weight and CC size, just like the 700 Raptor is not the best choice for MX because of it's weight. The new Polaris Outlaw lineup is covering all the bases. 450MXR for the track, 525S for those that still want the SRA and the ability to put on a longer swinger for a drag machine and then the 525IRS for an awesome trail and dune machine that makes any rough course/sand much smoother.</end quote></div>

They released the 525 in both forms because of people standing in the showroom asking for an SRA machine to replace the SRA Predator.

My point is that there is a need for both. I was simply arguing against those who are convinced IRS is going to replace SRA in quads. Just because it has in UTEs does not mean it will in sports.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: GE4x4

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: ss97



<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: GE4x4







<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: bassetboy55















oh ya and my gto has IRS just like the new vettes. You're right the future is IRS.</end quote></div>















You are correct, and Honda was the 2nd to bring IRS to a sport. Honda just doesn't make a quad out of the blue. They feel that is where it is going, and the Outlaw has shown it is relyable and can be raced and win. The other will be following to just like on the utilities.</end quote></div>







IRS has its place, but it will never replace a SRA quad for MX and most forms of racing......







The fact that Polaris has struggled to find a market for IRS on a sport machine is evident in the release of a SRA 525 Outlaw. If sales were off the charts and IRS was really taking over, Polaris would not have spent the time releasing a 2nd version of an ATV that is supposed to be the future of quads......they would have rode it out for better or for worse....... but they realize that the "future" is a long way off if it ever arrives......</end quote></div>





You need to get over your hatred to Polaris and IRS. You never say anything good about it and continue to say it won't be a race quad. Doug Eichner has allready won on it in the Pro ranks, and there are 2 class GNCC champions who won on a IRS for the season. Now there seeing how it does in desert racing. Look what just happen last weekend.





Outlaw 525 IRS Shines in the Best In The Desert Avi 150 U.S. Championship





Doug Eichner

MEDINA, MN (Nov. 9, 2007) - Polaris Factory Racer and ATV racing legend, Doug Eichner, is no stranger to desert racing as evidenced by his multiple Best in the Desert Championship titles, SCORE Championship titles and past winner of the prestigious Baja 1000.



In his desert debut aboard the Polaris Outlaw 525 IRS, Eichner partnered up with Pro rider John Shafe taking a strong second in the Avi 150 U.S. Championship.



This was Shafe's first time aboard the Outlaw IRS and together with Eichner proved the IRS is a force to be reckoned with in yet another terrain. The team led most of the 150 mile race with a flawless performance from this versatile machine.



Eichner was interested in testing the ability of the IRS in the desert as he believes it to have a promising future for title contention in desert competition among others.



"The Outlaw 525 IRS ran strong and together with the enhanced motor performance from Yoshimura and aftermarket suspension set-up from FOX Racing Shox, this bike is quickly becoming my favorite machine," stated Eichner. "We believe in the talents of John Shafe and he did not disappoint us. This was Shafe's first major desert competition and we are pleased to have lead most of the race and were not far off the pace of the first place seasoned desert team."



Not bad from what you call, a none racing quad. Lets see your Z-400 do that.</end quote></div>

Give me a break with the "lets see your z400 do that" crap......

Yea I hate IRS..... I DO NOT LIKE IT......... I don't like the way it corners, I don't like the way it reacts on jumps or certain fast terrain .......I don't like the unpredictable reactions at high speeds. I don't like the 4-axis pogo-stick feeling.....

SO WHAT?

Just because I don't like it does not mean it sucks, or that you can't like it. I have no doubt that the 525 IRS can win in the desert, or in the woods. It is my personal preference that I like SRA machines. I like the "harsh" ride of a solid axle. I like the predictable feeling........

I am not bashing it arbitrarily, and I am not bashing the 525 machine. By all accounts it is not the same as the 500 and it far superior. I'm sure it is way faster than my little z400......

As far as the IRS struggling to find a market, I am not bashing them I am making a point that was relayed to me by a Polaris dealer. I have a friend that works at a Polaris/Kawasaki/Suzuki dealer and he has flat told me that Polaris is trying to get them to push hard on the Outlaw IRS, and that the sales are way below what they expected. He told me that the 525S was released simply because people were asking for an SRA machine to replace the Predator. It is not in the best interest of most factories to split a lineup when they don't have to.

And as I said for certain types of racing the IRS will have a hard time beating a SRA machine....... When an IRS 450cc machine gets out there an dominates a MX or TT race then I will admit that IRS will eventually take over and make SRA machines go away........

I was simply making the point that IRS will never make SRA machine obsolete, as was indicated in this post by the point of sports cars all being IRS now.

 

I don't believe that IRS will replace swingarms...in some situations it is better and in some it is not. It all depends on the riding conditions....For rough or rocky trails or mud irs is the way to go. For motocross or whoops swingarms are better...I just think polaris has created a good all around and fast machine. The traction is the major difference. ( some times too much traction.) Not to mention that it is exotic, I mean come on the ktm powerplant and irs...how cool is that?

 

ss97 quote

"As far as the IRS struggling to find a market, I am not bashing them I am making a point that was relayed to me by a Polaris dealer. I have a friend that works at a Polaris/Kawasaki/Suzuki dealer and he has flat told me that Polaris is trying to get them to push hard on the Outlaw IRS, and that the sales are way below what they expected. He told me that the 525S was released simply because people were asking for an SRA machine to replace the Predator. It is not in the best interest of most factories to split a lineup when they don't have to."

The Outlaw just finished there 2nd season, and only the 1st with the 525. This was a totally new concept, so it will take time to catch on. The 525 sales are way better then the 500, and 08 will be even better. Now as far as you saying Polaris only put out the SRA because people were asking for one is totally bogas. They did it so they can have quads that will fit everyones needs as some like yourself, don't like IRS. Now you say it's not in the best interest to split a line-up to a factory. So now your saying Honda making a irs sport isn't smart? I think they see something and there going after it. The more choices you have, the better it is. Look how long it took for the others to make a irs ute after Polaris did. Quite a few years. And I believe everyone said, a IRS ute won't make it. Well look at them now in 10 years. Everyone make's one now. You will see the same thing with the sport quads. And each year they will get better and more refined to the point that the SRA won't be used, just like the ute's. You can bet on it.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: mg1quadman

I don't believe that IRS will replace swingarms...in some situations it is better and in some it is not. It all depends on the riding conditions....For rough or rocky trails or mud irs is the way to go. For motocross or whoops swingarms are better...I just think polaris has created a good all around and fast machine. The traction is the major difference. ( some times too much traction.) Not to mention that it is exotic, I mean come on the ktm powerplant and irs...how cool is that?</end quote></div>

Exactly.......

There is a market for both types, and I believe there always will be. Just because I personally don't like them means nothing. It is my personal riding style that seems to clash with IRS at high speeds. I've been riding SRA machines for 20+ years so perhaps I have picked up some habits that just do not relay over to an IRS system.... I am usually in the minority on everything so I probably am here too since a lot of people seem to love IRS......

As I said, if IRS ever starts dominating the MX and TT circuit, or Chris Borich rips off a XC championship on an IRS machine, I don't think they will ever take over. But that does not mean the two cannot coexist. The only reason I posted to this thread was to make that point since the opposing point was made earlier...

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: GE4x4

ss97 quote



"As far as the IRS struggling to find a market, I am not bashing them I am making a point that was relayed to me by a Polaris dealer. I have a friend that works at a Polaris/Kawasaki/Suzuki dealer and he has flat told me that Polaris is trying to get them to push hard on the Outlaw IRS, and that the sales are way below what they expected. He told me that the 525S was released simply because people were asking for an SRA machine to replace the Predator. It is not in the best interest of most factories to split a lineup when they don't have to."



The Outlaw just finished there 2nd season, and only the 1st with the 525. This was a totally new concept, so it will take time to catch on. The 525 sales are way better then the 500, and 08 will be even better. Now as far as you saying Polaris only put out the SRA because people were asking for one is totally bogas. They did it so they can have quads that will fit everyones needs as some like yourself, don't like IRS. Now you say it's not in the best interest to split a line-up to a factory. So now your saying Honda making a irs sport isn't smart? I think they see something and there going after it. The more choices you have, the better it is. Look how long it took for the others to make a irs ute after Polaris did. Quite a few years. And I believe everyone said, a IRS ute won't make it. Well look at them now in 10 years. Everyone make's one now. You will see the same thing with the sport quads. And each year they will get better and more refined to the point that the SRA won't be used, just like the ute's. You can bet on it.</end quote></div>

But Honda is not splitting the line. They don't have any open class machine right now. They have the 400ex and the 450R, and that is it. Suzuki has no open class machine either so it would not shock me to see them come out with a 700 either...

Now if Honda comes out with the 700 IRS and the 700 SRA, that would be splitting the line .......

And it is not bogus either ..... go ask any Polaris dealer and I'm sure they will say the same thing. They had no plans to release an Outlaw SRA, not originally. This is marketing 101 here, it is not hard to figure out what happened.

The very fact that they released both now, only backs up my argument that the IRA is not going to make SRA obsolete anytime soon. If they saw a market for both, obviously people were asking for both..... you don't make something that no one is demanding....

 

They've had both since the Outlaw came out. The Pred was there SRA. What People wanted was the Pred with the KTM in it, and that is what they wanted. The last Pred was 07, now the 08's are Outlaws with the KTM. Just like what people wanted. Polaris has always had a SRA every year since 03. The IRS was added, but the SRA was never taken out. People who wanted the SRA wanted the 525ktm, and not the 500 fuji. That is what your dealer is talking about. I talked to a rep just after the release of the KTM525, and he gave some pretty good hints that a SRA one was next. That was allmost a year ago. That's why I know it's bogas. I race these and know people who do, so I believe them more then any dealer.

 

I find it funny....all the people who are critics....Before you pass judgment on irs maybe it would be a good thing if you go out and try one out...or are you worried that you may realize that you own an outdated atv. How can any one say good or bad about any atv with out testing one. Go check out some web sites titled outlaw 525 vs honda 490 (was it me or did that honda get smoked) or how about outlaw 525 vs yfz 480 ( oh no! the yamaha got smoked too) I think they didn't use a lakota or Z400 cause gas is too expensive todays day in age to waste. Will irs replace straight axles? Who knows? All I know is?...I am a great fan of fast and exotic state of the art machines, so I own an outlaw 525 irs.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: mg1quadman

I find it funny....all the people who are critics....Before you pass judgment on irs maybe it would be a good thing if you go out and try one out...or are you worried that you may realize that you own an outdated atv. How can any one say good or bad about any atv with out testing one. Go check out some web sites titled outlaw 525 vs honda 490 (was it me or did that honda get smoked) or how about outlaw 525 vs yfz 480 ( oh no! the yamaha got smoked too) I think they didn't use a lakota or Z400 cause gas is too expensive todays day in age to waste. Will irs replace straight axles? Who knows? All I know is?...I am a great fan of fast and exotic state of the art machines, so I own an outlaw 525 irs.</end quote></div>


I have ridden IRS, I rode an Outlaw 500 and I've ridden plenty of UTE IRS machines.....

I don't really like them.....

I find it funny that people cannot allow me to have my own opinion without acting like I'm trying to posture some personal attack..... I've never said people are wrong for liking IRS. I just happen to disagree with the notion that IRS will make swing arms go away.....

The whole push with IRS is to make it as close to a SRA as possible, while still keeping the plush ride. This may be an impossible task in some ways.

You question me because you think my ability to judge something that I don't own is somehow invalid.

But somehow I'm wrong for not liking IRS.... is your faith so thin that you need bolstering to back your convictions? Do you like IRS any less because not everyone agrees to like it?

Regardless of how people spin the argument it ends up semantics. Whether the Predator or the Outlaw, the fact that the leaders in IRS technology still see a need to release two new SRA machine, says that there is a demand for SRA machines. People are twisting this thread to fit their needs while ignoring the fact that my only point was that there is a market for both types...... and IMO that will never change in our riding lifetime.....

 

See this is where your wrong. You have so little ride time on a 500 irs, and none on a 525, yet you say with conviction that a IRS sport quad won't go far, and that SRA will never go away. That's not a opinion. Then you say Polaris had to come out with 2 new SRA because of the demand. All they did was up-grade the Pred, and added a 450. The Pred remained basicly unchanged in 5 years, now they upgraded it. If the kept the same name and called it a Pred 525 and 450, you would not be saying it. That's all the Outlaw is, is a upgraded Pred. Just like the Raptor from a 660 to a EFI700. You can't just make the same model every year and expect people to buy. Do I need to show you post about a year ago when people were saying in 08 there were some big suprises. Polaris allready had plans on the SRA quads well before the Outlaw 525irs hit the showrooms in Jan of this year. But I forgot, your dealer friend knows all.