2014 Polaris Sportsman WV850 Preview

Lucas Cooney
by Lucas Cooney
Military-grade ATV features non-pneumatic tires

Looking to start your own militia? Then Polaris may have the vehicle for you. The Minnesota-based manufacturer has introduced what it calls a military-grade ATV for consumers – the Polaris Sportsman WV850 H.O. with non-pneumatic tires.

According to Polaris, this “true work vehicle” will be available in December in very limited quantities. It is highlighted by Polaris’ non-pneumatic tires (NPT), which we wrote about last year.

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“In early, 2013, Polaris announced we’d launch the NPT technology on an off-road vehicle built for consumers,” says David Longren, vice president of Polaris’ Off-Road Division. “We have seen great success with NPTs in military and disaster relief scenarios and are excited to bring this technology to the consumer market for extreme work applications.”

2014 Polaris Sportsman WV850 Beauty

2014 Polaris Sportsman WV850

Earlier this year, Polaris Defense started offering NPT tires as an option for its military vehicles. The technology is beneficial for military work due to the fact that Polaris says the tires never go flat. According to Polaris, NPTs have been tested under several extreme situations, including logging more than 350 miles after receiving fire from a 50-caliber round and driving 1,000 miles with a three-inch railroad spike in the tread and webbing.

2014 Polaris Sportsman WV850 Non-Pneumatic Tire

Flats are a thing of the past when you’ve got Polaris’ non-pneumatic tires.

Polaris boasts that the non-pneumatic tires help provide a lower center of gravity. This is no doubt true, as those tires are a big reason the Sportsman WV850 tips the scales at a whopping 1,114 pounds – 341 pounds more than the Sportsman XP 850 EPS. Polaris wisely chose to outfit the WV850 with electronic power steering to help reduce rider fatigue.

2014 Polaris Sportsman WV850 Steel Rack

The stout steel rear rack can carry 400 pounds.

Other features of the Polaris Sportsman WV850 H.O. include a fully automatic single-speed transmission with forward and reverse gears, upgraded shock package designed to offer improved handling under heavy load, increased cooling capacity, steel racks that can carry an impressive 600 pounds, two-inch receiver hitch that can tow 1,500 pounds and a standard 3,500-pound winch.

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Unique to the military-inspired WV850 is a massive 11.75 gal. fuel tank – more than twice the fuel capacity of the Sportsman XP 850 EPS. As well, wider foot wells are designed to accommodate larger work footwear.

2014 Polaris Sportsman WV850 Action

Tipping the scales at 1,114 pounds, the Sportsman WV850 is the very defintion of heavy duty.

So how much does it cost? Polaris says the Sportsman WV850 will retail for $14,999 – a $5,000 premium over the Sportsman XP 850 EPS.

While we’re not sure who will be in the market for a vehicle like the Sportsman WV850, it is exciting to see the non-pneumatic tires available on a consumer vehicle. At least on paper it’s far and away the most rugged consumer ATV we’ve ever seen. This makes sense coming from Polaris, which has proven itself unafraid to break new ground when it comes to off-road vehicles.

2014 Polaris Sportsman WV850 Specs
MSRP:$14,999
Engine:850cc 4-Stroke Liquid Cooled SOHC Twin Cylinder
Induction:Electronic fuel injection
Ignition:Full-transistorized with electronic advance
Transmission/Final Drive:Automatic PVT P/R/N/H Single Forward Gear; Shaft
Engine Braking/Active Descent Control:Standard
Front Suspension:Dual A-arm 9″ travel; heavy duty shocks
Rear Suspension:Dual A-arm, Rolled 10.25″ travel; heavy duty shocks
Front/Rear Brakes:Single Lever 4-Wheel Hydraulic Discs with Hydraulic Rear Foot Brake
Parking Brake:Park in Transmission/Lockable Hand Lever
Front Tires:26 x 8-14 NPT
Rear Tires:26 x 8-14 NPT
Wheels:NPT 8-spoke Cast Aluminum
Length/Width/Height:94.5 x 47.3 x 52 in
Dry Weight:1,114 lbs
Wheelbase:57 in
Ground Clearance:11.25 in
Fuel Capacity:5.25 gal + 6.5 gal reserve
Front/Rear Rack:200 lbs/400 lbs
Payload Capacity:850 lbs
Towing Capacity:1,500 lbs
Hitch Type:Standard 2 in Receiver
Cargo System:Polaris powder coated black steel w/D-rings
Lighting:Triple 50w High Beam, Dual 50w Low Beam Headlights; Single brakelight/Taillight
Features:Electronic power steering, fixed front winch, shift lever lock, full underbody skidplate, push bumper, wider foot wells, enhanced chassis, full body steel exoskeleton
Colors:Avalanche Gray
Lucas Cooney
Lucas Cooney

I have been working exclusively in digital media since 1997. I started out with TSN.ca, spending nearly nine years creating and editing content on Canada's leading sports website. I left to join VerticalScope, Inc., one of the world's largest online publishers, to start a number of powersports publications. While at VerticalScope, I've helped create and oversee content for a wide variety of different publications, including ATV.com, Off-Road.com, ArcheryTalk.com, Tractor.com, RVGuide.com, and many more.

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