Polaris Ace Test, Featuring Rob Ray "Chickenhawk"

[ATV On Demand]

For all of the skeptics here is a review of the new Polaris by a rider you all know.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pv55buyge8

[DohcBikes]

"We're still not quite sure what it is"...... me either.

[Dave Little]

OMFG...that thing is hilarious. The guy doing the narration calls it a car on at least 2 occasions:lol::lol::lol:
He also sounds like he's making excuses for Polaris not having the body roll component of the suspension worked out.
Thank you Polaris for giving the growing popularity of 3 wheelers another bump up:beer

[NeverLift]

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/sno/4283068959.html

Half the price twice as Nice!

[DohcBikes]

That 2wd Pilot would DESTROY that 4x4 golf cart in almost every scenario.

[Dave Little]

These have been around a WHILE...saw them growing up...Mr.Magoo even had one but I think Charlie f&cked it up on him.
185146

ROTFLMAO...Git it Raag!!

[Gearheadtom]

I think some people are going to love them, and some hate them. Don't know why, but Polaris won't say how many cc's there are.
I work at a Polaris dealer, and I'm waiting to see one in person, and take it for a test drive. It'd be interesting to see how well they sell too.

[DohcBikes]

Don't know why, but Polaris won't say how many cc's there are.

Polaris 325 ace? The engine is a 32 HP pro star, 327cc DOHC 4 valve engine.

Sorry polaris, that things a way overpriced grandma quad.

And I gotta say, before I watched the video I didn't care either way, NOW I'm skeptical.

[ATV On Demand]

UM, I am the announcer. I don't work for Polaris and am not one of them. Myself and Rob Ray attended as part of the media group who got to test the unit at the Polaris Intro. We did not make any excused for any body roll of which there was only a small amount and the rear suspension's preload settings were set to full soft during our test.

I guess you cant give an opinion based on real world experience in a place full of arm chair racers who make judgements about something they have never even seen in person.

I am not sure why we attended and shared this video. Next time I will just get a photograph of our next test unit and post it on here so you guys can write an expert review simply based on your visual preconceptions.

Its one thing if you want to shoot down a bias Polaris video, its another to shoot down a legitimate review performed by unbiased riders. Its good that you guys are sop experienced that you can tell us we are completely full of crap when we rode the unit and you haven't. This is a beginner level machine, not a RZR 1000

Rob Ray is planning on buying one for his wife, based on his experience driving in this video.

People gotta trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro whether they know what they are talking about or not.

[yaegerb]

I for one appreciate the reviews that you provide TO this forum and look forward to your reviews of ATC's, ATV's, side by sides, etc.; in the future. I still think your 250R and 350x reviews were excellent and as always, Rob Ray does his very best to put the machine through its paces. Good Work sir!

[DohcBikes]

We didnt shoot down the video, we shot down the product. If it were introduced to a group of beginner level riders then it might be more accepted.

The video itself was fantastic, but if you think for one second that you are talking to uneducated or inexperienced enthusiasts, that is a mistake.

Its easy for me to see that the machine would do absolutely nothing for me, you posted the video, so you got opinions. We all know how many 3 wheelers we could buy for whatever they charge for that thing, and this is a 3 wheeler site. Personally, I despise quads as a whole.

I'm sure your a great guy and all, the video is entertaining and well produced, and I'm sure it will help sell the machine to a completely different demographic than this one.

And u might wanna wait a couple days before you judge the community, I'm sure there will be members that will chime in wanting one and singing the praises of a compact side by side.

We know EXACTLY what we are talking about.

[IKE-Z]

I think it's kind of neat, also cool that polaris is producing something for beginner market.

[DohcBikes]

^^^^^lol see there ya go^^^^ some will, some won't.


And I did forget to thank you for driving the heII out of it!!:w00t:

[MRSOUND]

Believe it or not if I were independently wealthy there would probably be one in my garage as well. It would be ideal for my wife who's confidence level piloting an atv is minimal to say the least. I've been trying to get her to go riding with me for the past few years to no avail and I think this would be perfect. Since I'm not independently wealthy I just brought home an 89 fourtrax 2wd yesterday (more in my price range) to hopefully break her in.
Thanks for the vid and review.

[ATV On Demand]

We didnt shoot down the video, we shot down the product. If it were introduced to a group of beginner level riders then it might be more accepted.

The video itself was fantastic, but if you think for one second that you are talking to uneducated or inexperienced enthusiasts, that is a mistake.

Its easy for me to see that the machine would do absolutely nothing for me, you posted the video, so you got opinions. We all know how many 3 wheelers we could buy for whatever they charge for that thing, and this is a 3 wheeler site. Personally, I despise quads as a whole.

I'm sure your a great guy and all, the video is entertaining and well produced, and I'm sure it will help sell the machine to a completely different demographic than this one.

And u might wanna wait a couple days before you judge the community, I'm sure there will be members that will chime in wanting one and singing the praises of a compact side by side.

We know EXACTLY what we are talking about.

I am not questioning anyone's experiance level when it comes to other ATVs, three-wheelers, or side-by-sides. However. Unless anyone had ridden one yet besides us, you don't have our experience in this unit. Whether you think the unit is overpriced or not is a mater of opinion, i frankly think they aimed a little high with the MSRP.

My frustration came in the post where it was said that we are " one of them" Neither Rob, nor I profit in any way from testing this unit. Although, it was fun to drive. Not as fast as an Odyssey 350, but having four-wheel-drive is a nice asset the old FLs didn't have.

I already told that I want a 55in wide version with a hopped up 570 motor and over 12in of suspension travel at all four corners. However, that isnt what this unit is.

[DohcBikes]

You are correct, we don't have experience on it yet, and so we had to rely on what we saw in the video.

Drawing comparisons between what we saw, and what we prefer to ride is all we can do, and hopefully the opinions become as varied as they customarily are on this site.

I think you did a great job of flogging the machine to show its limits, and honestly poking fun at the little guy will probably help bring out some of the better aspects as well.

The videos are great man, keep em coming:beer

[JasonB]

meh. Not going to shoot down the product here, i think its a neat concept. With some minor changes and a larger motor it would be on my wish list :D . Thanks for sharing, i personally plan to buy a RZR or some other sporty side by side in the near future. They are fun and give inexperienced riders/passengers the ability to enjoy the offroading world like the rest of the members on here do. Again, thanks for sharing the video. These will sell, there is a market for them out there

[bigdaddyvw185]

Thanks for sharing, And great video! I personally no someone who would fit right in on that machine. like in its description, it would be perfect for the person who is a little hesitant to go out and ride on a traditional atv. Great way to get the people who dont feel comfortable riding anything else to get out and enjoy the woods.

[DohcBikes]

I figured since i was complaining I could make suggestions for what I think would make it better for my own use.:D

Again I have an aversion to anything with 4 wheels, and this is only my opinion of how I would want it for myself.

I think most would agree that a little bit wider stance would be nice. The narrow profile although does have the advantage on tighter trails...

For my taste, I don't need all that clearance. Give me the same amount of travel with a lower suspension that is setup for as much downtravel as up travel, and it would blast through corners.

The engine seems large enough and powerful enough to work the chassis fairly hard, but I assume it is governed. Delete the governer, or devise a security key to disable it for more experienced riders. If it isn't governed, then I want more power.

I would completely refabricate the roll cage for looks.

I completely agree that this would be a good machine for those that are leery of the outdoor riding experience to be able to participate in the fun, with what appears to be minimal risk of injury!!

[ATV On Demand]

I think I know what you guys really want. More three-wheeler videos coming VERY soon!!!

[DohcBikes]

I think I know what you guys really want. More three-wheeler videos coming VERY soon!!!

Like driving a nail with an Easton from 100 yards....Bullseye!!!

[hublake]

I watched the video and thought is was very good. I even thought the vehicle was kind of nice. Being 70 years old, it was nothing I would be interested in. It would be to hard for me to get in and out of. I will stay with my Big Red

[rray62]

Here is my review of the vehicle:
I have absolutely zero experience with an utv, so I didn't have any expectations going into this. After the test I believe this machine is perfect for what it's intended, an entry level machine. I crave horsepower as much as the next guy, but I had a blast riding this and was disappointed when it was time to get out. I agree it could use more, but I think they have more ideas coming down the line. I didn't expect the suspension to be like my built 250r, but I was surprised how incredibly good it was. As it not being a high performance machine it took everything I dished out and still had some more. Would I enjoy this out in the dunes, no. Would I enjoy this at Haspin Acres, absolutely!!!!!! It does great on really tight trails, has an incredible turning radius, and will climb hills steeper than I anticipated. I wouldn't think twice about trying the backbone on this. It was very stable, and I never once thought I was going to roll it. The entire time I was riding it I was imagining how much my wife could enjoy this. She's had a 600 grizzly, a 84 big red, and even a 73 cr250. She's never been a hardcore rider, nor has she acquired the instincts for when things go awry, but with this machine I feel like I wouldn't have to keep looking over my shoulder on the trails. And the cool thing is the Ace fits in the back of a pickup!

[Gearheadtom]

Polaris 325 ace? The engine is a 32 HP pro star, 327cc DOHC 4 valve engine.

Sorry polaris, that things a way overpriced grandma quad.

And I gotta say, before I watched the video I didn't care either way, NOW I'm skeptical.

Oops, guess I missed that haha. I didn't watch the video at first because I though that was the one I already watched directly on youtube.
I know the video from Polaris never listed the cc's, I'm guessing because the only 327 makes it sound a little mild, but the 500 HO makes about 35.

For someone that wants to go fast, this isn't that machine for them, but for someone that just likes cruzin' around through the woods (like me), I think this would be a great machine. It wouldn't surprise me if the 2015 has the 570 motor, and in another few years, there'll probably be one with the 850 motor, or something similar.

[DohcBikes]

It doesn't say 327cc in the video as far as I know. I got the info from my cousin that also works at a polaris dealer.

[90guy]

Why does it look they started out the design process with lets make the most bad ass rascal mobility scooter that we can? Just what I am seeing there. I did like my FL250 but that is where it all began.

[Caminofeld]

Not my cup of tea, but I definitely see a large market for these...safety-conscious consumers, "older" riders, noobs, handicapped riders, etc...and I could def see the group ride rental places switching to these for liability reasons and to get more customers by offering a safer ride. I really liked the throwback pics of the old Hondas too. Some guy had a mint Pilot on Pawn Stars the other day and i couldn't figure why the idea never caught on...especially with all the bad press about ATV rollovers. Since the big P is bringing back something retro, maybe a new Scrambler trike will be next:)

[Caminofeld]

Why does it look they started out the design process with lets make the most bad ass rascal mobility scooter that we can?

Someone beat them to it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy5rkw4SeP4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy5rkw4SeP4

[DohcBikes]

Well my cousin Josh got to ride the polaris ace 325, so I asked him to give us a little review, here it goes, unedited other than a couple, ahem, french words lol...copy and pasted from my email.

"Test rode the new Polaris Ace today. Working at a Polaris dealer, I have been able to ride many of their machines, new and old. So, when given the opportunity to test ride the Ace after we set it up today, I was pretty skeptical about this particular model. Keep in mind, the machine hasn't gone through the break-in period of 25 hours, 250 miles, or one month of operation, so we had to be a little "careful" with it.

Upon starting, the Pro-Star 32 horsepower, 327cc single cylinder motor behind me sounded similar to the Trail Boss 325. I'm not sure if it's the same exact motor, but I doubt it. When giving throttle, the motor is quite snappy, and has surprising torque for the small displacement. The machine has enough power to get through a little bit of mud, some snow, which I experimented with today. The weather is quite [shifty] here in Nebraska right now. Slid 'er around on some ice, and hit some bigger piles of snow from the shop truck plow. The 4x4 system works great, and allows the machine to hook up pretty well on loose terrain.

I believe the ride height is a bit tall. The suspension is relatively stiff, it felt like to me, but I think the width of the machine is good, giving it a better stance than I thought it would have. Would I rock crawl with it? Hell no, but that stuff is better left to Jeeps anyway. That being said, I'd have no problem taking this on trail with lighter obstacles.

Having been able to ride a lot of different machines from many manufacturers, this definitely isn't the fastest machine in the world, but super fun to operate. It isn't a RZR 1000, or even 570, so don't get in thinking you're going to struggle to keep the front wheels on the ground in 2wd. I would definitely recommend the machine to anyone new to the sport, an upgrade for a younger rider, or anyone that just wants to hit the trail for a casual Sunday ride. If you're like me, you'll like it because it has wheels, a motor, and moves forward at a decent rate of speed (I hit 30 mph).

Fun machine, looks good.... So far. My service manager and I think we'll sell the [shift.....lol] out of them, and should be pretty popular around here. J."

[slashfan7964]

Saw that on YouTube the other day. Nice video.

[jeffatc250r]

Although they may not be for everyone, there will be plenty of sales. Like the rzr, i believe the ace will transform into more power and better suspension etc. as the demand rises. this particular model i could see the skeptical wife whos husband is trying to get her into the sport saying hey i like the idea of being in a cage and a steering wheel. I have a rzr, its an awesome machine that will literally go anywhere. I was always badmouthing polaris over the years, and now im eating my own words.
Dont knock it till you try it is all im saying.
I look forward to what the ace may evolve into, i could see it with a 850cc motor and some sweet suspension in the coming years.

[Yamada]

This is the first Polaris product I like. Since the last 20 years ATV are always bigger, heavier, can sit 4 riders and bigger engine. Now they introduce a smaller ATV that I want to test ride. I never rode a SXS because I don't care for something big but I think the ACE is an amazing concept.

[slashfan7964]

I actually kind of want to take this thing for a nice rip just to see what it will do for myself. Unfortunately that probably won't ever happen.

[yamaha225dr]

I think Polaris will do well with sales and I applaud them for making an effort but it doesn't interest me much though.