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.
I was able to sit down with the ACE project lead, who has been working on ACE since it's initial sketches, and we chatted about the evolution of the suspension and ergonomics that changed the Sportsman into an ACE. Along the way, the engineers had to wrestle with the seating position and engine. They had to fit a pedal box and a seat where the engine usually resided in the Sportsman, so this was obviously a challenge.
In the 900 SP, I was able to tell that the engineers were able to fine tune the little quirks that left the previous ACE feeling slightly awkward. The pedal box has been tweaked and is lined up properly with the seat, as is the steering wheel.
The suspension woes from the other models have been addressed as well. Each iteration of the ACE seems to have improved incrementally. The ACE 900 SP gets a new set of progressive rate springs front and rear, along with a new front and rear stabilizer bars that help to deliver a very responsive, stable ride. In my conversation with the engineer responsible for the ACE platform, he explained to me that they had made very few adjustments to the suspension setups leading to the 2016 ACE 900 SP, but that the weight of the motor selections actually had a significant effect on the overall ride of the vehicles. I feel like small tweaks were made as well, but that was not confirmed per se.
The ACE 900 SP features a close ratio, on-demand All Wheel Drive system as well. What exactly does that sentence mean? I didn't know either, but I was able to get the rundown on this as well. The close ratio aspect of the system translates to very little slip prior to the engagement of the front wheels as opposed to more slip allowed by a larger ratio. Engagement of the front wheels is smooth and goes virtually unnoticed. My one, singular complaint about the AWD system is that they opted for a spring loaded switch on the dash that, once pressed, returns to it's original location and informs you of the engagement of the system on the dash. I would have much rather had the illuminated rocker that comes on the RZR. I was able to tell if the machine was in 2 or 4 wheel drive at a quick glance. Granted, this might be due to the short time that I was in the cab of the ACE and more seat time might teach me where to look. In all honesty, the ACE 900 SP doesn't need anything but 4 wheel drive.
As an overall machine, the ACE 900 SP is a welcomed addition to the ACE lineup for those that were waiting for an ACE with some gusto available to the right foot. The suspension tweaks have made an already good machine just that much better. This is just about as much power as I would like to have in the ACE footprint. The ACE 900 SP starts at $11,499 which falls in between the upper levels of the Sportsman ATVs and offers similar performance with the added safety of a 3 point harness, an automotive-style seat, and a roll cage. Many buyers of the ACE 900 SP as a secondary machine for the family or to lend out may just find themselves putting in more solo seat miles than they expect.
