// B Y E Z R A D Y E R //6
S
PORT ATVS ARE AN
endangered species.
Back in the glory days of
2008, just about every
ATV company built
a sport machine. But
today’s ATV market is
aff licted with an acute case of
pragmatism, rife with blocky four-
wheel-drives fitted with cargo
racks and hitches. The implica-
tion seems to be that fun for its
own sake is irresponsible—you use
your utility quad to clear brush off
the back 40; any entertainment is
purely incidental. That’s why the
2020 Polaris Scrambler XP 1000
S is so refreshing: It’s gloriouslyuseless. The tow rating is zero.
The Scrambler exists to turn gaso-
line into serotonin, end of mission
statement.
The Polaris approaches that
mission a little bit differently
than the other lonely sport ATV,
the Yamaha Raptor. The Raptor,
in either 450-cc or 700-cc form,
is a lithe motocross machine with
a solid rear axle, rear-wheel drive,
and a manual transmission.
That’s the traditional format,
going all the way back to classics
like the 1980s Suzuki LT500R
Quadracer. The Scrambler has
an automatic transmission,
f loorboards instead of foot pegs,
all-wheel drive, and independent
rear suspension. It’s also phys-
ically huge—in terms of sheer
size, it looks like a quad-and-a-
half. Its 881-pound dry weight is
more than two Raptor 700s.
A motocross machine this
isn’t. The Scrambler is more like
a Baja trophy truck with han-
dlebars. It’s got 12.5 inches of
suspension travel up front and
14 inches in the rear, along with
more than 14 inches of ground
clearance. It soaks up big hits at
high speeds in wide-open places.The Polaris
Scrambler Is
Absolutely
Useless—and
Completely
Exhilarating
20 December 2019
COURTESYPOLARIS