[UPDATE December 4, 2023: This rather adorable little 1964 Polaris Sno-Traveler Pacer K80D sold on December 1, 2023 for $4,869 at the end of the auction. Congratulations to the new owner, and if you do any fun photo shoots with it, we hope you'll post them online.]
Original piece follows.
Here in motorcycle-land, you're probably accustomed to thinking about Polaris as the parent company of Indian Motorcycle. That's true, and it's totally fair, but it's been playing in the snow for many decades before that was the case. (Yes, even before buying Timbersled.)
This 1964 Polaris Sno-Traveler Pacer K80D is an early example of its work, and it's incredibly charming. It's powered by a Kohler 305cc single-cylinder engine that was rated at eight horsepower when it was new. There's no hour meter on the thing, so it's anyone's guess as to how many hours it's been run.
Still, the seller acquired it in 2023, from a collector who is said to have also completely refurbished it. It has two steel skis up front, rubber treads, a Plexiglass curved windscreen, and a leaf-spring suspension. Steering is done by means of a simple body-colored yoke up front, finished with black rubberized grips. Two levers in the seating area control the brake and the throttle.
Gallery: 1964 Polaris Sno-Traveler
Located just behind the red and white vinyl seat, you'll find a little red cylindrical tank held in place with silver metal bands. The badge on the side reads, "Emergency Thirst Aid," and it's apparently meant to hold water. That's right; Polaris was concerned about keeping you hydrated all the way back in 1964, well ahead of its time. (Nice work, Polaris!)
It's currently being sold on a bill of sale in Oregon on Bring a Trailer, and can be shipped elsewhere depending on where the auction winner lives. As the video shows, the pull-start engine runs and sounds pretty good, although it's not at all clear that whoever wins will want to ride it. Still, whether it's for display or for a sweet vintage Christmas-time ride in the powder, it's incredibly difficult to deny the heart-eyes this little machine inspires.
It's being offered at no reserve, with an auction that ends on December 1, 2023 at around 5 p.m. Eastern. At the time of writing, the bid is up to $2,712, and comes with a cool vintage brochure and other period paperwork to sweeten the deal. Check the link in our Sources if you're interested in seeing more photos, or in bidding.
As a bonus, the seller also located this extremely fun Polaris promotional video from 1965 that features the Sno-Traveler.
