i compared my Hawk to the Suzuki DR650

[Musictrek]

Went to bike week and did some demo rides of the Polaris Sling Shot and the Suzuki DR650. Ok, sling shot no comparison. The 650, well that bike wanted to be on dirt. The seat was way firm for me. More firm than Hawk. The shocks on the DR were nice. The torque on that bike was strong with just low vibration in the handle bars. My Hawk was actually louder exhaust wise.

[Musictrek]

I didn't try these.

[Adjuster]

I have just recently moved to the West coast of Florida from the East coast more specifically from the Ft. Lauderdale area to the Port Richey/Hudson area. I was surprised to see the Slingshots are all over the place in this area. Much more so it seems than in the Ft. Lauderdale area. There are several Slingshot dealers as you travel up and down U.S. 19 the main thoroughfare here on the West coast.



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[culcune]

There are actually a couple Slingshots here in Yuma and they are not driven (technically ridden?) by snowbirds. They might be associated with our local Honda/Yamaha/Polaris/SSR (believe it or not) dealer, meaning the owner or manager or both tool around in them. We lost our Suzuki/Kawasaki dealer a few years back, unfortunately, since I had always had my eye on the DR650.

[Darkrider]

There are a couple Slingshots here too. But like culcune we lost our suzuki dealer here about 3 years ago. Not exactly sure when as it was there one moment gone the next kind of thing. The dealership in question sold Kawasaki/Artic Cat/Suzuki. I want to say they lost Suzuki around the same time Suzuki ceased to sell cars in Canada. And they lost Kawasaki to another dealer just this past fall. Does not surprise me as the sales staff there were freaking idiots. Ask them if the KLR ever got an improvement on the Dohickey problem and get blank deer in the headlights stare as a response.. I know it has not been dealt with from the factory even in the newest KLR 650s but heck it was a valid question to see if the guy at least knew anything about the product... Not a good sign when he is like "uhhhhh what is that?"

[sshevie]

Is the van van about the same size or bigger than a grom?

[pete]

Originally Posted by Musictrek

The torque on that bike was strong with just low vibration in the handle bars.

But I bet your Hawk is a more flexable motor...
big single have lots of torque but only in the right gear
if yer twist the throttle in a gear to high they let yer
know they are not happy..

i have a very winedy road not far from me...
on my TTR250 I do a lot less gear changes than I have
to do on the XT660R... " unless I run the 660 a gear low"
the 250 will pull away from near idle " not very fast" in top gear.
the 660 complains like a wineing bitch if i try that...

..

[Darkrider]

Originally Posted by sshevie

Is the van van about the same size or bigger than a grom?

Looks to be much bigger then a Grom. Probably closer in size to about a CRF125 large wheel if not a bit bigger.

[2LZ]

I was pretty excited about the Slingshot this entire last year and checked it out at a couple bike shows, including the IMS here in Sac....and was a HUGE Polaris fan....but after they just took every Victory motorcycle ever made, and shoved it up every ass of every Victory owner and believer out there, including those of us who had sold our Harley's long ago to buy what we thought was a "better bike" and have been with Victory since 1998,....and took my TC and Kingpipn to every Harley Davidson run there was in our area and stood proudly deflecting all crap from HD bikers and standing proud for their brand.......Polaris can take the Slingshot and every part of their product line and shove it firmly up their asses. I'll never own or buy another Polaris product.

Don't ask me to tell you how I really feel.... ;-)
Carry on............

[culcune]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

Don't ask me to tell you how I really feel.... ;-)
Carry on............

[Rail32]

I have high hopes of getting rid of my 2008 pearl white wing to get a slingshot within 2 years . After my only daughter is married , after house is payed off , and hoping they are still being made . I test rode one for 3 hours once and an hour again. I think they will never be a motorcycle , but love the fact is they are titled as one . The mods I can do to these are limitless. There is a company that makes a daul rear wheel independent suspesion gear box in Florida . I have contacted them already and very excited about that . These things already stick to the road like glue on a hot day . Add turbo , one more wheel , gearing I can choose , after,ark eat suspension , better steering , maybe a roof , and you got one heck of toy . Other than the $40k I will have in it , I truly love the idea. Kinda do hope they stop making them as than a used price goes down . I am watching for a smashed one with rear damage daily already also , to drive down final cost . I already have motor and tranny with super low miles on in storage for parts or possibly building up ahead of time . Those EcoTec motors are fm' slowest warrenty claim motor and easily found . How cool is it that parts for a toy can be found anywhere at auto parts stores ?
I for one really dig the slingshot , but to each their own attitude always serves me well .
I will never consider them a bike , that's what bikes are for , and I will always have one or more bikes here . Always

[Bruce's]

I kind of like the slingshot itself ,but sitting in it like a car and wearing a helmet driving a car that is not on a track just doesn't do it for me .I'll pass .

[culcune]

Originally Posted by Rail32

There is a company that makes a daul rear wheel independent suspesion gear box in Florida . I have contacted them already and very excited about that . These things already stick to the road like glue on a hot day . Add turbo , one more wheel , gearing I can choose , after,ark eat suspension , better steering , maybe a roof , and you got one heck of toy . Other than the $40k I will have in it , I truly love the idea.

Sounds like the Ariel Atom. Those start at $50k, and they now offer an off-road (but still street legal) buggy. Haven't read up to see how legal the Ariels are in the US, but there are a few around. OK, looked at a forum, and they are probably more costly than $50k.

[Rail32]

Originally Posted by Bruce's

I kind of like the slingshot itself ,but sitting in it like a car and wearing a helmet driving a car that is not on a track just doesn't do it for me .I'll pass .

No helmet law here in the heart of Harley country !

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by Bruce's

I kind of like the slingshot itself ,but sitting in it like a car and wearing a helmet driving a car that is not on a track just doesn't do it for me .I'll pass .

Then why don't they require helmets in convertibles? I'll tell you why. Politicians drive convertibles!