The new Polaris Slingshot is a three-wheeled motorcycle launched at the company’s annual product show at the Minneapolis Convention Centre. It is rumoured to be so fast, it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of bike. Excited, yet? We certainly are.
Constructed in Spirit Lake, Iowa, the Slingshot comes fully loaded with a 173 HP, 2.4 litre engine that generates up to 166 lbs of torque with a 5-speed manual transmission.
With a cutting-edge exterior design that shows off sharp angles and a stylishly aggressive appearance, the low-slung chassis sits only 5 inches off the ground, giving the bike a low centre of gravity to improve handling. Electronic stability and traction control systems, combined with antilock brakes, give the driver total control of the vehicle.
Available in two different packages, the Slingshot and the Slingshot SL, comes as a base model, and a premium model. The base version is priced at $20,000 and is painted Titanium Metallic, fitted with 17-inch wheels in front and an 18-inch wheel at the rear.
The upgraded Slingshot SL is priced at $24,000 and is painted a bright red, featuring larger wheels and comes equipped with several extras including a blade-style windshield and a media centre that includes a 4.3 inch LCD screen, Bluetooth integration, a six-speaker audio system and a back-up camera. Fully loaded, and we love it!
Polaris, in a statement, explained that the key to their Slingshot design was mass centralization. The battery is mounted low, the GM powerplant, a 2.4-liter inline-4, a dohc aluminum-block Ecotec sits longitudinally, just behind the front axle, from where it sends power of 170 HP and 155 pound-feet of torque, to the rear wheel through an Aisin five-speed manual transmission with a classic H-pattern.
A short driveshaft then sends the power backward to a bevel gear that reaches the rear wheel via a toothed rubber belt reinforced with carbon fibre.
We can’t wait to take this one out for a spin.
