Latest news with #Polaris
The Drive
22 minutes ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
This Old Ford Model A Rat Rod Is Actually a Polaris RZR
The latest car news, reviews, and features. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, which means it's also too quiet. Time to disturb the peace with another Polaris RZR body swap. This one will make Henry Ford roll over in his grave…and try to hop into the driver's seat. The RZR is the sport segment's most popular side-by-side that, well, often finds itself on its side—or rolling down a hill, or crunched against a tree. People get carried away, y'know. Enterprising builders know an opportunity when it wrecks itself: for example, a crashed Polaris became the donor for this off-roading Honda Fit. And now we've got another ruined RZR fitted into a Ford Model A. In part one of a currently 13-part series, Papa Wheelie rescues a 1929 Model A from his uncle's property, where it had been parked for an extended period. Although he doesn't specify how long the green machine was sitting, a photo shows the vehicle in a covered garage, itself partially covered by haphazardly placed items, such as a warehouse store-sized container of cat litter. Sigh. That's okay, though. He really just needed the sheet metal; its heart and soul comes courtesy of a 2016 Polaris RZR Turbo that was rolled by 'a friend of a friend.' Gee, some friend. 'Many of you will say, 'Hey, that's pretty stupid that you're doing that,'' Mr. Wheelie says at the intro video's 1:25 mark. 'But my idea of hot rodding is you take what you have.' And what he had was a neglected Ford and a rolled RZR. That first video was posted in January of 2022. Twelve updates and three-ish years later, the pieces are finally in place. Or at least fit together enough for a first test drive. The finished Model A 'pre-runner' now boasts a different look from its derelict beginnings. Featuring splashy teal and black paint, the Model A is also without its sidemounted spare tire, has a chopped profile, and wears whitewall tires wrapped around steelies. The vehicle was also made street legal with working headlights, taillights, turn signals, and a registered license plate. But when hitting the streets, your senses will be confused. 'I heard it coming down the road,' said a friend. 'I'm, like, who is showing up in a motorcycle?' He wasn't the only one flabbergasted. During the maiden voyage, Papa Wheelie ends up driving behind local law enforcement (4:00). After a while, the patrol unit pulls over to let him pass, but, to Wheelie's surprise, doesn't follow. Because, no, vintage Fords aren't supposed to sound like that. But who cares? Everyone who drives and rides Papa Wheelie's 'Model rAzR' comes back wearing the biggest grin their face can muster. Yes, especially the kids. The project isn't over yet, but it's certainly closer than it's ever been. The team still has to make tweaks to the hand controls and gauges. The overly squealy tires will also be replaced with a staggered-sized set of 32-inch ('maybe 30s?') high-performance ITP Coyote treads fitted onto Vision wheels. The next video will feature a comparo test between the vehicle's low-riding hot rod stance and the jacked suspension off-roader. The Model A was a favorite of gangsters and hot rodders. This Polaris-based version would probably get a thumbs up just the same. As for the Father of the Assembly Line, would he really be upset over one of his creations still enjoying life nearly a century later?
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Think about what's being stolen
Opinion On the night of the last Jets playoff win, under the cover of darkness, thieves drove into the Wildwood community and stole close to $100,000 worth of machinery used to make ski trails. Wildwood prides itself on being a close-knit area with friendly people willing to help out to make improvements in their neighbourhood. They trust each other and keep watch over their neck of the woods. Somehow these bandits, who were observed on security cameras in a blue or black Dodge truck, were able to escape unnoticed with the trailer, an ATV and grooming apparatus. This is what I would say to the individuals who committed this uncaring and greedy crime. To start with, I imagine you had been casing the community centre and were prepared that Thursday night with a grinder to slice off the locks. Submitted by Brent Prusak Wildwood Community Centre's stolen trailer with the orange Polaris side-by-side with Yellowstone Track Systems groomer. You probably assumed that a rainy cold night would limit the number of passersby and that the trailer could be hooked up in very short order. As you approached Pembina Highway you must have felt a rush of excitement, knowing you got away with a king's ransom that could be fenced for a cash windfall, or perhaps you are part of a larger organization that preys on vulnerable community centres and enslaves you with drugs or money. Just to let you know, the main volunteer who actually owns the trailer has spent countless hours retrofitting the groomer, soliciting funds to buy the ATV and regularly gets up at 6 a.m., taking pride in grooming the golf course for the thousands of skiers who use it. This individual is not paid, nor does he receive any remuneration for the countless hours he puts in. No, this guy volunteers his time out of the goodness of his heart — something you seem to be missing. He is also joined by many other volunteers who also grieve the loss of the equipment and will have to double down on the work it will require to replace it. You haven't just stolen a commodity with monetary value, you have hurt those who put trust in others and have scarred their faith in humanity. Knowing how much these people do for others how could you selfishly steal what was so important to them? And just exactly what do you think you will do with a cross-country ski groomer that has been reported stolen, break it down and sell it for scrap metal? I imagine that you've stashed the trailer out of town in a large building to wait until the heat is off. That building may belong to someone unaware of your ulterior motives to make a buck off of stolen goods. It is likely not your first rodeo and you may well have been instrumental in stealing the ATV from Chalmers community club or perhaps the batting machine from Norberry. It has been easy pickings to prey on clubs that devote their time making their communities a better place for their members which include children. As you plan your next grand larceny, perhaps you could consider that you may have kids one day and that one of your cousins or family members may be the ones who suffer from your self-centred actions. If you are caught and sentenced our community would be happy to put you to work to make up for the hundreds of hours you have cost them. You could start by shovelling snow off of the rinks. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. We hear regularly about shoplifting, yard thefts and property crimes, which Winnipeg's finest can not keep up with. Security cameras and locks and chains have become essential for most homeowners and small businesses. Our courts are full of these non-violent criminals who generally avoid consequences as there are bigger fish for the courts to fry. A restorative model would have thieves like you face their victims and make up for their actions. As a volunteer, I would love to be in that sentencing circle and to be sure I could think of numerous ways for you to make it up to our community. Only in this way could we teach you the empathy which you sadly lack. Look us in the eyes and tell us why you robbed us and just maybe you'd feel a twinge of guilt. Let us explain to you the effect your actions have had, and then you might be able to distinguish between right and wrong. It takes courage to recognize the errors of your ways and an inner realization that you too are part of the larger community you are hurting. Dave Taylor is a Wildwood volunteer and a regular contributor to the Free Press who also blogs at
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Group traveling through 22 states to spread veteran suicide awareness
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A group of advocates is taking a cross-country motorcycle ride with a powerful mission; they want to raise awareness and support for veteran suicide prevention. 'We're making stops along the way. We happen to have 26 Harley-Davidson dealers and one Polaris dealer. We're meeting up with other riders and veterans and just trying to show them that we're here to support them,' explained Angie White, the founder of 'Riding 22 in 22' The Ohio based non-profit 'Riding 22 in 22' has partnered up with Strive, an organization that helps veterans who are struggling with PTSD and other challenges, to be able to offer treatment to veterans at no cost. Sioux City schools' free summer meal program begins June 9 'We're hoping that veterans will know that there are people here that care, and, you know, a veteran is more apt to help another veteran before they'll ask for help for themselves, and so we just want them to know that there are programs out there and people that care,' Angie White stated. Angie's husband, Jason White, is a Desert Storm veteran who had some problems when he first came back home to the states. After telling his stories to older veterans, he found out that not a lot of veterans were getting the help they needed. 'I had a friend of mine who I looked up to highly. He was a Vietnam vet, and I had a lot of problems that I complained to him about. He's like, 'Yeah, we all have these problems.' He said, and they didn't get the recognition we got when we came back, and I felt that, you know, I didn't feel like that was right,' said Jason White, the other founder of 'Riding 22 in 22.' That's when Jason and his wife decided to start making a difference and spread their message. 'We came up with this idea actually back in 2022 and decided, you know, how cool would be to ride 22 states in 22 days in 2022. Well, life gets in the way, and we didn't quite get to that, and we finally sat down this year, and well, I mean last year, and said if we're going to do this, we're going to have to do it,' said Jason. Story continues below Top Story: UnityPoint Health to acquire MercyOne Siouxland Lights & Sirens: Sioux City Police Department: Deadly March stabbing justified Sports: Local Iowa high school boys soccer playoff highlights and scores (5-29-25) Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here 'We all did a lot of pre-prepping beforehand, all the bikes went in and kind of got an overview, a safety check, and we're just literally taking it one day at a time. We have a lot of fun along the way, you know, seeing some sights along the way,' said Angie. The couple said that hearing from veterans along the way has made everything worthwhile. 'When we hear those stories, we're able to speak with them and other people are able to share their stories, and we know that this is what we're supposed to be doing,' stated Angie. The non-profit relies on donations to continue to spread the message. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
Caviar and privacy: Airlines' business-class wars are here
DALLAS — Armed with dollops of caviar and handfuls of Bang & Olufsen headphones, U.S. airlines are duking it out for international business-class dominance. There are even differences between seats in the same cabin. Next week, American Airlines plans to start flying its upgraded business-class 'suites' that feature today's premium-class must-have — a sliding door — and other features like a 'trinket tray' and a wireless charging pad. Within the cabins on its subset of Boeing Dreamliners, which American is calling the 787-9P (the P stands for premium), there will be eight 'Preferred' suites that the airline says will have 42% more 'living area.' They'll be first come, first serve with no upcharge, at least for now. United Airlines is hoping to outdo its rivals by putting doors on its Polaris long-haul business class seats; creating a new option at the front of the cabin called 'Polaris Studio,' which has an ottoman (for a visitor); and installing 27-inch 4K screens. The studios are 25% larger than regular suites, United says. It hasn't yet said how much more it will charge for the studios over the standard suites. Having an even-higher tier of seats within long-haul top-tier classes has been catching on. Virgin Atlantic has the 'Retreat Suite' at the front of Upper Class on its Airbus A330s and Lufthansa is offering a two-person suite in its new Allegris first class that can be converted into a double bed. Etihad has a three-room option called 'The Residence' on Airbus A380s, which can cost $20,000 or more for a one-way ticket between New York and Abu Dhabi, though the airline varies how it uses those jets. 'The experience here is a way to give not only our existing customers a wider range of products to pick from,' Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, told reporters earlier this month. 'We just didn't have something better, and now we do.' American and United took a page from Delta Air Lines, the most profitable U.S. carrier, which already offers suites with sliding doors in its Delta One cabin. The Atlanta-based carrier, in turn, last year opened a dedicated lounge for the highest-tier customers, a move American and United had already made. Betting on business Business-class tickets are costly for many consumers. A ticket aboard American's new suite, leaving Aug. 8 and returning a week later, is going for $5,747 from Philadelphia to London, compared with $867 in standard coach. Getting more customers to pay up for pricier seats is key for an industry with high costs and thin margins. Delta had a 7.6% pretax margin last year, United had 7.3%, while American's was 2.1%, and the broader S&P 500 ′s was 12.8%, according to FactSet data. Airline executives are banking more than ever that consumers will continue to splurge on better travel experiences despite weaker-than-expected demand for lower-priced tickets like domestic coach this year. 'I think it's growing this much because the experience in economy is so bad,' said Robert Mann, who worked at several airlines and is president of aviation consulting firm R.W. Mann & Co. Airlines have been updating their cabins for years and they have become so elaborate that they have slowed down some aircraft deliveries because of supply chain snarls and bottlenecks in regulators' certification. American is using the new suites in a combined, larger business-class for international travel, and getting rid of its first class, for the most part. By many measures, though, including space and amenities, the service is higher end than many 'first class' cabins of the past. 'Really, business [class] is starting to become so similar it was hard to really differentiate, and we want to make sure we offer as many business-class seats as we can,' said Heather Garboden, American's chief customer officer. The name matters. 'A lot of corporations will not permit the purchase of first class, but they will permit business class,' said Mann. Airline executives have been confident about their push to invest billions in the more luxurious cabins, brushing off signs of a possible economic downturn. 'We're at a really uncertain economic time right now and premium demand has remained solid,' Garboden said. Wealthier people 'tend to do OK even in a recession,' Mann noted. The number of premium seats is rising along with the experience. American said by the end of the decade it will increase its lie-flat seats and premium economy seating by 50%. The airline also recently said it will offer free satellite Wi-Fi to its loyalty program members, following Delta and United. United is also growing its cabin with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners outfitted with eight 'Polaris Studios,' in a 1-2-1 configuration and 56 Polaris business class suites. Currently, the planes only have 48 Polaris seats. It expects to have 30 Dreamliners with the new interior by 2027 but a first flight, between United's San Francisco hub and Singapore, is set for early 2026, the airline said earlier this month. Softer touches The carriers are also trying to raise the bar on the so-called 'soft product' like plush bedding and comforts like noise-cancelling headphones. American announced last month that it won't collect its Bang & Olufsen headphones from Flagship travelers before landing so they can keep watching movies and other entertainment longer. 'Polaris food and beverage offerings are being upgraded at the same time with enhanced meal choices on all new dishware, glassware and fresh white linens,' United's Nocella said. 'We've even added red pepper flakes in addition to salt and pepper so passengers can spice up their meals.' While the top-tier business class is offering higher tech and more high-touch service, the carriers don't have the over-the-top amenities of international airlines. United is planning an amuse bouche of Ossetra caviar for Polaris. Meanwhile, in first class in Emirates , which has larger aircraft with the Airbus A380, travelers have access to showers on board and 'unlimited' caviar service. For some, good service is simpler. 'I could be sitting up front or I can be sitting in the back but if the plane's late, the plane's late,' Mann said.
CNBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Caviar and privacy: Airlines' business-class wars are here
DALLAS — Armed with dollops of caviar and handfuls of Bang & Olufsen headphones, U.S. airlines are duking it out for international business-class dominance. There are even differences between seats in the same cabin. Next week, American Airlines plans to start flying its upgraded business-class "suites" that feature today's premium-class must-have — a sliding door — and other features like a "trinket tray" and a wireless charging pad. Within the cabins on its subset of Boeing Dreamliners, which American is calling the 787-9P (the P stands for premium), there will be eight "Preferred" suites that the airline says will have 42% more "living area." They'll be first come, first serve with no upcharge, at least for now. United Airlines is hoping to outdo its rivals by putting doors on its Polaris long-haul business class seats; creating a new option at the front of the cabin called "Polaris Studio," which has an ottoman (for a visitor); and installing 27-inch 4K screens. The studios are 25% larger than regular suites, United says. It hasn't yet said how much more it will charge for the studios over the standard suites. Having an even-higher tier of seats within long-haul top-tier classes has been catching on. Virgin Atlantic has the "Retreat Suite" at the front of Upper Class on its Airbus A330s and Lufthansa is offering a two-person suite in its new Allegris first class that can be converted into a double bed. Etihad has a three-room option called "The Residence" on Airbus A380s, which can cost $20,000 or more for a one-way ticket between New York and Abu Dhabi, though the airline varies how it uses those jets. "The experience here is a way to give not only our existing customers a wider range of products to pick from," Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, told reporters earlier this month. "We just didn't have something better, and now we do." American and United took a page from Delta Air Lines, the most profitable U.S. carrier, which already offers suites with sliding doors in its Delta One cabin. The Atlanta-based carrier, in turn, last year opened a dedicated lounge for the highest-tier customers, a move American and United had already made. Business-class tickets are costly for many consumers. A ticket aboard American's new suite, leaving Aug. 8 and returning a week later, is going for $5,747 from Philadelphia to London, compared with $867 in standard coach. Getting more customers to pay up for pricier seats is key for an industry with high costs and thin margins. Delta had a 7.6% pretax margin last year, United had 7.3%, while American's was 2.1%, and the broader S&P 500's was 12.8%, according to FactSet data. Airline executives are banking more than ever that consumers will continue to splurge on better travel experiences despite weaker-than-expected demand for lower-priced tickets like domestic coach this year. "I think it's growing this much because the experience in economy is so bad," said Robert Mann, who worked at several airlines and is president of aviation consulting firm R.W. Mann & Co. Airlines have been updating their cabins for years and they have become so elaborate that they have slowed down some aircraft deliveries because of supply chain snarls and bottlenecks in regulators' certification. American is using the new suites in a combined, larger business-class for international travel, and getting rid of its first class, for the most part. By many measures, though, including space and amenities, the service is higher end than many "first class" cabins of the past. "Really, business [class] is starting to become so similar it was hard to really differentiate, and we want to make sure we offer as many business-class seats as we can," said Heather Garboden, American's chief customer officer. The name matters. "A lot of corporations will not permit the purchase of first class, but they will permit business class," said Mann. Airline executives have been confident about their push to invest billions in the more luxurious cabins, brushing off signs of a possible economic downturn. "We're at a really uncertain economic time right now and premium demand has remained solid," Garboden said. Wealthier people "tend to do OK even in a recession," Mann noted. The number of premium seats is rising along with the experience. American said by the end of the decade it will increase its lie-flat seats and premium economy seating by 50%. The airline also recently said it will offer free satellite Wi-Fi to its loyalty program members, following Delta and United. United is also growing its cabin with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners outfitted with eight "Polaris Studios," in a 1-2-1 configuration and 56 Polaris business class suites. Currently, the planes only have 48 Polaris seats. It expects to have 30 Dreamliners with the new interior by 2027 but a first flight, between United's San Francisco hub and Singapore, is set for early 2026, the airline said earlier this month. The carriers are also trying to raise the bar on the so-called "soft product" like plush bedding and comforts like noise-cancelling headphones. American announced last month that it won't collect its Bang & Olufsen headphones from Flagship travelers before landing so they can keep watching movies and other entertainment longer. "Polaris food and beverage offerings are being upgraded at the same time with enhanced meal choices on all new dishware, glassware and fresh white linens," United's Nocella said. "We've even added red pepper flakes in addition to salt and pepper so passengers can spice up their meals." While the top-tier business class is offering higher tech and more high-touch service, the carriers don't have the over-the-top amenities of international airlines. United is planning an amuse bouche of Ossetra caviar for Polaris. Meanwhile, in first class in Emirates , which has larger aircraft with the Airbus A380, travelers have access to showers on board and "unlimited" caviar service. For some, good service is simpler. "I could be sitting up front or I can be sitting in the back but if the plane's late, the plane's late," Mann said.
