The test trail was a fast ride up a nicely manicured and wooded hill and then back down. I thought we would put along since it was a guided tour, nope! The guide really ripped through the trail, so much so that I was able to get enough speed to get the tires off the ground a few times. The trail was very tight. There was no way a Rzr could get down it as fast as the Ace. Honestly, this trail was better than most of the trails at Brimstone for fast riding.
The first thing I noticed when getting into the Ace was how much room there was inside. Although there was a ton of room, the pedals are jammed really close to each other, so it was awkward to use the brake and gas. It was also hard to get out of the right side of the vehicle because the shifter is located in the middle of the egress. The dash seemed like it could use some more flare to it. It was an expanse of black plastic with rudimentary gauges.
Upon firing up the engine I noticed it had a nice rumble to it and it shook the entire machine as it idled. It was very apparent that this little guy had huge motor. Once we were off we drove slowly to the trail and then were able to open it up. Wow, the 900 is punchy! It is an absolute rocket down the tight straights. Since you sit so much lower in the Ace compared to a tradition quad and a RZR, the sense of speed is magnified. The trees went by like a blur as it soaked up the trail.
Climbing hills was nothing for the 900. I punched the throttle and was pushed back in the seat as it raced up the twisting incline. We hit a section with a small whoop that I was able to dash the throttle and propel the Ace off its tires. It landed evenly and poised.
Going down, the Ace had nice engine braking. It didn’t throw me into the steering wheel like some of the RZR Trail models will, but it was enough to not need to use the brakes much at all.
After we got to the bottom we headed back to the tent. I wanted to do another lap!
Positive Impressions:
-Extremely Punchy with the 900 engine
-Very smooth CVT and engine
-Very roomy
-Decent ride on mature trails
-Sitting low in the chassis makes it nearly as stable as leaning on a normal quad
-Can be faster than a RZR on tight ATV trails
-Sense of speed is magnified due to low slung riding position
Suggestions for Improvement:
-Tighter steering ratio, the Ace needs to react faster to steering inputs
-Doors need to be closer, hard to put elbow on door
-Better pedal positioning
-More flare to the interior
-Hopped up suspension would make this thing insane and provide an all-round better ride
Overall, I was extremely impressed. I came away with a much better attitude toward the Ace. I would even consider it over a normal ATV, although I am an avid ATV rider. The seating position is a completely different experience compared to being perched up high on a quad. I love the low slung position, peering over the dash at the trees flying by. Polaris has a winner here. With a few more tweaks, this thing may be in my garage soon!
Anyone else take the 900 out for a spin?
