Motorcyclist Magazine reviews Polaris' 2023 Slingshot R three-wheel autocycle ($33,999). Find out more in the written review: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/reviews/polaris-slingshot-r-review-for-buyers/
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Video: @AdamWaheed
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Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Hey folks, look what we have here today. Polaris's 2023 Slingshot R. Who's ready
00:08 to go for a ride? I mean drive. Alright folks, there it is. Polaris Industries
00:14 2023 Slingshot R. This is a three-wheeled auto cycle in the state of
00:22 California. Federally it's known as a motorcycle. Two wheels up front and one
00:28 drive wheel in the rear. Look at that thing. Look how cool it looks.
00:33 Polaris says that this slingshot was designed to look like a predatory style
00:38 bird and I think they did a good job in the looks department. If you're someone
00:44 who wants to... if you're someone who wants to attract a lot of attention, this
00:51 slingshot R is for you. Look at those 18-inch front vits up there. The
00:58 slingshot R has four piston Brembo calipers. Yes! Finally some decent
01:04 braking on this slingshot. Look at that new hood. This hood is called its sport
01:11 vented hood. It's available as an accessory or OE fitment on the R spec
01:19 slingshot. It also includes that huge 300 series rear kenda meet on the 20-inch
01:28 tire. We have these Boss, and I do mean Boss, R spec bucket seats. These things
01:36 are awesome. We will talk about them in a little bit. With a heated and cooling
01:41 element right there. It's this button here. This allows you to heat and cool
01:47 the seats. We also have this nifty fly screen and some other touches. Now this
01:54 slingshot, the cool thing about this vehicle is it actually has storage so
02:00 you can put stuff in behind it. There is the cover. Probably fit a helmet back there
02:06 and some other odds and ends. And of course you can close it and lock it with
02:11 a key. Very, very neat. Let's open the hood folks and take a look. There's a latch
02:20 right here that opens the hood. Let's open this thing and see what we're
02:25 working with. There is a little lever system to open it. This is Polaris's
02:31 Pro Star 1997 CC inline-4. This was modeled after GM's Ecotech engine which
02:40 powered the original slingshot for many years until 2020 when Polaris developed
02:47 its own inline-4 engine. This is the same engine that Polaris uses in its RZR
02:53 Sport UTV. Look at that double wishbone suspension.
02:59 I think that's forged control arms. Look, stainless steel brake lines.
03:05 There are the shocks attaching to each a-arm. There is the airbox, the radiator.
03:11 Very, very neat. Gosh, this thing looks so boss. It even looks boss with just the
03:19 hood open like this. This is like some real Knight Rider type stuff. There is
03:25 the cockpit of the vehicle. Of course you put fuel in here. 91 octane pump gas. No
03:35 ethanol or, I'm sorry, no methanol or E85 specification fuel. There is the
03:42 motorcycle type rear suspension. Look, motorcycle type swing arm with a shock
03:47 and a belt. Final drive. There is the differential-like system. You have to
03:54 change the fluid on that every 10,000 miles initially and then a little bit
03:58 longer duration afterwards. But we'll get into the nitty-gritty in a little bit.
04:03 Who's ready to drive? I am! Alright folks, here we go aboard Polaris' 2023
04:10 Slingshot R. Here is the electronic key fob. It's a proximity key fob which you
04:17 can see right here. Let's put it in the cup holder. You have to have that key fob
04:22 within the proximity of the vehicle to start it. Starting procedure is, number
04:27 one, put your safety belt on. This vehicle employs an automotive style safety belt.
04:36 Make sure the vehicle is in gear, pushing the clutch. Hit the start button and away
04:43 we go. It's always good when you're starting this thing to press the starter
04:50 button to allow the electronics to cycle on, which takes a second or two, and then
04:55 press the starter button to start the vehicle. If you're trying to do it
05:00 fast style, modern man fast style, and just push it all at once, it just sometimes
05:05 wigs out. So press the power on, give it a couple seconds to cycle, then start the
05:11 engine.
05:14 Alright, like we've talked about before, this is a three-wheeled auto cycle in
05:23 the state of California. Federally, it is known as a motorcycle. To operate this
05:32 vehicle in the state of California, you have to have an automobile driver's license.
05:39 No M1 endorsement is needed. You also have to don a DOT labeled helmet. It
05:48 doesn't have to be a full-face helmet, but it has to be a DOT labeled helmet
05:54 for both driver and passenger. Now hopping in this vehicle, it is, it requires some
06:05 interesting body contortions to get in. There are no doors like a UTV. It
06:12 basically has this steel frame rail which holds you in the cockpit as is the
06:17 bucket seat. So even though this vehicle is very low to the ground and it has no
06:25 doors, it's actually a little bit hard to get into. If you were someone who's
06:28 disabled or have limited body movement, this vehicle would be a little bit tough
06:33 to get in. So definitely requires some interesting body contortions more than
06:38 it would a low-sung sports car. But once you're seated at the controls, this
06:43 bucket seat, especially the Slingshot Rs premium bucket seat, it's nice. It holds
06:50 you in very nicely. I like the amount of adjustment it has forward and aft. We
06:55 have the seat in the most rearward position. We're six feet tall and it's in
07:02 the most rearward position. If you were a tall person, I could see how this vehicle
07:06 might be a little clamped, cramped for you. But for our six-foot body, it is very
07:13 nice. This vehicle also has tilt. So the RSPEC has tilt so you can tilt the seat
07:21 forward or back. We have the seat in the most rearward tilt position and
07:28 it is pretty good. Again, if you were over six feet tall, we could see how this
07:33 vehicle could be a little cramped for you. This vehicle in traditional
07:37 automotive terms, it has tilt steering. So you can move the steering wheel up or
07:44 down. However, you cannot move it in or out. It does not have telescopic steering.
07:49 Let's put it right here. I think telescopic steering would be a nice
07:53 feature. Realistically, even cargo vans have telescopic steering now. So it'd be
08:01 nice if this $30,000 vehicle had it. Alright folks, this Polaris Slingshot R
08:14 is powered by Polaris Industries 1997 CC ProStar inline 4, 2-liter inline 4, 16
08:27 valves, dual overhead cam, water-cooled. This engine was unveiled a few years ago
08:34 and it serves as the engine that powers the Slingshot obviously and Polaris's
08:42 new RZR inline 4 powered UTV. So this is the engine that powers this vehicle.
08:50 This engine was modeled after GM's Ecotech engine which the prior
08:56 generation Slingshot used. So in 2020, Polaris went to its own ProStar inline
09:03 4. Before that, it was the GM Ecotech engine which was an inline 4 engine that
09:11 was used decades ago in a variety of vehicles. So Polaris smartly wanted to
09:20 have their own powertrain because it's always better to have your own
09:22 powertrain because when you have your own stuff you are under, you control it and
09:27 that's just better. So they engineered their own inline 4 engine and that now
09:31 powers this engine. We've talked about it in previous Slingshot reviews how this
09:38 Polaris engine feels very similar to that GM Ecotech engine but it has a
09:43 little bit more pep. A little bit more pep. This particular Slingshot R engine
09:51 is rated at 203 horsepower at the crank. 203 horsepower is 25 more than the
09:58 Slingshot SL we tested last year for the 2022 model year. So an additional 25
10:06 horsepower and gosh you really feel it. This thing is a lot more peppy than the
10:13 2022 Slingshot non-R-spec was. It's pretty interesting how Polaris is able to
10:20 just boost the power through programming changes. So it's cool to see that there's
10:25 a lot of uncorked potential inside this engine. It's got a really nice visceral
10:34 sound like the engine note, the exhaust note just that idle it
10:38 sounds good and you give her the beans she's got get up and go. Yeah! Yeah!
10:46 Now we have an Aisin 5-speed transmission. Aisin is a Japanese
10:53 transmission company. This Aisin transmission is the same type of
10:58 transmission that was used in older Chevy Colorados and Isuzu Trooper. So
11:04 again while the Pro Star engine is basically all new for the 2020 model
11:12 year it was coined off, loosely coined off GM's Ecotech engine which was a
11:17 older style engine inline-four for many years ago made it to an older style Aisin
11:22 5-speed transmission. But while this transmissions old and architecture it
11:27 works really good. I really like the way the transmission feels the throws
11:33 between each of the five forward gears. It's not too long I mean there's a
11:38 little bit long but it's not crazy. Engine shifts really smoothly. The
11:44 hydraulically actuated dry clutch has really nice pull push on the lever.
11:50 The lever push is really, the pedal push is really light and it has
11:57 good response. It's fun driving a manual speed automobile type transmission. I
12:03 haven't operated a vehicle with this type of gearbox in many, many years.
12:07 Actually probably since the last time we operated the Slingshot SL last calendar
12:13 year. So I like this transmission. Now as usual Polaris offers its optional
12:20 auto-drive automatic transmission. Now basically what that is it's the same
12:25 Aisin 5-speed gearbox but it has automatic actuation that was developed
12:33 by Magneti Morelli. So basically instead of you pushing the clutch lever with
12:40 your foot a machine does it. The computer does it. So if you can even believe it
12:46 many years ago the Fiat Durango that Ram ProMaster van with its diesel engine
12:52 they had an automated manual transmission like this one where it was
12:56 a manual transmission with a computer literally pushing the clutch. So that's
13:03 nice for folks who don't want to deal with shifting but at the same time that
13:08 form of transmission is a little bit just slow. It shifts slow and it's a little
13:13 bit not as responsive as a modern automatic transmission. And then of
13:19 course not nearly as responsive as a DCT. DCTs are always the best. Nothing's
13:25 better than DCT. But realistically even non-DCT automotive type transmissions
13:33 that are made currently in the 2023 model year they shift pretty fast. You'd
13:38 be surprised how fast non-DCT...ugh! Wanted that green light. How fast non-DCT
13:45 transmissions shift.
13:49 While we're waiting here at the stoplight let's discuss the Ride Command
13:59 7-inch color TFT display right here which returns...I like this thing. It is
14:05 touchscreen sensitive which is really sweet. Look at all the metrics we have
14:10 here. Remaining fuel mileage, battery voltage, engine, coolant temperature, and
14:16 oil service indicator. It's really slick. We also have a compass and GPS
14:24 navigation. How cool is that? There's also a sound system. Let's play some tunes.
14:32 Let's play some tunes. There we go. We got some tunes going. Yeah! Now the thing I
14:42 like about this this Ride Command system, the same system that Polaris has used for
14:49 a long time now and Indian Motorcycles uses too, is it it's really easy to pair
14:54 your phone. Other companies out there they have a difficult time or they at
15:00 least used to. Now pretty much everyone's figured it out but it's very easy to
15:03 pair your iOS enabled smartphone via Bluetooth with the system and when you
15:11 pair it you can get...obviously you can adjust...you can listen to your music off
15:16 your smartphone and you can also do turn-by-turn navigation with via Apple
15:22 Maps or Google Maps. I personally like Google Maps because it's way better and
15:25 then of course you can take phone calls. I'm not one really to talk in ride or
15:31 drive. That's not really my thing. You know when I'm operating a vehicle I like
15:36 to be just fully immersed in the ride and be paying attention to what is going
15:42 on in front of me. But still if you want to talk on the phone you absolutely can.
15:45 It's very slick. Now this slingshot R-specification vehicle stands out from
15:52 the other models with this high-end Rockford Fosgate system. It's got a
15:58 multi-speaker system. There's two speakers one on each side of the door.
16:02 There's also these tweeters right here and this thing rocks. It sounds really
16:07 good especially compared to the bass sound system.
16:13 Yeah
16:18 This is fun boys and girls. Of course we can mute the audio easily with these
16:25 buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. Very easy to use the buttons. You
16:31 can turn up or down the music too. Sick. Let's take a left here. Yes a curvy road.
16:38 This is where the slingshot is meant to be operated.
16:46 Woo! God this engine is way more torquey and powerful than this slingshot SL was.
16:55 Now this vehicle weighs right around 1,700 pounds with a full 10 gallons of
17:03 fuel. And at below 50 miles per hour this vehicle handles awesome. It handles
17:10 awesome. It feels like a little slot car go-kart. Very fun to operate. Unlike other
17:19 vehicles this three-wheel auto cycle is rear-wheel drive so it puts power back
17:26 to the 20-inch wide 20-inch rear. This is a big 300 series Kenda Meet via
17:36 belt final drive and a motorcycle type swing arm. The rear suspension is
17:42 motorcycle based with a swing arm and a shock and a belt final drive. So that's
17:49 where it puts power back to. Stability control helps keep things in line.
17:57 God this thing is fun. Now suspension travel rise we have right
18:03 over four inches of travel up front and just over five at the rear. And the ride
18:10 quality of this vehicle it rides pretty rough. You're definitely gonna feel the
18:14 bumps in the road. But like we said before below 60 miles per hour this
18:19 thing offers real intimate handling. And it's very responsive and the bumps don't
18:24 really bother us. However over that speed this vehicle over 60 miles per hour this
18:31 vehicle just feels skatey. Dances around a lot. The suspension rides really roughly
18:37 and it's just it's not.
18:43 Yeah I love going through the five-speed gearbox on this thing. What a hoot. Feels
18:50 like you're driving a sports car. Oh god I love those brakes. Thank God that they
18:56 upgraded the brakes on this vehicle. The slingshot SL's brakes were mediocre at
19:03 best. And these four piston Brembo's up front which we'll talk about in a little
19:08 bit are much better. Below 60 miles per hour, below 70, this thing is an absolute
19:16 hoot to drive. So visceral. I love the way the Pro Star engine sounds. It sounds
19:25 like a racing car. Just the the mesh between each of the five cog. Oh yeah.
19:31 That was so much fun folks. Brakes on this vehicle the slingshot R is endowed
19:40 with triple disc hydraulic brakes. They are linked. So unlike a motorcycle where
19:47 the front and rear brakes are operated independently, these are linked together
19:51 just like an automobile with a center brake pedal.
19:58 And the brakes on this vehicle are much better. Four piston Brembo calipers up
20:05 front. They grab oversized vented non cross-drilled rotors with a vented
20:11 non cross-drilled rotor out back being pinched by a single piston caliper. I was
20:18 never a fan of the slingshot brakes. Obviously on the original 2015 slingshot
20:26 the brakes were pretty much horrible. Then they updated them. They got a little
20:31 bit better but still not great. Well finally with the slingshot R you have
20:36 you have capable brakes. Wouldn't say they're they're totally awesome but they
20:43 are far more capable than previous iterations. And to me I would absolutely
20:50 want these brakes. If I had this car I'd have to have these brakes. If I didn't have
20:54 these brakes I would not be happy. So good job Polaris. Thank you for updating
21:00 this thing and putting on nice capable brakes of course. Fixed always on ABS.
21:07 Mitigates the chance of wheel lock up if you slam on the brakes like that. Don't
21:16 worry folks I made sure no one was behind me. This is closed course testing.
21:22 So always on ABS. Mitigates the chance of vehicle instability during braking
21:29 because neither of the three wheels can lock up. Alright folks we got a little
21:35 construction here.
21:38 God I love this sound system. Now while obviously we are operating this vehicle
21:46 during the day this slingshot R also has this really nice bespoke interior
21:53 lighting which you use with the switch. So by using this switch you can you can
21:58 turn on and off the lights and it also has two color settings. So it has like a
22:02 white light color setting and this nice indigo blue color setting that gives
22:08 this vehicle a real premium feel. In terms of storage we have this glove
22:14 compartment here that is lockable with the key. We also have a USB charging port
22:20 and a 12 volt charging port and there's also a 12 USB charging port right here
22:27 as well. Instrumentation. Polaris has used this instrumentation in its slingshot
22:36 and old style RZR UTVs for well over a decade. It would be nice if they updated
22:42 this. This just plain looks old. This should be new. I still do like the swept
22:48 style analog gauges. I love swept style analog gauges so that'd be kind of cool
22:55 if Polaris and slingshot integrated that into a new display but this display is
23:00 just way too old looking. They need to update it especially for the MSRP of
23:05 this vehicle
23:08 which is $7,000 more than the last slingshot SL we test drove the last
23:17 calendar year. Isn't that crazy? 33 grand for this thing and then if you want the
23:23 auto drive transmission it's $2,000 plus in top of that. Whoa! This thing is
23:32 expensive but these premium bucket seats, the interior lighting, the big tire, the
23:39 Brembo brakes, this cool windshield and that sport vented hood. I don't know. These are
23:46 really nice features. I would definitely want these features. Let's turn the seat
23:50 heat on. That's right! This slingshot R is equipped with seat heaters and seat
23:58 cooling. Now the seat heaters and seat cooling, unlike an automobile, this
24:06 slingshot, each seat uses a heat pump so it uses a heat pump like device to heat
24:14 up and cool down the seats and it actually works. When we interviewed the
24:21 Polaris slingshot VP, he was talking about this feature and he's like yeah
24:28 actually works pretty good. I'm like no way. There's no way it can work pretty
24:32 good. It's a heat pump, a little one at that I'm sure but we're not joking. It
24:37 works great. Seat heaters work really nice. You push a button here on the front
24:43 of the bucket lip. There's a red or a blue icon and it has multi-level
24:49 adjustment. We have the heat cranked. Conversely, if it's a hot day, you can put
24:54 it in max cool. It's not gonna cool you down significantly, significantly but
25:00 it's gonna add a degree of comfort. Right now we are operating this slingshot R in
25:07 55 degree ambient Fahrenheit temperature and that's a real sweet spot for this
25:13 vehicle. Last year when we test drove the slingshot SL, the engine heat in the
25:18 cockpit was borderline excessive. Obviously if you're operating this
25:24 vehicle in mild moderate weather, it's not that big of a deal but if you were
25:30 driving this thing in Miami, oh my god you'd be burning alive. This sport
25:34 vented hood does a really good job of cooling things down inside the cockpit.
25:39 Not only that, it looks cool and the aerodynamics have been reshaped so it
25:45 flaps less at speed. Again, this sport vented hood is something that we would
25:51 absolutely want on our slingshot. Here we go. I love how how much character this
26:01 Pro Star engine has, especially in our configuration with the power boost.
26:08 Definitely a lot more character than the GM Ecotech version. Good job Polaris.
26:15 We like that you're paying attention to the details in making for a more
26:20 visceral operating experience. Whoa, did you see that guy cross the yellow line?
26:26 That crazy person? Now it's worth noting that this Polaris slingshot isn't
26:36 subjective, isn't subjected to modern automotive safety standards. There's no
26:43 crumple zones, there's no supplemental restraint systems besides the seatbelt.
26:49 Polaris has engineered these rollover style tubes in the back of the vehicle
26:56 on each side which help protect the occupant in the case of a rollover but
27:04 aside from that there really isn't a lot of safety in this thing because this
27:09 vehicle rides so low to the ground it's very easy for someone to not see you
27:16 especially in a big pickup truck. So make sure when you're operating this vehicle
27:21 you're of course wearing a DOT labeled headwear. We always wear gloves no matter
27:28 what power sport vehicle we are operating and make sure you are paying
27:35 attention to the road in front of you and operating the vehicle within the
27:41 limits of your ability. We've talked about it before. Safety is paramount.
27:47 That's paramount ethos here at Motorcyclist Magazine and if you want to
27:53 become a better rider or driver seek professional training. We want everyone
28:02 to have a long safe life in the power sports world.
28:10 Right now we are operating this vehicle at 50 miles per hour. There is a little
28:16 bit of vibration through the controls but not too much.
28:24 Get the engine revving then you feel some engine vibration still not bad.
28:29 Yeah rev limiter cuts things out. Really love the roar of this engine what a
28:35 hoot it is to drive. Steering feels very precise especially under 60-65 miles per
28:45 hour.
28:48 Polaris says this vehicle is good for 125 miles per hour. It's limited at that
28:54 speed. We're gonna take their word for it. Like we said before when this vehicle
29:00 gets above 70 or 80 miles per hour it just gets a little too dirty. It doesn't
29:06 go over bumps real well. Rides real rough and it just is a little bit too unstable
29:11 for us at those speeds. But below 70-65 miles per hour.
29:19 Now this Slingshot R is also equipped with this dark smoke windshield. During
29:32 the day it's awesome. I like it a lot but at night it definitely reduces the
29:39 ability to see in front of you. See what's going on in front of you.
29:44 Definitely a nice touch but I'd almost want a clear one because a clear one
29:48 would be more conducive to operation day or night.
29:56 All right folks here we go. Maintenance. Maintenance on this vehicle.
30:05 Polaris says it wants you to change the engine oil and filter at 5,000 rpm
30:12 increments. The rear differential. It's not quite a rear differential but it's a
30:19 rear differential like device which transfers power between the transmission
30:25 and the belt final drive. It wants you to change the fluid in there every 12,000
30:31 I'm sorry 10,000 miles initially and then a little bit longer duration
30:36 afterwards. Polaris has a really neat video series on YouTube on how operators
30:43 can service that component themselves. Air filters should be changed every 15,000
30:52 miles and fuel filters at 25,000 miles. If you can believe it this vehicle goes
30:58 a whopping 30,000 miles between valve inspection intervals. Isn't that crazy?
31:06 30,000 miles. Good job Polaris. That's longer duration than even Yamaha
31:13 motor vehicles with its parallel twin MTR7 engine which is right around
31:21 26,600 miles. Good job Polaris.
31:27 This vehicle has a two-year warranty on it. Two years. Extended protection is also
31:37 available. Yeah.
31:41 I think so fun. There's the traction control coming in making sure we don't
31:46 get too sideways. God this thing's just a hoot to drive at low speeds. I love it. It
31:52 is so fun. Yeah. Yeah. Now of course we operated this vehicle at night. It
32:01 wouldn't be a Motorcyclist Magazine evaluation on our terms without an
32:08 evaluation of the headlights of this vehicle. Now while it looks like this
32:15 vehicle has headlights on either side of the front of it, it actually doesn't.
32:19 Those are just positioning LED lights. The center beam that does the heavy
32:26 lifting of the headlight. The headlight on this vehicle it performs okay. I
32:33 think it should be brighter. Should be brighter than it should far. It should
32:38 throw a farther stream of light to the road ahead especially for the vehicle
32:43 MSRP. Most automobiles these days will have a better headlight setup. Even most
32:49 motorcycles will have better headlight setups than this vehicle Polaris. We'd
32:55 like you to step up the lighting on this vehicle. While it definitely looks
32:59 awesome, it is not as functional as it should be. It's worth noting that this
33:06 vehicle has full LED head beams and or head headlight bulbs front and rear and
33:15 the positioning lights of this vehicle at night. It looks awesome. Definitely
33:21 looks awesome.
33:23 But more show than it is go. The seat heaters are working really good folks.
33:31 Fuel mileage wise, we have averaged right around 28 miles per gallon with this
33:39 slingshot. We haven't been driving it too fast. I mean obviously we go through the
33:44 gears at lower speeds but we're not cruising at 90 down the freeway like we
33:50 would on a motorcycle. So right around 28 mpg's with a fuel capacity just under 10
33:59 gallons. It's worth noting that Polaris wants its drivers to run 91 octane
34:07 unleaded fuel. It doesn't want you to run E85. E85 fuel is a no-go for this
34:14 1997 CCI 4-engine.
34:20 Now the neat thing about this slingshot R is that you can be operated with your
34:29 passenger sitting right next to you. It is much more of an intimate and social
34:34 riding experience than you would on a motorcycle with the persons behind you.
34:39 We're here, it's like you're in a car, a drop-top car with no roof. Of course
34:44 Polaris offers roof options for those who want to have some protection from
34:51 the elements. But this is standard slingshot R configuration. There is no
34:59 roof. But it's neat. You get to talk to your passenger. Obviously we don't have
35:04 anyone so we're gonna have to make up. We'll talk to our imaginary friend Jim.
35:07 "Hey Jim how's it going?" "Ha ha, just joking." But nice social experience when you're
35:14 operating these slingshots. And that's why these things really are so cool.
35:17 These things aren't really about getting anywhere fast. Obviously you can't lane
35:25 filter. These three-wheel auto cycles don't enjoy many of the benefits
35:30 of a traditional automobile. But at the same time they're cool because they
35:37 draw a lot of attention. You're gonna get more attention in this
35:42 $33,000... You're gonna get more attention in this $33,000 slingshot R
35:48 than you are in a $200,000 Ferrari. And that's the facts Jack. Like it's
35:54 crazy. If you're someone who really wants to have a lot of attention, you should
36:01 get one of these slingshots because these things are gonna make you
36:04 instantly cool. If that's who you want to be. But at the same time when you have
36:10 this vehicle it's gonna attract a lot of attention, good and bad. So
36:16 law enforcement's gonna be staring at you. Everyone's gonna be staring at you,
36:21 waiting for you to do something wrong. So if you don't want to be under the
36:24 spotlight, don't buy this vehicle. However if you do and you don't want to
36:31 spend a ton of money, this slingshot actually brings up a lot of value from
36:37 that point of view.
36:41 Love the sound system in this thing. Totally worth it.
36:49 Obviously the road noise drowns things out sort of, but you can still hear it.
36:53 The optical clarity of these speakers is really good too. Of course you
36:59 can turn tracks with this button here.
37:04 Look at that hawk. That was beautiful. Now this slingshot, obviously although it's
37:15 highway capable, this isn't a vehicle you really want to be doing a long-distance
37:19 touring on. The suspension rides relatively roughly. There's not a lot
37:26 of wind protection. I mean this windshield does a nice job of shielding
37:30 rider from the driver or occupants, I'm sorry, from the elements. But there's not
37:35 a whole lot of protection from the elements. Of course if you purchased the
37:38 accessory roof that would help for sure.
37:43 But touring is not really something in the Polaris's skill set. But for running
37:51 around town, short jaunts, absolutely within its wheelhouse.
37:58 God, it's so fun to go through the gearbox in this thing. Now this Polaris
38:09 slingshot is also fitted with a backup camera. Of course the ability to turn
38:13 around and see what's behind you is kind of tough. So the backup camera helps. It
38:18 automatically engages when you put the vehicle into reverse. You put it into
38:23 reverse by going all the way to the right and back. That is reverse. These
38:28 rearview mirrors also do a nice job of showing off what is behind you. Very nice.
38:36 A little bit of vibration through the mirrors but it isn't off-putting. Cruise
38:43 control. Yes, we've got cruise control to help us ensure that we aren't speeding
38:52 aggressively. Even though I want to speed aggressively right here, speeding
38:57 aggressively is always fun. Yes.
39:01 Oh yeah baby.
39:05 Polaris claims a 0-60 just under 5 seconds in this vehicle. It's not the
39:12 fastest thing on the road but nor is it the slowest. We have cruise control set.
39:21 70 miles per hour.
39:25 To be fair, the slingshot is driving pretty nicely at this speed. This road to
39:32 be fair though also is pretty smooth.
39:36 Very nice.
39:42 Alright folks, we are going to spend some more time driving. We will check in
39:47 with you in a little bit. Well folks, that was a fun drive inside
39:53 Polaris' 2023 slingshot R. This thing is absolutely a head-turner. If you're
40:01 someone who wants to create a lot of noise and raise some ruckus when you
40:05 arrive at the hot spot in the evening or even during the day, this $34,000
40:11 slingshot R will do it. But still, for $34,000, it's a lot of money.
40:17 This vehicle is over $7,000 more than the slingshot SL we test drove
40:25 last year. And while you do get a lot more features like that magnificent
40:30 sport vented hood, the bigger tire, the nicer seats with heating and cooling and
40:35 that windshield, this vehicle still is a lot of money. Especially when you can
40:41 consider that you can buy a sporty type automobile for roughly the same price.
40:49 Still, if you're someone who wants to have a lot of attention, that wants to
40:56 make a statement, that wants to be a part of the power sport community yet not
41:02 ride an actual motorcycle, this Polaris slingshot definitely will get you
41:11 there and take that place in the power sports lineup. It's unique. There's
41:16 nothing else really like it. While the low-speed handling is totally awesome, at
41:22 higher speeds it gets a little unhinged and the ride quality could be a little
41:28 bit better. But still, this vehicle isn't about raw performance. It's about style.
41:34 It's about being able to talk to your passenger while you're riding and just
41:39 have a little bit of fun. Well folks, that wraps up our review of Polaris's 2023
41:47 slingshot R. Would we spend our hard-earned $34,000 on this vehicle? We
41:54 really wouldn't because it's just a little bit too expensive for what you
42:00 get for a motorcycle person. But if money is no object, if garage space is no
42:06 object and you want a fun vehicle to cruise around town and have some fun and
42:12 make some noise and get some attention, this $34,000 slingshot R will do that.
42:18 And it's a pretty neat vehicle when you think about it from that point of view.
42:23 Alright folks, that wraps up our official review of Polaris's 2023 slingshot R. As
42:30 always, make sure to surf on over to MotorcyclistsOnline.com. That's where
42:35 all of our written content comes to life. Give this video a thumbs up if you liked
42:40 it, thumbs it down if you didn't because we love to hear from the naysayers, and
42:44 leave us a comment. What do you think of Polaris's three-wheeled
42:49 auto cycle? Yes, we know it's not a motorcycle. It's a three-wheeled auto
42:55 cycle. But sound off in the comment section anyways. As always folks, thanks
43:00 for driving with us. We'll see you in the next episode.
43:05 [Music]