Polaris Industries, known for its production of snowmobiles, ATVs, and motorcycles, entered the personal watercraft (PWC) market in the early 1990s with the introduction of the Polaris SL650 and SL750.

Polaris ultimately exited the PWC market in the early 2000s due to several factors…

• Market Competition – The PWC market was highly competitive, dominated by established brands such as Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Sea-Doo (Bombardier at the time, now BRP). Polaris faced challenges in gaining significant market share against these established competitors.
• Financial Performance – Polaris experienced financial difficulties during the late 1990s and early 2000s, which led to a strategic decision to refocus its resources on core products like snowmobiles, ATVs, and motorcycles.
• Product Reliability Issues – Some of Polaris’ early PWC models faced reliability issues and performance concerns, which affected their reputation and sales.
• Strategic Shift – As part of a broader corporate strategy, Polaris chose to concentrate on its more profitable and successful product lines, where it had a stronger market presence and brand recognition.
• Exit from PWC Market – Polaris ceased production of personal watercraft and exited the PWC market entirely by the early 2000s. They chose to concentrate on their core power sports products and have since focused on expanding their offerings in snowmobiles, ATVs, side-by-sides, and motorcycles.

Since then, Polaris has not re-entered the PWC market. The market remains dominated by brands like Yamaha, Sea-Doo (BRP), and Kawasaki, which continue to innovate and compete in the personal watercraft industry.