What It's Like to Take an Epic Road Trip in a Polaris Slingshot SL

Get out of your comfort zone with this speedy two-seater.

Courtesy EagleRider

This spring, the folks from motorcycle tour company EagleRider invited me to tag along on a four-day tour of mountains and desert based on their Southwest Motorcycle Tours. Scrolling through the vehicles offered for rent, the Polaris Slingshot SL caught my eye. How could it not? Bright red, with three wheels and a front end straight out of NASCAR, I was intrigued. What the Slingshot lacks in traditional bells and whistles—no leather steering wheel or heated seats, for example—it makes up for in performance and overall coolness factor.

As I settled in behind the wheel, I had to adjust to how low to the ground I was sitting—I could touch the ground—and the fact that I was wearing a helmet (a must because this vehicle, somewhat inexplicably, is classified as a motorcycle, although you don't need a motorcycle license to drive it). The rest of the interior, including the gear shift, cruise control, turn signals and radio, was refreshingly simple.

I considered with trepidation the first leg of our journey on the Los Angeles freeway. But the Slingshot is easy to maneuver—the steering is smooth and I easily worked my way through the gears, despite how long it had been since I last drove stick shift. Plus, I got several friendly honks and a thumbs up from curious drivers.

Courtesy EagleRider

Out of the concrete jungle later that day, I was able to fully embrace the joys of driving as we wound our way up the San Bernardino mountains, then rolled into Palm Springs. The Slingshot has great pickup; I was following a line of motorcycles, but had no problem keeping up.

The next day on the way to and from Joshua Tree National Park, we hit some lonely stretches of desert, perfect for pushing the speed on this little three-wheeler. But I couldn't quite bring myself to break the triple-digit mark, mostly because the 80s and 90s feel considerably faster when you're exposed to the elements. And speaking of lonely, one part of driving the Slingshot took me by surprise. My girlfriend and longtime road trip partner, Alison, was sitting shotgun, but between the roar of the engine, the helmets and the constant whoosh of the wind, we weren't able to chat (Alison later told me she felt like we were on a silent retreat).

On the final day, we tested out the Slingshot on that most iconic of American roadways, Route 66, from Oatman, Arizona, to Las Vegas. I don't know what I enjoyed more, the stunning scenery or the video-game-like twists and turns. Fortunately, I didn't try to enjoy both at the same time.

I've been on several long road trips in my life, including along Hwy. 1 in California and a few other less scenic spans. Sometimes boredom sets in—those long stretches of monotonous interstate; that two-hour playlist on repeat. You come away feeling like part of your trip is wasted on the driving. Not so with the Slingshot, because driving it is part of the excitement.

In the San Bernardino valley, right outside Palm Springs, we came upon miles of wind farms. As we skittered by rows and rows of gigantic wind turbines in a car inches from the ground, I took in the view of enormity around me: sky, mountains, desert. You just can't get that in a sedan.

Quick review of the Polaris Slingshot SL

Will make you feel: Like a race car driver who doesn't have to travel in circles.

Ease of parking (from 1 to impossible): Very easy. This car is a good 20 inches shorter than an average sedan (though it's about the same width) and handles smoothly. The biggest difference is that when you pull into a parking lot in this thing, other cars and people tend to make way.

Gas sipper or guzzler: Somewhere in between. It's not built to be the most eco-friendly car on the road, but it still averages about 37 miles per gallon on the highway.

Who should be behind the wheel? Those up for a fun driving experience.

Dashboard intimidation factor: Fairly high. The Slingshot looks like smaller cousin of the Batmobile. It doesn't have doors, a roof, or much of a windshield. Plus, it has manual transmission, which means you have to know how to drive a stick-shift car.

Space for: Two adults plus two small bags that stow in compartments behind the seats.

Best for: The adventurous.

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year, EagleRider is the world-leader in motorcycle rentals and tours. With a surprisingly diverse fleet ranging from Harley-Davidson cruisers to three-wheeled vehicles, the tourism company is built on creating unique adventure experiences for all kinds of travel seekers. The Polaris Slingshot SL is available for rent at all 80 EagleRider locations and at many other independent rental companies across the country.

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