Actually, from the Dirt Toys Magazine testing crew’s point of view, Polaris walloped back-to-back homers in an off-road media gathering last fall.
The first homerun was being invited to participate in the Polaris ORV press launch, where the Minnesota-based company introduced a portion of its 2014 lineup of side-by-sides and ATVs with technical presentations and (our favorite part) riding opportunities.
Home field for the gathering was the Rock Run Recreation Area, a 6,500-acre riding park located on old coal mining property in the woods of central Pennsylvania, near Patton. Rock Run has 140 miles of trails that are mapped, named and color-coded according to difficulty and criss-cross the Allegheny Mountains which, when you break out of the trees, offer some amazing views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
The name “Rock Run” very accurately describes this riding area as most of the trails are quite rocky, with some having boulder patches that will test ground clearances and skid plates. If we had a complaint about our day’s ride, it would be we wished we would have been a couple of weeks later so we could have experienced more of the real beauty of that area’s fall colors, as they were just getting cranked up while we were there.
So if the ride area was an inside-the-park homer, the second homer was out of the park as Polaris unveiled two new vehicles, the Sportsman 570 ATV and Ranger 570 side-by-side. Okay, Polaris actually unveiled four new vehicles, the two 570s as well as the Scrambler XP 1000 EPS and Ranger Crew 900. We spent a good portion of our riding day working over the Ranger 570 and Sportsman 570 as there was only so much time to analyze, ride and photograph the vehicles. We did briefly drive the Ranger Crew 900 XP and rode the Scrambler XP 1000 EPS, which is a shame because the Scrambler really rips.
We wanted as much time as we could to dissect the 570s as we very interested in gathering some impressions of the new 570cc Pro-Star engine, which powers the Ranger 570 and Sportsman 570. Time constraints prevented any “work” related testing such as load hauling and towing as we were under the gun to concentrate on general operations and performance along with a photo session.
Ranger 570 EFI
With today’s dirt off-road market generally geared toward bigger and even bigger, it is refreshing to see some quality product released for the consumer on a budget or simply not in need of the high end, big cc equipment.
The 2014 Ranger 570 isn’t really a new model to the Polaris lineup; rather, it is a refined and freshened-up replacement for the Ranger 500.
The Pro-Star 570 actually made its successful debut in the RZR lineup last year and has now migrated into the Ranger and ATV lineup. This little Pro-Star engine is a single cylinder, liquid-cooled four-stroke featuring dual overhead cams and four valves along with an automotive-style electronic fuel injection system. It ran like a champ in all the units we drove/rode during the testing.
A couple of obvious improvements to the 570 over the 500 is the claimed 40 hp that it delivers in the Ranger platform, which represents a bump of 25 percent more power. Also, a larger stator producing 29 percent more electrical power enables more electrical accessory operations, including the Electronic Power Steering unit which is an integral part of the Gold Mist Limited Edition package.
We are a big proponent of EPS after our seat time on the Rock Run trail system, although we noticed the Ranger 570 has a slower steering ratio than the RZR that takes some getting used to (read: substantially more steering wheel input). Not only does the EPS make life easier on the arms while driving at slower speeds, the hands get a break from front-end shock feedback up to the steering wheel when the vehicle climbs over rocks and other trail obstacles. The addition of EPS (along with cast aluminum wheels and painted Gold Mist color) on the LE model will cost you an extra $1,700.
A couple other motor-related refinements we noticed with this Ranger compared to the 500 model is less vibration, helped out by the engine mounting system, and less “in cab” noise due to the motor being relocated in a much better position under the cargo box, similar to the full-sized Rangers. In fact, it is stunningly quiet in the cab on the Ranger 570.
Remembering that the 570 is indeed a mid-size engine package, we felt there was adequate power for this size of side-by-side. The rev limiter tapped out at about 30 mph, which certainly isn’t blistering speed but more than enough on some of the Rock Run trails.
The 2014 Ranger 570 comes with many of the same features found on its big siblings, some of which include On Demand True All Wheel Drive with VersaTrac, rear dump box with gas assist rams and a 500-pound load capacity, gearing and power to handle a 1000-pound payload and tow rating of 1250 lbs., ROPS certified cab frame, MacPherson front suspension with 8 inches of travel and Polaris Independent Rear suspension with 9 inches of travel. We thoroughly tested the front and rear suspension and feel they offer a decent ride. We used every bit of the 10 inches of ground clearance (and then some) as one of our testers took our test buggy through a trail (it was a black-colored/most difficult rated trail) that some thought to be too technical and extreme for the Ranger 570. We proved the 570 was quite capable.
The 2014 Ranger 570 EFI is also available in the Crew model with EPS and touts a 1250-pound tow rating.
While we felt comfortable in the cab of the 570, it is a bit smallish and we’re not sure how a driver/rider with long legs would fare, but for us shorter folk, it was fine.
Sportsman 570 EFI
Flash back to 1996 (the year the New York Yankees won the World Series, their first since 1978) when Polaris launched the Sportsman 500 for $6,499. Model year 2014 arrives and Polaris introduces a more than worthy replacement for the 500 with the 570 EFI, for—take a guess how much—yea, $6,499 retail. Since its introduction in 1996, Polaris has sold 600,000 of those ATVs, affirming the popularity and durability of the model.
The new Sportsman 570 may not be the bargain of the decade for ATV buyers, but it is darn close, especially in light of the improvements and additional features the 2014 model boasts. Even though the new 570 is in basically the same durable pre-XP chassis and on the same extensively proven suspension as the 500, ergonomic improvements coupled with 20 percent more horsepower, certainly make it a good buy and one that has pushed up the fun-o-meter scale significantly.
Most noticeable in the area of rider comfort is the 3.25-inch narrower mid section, as measured from the seat to the floorboards. The front of the seat is also narrower. The foot wells or boards are both wider and longer with deeper heel pockets, accommodating more positioning for both comfort and technical riding.
The ProStar 570 engine in this Sportsman features dual overhead cams and EFI, resulting in a claimed 44 hp. We think it is every bit as stout as a finely-tuned 550 that we had along for the ride, which is also rated at 40 to 45 horses. The Sportsman 570 actually has about an 11 percent increase in mileage range compared to the 500 as this engine is a bit fuel miserly coupled with a slightly larger fuel tank, which is 0.6 gallons bigger and now holds 4.5 gallons.
As with the Ranger 570 motor, this Sportsman has more electrical juice running through its veins in order to supply higher demands for work or play, including an EPS unit on the Sportsman 570 EPS model, which again, we prefer over the non-EPS model. That is another $800 but it will be money well spent. The real benefit of EPS on the Sportsman is not so much the ease of turning the handlebars while sitting static or at lower speeds, but the virtual elimination of wrist and thumb “stingers” from trail obstacles. The Sportsman 570 represents the first ATV of this size for which Polaris has added EPS as an option. We definitely think that’s a good move.
This Sportsman features On Demand True All-Wheel Drive and plenty enough power and torque to take on a 1225-pound towing capacity and 180-pound rear rack and 90-pound front rack capacity. These cargo racks are a new design with an exposed steel tube frame and notched sections in the composite making for more efficient and easier cargo securing, not to mention the holes in the deck to accommodate the Polaris exclusive Lock and Ride accessories.
The front deck also provides integrated semi-dry storage underneath, with a 6.5-gallon capacity.
A couple of slight disappointments for us were what seemed to be excessive backlash noise in the drive train. A little noise is a trait of this particular motor/transmission configuration. Also, the motor seemed a little buzzy, like maybe too hard of rubber in motor mounts kind of sensation.
But honestly, those pale in comparison to the fun this vehicle cranks out.
The new Sportsman 570 will be available in three models: Sportsman 570 EFI, Sportsman 570 EPS and Sportsman Touring 570 EFI.
