Polaris Patent Applications Describe Details for On-Road Side-by-Side Trike, Lust Ensues

Tim Odell

/comment

Comments

 

Polaris 3 Wheel side by side

Polaris recently filed patent applications both domestically and internationally for a three-wheeled road-going side-by-side. The application describes the vehicle in excruciating detail, down the motor proposed (Specifically a GM 2.4L Ecotec LE5 (P/N 12619532)). Typically when a corporation files a patent this detailed (using what are clearly CAD renderings devolved to patent line drawings), it’s to protect a specific product, rather than claim wide swaths of IP territory. In short, this is very probably going to happen, and that makes us very happy.

The sit-in reverse trike checks all of my personal commute boxes: cage around me, no special attire
needed, can carry extra people and stuff easily, fast and fuel efficient. I’m not alone, as our own Tanshanomi proposed a similar vehicle as his own pie-in-the-sky, guy-in-a-shed project as the Cyrobuka. Typically offroad side-by-sides sell in the low-to-mid teens new, meaning there’s hope something like this could be in the same range. With a price like that and a high-100s to low-200hp Ecotec pulling roughly 1500lbs, it could make for a hell of a ride.

Sources: USPTO App 20120241238 A1, WIPO WO2012129294, Via TheKneeSlider (who didn’t bother to share the patent #s) and a hat tip to tipster CherokeeOwner!

About

Tim Odell

Tim Odell

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 64 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

21 responses to “Polaris Patent Applications Describe Details for On-Road Side-by-Side Trike, Lust Ensues”

  1. Manic_King Avatar
    Manic_King

    3 wheel competitor to KTM X-Bow because 4 wheel car would be too similar?

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      No, because a 4-wheel car of this configuration would not be legal in the USA.

      Reply
      1. Manic_King Avatar
        Manic_King

        Yes, but they registered this Solaris thing internationally too. They will sooner or later meet KTM somewhere.

        Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      And because you can't make terrified passenger videos in a Sub G1.

      Reply
      1. kvhnik Avatar
        kvhnik

        The Sub is still my favorite. But it is a solo affair.

        Reply
  2. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    Morgan says DENIED!
    <img src="http://www.autotrader.co.uk/articleresources/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/morgan-cover-3.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  3. JayP2112 Avatar
    JayP2112

    Mid teens? I pray.
    I'd be running every track day I could and still drive this cross country.

    Reply
    1. CherokeeOwner Avatar
      CherokeeOwner

      Honestly, I'd be shocked if this thing went for less than $30,000. Morgan's Three-Wheeler, if Jalopnik is to be believed, goes for around $37K here in the US, and the only three-wheeled car that's cheaper than that is a Blackjack Zero at $30K. ($15K if you get the DIY kit.)

      Reply
      1. Tim Odell Avatar
        Tim Odell

        The discrepancy is crazy.
        Bikes are $10k, 4×4 side by sides are like 10-15k, then all of the street trikes (T-rex, Ace, Morgan) are $30-70k.
        There's definitely not double the engineering, labor or materials in a trike Vs a 4×4 side by side.
        Currently, all the trikes are essentially hand-built super low volume. I think if a major powersports manufacturer could build them at volume, you could drive the price down. Sub-25, sub-20k, there's definitely the demand for such a thing.
        …particularly if you offer some kind of detachable soft top.

        Reply
  4. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar
    Rust-MyEnemy

    Couldn't find a Polaris patent drawing, but I did find a schematic for a Trident…
    <img src="http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/slbm/d5_19.gif&quot; width=400>

    Reply
  5. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    This appears to be reminiscent of a Trihawk.
    <img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3341/3434100130_11136fe6fd.jpg&quot; width="500">

    Reply
    1. Jo Avatar
      Jo

      Except the Tri-hawk is awesome and retro, and this is superghey.

      Reply
    2. CherokeeOwner Avatar
      CherokeeOwner

      Is this car on your bucket list?

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        I don't have a list; it's more that I'd consider it were the opportunity to present itself.

        Reply
  6. Rover 1 Avatar
    Rover 1

    Can anyone tell if it's front wheel drive or rear wheel drive?

    Reply
    1. Tim Odell Avatar
      Tim Odell

      Rear, with a drive shaft through the passenger compartment, then a belt along the rear swing arm.

      Reply
  7. C³-Cool Cadillac Cat Avatar
    C³-Cool Cadillac Cat

    Very, very cool commuter/twisties machine. Urban commuting MPG likely in the high-50's with said Ecotec, and it'd have borderline supercar scoot, too.
    However…being in the weather of Texas, I gotsta haz me some A/C and an enclosed seating area.
    I can't show up to work dripping wet when it rains…or looking like a tornado grazed me on the way in.

    Reply
  8. PilotMan Avatar
    PilotMan

    $20-$25K and I'll buy it.
    Why doesn't GM, Ford, VW, or someone else build something like this? They have the capabilities to do so. Is it because the Feds would eventually require crash test standards for heavy three wheelers?

    Reply
  9. PilotMan Avatar
    PilotMan

    Check this out too: http://www.spydertalk.com/forums/topic/10939-pola…

    Reply
  10. PilotMan Avatar
    PilotMan

    Or this one too, more pics: http://thekneeslider.com/polaris-patent-reveals-a…

    Reply
  11. Catfish Avatar
    Catfish

    I'm English, but find it hard to believe that nobody in the USA has heard of Mark Grinnall and his trikes…
    http://www.grinnallcars.com/scorpion-III-sports-c…
    I wanted one of these – as far as driving to the other side of the country to test drive one (which was awesome… at the time I drove a Porsche 993 and it felt numb and slow on the way home) and putting down a deposit. Sadly this was in 2001, just before the WTC attacks, and the subsequent market uncertainty clobbered that dream – I had to pul out. Still want one though. It's a well developed machine as well – over a decade later, Mark is still selling them – so all the bugs will have been ironed out by now.
    I guess they're not available in the USA? If they are, then Polaris have a bit of a 'prior art' problem here….
    <img src="http://www.grinnallcars.com/gallery/s3asp1010149.jpg&quot; width="500">
    Price-wise, a fully built example is not far from the comments above, but in the UK we get screwed on car prices – not sure if US prices of UK cars are similarly blown up to rip-off levels…

    Reply