The Rich History of Polaris® Industries
Polaris is a company that has made off-roading vehicles for decades, and it continues to be a leader in its industry today. But have you ever wondered how Polaris got its start? Read on to learn more, and if you don't already own a Polaris® vehicle for yourself, consider stopping by Sky Powersports Lakeland in Lakeland, Florida. We serve nearby Tampa and Orlando.
The Original Founding of Polaris: 1954
Polaris was founded in 1954 with the invention of its very first off-roading vehicle, the early snowmobile, following in 1955. The name Polaris comes from the name of the North Star and is meant to reflect the location of the first company headquarters in northern Minnesota.
The first Polaris® snowmobile was taken by Edgar Hetteen and three friends on a 1,200-mile trek across the Alaskan wilderness to test its capabilities. After approving the snowmobile for mass production, the first models for sale came about in 1956.
From Snowmobiles to Watercraft: 1956 to 1991
Polaris continued to design and produce snowmobile models during the majority of the 1950s and 60s, and the vehicles produced by the company both entered and won multiple snow-racing competitions. With 1965 came the invention of the Mustang snowmobile by the company, which was dubbed the "family model" of its snowmobile offerings.
In 1976, the TX-L 340 snowmobile model was released with the very first Polaris® liquid-cooled engine. After releasing many more similar models, the company bought out John Deere snowmobile productions, and in 1989, the Polaris® Indy® 500 was named snowmobile of the decade by SNOWMOBILE magazine — a huge accomplishment.
A number of production factories were opened by Polaris through 1990, and in 1991, the very first Polaris® personal watercraft, or PWC, was released, named the SL650.
The Victory Motorcycle Line Is Born: 1991 to 1998
Polaris rolled out its first motorcycle soon after hitting a record-breaking $1 billion in sales in 1995. The first Victory motorcycle is driven by IndyCar champion Al Unser, Jr., in 1997. At the time, Unser took the V92C bike for a spin right through the Mall of America in Minneapolis. In 1998, the very same motorcycle was put into full production and released for sale to the public.
Polaris® Company Expansion: 1998 to Now
Polaris continued to release multiple snowmobile, watercraft, and motorcycle models through the 2000s. A few notable models of the company's vehicles include the 2002 Predator 500 sports quad and the 2007 RANGER RZR® side-by-side vehicle.
As Polaris is expected to expand even further through the next few decades, all buyers of the brand should be excited to see what's next. If you'd like to see what the company is offering now, come see us, Sky Powersports Lakeland, in Lakeland, Florida, from the surrounding Tampa and Orlando areas, today.