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Jagged X Brings Home Second Championship This Year

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Fresh off their SCORE Championship win, Jagged X would take on Best in the Desert’s Henderson 250 for the chance to take home their second title for the year.

When the dust settled, the No. 1919 would prove victorious, winning the race and sealing the championship for the year. Coastal Racing would take second in the race and finish third for the year.

Jagged X came into this last race having worked out all the different points scenarios in their minds. With the Coastal team having the number one starting position Jagged X knew that Brandon Schueler had a big job in from of him.

There was only one strategy for this race and it was to put it all on the line and that’s exactly what Brandon and Blake did! The No. 1919 started in the second row so they had to be within 30 seconds of Coastal to win on corrected time.

Brandon was right on the bumper of Coastal but late in the race, Coastal had to pull off for a short mechanical and the No. 1919 went by and was able to solidify the win. In the end, Team Jagged X edged out the season championship by just two points.

“Huge Huge thanks to Polaris Industries and all the great people that we work with there all year to constantly improve our team,” said Jagged X’s Bill Schueler. “We thank each and every member of our team, our friends and our families who devote their time to helping with our race effort. And, we thank all of our product partners and sponsors. Your products, support and advice help our team be the best it can be.”

Jagged X is sponsored by Polaris, Walker Evans Shocks, Muzzy performance, Pure Polaris Lubricants, Factory UTV, OMF Performance, Cutting Edge MFG, Vision X Lighting, Simpson Safety, Summers Brothers Axles, Kroyer Racing Engines, Mountain States Contracting and CR Designs.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid powered vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII”, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

McGard Customized Locking Lug Nuts

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It’s too bad the world has come to this, however reality tells us if a low-life will jack your trucks wheels, they’ll sure as heck jack the meats from your side-x-side or ATV.

Thankfully there’s a company that’s been thwarting this activity for decades in the automotive realm and their name is synonymous with quality and theft prevention – McGard.

Here’s one of the best ATV/SXS accessories we’ve seen in 2013 – the McGard custom engraved locking lug nut set.

These are the same uber hardened, individually keyed, mega-chrome plated McGard quality locking nuts you can purchase for your truck, but are now available in sizes to fit all popular SXS and ATV applications.

McGard can laser engrave pretty much any pattern (provided it’ll fit) on the top of their beautifully crafted locking lug nuts. Check out the image here of the legendary DirtTrax logo engraved on this set – – Suh-weeet!

Here’s the deal. A set of these high quality, long lasting, literally theft proof lug nuts are mandatory for your wheeler if you’ve installed aftermarket wheels.

Hey, even if you’re riding on stock wheels peace of mind is worth the price of a set of McGard’s – isn’t it?

Contact McGard before some crook interrupts your otherwise stellar riding season!

Visit www.mcgard.com

TEST RIDE: 2013 Honda Pioneer 700-4

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Motorhead Mark Lester takes a closer look at Honda’s second attempt in the side-x-side ring with the all-new and innovative 2013 Pioneer 4-seater powered by Honda’s torquey and powerful liquid-cooled, fuel-injected single-cylinder 675cc engine.

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Team UXC Racing Joins Factory Polaris!

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Just off the unprecedented Solo win at the 46th annual Baja 1000 Michael Swift of Team UXC announces that Team UXC Racing will be joining forces with Factory Polaris for 2014 to run a multitude of off road events.

Team UXC’s six-time National champion Michael Swift inked a deal with Polaris to ride the highly touted Scrambler XP 850 H.O. EPS sport utility ATV.

Swift will be defending his number one plate from the 2013 GNCC race series and looks to repeat his success in the Pro 4X4 class.

“We will be competing in all thirteen rounds of the GNCC cross country series as well as additional events as time allows. We are excited to join forces with Polaris and look forward to putting the Scrambler on the podium time and time again. Our goal is to add the number one plate to this Scrambler XP 850 this time next year.” Stated Swift.

Driven PowerSports of Casper Wyoming will also be leading the charge on the brand new recently announced Polaris Scrambler XP 1000 as a part of the west coast Team UXC racing.

Don Higbee as well as Michael Swift will be competing aboard the Scrambler XP1000 in the Best In The Desert series as well as other west coast events.

Higbee will also come back to the GNCC racing series for select events in the 4X4 senior class where he scored an impressive second place overall for his first full year of GNCC racing in 2013.

Don will be heading up the West Coast duties for Team UXC racing as Michael Swift carries the east coast. Swift says that Team UXC racing also has plans of adding additional riders including Texas Utility racer Chris Robinson.

We all know the advent of the SXS to the cross country and desert racing world has been huge and Polaris has lead the charge so for 2014 the Team UXC/Driven PowerSports race team will also be fielding the Polaris RZR 900XP in the GNCC race series.

The Team UXC/Driven PowerSports partnership will also step out of the traditional bounds for their SXS effort and compete in other select events with the Polaris RZR 900XP, which will be announced at a later date.

“Team UXC racing focuses on building high performance, reliable race machines, both ATV and UTV, to do the primary objective and that is to win races. If we do not finish we cannot win so details and great equipment are key to this success. We are honored to have Factory backed support from Polaris in 2014 and look forward to an awesome year!” says Swift.

Stay tuned to Team UXC racing as it only gets better from here!

For more information on the 2014 Polaris Scrambler 850XP, 2014 Polaris Scrambler 1000XP – 2014 RZR 900XP machines we will ride to victory check out www.polaris.com.

Polaris Introduces Two New Off-Road Models

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Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), the leading manufacturer of off-road vehicles, today announced the company is adding two more vehicles to its ever-expanding off-road offering.

The Scrambler XP 1000 EPS and the RANGER XP 900 Deluxe continue the company’s aggressive approach to reinvent its product lines and provide innovative products to meet the demands off-road enthusiasts.

“In just the past four months, Polaris has introduced nine new vehicles to its off-road line-up,” said David Longren, vice president of Polaris’ Off-Road Division. “The Scrambler XP 1000 EPS and RANGER XP 900 Deluxe Editions provide off-road enthusiasts with more options for high-powered recreational vehicles.”

In 2013, Polaris introduced the Scrambler XP 850 H.O. which offered sport 4×4 performance complemented with a streamlined design and racks to carry necessities making it a great trail companion.

The vehicle featured a proven, 77 horsepower, 850 twin, high output EFI engine with Polaris’ exclusive On-Demand, True All-Wheel Drive (AWD) with engine braking and a sport-tuned suspension for trail enthusiasts.

The vehicle’s revolutionary rider ergonomics thanks to the narrow seat, Rolled Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) and high ground clearance made for an exhilarating and comfortable 4×4 trail experience.

For the trail riding enthusiast who wants all the features found on the Scrambler XP 850 H.O., but desires even more high performance, Polaris is introducing the new Scrambler XP 1000 EPS, the ultimate sport performance machine.

The Scrambler XP 1000 EPS has the highest horsepower, fastest acceleration, highest ground clearance and longest suspension travel of any big bore ATV. The vehicle’s Polaris-built, single overhead cam 1000 twin engine is based upon the proven 850 twin. The fuel-injected big bore features a 270-degree offset crankshaft and dual balance shafts for in-your-face power that remains incredibly smooth and vibration free.

From the instant the Scrambler XP 1000 EPS fires to life, the deep growling exhaust speaks extreme performance. An all-new dual exhaust system allows the engine to breath deep and produces maximum power and performance. For ultimate control on the trail, the unit features Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and Fox Podium X 2.0 compression adjustable shocks, to tackle any trail obstacle in its way.

The vehicle also features matte black cast aluminum wheels with 14 in/35.6 cm Carlisle tires, hand guards, a highly-visible digital gauge cluster, custom seat, dual LED headlights and White Lightning paint.

Also launched in 2013, the RANGER XP 900 defined an all-new class of Hardest Working, Smoothest Riding. Innovations such as the ProStar™ 900 engine, all-new chassis, restyled cockpit, more suspension, accessory integration, easier serviceability and a quieter ride catapulted it to one of Polaris’ best-selling RANGER vehicles.

For off-road enthusiasts who want to work hard and play hard, Polaris is introducing theRANGER XP 900 Deluxe. The vehicle has many of the same hardest working, smoothest riding features found on the RANGER XP 900 EPS with the addition of some new key features providing the ultimate combination of sport and utility.

The RANGER XP 900 Deluxe in Nuclear Sunset Orange takes the power of the RANGER XP 900 EPS and couples it with a new cockpit to appeal to the recreational rider.

The more-utilitarian bench seat was replaced with bolstered cut-and-sew bucket seats featuring an adjustable driver’s seat and center console with integrated storage for improved comfort and ergonomics. Color-matched half doors provide trail riders with more protection from branches and mud, while the factory-installed audio system in the dash provides endless tunes on the trail.

When the operator is done having fun, the RANGER XP 900 Deluxe is still a formidable work partner due to RANGER’s hardest working features such as On-Demand True All-Wheel Drive, one-ton/907.2 kg towing, 1000 lb/453.6 kg box capacity and 1500 lb/680.4 kg total payload.

For added convenience, the RANGER XP 900 Deluxe’s cab frame also readily accepts Polaris’ Pro-Fit Cab systems and the vehicle’s bed is Lock & Ride capable making it quick and easy to turn the unit into a recreational vehicle or work partner.

The RANGER XP 900 Deluxe and Scrambler XP 1000 EPS will be available in dealerships in January.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER® and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and small vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII”, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

PROJEKT THINKTANK MESSENGER

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If you’re looking for great bag to carry your documents and paperwork along with your laptop and devices to work or for air travel, look no further.

The ThinkTank Messenger bag from Projekt is a beautifully crafted, sleek, over-the-shoulder bag that can hold just about everything you’d need to get your work done.

There’s a soft, fur-lined laptop sleeve with a velcro strap that will hold your laptop securely without scratching its surface while taking it in and out for use.

There’s also room in the divided pocket of the main compartment to hold folders, documents, magazines or a book or two and the body is rigid enough that your documents won’t fold or get crushed.

While on your shoulder, items are ergonomically within reach and the zippered quick-stash pocket can be accessed to grab your wallet or key and the concealed tablet pocket on the side is great for holding your iPad or eReader.

The shoulder strap is manufactured from premium 2-inch seatbelt webbing and the cushioned padding rests comfortably on your shoulder.

There’s also a Recoil Handle System in case you need to hold the bag like a briefcase and when not in use, the handled recoil back into a hidden pocket out of view.

Projekt has a number of really great products to suit a wide range of luggage needs. Visit projektco.com for more information.

Polaris Donate Units for Tornado Disaster Relief

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Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) today announced the company is donating two RANGER 800 full-size, side-by-side vehicles, equipped with TerrainArmor Non-Pneumatic Tires (NPT), to help with the tornado disaster relief effort in Washington, Illinois.

The units will be donated to Team Rubicon, a non-profit disaster relief organization that unites the skills of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams worldwide.

“Off-Road Vehicles are a great ally in disaster relief due to their ability to traverse the difficult terrain usually found in these situations,” said David Longren, vice president of Polaris’ Off-Road Division. “Our thoughts go out to the people of Washington, IL and we hope the vehicles serve them well.”

The RANGER 800 full-size side-by-sides are outfitted with TerrainArmor NPTs to prevent down time. NPTs are built to never go flat and are virtually indestructible which is highly beneficial due to the terrain obstacles normally encountered in catastrophic situations.

As part of their disaster relief effort, Team Rubicon will use the vehicles to assist with debris removal and transporting supplies and resources across affected communities.

“Team Rubicon is committed to helping communities rebuild in the immediate aftermath of disasters, and we’re thankful to have the support of Polaris in providing relief to the residents of Illinois whose homes were destroyed during last weekend’s storms,” said William McNulty, co-founder, Team Rubicon. “Polaris’ generous donation allows us to be more efficient in providing aid to those who need it most.”

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER® and RZR® side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PII, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Team Rubicon is a nonprofit organization that provides military veterans the opportunity to continue their service through disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. By rapidly deploying teams of veterans in response to emergency situations, Team Rubicon implements lessons learned in war for the greater cause of helping those in need. In turn, working with Team Rubicon helps give veterans a renewed sense of mission, community and self.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

CFMOTO & KTM ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP AT CIMA

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On the 17th of October, KTM and CFMOTO officially announced the launch of their cooperation in China with KTMR2R trademark.

Mr. Trunkenpolz (KTM CSO) said “The rapid development of the Chinese economy is giving rise to a new type of Chinese customer, one who demands product differentiation. KTM has the product to fill this gap in the market and the perfect partner in CFMOTO to see the process through for the long-term.”

KTM was founded in 1953 in Mattighofen, Austria. Since its inception, KTM has won many world championships including a streak of 12 consecutive wins in the world-famous Dakar Rally, which they will defend in 2014.

Recently, KTM has stepped into the street bike arena and is encountering success at every corner. The entrance into China was logical and is an extension of the globalisation strategy of the company.

When asked about the timing of KTM’s entry into China, Mr. Trunkenpolz explained, “KTM is experiencing greater success in emerging markets than we ever thought was possible. Considering the current economic development of China and how the motorcycle market is maturing here, we feel that this move fits our globalisation strategy right now.”

Mr. Lai (CFMOTO president) mentioned that CFMOTO has many similarities with KTM and that their partnership was a natural fit. Both CFMOTO and KTM emphasize high-end performance motorcycles that form part of the rider’s lifestyle. Based on this shared philosophy, KTM and CFMOTO will cooperate to promote the orange brand in China.

CFMOTO was founded in 1989 and teaming up with more than 1500 companions. It has developed various differentiated products distributed in over 70 countries and regions. CFMOTO is edging into the advanced ranks in the world in the powersports industry and aims at supplying super products to dealers and fans globally.

In answer to many of the media’s questions, Mr. Plöckinger (KTM COO) contributed, “after this Chongqing show, we will immediately open our first dealers in Shanghai and Beijing, and then going into 2014 we will continuously be expanding the dealer network in China. In order to offer a competitive price to the customer in China CFMOTO will import the 200 & 300 DUKE on a CKD basis.”

The press conference was the first KTM activity in China and is tangible proof of the transformation that is occurring in the Chinese motorcycle market.

Chinese motorcycle association chairman Mr. Li developed on this point, “The Chinese motorcycle market is going through a structural adjustment and the products on offer are being updated as a result. The rise of the motorcycle as a lifestyle is upon us, which highlights the potential need for companies such as KTM and CFMOTO. So personally I have a lot of confidence in this cooperation between CFMOTO and KTM, one is an internationally famous brand, the other is a local firm that insists on a differentiated development strategy – I believe this cooperation will be a breath of fresh air in the Chinese motorcycle market and provide Chinese customers a higher quality product and service.”

Two dealers are already open in Shanghai and Beijing and the full KTMR2R product range will arrive in store early 2014.

Founded in 1989, CFMOTO is a company that has been designing, developing, producing and exporting motor vehicles internationally for more than 20 years. They are a leader in the field of liquid cooled engine design and production for motorcycles and quads in China and throughout the world. CFMOTO possesses an annual production capacity of 800,000 engines and 600,000 vehicles. In Canada, CFMOTO products are imported by CMI who has developed an extensive network of dealerships throughout the country. To provide outstanding service to its many dealerships so that they may, in turn, cater to the needs of their many customers, CMI has established a number of vehicle and parts warehouses in several provinces across Canada. CFMOTO is distributed not only in Canada, but also in more than 70 countries throughout the world.

www.cfmoto.ca

RANGER to Assist in DARPA Robotics Challenge

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Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), the leading manufacturer of off-road vehicles, today announced that Polaris RANGER XP 900 EPS vehicles will be used as part of the DARPA Robotics Challenge to be held December 20-21, 2013, at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla.

In the early stages of a number of recent disasters, it was clear there were limitations to what mitigation steps humans could take due to dangerous conditions.

The DARPA Robotics Challenge was created to spur development of advanced robots that can help humans to better respond to future disasters.

The Challenge includes eight tasks that simulate the duties a robot might have to perform in such a situation. DARPA will use the RANGER XP 900 EPS in one of the eight tasks to help demonstrate robots’ ability to operate vehicles, since they are among the tools commonly on hand in disaster zones.

The PolarisRANGER XP 900 is the best-selling vehicle in its class and widely available across the U.S.

“We have found off-road vehicles are some of the most useful vehicles in disaster relief due to their ease of transport and ability to traverse challenging terrain,” said Patrick Weldon, product manager for Polaris Defense. “Our specialized vehicles are designed to the end user’s specifications. For the DARPA Robotics Challenge, the RANGERs were built to accommodate the robots and provide mobility at the mock disaster site.”

The RANGER XP 900 EPS was customized for the Challenge with a remote SafeStop Electronic Throttle Kill and Brake Actuation technology. A 1000-lb./453 kg. capacity bed provides space for the robot’s power supply, and inside the cab, the bench seat and tilt steering provide ample room for robots to operate the vehicle.

The driving task requires the robots to drive the RANGER XP 900 EPS through a 250-ft/76-m course with obstacles and varied widths, and exhibit the ability to turn the vehicle in a full circle.

In the future, the versatility of the RANGER platform would allow a robot to transport tools, equipment, supplies and power around a disaster site, while traversing the difficult terrain often found in disaster situations.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and small vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PII, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT TRAIL

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For years Polaris has owned the entire 50-inch wide sport side-x-side market – heck the company even created it and simply went unchallenged until Arctic Cat stepped up to the plate with a side-x-side that is sure to give the 50-inch wide RZR a run for its money.

Building on the Wildcat name, Arctic Cat saw its opening into the virtually ignored 50-inch wide market and stepped firmly on the gas to introduce the all-new Wildcat Trail.

We had a chance to ride this powerful little Cat and here’s what we thought.

Arctic Cat engineers worked with Kymco to produce a 700 EFI parallel-twin churning out a claimed 60+ horsepower, which is 20% more than Polaris’ 800 in the RZR! Maybe you’re rolling your eyes right now, but press your foot down on the accelerator and this mill roars to life.

We had the opportunity to open it up for miles down fire roads during the day’s testing in the hills around Gateway Colorado. As the trees, and bushes lining our path turned into a blur we held firmly to the beautifully crafted steering wheel and exercised precision power slides into and out of corners, counter steering as the vehicle drifted and then smoothly transitions back down the straightaway.

Front and rear sway bars made corners flat and controlled with very little body roll and the Trail’s incredibly low seating position provided the feeling of being inside the cockpit and not on top of it like in a utility SXS.

The Trail handles beautifully. Its rack and pinion steering feels light and controlled at each turn and maneuvering over rocky and rough sections of trail inspires confidence in the driver.

At first glance of the spec sheet we wondered if the absence of power steering even on the XT version would work against Arctic Cat in this category, but in our opinion we didn’t miss it one bit and feel Cat has the Trail’s steering dialed in just right.

To really make an impact in this segment, Cat had to come to the table with its guns loaded. Any sign of weakness or a soft offering could spell immediate doom for the Wildcat Trail and in its typical aggressive style, Arctic Cat brought it’s A-game. The Wildcat Trail comes stock with some pretty sweet features that would top your list as aftermarket accessories.

The Trail’s FOX Nitrogen Charged shocks are a big step up from basic steel coilovers and are actually the same shocks we added to the DirtTrax RZR 570 Trail Tech project this season.

Furthermore, this little SXS uses Team’s Rapid Response Clutch for quick engagement when the throttle is stabbed. There’s also really sweet looking hinged doors that take the place of clipped on nets. These doors provide a feeling of security when you’re seated in the cockpit and prevent knees and elbows from dangling outside risking injury from tree branches in tighter sections of trail. There’s even a fully digital gauge package, which is probably the nicest we’ve seen.

The addition of aftermarket accessories you want, plus more horsepower, great handling, cool looking style as well as the safety of latching doors are all things most of us would be willing to pay extra for, but here’s where Arctic Cat really makes its mark. All of this is available on the 2014 Wildcat Trail for an MSRP of $500 LOWER than the RZR 800. Yeah, you read that right. You actually get way more for way less. When does that ever happen anymore?!

For a long time, Polaris has gone unchallenged in the category it created and finally we’re seeing a contender step in to really heat up competition. The 50-inch wide sport side-x-side market is about to get really, really interesting.