To say that a march of horsepower-soaked machines have been high-stepping out of the Polaris facilities in 2016 is an understatement. It seems like each machine has more horsepower and torque than the last. This attention to displacement and muscle did not skip over the ACE line in 2016 either. The single-seat, sit-in ATV has only been a thing for two short years, and already we are spoiled for choice with engine configurations. Model year 2016 sees the addition of the ACE 900 SP.
This compact newcomer to the off-road marketplace came as a surprise to most buyers, as it was a machine that they didn't even know that they needed in the garage. At the behest of significant others and kids all across the nation, the ACE made it's way into the toy hauler, and smiles were had by all. The ACE mixes the small-footprint of an ATV with the ergonomics, seating position, controls and roll cage of a side-by-side. "The best of both worlds,” as it were.
The ACE 900 SP shares the Sportsman platform of the other ACE models, but a detuned Prostar 900 motor has been shoehorned just behind the seat to offer up 60hp. In other machines this motor has been known to produce a few more horsepowers, but with the ACE weighing in 184lbs lighter than the RZR 900, 60hp is more than enough to power this lightweight billygoat down the trail with great haste. It's compact footprint combined with that level of horsepower means that a driver needs to be awake to drive this thing quickly. The 325 and 570 iterations of this machine lent toward the "mat it and go" driving style, but the 900 SP is a whole new ballgame. Calculated throttle positioning is absolutely necessary.
The 900 SP comes standard with EPS, which was sorely missed in the 325 and the 570, although it was an optional feature. It is not quite as quick steering as I would have liked while driving fast, but in talking to the engineers, this was by design. They consciously slowed the steering down due to the footprint of the machine. Quicker steering is handy when going fast, but it can get a driver into trouble more quickly as well. The steering made me look a little further down the trail than I would normally, and assessment of trail conditions and undulations well in advance are necessary in the ACE 900 SP. Preparedness will keep the round black parts of the ACE on the trail.
Read More here: 2016 Polaris ACE 900 SP First Ride & Review
