What do you guys think? Is this the best sport-ute ever? I'm thinking that it probably is, at least from the ones that I've owned. And I've owned quite a few ... Honda Rincon 650; Yamaha Grizzly 660 and 700; Kawasaki Prairie 650 and 700, and Brute Force 750; Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000; Can Am Outlander 800 and 1000, and Renegade 800 and 1000; and a Sportsman 850 that I traded in on the 1000.

Power is good, sit in the center of the seat and hit the throttle in high range from a dead stop, and the front end comes up, and just keeps coming up, until you let off the gas. If you didn't let off the gas it would go right over backwards.

But, handling is what makes it the best sport-ute I've owned. I think it corners great, with no body roll, and easy 2 wheel or 4 wheel slides that can be perfectly controlled.

Suspension is also very good. You can jump before a turn, and turn the ATV in the air, landing sideways and sliding around the turn as you land, and it makes it look like you're a better rider than you thought you were.

The engine and exhaust are super quiet and super smooth, with no vibration. I think I'm enjoying everything about this ATV. It takes the prize as my best ever sport-ute.

 

Only time will tell. But if it is built like the 850, I will NEVER own one. The two piece crank for one is an idiotic idea.

 

Sounds like the best one yet for sportsman, that's teasing to get one..

 

Well you seem to have a lot to compare to in the bigbore ute class so you tell us lol. The one thing that makes me question it being the best is the reliability factor of the XPs.

You drive that big beast out in the desert? How's it do vs the sport quads?

 

I rode and raced dirt bikes and sport quads for decades. Now-a-days I use the ATVs and side by sides for 50" trails in the rocky mountains in the summer, and explore the desert in a Jeep in the winter. The Sportsman works really good for what I use it for.