Sincere question to Polaris. When are you going to take the next step?

[Davajn]

The sleds have been so much focused on pure performance with lightweight in mind. But what about safety?

I've been having some crazy ideas lately on whats capable of the new IDD and GPS setup of the axys.

What if you Polaris would've made an upgrade to the IDD so we could make riding groups that was visible on the map.
So you always could track your mates wherever they are.

Also what about a voice communication option onto that. We already have bluetooth connectivity. So should be to hard to integrate a communication like Scala rider Packtalk or something.

Whouldn't an option like this make your friends eager to buy the same sled as you?

All of my buddies are using Garmin Rino but its a hassle to use and not very user friendly. Would've been way easier to have everything on screen and connected thro the sled.
Obviously it would need a battery installation. But the lithium batteries today are really effective so i dont think that should be a problem.

Integrate a Garmin Rino function into the IDD. That would for sure make me continue use my Axys or even buy a new one.

Maybe also add an avalance safety function into the map system?

I know some Polaris developers/engineers read comments here on Snowest and take feedback from their riders.

Oh yeah one more thing. Team up with Garmin so you can release their high resolution maps in the IDD.


Anyone else thinks this is a good idea?

 

[joshkoltes]

And with all that they could tack another couple grand to the price tag

 

[FlatLand_J]

Like this:
http://www.polaris.com/en-us/atv-ranger-rzr/touch-screen

I assume that will come to the sleds soon.

 

[Reg2view]

Most sleds, and ATV/UTVs for that matter, are sold in locales where group rides mean marching in single file on a trail - they are actually trying to escape from each other, not find each other.


These guys can't even build a mountain sled with a tether as standard equip, safety-wise. Foot holds too tight and cracking ankles and knees, a-arm glue letting go, driveshafts breaking and QD failing resulting in no brake, the list goes on. If they are listening, they need to turn the volume up.

 

[xpspenziv]

Like this:
http://www.polaris.com/en-us/atv-ranger-rzr/touch-screen

I assume that will come to the sleds soon.

Just a few more options than my 17 AXYS pidd. May be an optional upgrade next year.

 

[Drewd]

Most sleds, and ATV/UTVs for that matter, are sold in locales where group rides mean marching in single file on a trail - they are actually trying to escape from each other, not find each other.


These guys can't even build a mountain sled with a tether as standard equip, safety-wise. Foot holds too tight and cracking ankles and knees, a-arm glue letting go, driveshafts breaking and QD failing resulting in no brake, the list goes on. If they are listening, they need to turn the volume up.

So true about tethers and stuff.

If you want cheap radio comms between riders, all you need is a Baofeng Radio ($28), a helmet speaker/microphone set and about 20 minutes to program all of the FRS and GMRS radio frequncies into it. Here is a post on another forum and it is exactly what I use adn works great: http://www.aceforums.net/forum/20-a...-2-way-radio-helmet-communication-system.html

This radio system has enough range to keep in touch while you are keeping away from others ;-)

 

[Davajn]

Yeah because its not possible to improve stuff? That rearwards thinking never gets people anywhere...
Dont think a software/electrical upgrade would interfere with anything of the other stuff you want improved like a-arms, foot loops etc.
Different engineers are specialized in different things!

And i dont think it would necessary add to the cost like a couple of grand that some are suggesting. Its just a radio/gps transmitter and software programming.
We already have the gps and map function. Just make it better.

And yes, i already have a Garmin montana 610 at my handlebars.


Drewd thanks for that tip. Going to look it up. But dont you agree it would be cool/nice to have something integrated in the IDD? Like riding groups.

 

[ullose272]

Probably because they only have so much money for development. Then testing, because if it doesn't work then they are worse off than if they would have done nothing at all. Then the price of the sled goes up. I'd be happy if they used development money to install a tether and improve the performance of the sled. I'll take care of the rest.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[dboe03]

And with all that they could tack another couple grand to the price tag

I got to admit this was my first thought as well. Those Garmin Montana are essentially the same thing, cost less (assuming what Polaris would charge) and you can use that Garmin on different sleds.

If I were buying a sled with that display and your features were just a part of that without any cost increase, well the heck yeah I would like that! All comes down to the bang for the buck for me I guess.

 

[2XM3]

Ah i'll take 50 more HP and a motor that wont break thank you very much, damn thing has to many electronics already on it....lmao:face-icon-small-ton

 

[Davajn]

Ah i'll take 50 more HP and a motor that wont break thank you very much, damn thing has to many electronics already on it....lmao:face-icon-small-ton

Yeah id take that also. But both you and me know that wont happend

 

[diamonddave]

Most sleds, and ATV/UTVs for that matter, are sold in locales where group rides mean marching in single file on a trail - they are actually trying to escape from each other, not find each other.


These guys can't even build a mountain sled with a tether as standard equip, safety-wise. Foot holds too tight and cracking ankles and knees, a-arm glue letting go, driveshafts breaking and QD failing resulting in no brake, the list goes on. If they are listening, they need to turn the volume up.

You forgot the impressive ski rubbers that tear prematurely and without notice allow your ski to go full 90* which brings the sled to an abrupt stop and pitches the rider off the sled.


I don't blame the engineers for this stuff and I am okay with some of these failures. But Polaris does a horrible job standing behind their quality when there known defects. They are either way too late to fixing something (2008-2012 800 CFI's) or will not help the consumer when things are taken care of the next MY (glue a-arm example).

The biggest issue I see is senior leadership in this company only caring about the profits. Build the sled as light as possible (marketing advantage) and as cheap as possible (profit advantage). I can only bet how many times an Engineer or ME has pitched to leadership, "hey let's include a tether on our machines. It is a safety item that could possibly save someone from serious injury or even death!!" And leadership so close minded never giving it a 2nd thought because they are so stuck in "making the most money bubble."

There's no doubt the Pro and Axys have been home runs in the handling department over the past 6 years. Just think of how many less holdovers there would be every year if the overall quality was improved????

 

[couch]

basic tether should be pretty cheap for OE to install from factory ... can buy a basic marine / watercraft one for $18 Cdn retail ... cannot for the life of me understand why it isn't std equip ... guess they haven't had a suit filed against them yet with lack of tether as the basis ....

 

[OldMtn58]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there a statement in the video that says you need cell service for the group riding to work, useless in the mountains.

 

[groomerdriver]

The biggest issue I see is senior leadership in this company only caring about the profits. Build the sled as light as possible (marketing advantage) and as cheap as possible (profit advantage).

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Scott Wine's #1 priority is "shareholder value" and that means a rising stock price as well as dividend per share. These are driven by PROFITS!

 

[dboivin]

not providing a tether to a risky machine does not make you liable. providing a tether that fails and someone gets injured because of it....thats a liability. there is your answer. thats why you buy your own tether and install your own tether.

doo tied their tether into their ignition system and engineered it to be the security and main component to their electronics. pretty ingenious actually.

 

[whoisthatguy]

The next step is my opinion, is to toss the belt drives because they tear the belts too easily, add the front cooler on all Pro RMK's and Assaults, add the tunnel stiffeners at the factory on all the Pro RMK's and SKS's, toss the Series tracks with 4 lugs across (4 lugs across are a chain saw) and install Camoplast at the factory with 3 lugs across, and add back up electronics for which the premature failure will render the sled unusable. Why? Because these are toys that can kill you if they fail while you are 20 miles from your car and without help in a snow storm, and because no one sled model has enough features to be an all round sled. They always leave at least one feature off to screw with the rider's well being, and cause them an outlay for aftermarket products just to make it perform as it should have for the amount of money spent, direct from the factory. IMO.

 

[Drewd]

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Scott Wine's #1 priority is "shareholder value" and that means a rising stock price as well as dividend per share. These are driven by PROFITS!

No, Polaris does things like moving ATV parts production and manufacturing to Mexico to be closer to their customer base: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2010/05/21/polaris-folo

Guys, its only a matter of time before we will be riding Mexican made POO sleds if this trend continues.