Polaris hopes their NPT tires will change the ATV Wheel World as we know it.
Are you ready for a zombie apocalypse? If you answered “yes,” you may have already put down a deposit on the new WV850 ATV from Polaris. The military-styled 4wheeler just became available to the public, and enthusiasts are saying that this could be the coolest ATV ever. The most noticeable and innovative part of the machine is without a doubt the wheels and tires.
For $14,999 the public will be able to buy this ATV, which can tow 1,500lbs, have its tires shot with a 50-caliber rifle and run over railroad spikes without having to put on a spare. The reason this ATV is so “bulletproof” is due to the use of non-pneumatic tires (NPTs)
“In early, 2013, Polaris announced we’d launch the NPT technology on an off-road vehicle built for consumers,” said 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.”
The Polaris WV850 with revolutionary NPT tires hits the market in early 2014.
Non-Pneumatic Tires
They were originally designed for wheelchairs and strollers; however Non-Pneumatic Tires or NPTs have branched out to military and extreme off-road machines. The wheels are perfect for sandy desert operations because of their light weight and durability. Never worrying about a flat is great advantage when you’re in the middle of a military exercise. Instead of being inflated with air, the wheels use a sort of honeycomb pattern to give them a smoother ride and makes rough terrain or rock climbing a breeze.
Recently, car and tire companies have toyed with the idea of using a NPT style of tire on street legal automobiles. Michelin developed their version called the “Tweel” which uses flexible poly-urethane spokes that are used to support an outer rim and assume the shock-absorbing role of the compressed air in a traditional tire, unfortunately they proved to be problematic above 50-mph due to sever vibrations. The wheels do, however, work well on off-road applications, just like the NPTs on Polaris’ new ATV.
So, if you’re headed in to war, gearing up for an apocalypse or just seriously hate checking your tire pressure, an NPT tire may what you’re looking for on your ATV. The new WV850 is currently the only ATV on the market (besides its military counter-part the MV850) that uses an NPT tire
By: Sean Bowes