08/04/2026
With the release of the Polaris Pro-R boost yesterday, let’s talk Side By Sides and the SxS industry. Where it’s been, where it’s going? It’s no secret we are a Dirt Bike oriented shop, But we have been in this hobby/sport for a long time and have seen the waves and changes and will admit if it wasn’t for the SxS wave, this business wouldn’t be what it is today!! Polaris released the RZR 800 in 2008. They retailed for $9,999. 10 grand for trail toy in 08 sounded high, but a Honda Rubicon 500 was $7500, only seated one person and took some skill to maneuver through the woods. So the price difference wasn’t a game changer. The release of the RZR changed the hobby, it opened the trails and the woods to people who had never rode before…or even people who rode at a younger age but maybe due to a handicap had to step away. It was affordable fun and people started coming in waves year after year. We watched trails go from 50” wide to a dirt interstate. The growth had its pros and cons. Business wise it was great, but for the good ol boys who grew up riding it brought new obstacles. Increased prices for lodging, increased prices for parts and now in the big riding areas having to maneuver the different skill levels who don’t understand “trail etiquette” as we call it……….Fast forward to today for comparison. Polaris releases a machine in the $50,000 range while that Honda quad that I compared the RZR to in 2008 sets around $12,000 today!! Why the gap? And is it worth it? This discussion isn’t about who can and cannot afford the $50,000 machine. It’s about, what is that high dollar machine doing for the hobby?? Still today most of your enthusiasts are part of the good ol boys who grew up riding. Some of those people have done well financially and will buy the expensive machine. But the biggest percentage of those people will not. Where does price increase stop? I’ve said for years if they want to make any machine over $30,000 justifiable, They need to set down with the NHTSA and see what needs to be done to make these machines road legal off of the showroom floor. I’m not talking about state regulations, I’m talking nationally.. As an avid rider who spends as much time as possible in the woods I’m starting to see an increase in Dirt Bike numbers and ATV numbers. When talking to those riders a lot of them say the same thing. They tried the SXS but due to price and other reasons it made sense to go back to handlebars. Some of them got into SxS early, used it for a way to get the wife and kids in the woods and now that the Kids are raised and moved on they are going back to a cheaper way of riding. So we are asking you, where do you see the SxS market going?? Will it cap? Will slow down?? Or will it turn into the auto market??
