Polaris has had its share of ground breaking innovations in the ATV & Side x Side world, but every so often they’ll steer the sport in an entirely new direction. Their use of the CVT transmission eventually became the standard for utility ATVs, the first Ranger models broke open a whole new segment of the sport with seating for two, great off road capability, and hard working features, and the RZR lineup kicked open the door to high performance Side x Sides.
Kawasaki launches a surprise at their annual dealer show
Written By:
John Arens
It’s always exciting going to a manufacturer’s dealer show. It’s where they bring out their entire product line for dealers to get up close and personal with each model and there are usually a few surprises with all-new models. It’s just like Christmas for powersports lovers, and this year Kawasaki had the biggest box under the tree.
Whether you’re a lover or a hater of Arctic Cat products there’s no mistaking their all-new WILDCAT 1000i H.O. for a bulky, lumbering farm wagon of a Side x Side best suited to chasing cows and hauling bales. The new Arctic Cat is designed for hauling a$$ and running down every other Side x Side on the planet over the roughest terrain you can find.
There are companies that have a knack for finding opportunities in the market and then building a product to fill it. The Disney people never build a ride without a movie, toys, and a happy-meal to go with it, and in the powersports world, Polaris has always managed to find that untapped group of potential riders that didn’t quite find what they needed with existing models. Since the Side x Side market is relatively new, it’s been the habit of most manufacturers to concentrate on their top of the line models.