The driver’s seat can be positioned to accommodate drivers 5-foot-2 to 6-foot-8.Īlas, the Slingshot is a motorcycle. They are slotted to allow water to drain rather than pool at inhabitants’ feet. Made from rubberized plastic, similar to a side-by-side, and designed to withstand inclement weather, they are nevertheless comfortable enough for the task.Įven the floor panels have rain in mind. I was driving the $23,999 SL version which is enhanced with automotive amenities such as a back-up camera, stereo and touch screen – all of which are waterproof because the Slingshot lacks a roof. Starting at $19,999, the Slingshot is available in two versions that are mechanically identical. The few times I went into a corner too hot, I found it easier to correct course quickly because the rear wheel worked as a sort of pivot. The key difference: There is only one rear wheel, and it’s driven with a carbon fiber belt. Like a sports car, it is rear-wheel driven. It rides on low-profile, auto-style tires designed specifically for the Slingshot, the treads of which aren’t rounded for cornering as they are on a motorcycle, but squared for traction that is enhanced with a sport-tuned double wishbone suspension and sway bar equipped with even more car-like attributes, such as electronic stability and traction controls. Let Go.” It begs to be driven like Batman on a mission.Īt 1,743 pounds wet, the Slingshot weighs twice as much as a typical Harley cruiser but half as much as a sports car, which is a more apt comparison. Low-slung, wide-set and more angular than a complex polygon, the Slingshot has an aggro stance that isn’t mere posturing, as I learned in my day behind the wheel of the vehicle Polaris is promoting with the tag line: “Hold On. Just looking at the Slingshot got me giddy. Reverse engineered from the premise that existing three-wheelers lacked a certain joie de vivre, the company best known for snowmobiles, rugged off-roaders and, most recently, the rebirth of Indian Motorcycles, has designed an exhilarating yet affordable toy that combines the best attributes of sports cars and motorbikes. Even the engine is from an automaker: Its 2.4-liter inline four comes courtesy of General Motors. Registered as a motorcycle, it drives like a car – with a steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedals, and a five-speed manual transmission complete with a reverse gear. The Slingshot defies easy categorization. Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! It is neither a bird, nor a plane, but it is most definitely a strange visitor from another land – in this case, the state of Minnesota and its powersports powerhouse, Polaris. This month, just as motorcyclists across the country are draining their bikes’ fuel tanks and storing them for the winter, a pair of new three-wheelers have taken to the streets, simultaneously capitalizing on the open-air experience of motorcycling while subverting the need to lean. Either the Joker’s taken over the Department of Motor Vehicles, or three-wheeled motorcycles are here to stay.
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