Daryk Ganske
Polaris RZR 200

The new Polaris RZR 200 EFI is perfect for youngsters.

There is no doubt about, the powersports world is growing at a rapid clip. Polaris off road saw a 66 percent increase in sales year over year in 2020 alone. One of the bigger segments getting into the sport are youth riders. Of course, putting a young rider into the driver’s seat of one of a full-size RZR Pro XP is out of the question. The adult side-by-sides are little too peppy for someone just learning the basics.

Fortunately, Polaris has is here to help kids learn and grow with their line of youth model ATVs and UTVs. One of the most notable ones we saw a recent press trip was the new Polaris RZR 200 electronic fuel injection (EFI).

This machine replaces the RZR 170 EFI in the Polaris lineup and gives kids a little more power in their machine while maintaining a look that is nearly identical to the company’s full-size RZR offerings. More importantly, Polaris has loaded it with vital safety features that will give parents some serious peace of mind.

Specs of the RZR 200 EFI

First let us run through some of the features of this new RZR SXS so parents know exactly what they are getting before we dive into what makes this such a great option for introducing kids to powersports. Polaris gave this machine a 180cc EFI engine which gives it a top speed between 15 and 29 miles per hour. (More on speeds later.) It may be small, but it has an independent rear suspension and sits on 24-inch tires. The dual front A-Arms give it a ride not unlike that of the full-size machines. The RZR 200 has about seven inches of rear and front suspension travel and 10 inches of ground clearance. This should give it a little bit of trail capability so they can go riding with mom and dad.

The RZR 200 has a wheelbase of about 48 inches wide which makes it extremely stable. It comes fitted with bright LED headlights and taillights for safety. It also comes with an orange flag that will help with visibility to other riders. Just like the big RZRs, it has hard doors. It comes in a sharp “white lightning and indy red” color scheme kids of all ages are sure to love.

Polaris RZR 200

Another great feature of the machine is the fact Polaris made the seat fully adjustable. You can adjust it back as children grow, and their legs get longer. This means you can get more years of use out of the machine. Polaris also gave the vehicle tilt steering to help in that regard. One last neat feature is the fact that Polaris gave this machine a 50 pound bed capacity. Now you can have the kids do their part on a trail ride and have them haul the cooler or picnic supplies for you!

Why safety features set the RZR 200 apart from the crowd.

Polaris RZR 200
Daryk Ganske

Of course, keeping kids safe in a UTV goes beyond just the seat belts and Polaris has really done their homework with this release. Everything here is common sense and brilliantly simple. They have perfectly incorporated modern technology to make this one of the safest youth machines on the market today. The big thing to mention up front is the new Helmet Aware Technology. A Bluetooth beacon confirms the child is wearing a helmet before they can drive off. It will not start or run if the helmet is not in range of the gauge. Since the machine is built for ages 10 and up, and this feature should give some serious peace of mind to parents of children on the lower age of that range.

The second great feature is digital speed limiting through what Polaris is calling Youth Ride Control, an additional feature of the company’s Ride Command technology. It even uses the Ride Command App. In seconds you can raise or lower the maximum speed limits of the machine. That way, you can keep the speed appropriate as their driving skills grow over time. Just like an old-fashioned governor, but much quicker and easier to adjust. Zero tools required!

Polaris RZR 200
Daryk Ganske

The last great safety feature is the Geofencing technology. Now you do not need to worry about that steep hill, or that pond when your kids are motoring about the yard. Just wall it off with an invisible electronic boundary and the machine will not operate in those areas. Polaris also gave a lot of flexibility with this feature to where you can set lower speed limits for some areas. So, if you do not want the kids driving fast near a blind corner around a building, you can set that. No more scolding the kids about how they can drive and where. Just set the limits and the machine does the work for you.

The RZR 200 EFI may be the ultimate youth machine.

Polaris RZR 200
Daryk Ganske

Polaris seems to have hit that perfect sweet spot of safety, fun, and versatility with this release. This machine looks more like the adult machines than any other offering in their lineup and it comes with a plethora of accessories like a roof, windshields, bumpers, and extra storage bags to add to the functionality. The fact that the Polaris RZR 200 can grow with the child is just adds to the value offered by the machine. The Polaris RZR 200 EFI has an MSRP of $5,899. See the Polaris Off-Road website for more information.

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