First drive of Polaris Sportsman 570 tractor

The Polaris Sportsman 570 tractor was also recently put to good use to combat the ongoing covid-19 pandemic where it supported the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad to sanitise the Badkhal and Khori village red zone areas having narrow lanes and uneven roads making the sanitisation difficult for other vehicles.

Now let us get straight to its features.  With a maximum weight capacity of 345 kgs, this Polaris Sportsman 570 tractor looks almost identical to the ATVs that are currently available from Polaris in the country. Of course, for the tractor, a few tweaks have been done to the suspension, ground clearance, etc. It is definitely sporty looking and the one that we got was the same one that was used by the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad. It had a tank that was meant to carry disinfectant liquid.

Features

The front looks bold and smart with its two dual beams on bumper (50/60 watt), 1 single beam on headlight pod (50 watt) and 2 single beam on bumper (50 watt). With an electric starting system, this vehicle has a ground clearance of 28cm. The tractor has a length of 83 inches, a height and width of 48 inches each and a wheel base of 50.5 inches.

With switches on both sides of the handle bar, it has a large digital screen that displays a lot of information like speed, mode, time, etc.

The Polaris Sportsman 570 tractor is a petrol driven vehicle that is powered by a dual overhead cam, 4 valve 4 stroke single cylinder engine with a displacement of 567cc. The engine produces a peak power of 34hp. The tractor comes with electronic power steering, independent suspension, 4 wheel drive on demand and automatic transmission.  It has a minimum turning radius of 165cm unloaded. The fuel capacity is 17 litres with an engine oil capacity of 1.9 litres and a coolant capacity of 2.5 litres. The vehicle comes with an electronic fuel injection.  While the front suspension consists of MacPherson strut with 21 cm travel, the rear suspension comprises progressive rate with 24cm travel. The hand brake is a single control hydraulic disc while the foot brake is a foot-activated hydraulic disc. The parking brake is a transmission park lock and hydraulic lock all wheel.

Performance

Now let me come to the drive experience. To begin with, Polaris insists that we wear a helmet while driving this tractor. They are very particular about it. In the blazing sun with temperatures of more than 40 deg C, the helmet and the riding jacket proved too uncomfortable for us. And by the way, which farmer, rich or poor, do you think will wear a helmet to till his land or orchard or whatever. I found that pretty weird.  Maybe in cold climes, this would make sense, but in hot Indian climes, this is almost hara-kiri!

Accessories that can be used with the tractor include pesticide  sprayer, cultivator, disc harrow and utility cart. These can be connected easily with the Polaris Sportsman 570 tractor. While attaching these accessories is kind of easy, it is a bit tiring using them, especially when you want to adjust the disc harrow and the cultivator to dig into the soil. This has to be done manually as hydraulics are not provided here. But since it is a four wheel drive with option of a high and low gear, cutting through tough soil comes easy. When the vehicle is on plain tarmac, you can disengage the 4wd option and use the 4x2 which will ensure better fuel efficiency for the vehicle.

For narrow farmlands, orchards and other cramped spaces, this tractor is the ideal vehicle to use. And when you are not in the mood to use it as a tractor you can actually detach the accessories and use it on the road or off road as an ATV for some real fun. At this point I would definitely insist that you wear your helmet, you riding gear and keep yourself properly clad for an adventure.

We found the Polaris Sportsman 570 tractor a compact powerhouse with great ability to maneuver in tight spaces. With reasonably good torque, the engine is strong enough to pull the machine out of the most stubborn soil, not to mention its ability as a great off roader in its stand-alone version. With characteristics of an ATV and the prowess of a tractor, the Polaris Sportsman 570 tractor is a perfect machine for the modern farmer. The icing on the cake is of course the road legal nature of the product.

But the question is when mini tractors in India are available at prices around Rs 3 to 5 lakh, who would really buy this tractor at Rs 8 lakh or so? It is here that the age old status symbol purchasing kicks in. People buy their Maruti Altos, and people also buy their Audis and Beamers. For the well heeled and those believing in haute couture, the Polaris Sportsman 570 is the perfect product! There is no better way tilling your land in style!