ThatDudeInBlue reviews the 2020 R AutoDrive Slingshot

He mentioned the storage compartments shortly after his friend started riding with him. He basically just said he couldn't fit his camera bag in there.

Did you hear his comment about the price point is somewhat high for him? I've commented in the past that Polaris is heading in the wrong direction with their pricing.

Personally I think he needs to research whatever he wants to talk about. I needed an E-Mail so I could comment on his BS

I saw this review yesterday and while it wasn't horrible, it could have been A LOT better.

I find most reviews of Slingshots seem to be done by people who I dont think really get it - To me the slingshot is not about how it compares to other vehicles like sports cars or motorcycles but, unfortunately it seems like most of the reviewers try to do exactly this, they try to fit it in some box where they think it belongs

To me the Slingshot is all about the experience, the sound, the wind, the smells and everything else around you - - it is not a sports car - even if it looks kind of like one and its not a motorcycle even if federal law says it is - - - - The Slingshot is not going to out handle a super car or out accelerate a muscle car or ride like some luxury sports coup , but it can stimulate the senses in a way that none of those other vehicles ever will..

Frankly at this point if I want to read any review of a new Slingshot that comes out the only way I would be able to really take the review seriously would be if it were done by another Slingshot owner and lover, preferably a member here - - - - car guys and motorcycle guys never seem to quite get it and it always shows in their reviews

in the end, the reviews and opinions I find posted by members here on this forum are far more valuable to me than reviews done by outsiders

Reading the comments under most Slingshot reviews is painful. People get hung up on the Slingshot sometimes being called a "motorcycle" and it makes motorcycle purists lose their minds.

Slingshots are a weird combination of features from various vehicles, making it niche, and a 30k+ price point doesn't help at all for the common (and even most enthusiast) consumers. Most folks that want a bike will get a bike, if they want a track car will get something with 4 wheels, if they want a/c they will get a convertible. They aren't even very light compared to its competition at ~1600lbs for the 2020. The people that just like the way it looks and want to cruise typically can't afford it new, and if possible as a weekend toy, they buy it used. The non-manual drivers avoid it entirely, and although the 2020 autodrive SLs seem to be selling decently well, they are still 26k MSRP vs a 10-18k used manual option. The modding scene is really what carries the slingshot's popularity amongst the general public.

If it was somewhere around 12k base to 22k upper tier, they would be a lot more palatable, but as-is, its a hard sell for most people. It's just sad that after 6 years, people are still scratching their head at it.

Quote from Edward Neal

I find most reviews of Slingshots seem to be done by people who I dont think really get it - To me the slingshot is not about how it compares to other vehicles like sports cars or motorcycles but, unfortunately it seems like most of the reviewers try to do exactly this, they try to fit it in some box where they think it belongs

To me the Slingshot is all about the experience, the sound, the wind, the smells and everything else around you - - it is not a sports car - even if it looks kind of like one and its not a motorcycle even if federal law says it is - - - - The Slingshot is not going to out handle a super car or out accelerate a muscle car or ride like some luxury sports coup , but it can stimulate the senses in a way that none of those other vehicles ever will..

Frankly at this point if I want to read any review of a new Slingshot that comes out the only way I would be able to really take the review seriously would be if it were done by another Slingshot owner and lover, preferably a member here - - - - car guys and motorcycle guys never seem to quite get it and it always shows in their reviews

in the end, the reviews and opinions I find posted by members here on this forum are far more valuable to me than reviews done by outsiders

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I posted my previous comment before seeing Edward's post but I agree here. Most reviewers try to put the slingshot into a round or square hole, when its really a star shaped peg.

We have to remember that although we are fans of it, the general public also views it like the reviewers do, and it just doesn't make sense to them to purchase it. Polaris has some work cutout for them if they want to truly grow their sales.

Used manual trans. 10,000 miles or less are running $!2,000 rarely and $13,000 to $16,000 not hard to find at all, maybe with up to $10,000 worth of mods for a kicker. If I remember correctly Hellproof the only time the new Sling came in over $30,000 was with the Polaris top. Now with the new auto's they are trying to sell them for over $30,000.

Quote from FunCycle

Used manual trans. 10,000 miles or less are running $!2,000 rarely and $13,000 to $16,000 not hard to find at all, maybe with up to $10,000 worth of mods for a kicker. If I remember correctly Hellproof the only time the new Sling came in over $30,000 was with the Polaris top. Now with the new auto's they are trying to sell them for over $30,000.

Yeah that's why I said "Although the 2020 autodrive SLs seem to be selling decently well, they are still 26k MSRP vs a 10-18k used manual option." The reviewer was reviewing the 32k R autodrive. Most people aren't buying them new these days at 26-32k because the used market is flooded with them and they are still great machines used. Polaris is going the wrong direction with their prices.

Quote from Hellproof

Yeah that's why I said "Although the 2020 autodrive SLs seem to be selling decently well, they are still 26k MSRP vs a 10-18k used manual option." The reviewer was reviewing the 32k R autodrive. Most people aren't buying them new these days at 26-32k because the used market is flooded with them and they are still great machines used. Polaris is going the wrong direction with their prices.

I bought Sling II about Sept. last year. It is a 2016 SL bought with around 10,000 miles for $13,000

The one comment he made at the end about "guys that can't ride motorcycles anymore" was pretty much exactly how I ended up with one. My neighbor and I both had bikes and would go ride together often. His back started giving him problems and the doctor told him that he needed to stay off the bike. One day I was over talking to him in his driveway and I see a fat single rear tire poking out of the garage. He was showing it off to me when my wife wandered over since it was taking me a LONG time to go get the mail. She said something like "that is cool". He tossed me the keys and after a short ride with the wife it was decided that my bikes were moving out and we were getting a sling.

The price point is definitely getting too high. To me it is a great replacement for a touring bike, but a lot more fun. Has good protection from wind / elements, enough storage for a trip, seat that doesn't make your ass numb, radio to listen to, etc just like a bagger. They just need to keep it in that same price range. I know there are some crazy expensive baggers out there, but there are a lot of base touring bikes out there and Polaris should make sure that they still have models in the price range.

The first summer (2015) the wife and I vacationed with the Sling just using the compartments behind the seats, 7 day trips. I decide over the winter that we needed a little more room and that was when I designed the roll bar racks just for the 10 inch x 20 inch tube bag and that is what we have used since then.

they just need to have a base model - S or whatever they want to call it that has the new motor and comes in at just under 20k

no sound system, 18 inch wheel in the back - - a pure base model that keeps it available to regular people and one that can serve as a blank canvas for those who want all of the mods to be there own.

if they keep the starting point there, where it has always been then I dont care if they want to also have more expensive models and special editions above that

When you can buy a 2020 Miata for $27500, $30,000+ gets a little out of range. The Miata is probably where we are headed after the Sling. Next summer or a few years from now . . . who knows.

Quote from openair

When you can buy a 2020 Miata for $27500, $30,000+ gets a little out of range. The Miata is probably where we are headed after the Sling. Next summer or a few years from now . . . who knows.

Why do people keep comparing a 3 wheel bike to a freaking regular car is beyond me. They are nowhere alike and the people that buy Miatas are a whole different crowd with different wants and needs than slingshot crowd.

Quote from BKL

I sure hope Mazda has done some basic changes to the Miata. My Wife was considering one for her first new car purchase where she picked her new car and paid for it back in 2008, but after looking at the Miata, she realized she couldn't even find a place to securely store her briefcase & purse.In comparison, we felt the Slingshot had a heck of a lot more storage space.

my daughters first car was a used Miata - when we brought it home I had to drive it because she had not yet learned how to drive a stick - - I am only 6 foot 1 and even with the driver seat all the way back I hardly fit in that thing and no way I could have driven that every day. They have changed it a great deal over the years so perhaps they have fixed that issue, but then again its just another car and no way am I giving up my sling to go back to a cage