Nicknamed the “Roadster Jet-Fighter”, the Slingshot™ is an entirely new on-road driving and riding experience. The Slingshot is a three wheeled motorcycle, not an automobile. Driver may need a valid motorcycle endorsement.
With side by side seating, both driver and passenger experience a front row shot of adrenaline, a 360-degree rush of sight, sound, and smell.Tthe new Slingshot and Slingshot SL are expected to arrive at your local Slingshot™ dealer by November 26, 2014.
Standard Features. •m2.4 Liter DOHC Engine • 5-Speed Manual Transmission • High-Strength Steel Spaceframe • 3-Point Seatbelts • LED Taillights and Projector – Beam Headlights • Double-Wishbone Front Suspension with Sway Bar • Electronic Power-Assisted Steering • Electronic Stability Control • ABS Disk Brakes • Tilt Steering • Adjustable, Waterproof Seats • Lockable Storage Bins and Glove Box.
Slingshot™($19,999) Titanium Metallic Paint. 17” Front Wheels, 18” Rear Wheel. Slingshot™ SL ($23,999) Slingshot Red Pearl Paint. Blade Windshield. Premium 18” Forged-Aluminum Front Wheels. 20” Forged-Aluminum Rear Wheel, Media Console: 4.3” LCD Screen, Backup Camera, 6 Speaker Audio System, Bluetooth® Integration.
… except the State of Texas has just banned them … with the possibility of many more States doing the same . Why ? Pure unadulterated and blatant bureaucracy in my opinion [ having read the decision ] and something about them neither qualifying as a M/C or an automobile . Hey … its the State of Texas . Go figure !
Nope. I don’t care too much for Texas or regulatory broadsides getting between me and a machine but c’mon. I am much less fond of scheming and outright lying.
Polaris, a company whose motorcycles grace my garage, and whose wheelers have as well, is calling this car a motorcycle, not because they shaved a wheel off but because there are many cars that never make it to our shores because the NHTSA has kept the bar out of reach. The Morgan has three wheels and a long history. It has a S&S horizontally mounted outboard across the nose but we don’t get them here for a couple of glaring reasons. It has wood in its construction and it classifies itself as an automobile. No soup for Morgan since it’s a car but since Polaris is scamming the motorcycle press (sorry Cyril) as well as the buying public by claiming that this machine is a motorcycle. You sit in it and look over the hood of at two wheels from behind a steering wheel. That is not a car but is actually a motorcycle? Really? They can dodge the regs that prevent a fleet of various manufacturers sweet supercars from being imported into the US. WTF?
It is true that Pop fell off a turnip truck. I did not however fall off it yesterday.
I think this will end up going the way of the 3 wheel ATV’s. A few fatal accidents and the legislatures will be up in arms.
It does however look a lot more fun than the CanAm that it appears to be competing against and appears to be very competitive in price with that machine. Having a large Company like Polaris backing it will make it a very desirable alternative for those not longer able or wanting to ride on 2 wheels.
A question in my mind is what happens to the owner that decides to travel across Texas — will Texas honor the out of state plate or impound the “illegal” vehicle?
And, as mentioned — what exactly distinguishes a car from a motorcycle? Is it strictly the number of wheels?
ugly
This calls attention to a loophole.
A vehicle design commits regulatory suicide?
For ~20k I would rather get a KTM 1290 Super Duke R, easily score a girl with her own car, spend a weekend in a cool place in SoCal and really score, then go home with my commonsense still intact…
Pop is 100% right on. When this thing was first reported on a year ago I felt/said it was a danger to the industry and I still believe it is. Depending on how long it takes to get banned from most roads (just a matter of time since it IS just an attempted dodge on auto safety regs) and how much Polaris wants to push it, we could see the Bombardier 3-wheeler suddenly fighting to be allowed also. Hope this thing holds 2 golf bags, as the cart path may be the only place it can be driven.
Cant wait for these to show up on ebay for 7-10K…..then tune them for 300+ HP 🙂 with tons of mid and top end power 🙂
Right now the power to weight ratio is OK but nothing to scream about……..
My opinion…this is not a mc. It is much more like a convertible 3 wheeled car.
Styling wise I think the “Jetsons” would love it.
I’ve seen them in person and all I can say is I really want to take one for a spin. All this hand ringing over is it a motorcycle or a car…who cares! Is it fun??? It’s three wheels and it’s total weight qualify it to be registered as a motorcycle, whoopty-doo. Now I need to go somewhere warm to demo one…
Car, Motorcycle, who cares!
Why would one be intimidated by it? Obviously, by the statements above, some are intimidated.
Looks like a fun vehicle to me.
Dangerous? [Look at all the safety features of the vehicle] and, one may find that is a lot safer than a two wheeler.
Would it be a giant engineering break-through, if it had a Harley Davidson logo on the side? A guess would be all the loyal’s would be ecstatic. LOL
WOODY. I find your statement to be rather interesting.
Wouldn’t you think [ logic] that if this vehicle is dangerous, motorcycles would be banned also.
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@ fuji, shhhhh! don’t awaken that dragon ☺ Yeah, there’s always been a strong argument along the lines you mention and I tried to avoid it as irrelevant. Bikes have safety standards and cars have different ones, so do airplanes and bass boats, I suppose. My only beef is that this vehicle is clearly a 3 wheel car in an attempt to skirt the bazillion auto safety standards. I’d gladly debate the pros and cons of having automotive safety standards separate from whether or not we should be allowed to ride motorcycles. My fear is this pushing the envelope will blow up into a “slippery slope” situation where some “Dept. of Stupid” ruling will paint a “solution” with such a wide brush it’ll splash all of us.
Applying that logic, if heroin is illegal then alcohol will be as well.
Motorcycles have survived because they already predominate. If not for being acceptable prior to regulation then regulation would surely have kept them off the highways. It may yet.
As far as who cares whether that is a car or bike, well me. I’m a motorcycle guy. I consider this a motorcycle site. I don’t care about Can Ams and Slingshots any more than I care about Miatas and Fusions. At least the Can Am has a configuration that reflects motorcycling ergonomics.
As far as the Slingshot goes, you can take it from this AARP member. That is not what you call a geriatrically appealing layout. I can swing a leg over a bike OK but sliding down into that critter is going to require two men and a boy to get me out.
It’s y’alls cash. Have a ball. Just don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.
While it certainly is an interesting transportation product…….
But as Richard says, “its not a mc.”
Seems to me, if it has a steering wheel its a car, regardless how many wheels it has.
IMHO anyway.
-nicker-
Pop. It takes a real man to swing a leg over a motorcycle and some men sit down to pee and grumble about the comparison of logic.
Life has twist and turns and advances with time if you let it. Stand still and life will pass you by because one can’t accept changes.
Wouldn’t replace my motorcycle with one but sure as hell would rent one for a weekend and have a BLAST on it I am sure! Polaris would do well to have a rental fleet of these available at dealerships.
I think Matt W. hit it on the head…looks like it would be a blast to rent one and tear up some roads.
Whether you call it a car, motorcycle or anything else, at least give Polaris the credit for pushing the boundaries on design.
Another “open air vehicle” (car/motorcycle label is just legaleeze). I’d take one for a drive/ride in a heartbeat; looks like a lot of fun. Can’t see ever having one in my garage as long as I can get my leg over a 2 wheeler, though…just a totally new way to blast down the tarmac
RE:
“… because one can’t accept changes…”
-No-
-A- Change for the sake of “Change” is a waste of time.
-B- Declaring a Change when in fact you are representing a completely different concept, is misrepresentation.
Now this three wheel car is fine.
What people have expressed is that it simply isn’t a motorcycle.
And that has nothing to do with “Change.”
-nicker-
Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
George Bernard Shaw
The point of “change ” is that the definition of a tri-cycle was two wheels in the rear and one in the front such as a child’s tricycle or a tricycle with a motor.
Newer better designs are making tricycles handle better. Such as motor tricycle or recumbent peddle bike with two wheels in the front and one in the back. less push on the front tire when turning, better handling.
Some of the considerations of a tricycle is that they can’t fully enclose the driver and passenger, ” other than that part of the vehicle forward of the driver’s torso explaining why the slingshot may be open on the side.
How many Euro NCAP stars?
I’ve read about this thing with interest
Yes, I would like to test drive one & do an article on it
Do I want one in my garage, Don’t think so ……
I’d rather have the Can-Am top-o-the line Spyder, quite frankly.
At least it bears some semblance to a motorcycle
HIGH RPM,,i agree with you it,s ugly,,,,
RE:
“… the definition of a tri-cycle …”
-No-
The issue isn’t “trike -vs- bike.”
The issue is “Steering-wheel -vs- Handlebars.”
If it has a steering wheel it’s a car.
-nicker-
Here are three cycles with steering wheels, safe, unsafe your guess but all three are still designated as cycles.
The electric cycle is what is noted as “change” and still eligible as a motorcycle. What’s left to prove?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0m-cUxMcJw
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/bicycle-has-steering-wheel-and-chairlike-seat/
phil-are-go.blogspot.com/2011/04/huffy-wheel-unsafe-at-any-spe…
What I find amusing is that people get all angry at Polaris because this thing has a Motorcycle designation LOL
Polaris built a 3 wheeled vehicle…The government called it a motorcycle.
That’s the same mentality from car owners that say “Motorcycle riders should have to wear a helmet because the gov’t makes me wear a seatbelt”.
Yes, that’s what we want. Lets all scream for more gov’t regulation of everything that pisses us off.
Opinions being what they are, Is it cool? Yes. Do I want one? No. Will it sell? Yes. peace
Fuji,
Bicycles with steering wheels or three wheel cars are not motorcycles, no matter what any government clown says.
Moreover, they don’t even come close to being a custom motorcycle.
So why would any committed scooter jockey even give them a second thought….. ???
-nicker-