In putting together the summer issue of Dirt Toys Magazine, a sister publication to SnoWest, we came across a pretty innovative product Polaris is
working on: an "airless" non-pneumatic tire (NPT).
According to a FoxNews.com report by John Brandon, Polaris
plans to debut a consumer version of an "airless" non-pneumatic tire (NPT) by
early next year.
Made from a proprietary plastic, the NPT replaces the
conventional tire carcass with a flexible web.
"The tire works very similar to a bicycle wheel, where the
load is carried in tension across the top of the wheel," Polaris spokesperson
Jason Difuccia told FoxNews. "The bottom of the wheel is designed to give in to
obstacles like rocks, curbs and other terrain."
That means no punctures in the wilderness and no need to
carry a tire repair kit.
The tire rolls over sharp rocks, poking tree branches, and
harmful tree stumps without a problem, according to the FoxNews.com report. The
NPT has three main components: the web structure, an outer rubber tread band
and a solid inner steel rim mounted to the axle. Polaris says the open design
means dirt, tree branches and gravel will shift and fall out as you ride,
rather than getting stuck inside.
You can see the tire in action here.