Polaris ACE Video Shoot on the Rubicon Trail
By Jon Crowley, UTVGuide.net The Polaris ACE was introduced in 2014 and defined an entirely-new type of off-road vehicle. The new design combined the size and nimble handling of an ATV with the confidence and comfort of a side-by-side. The ACE’s centralized seating position has opened up new options for riders that like the nimble feel of an ATV, but prefer more of an automotive style with seat, steering wheel, brake and gas pedals. The later that year, Polaris bumped up the power and gave us the ACE 570. The ACE 570 has all the features of the original ACE, with the addition of more power provided by a 45 horsepower, single-cylinder Pro-Star 570 engine. Originally launched on the RZR 570, the engine features dual overhead cams and 4 valves, along with an automotive-style electronic fuel injection system for enhanced performance. Once Polaris came out with the 570 version, I figured it was time to get one and do a little buildup on it. Plus Polaris had just announced a Editor’s Viral Video Challenge for the ACE and even though I am not big into video, I figured it would be fun to try. Polaris found a an ACE 570 at Bert’s UTV that was available and our friends at SSV Works went right to work developing an audio plan for the vehicle. Once the basic layout of the audio system was in place, IMG Motorsports took over. They built a cage and modified the PRP doors fit with the SSV Works speaker pods. They installed Walker Evans Racing shocks, PRP seat and harnesses, and had everything powder coated in blue. The ACE traveled back to SSV Works for a final install on the amps, sub-woofer, and 6 different speaker pods. After that, ProLine Wraps developed a custom wrap for it. I finally got my hands on the ACE for the first time at this point and went right to work. I installed a Factory UTV UHMW skid plate, Rigid Industries Dually LEDs and A-Aeries accent lights and then mounted up a set of 28-inch ITP Baja Cross tires on ITP wheels for additional ground clearance and style points. I also have a Trinity Exhaust system that needs to be installed. Once the ACE was finished up, I took it to Moab forRally on the Rocks, then to Oceano Dunes with our friends from Rugged Radios. These trips were awesome, but we wanted something a little different for our Viral Video.
Since the world famous Rubicon Trail is in our backyard the thought crossed my mind about taking the ACE up there for the video. The Rubicon islocated in Northern California and was established in the late 1800’s as a stage coach route between Georgetown and Lake Tahoe mainly to serve two resort hotels at Wentworth Springs and Rubicon Springs. After the hotels went out of business and the road deteriorated it was picked as home for the firstJeepers Jamboree in 1953. Since then it has gained international recognition and is considered the “Granddaddy” of all four-wheel trails – a 10 on most scales. The Rubicon Trail is actually an unmaintained county right of way – the Rubicon/McKinney Road. Although the trail is most popular with full-sized 4×4’s, it has become more popular for UTVs in the last few years and I love to rock crawl there with my XP1000 and RZR S 900, but the ACE is pretty small and doesn’t have much ground clearance. I figured it would be a good test for it and if all turned out well, the ACE would look great up there with all the granite. I contacted the Copter Kids, who I had worked last year on ourTurbo RZRs Take on Sand Mountain video. I figured some aerial shots of the Rubicon would make for some great footage.
The date was set for June and we arrived on a Wednesday morning hoping the wind would be light and the crowds would be non-existent. In addition to our ACE, I brought along ourLong Travel XP1000 and our KOH RZR S 900. I put my friend Paul behind the wheel of the ACE so I could shoot still images, and my son brought along his DJI Phantom to get a few behind the scenes and landscape shots. More: |
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