#polaris

Polaris announced updates to its Slingshot lineup for 2017, including a new race-inspired Slingshot SLR model as well as a host of new accessories including a removable roof.

Do you and your dirt bike suffer from SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder?

We’re approaching the end of the year which means it’s time to look back at some of the top news stories in motorcycledom from 2015. The last 12 months saw a lot of ups and downs, and here’s to hoping there will be more of the former in 2016.

Another thing the interwebs have diluted a tad is SoCal’s local International Motorcycle Show, the one that kicks off new-motorcycle fever in Long Beach, California, every November. Now that we get to see nearly all the new bikes the week before from Milano, it’s slightly anticlimactic. Only slightly, though. It’s still a great place to see everybody in the U.S. bike industry all in one place and gauge their confidence/fear ratio, along with most, if not all, of the new machinery, and to ask each other collectively, ‘How we doin’?’

Victory, and parent company Polaris, know how to throw a birthday party. Take for example Alfonse Palaima’s thinly veiled attempt at a motorcycle review, seen below in this week’s Church feature. The bike is the 2009 Victory Vision Tour 10th Anniversary Edition, named such in honor of Victory’s 10th model year. Only 100 were made, and AP was lucky enough to throw a leg over one for a ride. Equally as important was the opportunity to join 98 other Victory owners for a chance to chew the fat, rub elbows and drink beer with Victory/Polaris execs. The Fonz was sure not to drink and ride, of course, and returned with an entertaining and informative review. Check out the whole story below, and to see more pics of the the Vision, be sure to visit the photo gallery.

Watching the motorcycle business of Polaris Industries evolve over the past few years has been compelling, and, as the corporation balances how Victory Motorcycles coexists with Indian Motorcycle, it’s now well on its way to becoming fascinating.

This week’s Church feature takes us back to 2002 and the introduction of the Victory Vegas. The latest model from the “other” American motorcycle manufacturer, the Vegas is the result of new-age design and engineering. Designed from the ground up via computer programming, tweaks, changes and modifications could quickly be implemented before production began. The result? Well, here’s Calvin Kim to tell you how he got on with it.

Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.

After the January announcement that Polaris had “ acquired the electronic motorcycle business of Brammo Inc.” many, including us, wondered what the future held for both companies. Polaris has dropped the first clue with its announcement today that Victory will be racing two electric prototypes at the Isle of Man TT Zero race later this year.

“One of my favorite cruisers,” is how MO’s own Evans Brasfield describes the Victory V92C, aka the first Victory motorcycle. His fondness for the V92C comes from a long road trip he took aboard the “other” American cruiser, which left a lasting imprint on our cruiser editor. Now, almost 17 years later, we’re revisiting the launch of the  1998 Victory V92C for this week’s Church feature. The words come from contributor Edward K. Randolph, and it’s interesting to note Polaris CEO W. Hall Wendel, Jr.’s comments about Victory’s existence and the desire to expand Polaris’ reach in the powersports realm. Of course, with Polaris now in control of Indian, one would think the investment in Victory has paid off. With that, enjoy this trip down memory lane.

Wait, what? It’s 2015 already? It feels like 2014 just started a couple of months ago. I guess it’s time to hang up another FastDates calendar my wife doesn’t approve of. (Seriously, love, I didn’t ask for it, they just sent it to me.)

Technically, and by that I mean according to the way in which the vehicles here are registered through the DMV (except Texas, but more on that later), each of these three-wheelers qualifies as a motorcycle. In California, at least, a motorcycle endorsement on your driver’s license to legally operate them is not required, and the two with seatbelts eschew the state’s helmet law. Still, without a more explicit category available and the law being what it is, “motorcycle” becomes the default label for this trio.

On November 4, 2014, Polaris Industries received notification from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles that, despite previous approval, the Slingshot three wheeler would not be allowed to be registered as a motorcycle. This change in classification means that the Slingshot would not be licensable for use on Texas roads because it lacks many features required for classification as an automobile. At issue, according to Polaris, is the definition of a saddle:

I’m really anxious to drive the new Slingshot Polaris recently launched. With 170 horsepower in a 1725-lb package with side-by-side seating and an open top, it promises to deliver a fun factor unlike almost any other machine currently in production. But it’s not a motorcycle.

A few months ago we reported a press release from Travertson regarding confirmation of a forthcoming three-wheeler. We now have updated information from Travertson about its new Stryker 2.0, including some specifications and artist renderings of the vehicle expected to debut next Spring. (Oops, strike that. After informing Travertson about the Stryker from Yamaha’s Star brand, the Florida-based company has decided to name its three-wheeler the Striker 2.0.)