autoevolution
 

Polaris Slingshot in Winter – Does It Carve or Does It Drift?

All those who have ridden their bikes in winter know that no spikes means little to no traction at all. Now, truth is that every guy who says they’re adrenaline junkies must try this at least once and they’ll most likely learn a different taste of bike-generated thrill. Still, seeing Polaris’ three-wheeled Slingshot on the road in the winter raises certain questions. How does this machine behave out there in such conditions? Is taking one out for a winter ride fool or cool?
Polaris Slingshot in Winter 1 photo
Photo: imgur.com
Bike balance and grip are illusive on snow or ice, but the balance problem has been solved for the Slingshot. The reverse trike architecture is already stable, and it looks like traction and steering precision are the only things we must worry about. Still…

Does it carve or does it drift?

Unfortunately, no Slingshot made it to Europe this year, and we’re not too sure any will, at least not in the first semester of 2015, so we’ll have to rely on the impressions people who drove/rode it on the dry US roads conveyed.

So far, everybody seems to be thrilled about how the Slingshot feels. The 173 horsepower 2,384cc DOHC VVT engine provides a decent power-to-weight ratio, as the Polaris machine tips the scales at 1,666 lbs (755 kg). Definitely not hardcore sport territory but people loved how it felt.

Still, we’re dealing with all the power and the 166 lb-ft (225 Nm) torque delivered through the ground by a single rear wheel. This means a small contact patch, increased pressure… and potentially, a lot of troubles on slippery surfaces.

We know that the Slingshot is equipped with electronic stability control, a traction control system, speed-sensitive power steering, a sway bar, and double wishbone independent suspensions for better ground tracking. Anyway, this doesn’t change anything in the way how a single-wheel drive reacts on snow-covered roads and we’d so love to see a video of some daring fellow driving the Slingshot in the white.

For some reason we doubt the Slingshot will be THAT fun… At least not until you also become a drifting master, but then you’re already on a much higher level.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories