2004 Can-Am Two-up line-up
| Strike Three! First contact with the new Outlander MAX and Quest MAX 650. |
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One year ago, Bombardier shook the industry by introducing the Traxter Max, the first 2 seater ATV on the market. The Traxter MAX was this firm¹s answer towards those who manifested the wish of riding on a machine that would be tailored up to those who ride two up on their quad. The response was instantaneous from these customers, so in a way, Bombardier had just sent a first strike. But now, they have just shot two other strikes that will probably send a shock wave in the industry. The evening before the real official launch, I had a feeling that this firm would introduce a Quest MAX, because for me it seemed logical to use the Quest platform, just by the fact that it was a heavy duty machine with a powerful engine combined to an auto trany. So when they asked me what I thought they would show me, the answer was the same. But they had a slight grin on their face. You¹ll see they told me, and off I was in my room for a good night sleep. The next morning we drove to Cougar Mountain in Whistler to finally see what they had to show me. We finally arrived at the loge, I put my helmet and my boots on and suddenly I heard the sound of an ATV approaching. I guessed the correct answer on the previous night; it was a brand new Quest with 2 people on board. Say hello to the Quest MAX 650. Unfortunately I had not guessed everything; they had something else to show me. Another growl in the woods was coming again towards me. A few seconds later an Outlander appeared with a rider and a passenger sitting on it. That one really caught me by surprise because the original Outlander had just been recently launched in the industry, so I figured it would arrive only by mid 2004 or 2005. I guessed wrong because they had started to work on that version a while ago. For this firm, the Outlander MAX will be the true answer to the person who wants to own a machine that would target the recreational segment of the market, and it would also help them make a giant leap in that new
segment. In my opinion the arrival of the Outlander MAX will be so significant that the other manufacturers will not stay still. They will react, so we have to face it, the recreational ATV business will have it¹s machines for those who want to ride single, and others will be for the ones who ride 2 up. It makes it a safer choic then a conventional ATV, because these new quads are specially made for that purpose. Longer wheelbase, plus you are sitting forward the axle instead of sitting on or behind it. A new couple of 2 up ATV¹s just showed up, plus the Traxter MAX that was introduced last year, that makes things a little more complicated for all of you, so let me show you the differences between these 3 machines. The Outlander MAX that I tried during that launch was a really advance prototype, so this means that this ATV will be on the floor of your local dealer by the early spring of 2003. In a certain way the Outlander MAX resembles a Chevrolet Avalanche with the Mid Gate system, that enables you to modify your vehicle from a pick up to a full sized SUV. With the Outlander MAX, you can do the same because you change the rear seat into another section of the existing rear rack. You have more room to carry some equipment, and nobody will know that you¹re riding a 2 up ATV. On the other hand, if you want to go riding with a passenger, you just need a couple of minutes to remove that extension (Sold separately) and replace it with the rear seat. The Outlander MAX uses the same technology and mechanics of the regular version, so this means you can rely on the same liquid cooled 4-TEC, 400cc high output
engine with a 82 mm bore and 62mm stroke. With its automatic transmission (CVT) this quad, is easy to ride. The uniqueness of this ATV is that it has a perimeter frame, in fact they call it the SST (Surround Spar Technology). For the MAX version of the Outlander 400, they extended a full 8 inches of the spar that surrounds on a vertical axis, the engine and transmission. So by making this SST frame longer you get an extended wheelbase thus making it more stable when a passenger is sitting behind you. The front wheels have fewer tendencies to lift and the good response of the engine made it fun to ride with another passenger. We rode it in the Canadian Rocky¹s and that machine with its TTI (Twin Trailing Independent Rear Suspension) made it a comfy ride for the one sitting behind me. At 640 lbs., we can consider this machine to be relatively light for a longer wheel base quad. You can ride in 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive, it¹s your choice, and you just need to push the button that is positioned near your right thumb. In four-wheel drive you can count on the Visco Lok front differential that locks and unlocks progressively depending on the type of terrain you¹re on. Another advantage I forgot to mention is that the SST frame is very narrow and light, so in a way this machine will glide on rocks or even ice and snow, believe me, I rode all winter long with a regular Outlander and it really performed well. After our initial test with the Outlander MAX, my passenger and myself where happy with the performance of this new ATV. I could go up the mountains in Whistler without feeling outpowered, in fact it was a blast to ride. As for the person sitting behind me, she felt that the seat was slippery, so she had to correct her position on the vehicle, but in response, the engineer told us, that there would be other improvements before it is officially made available. On my side the only point I could say is that the Visco Lok front differential has a tendency of being harder on the forearms when braking in a heavy descent. As if it engages and disengages at a rapid pace, and when this is combined to the force of braking we have to hold tighter on the handlebars. This is something I have felt on every ATV equipped with a Visco-Lok front differential. But believe me this is the only thing I could say, because on the other hand the Visco-Lok front differential is probably the best traction system you can find on the market. What I have mentioned is something that you will feel only in steep descents while braking sharply.
The Quest version is the equivalent of a big Ford 150 truck, and to be honest this is my preferred version because of the power that is available. This robust ATVis solidly built, in fact more then it should be, but confort is not sacrificed. Exactly like a
big Ford F150. It¹s liquid cooled 4-TEC, 4 valves and single overhead cam, 644cc engine is surprisingly quick, even for a quad that weighs 785 lbs., and believe me that even if I had a passenger behind me, this ATV never felt it. The Quest MAX has 10 inches more wheelbase then the original version. The middle part of the frame is longer, while the swing-arm is shorter, so that way they have centralized the masses so that it can be safer to use when 2 people are on board the MAX. It is important to mention that the rear suspension has been specially calibrated for confort. The power of the engine is managed by an automatic transmission (CVT), so it is easy and simple to ride. It has the semi pass through and a center console that can accommodate an extra bag with equipment inside, and its a full time 4 wheel drive with the Visco-Lok front differential that gives great traction on any type of terrain. My passenger really loved the ride, and she felt safer because of the great stability of this ATV. The rear seat was comfortable, and she had no trouble seeing in front. This made her a proactive passenger because the rear seat and foot-pegs are higher. She had full confidence in the machine, even in tricky situations, and it is exactly the feeling I got, this is why I really liked that Quest MAX. Another note that is important to mention is that the fuel autonomy is quite impressive, and it permits oneself to go on long rides inside the deep wilderness, and if you need more fuel autonomy, you just need to put a jerry-can with gas inside the front compartment. If you are the kind of person that must always have the 
biggest and the baddest, because you like to go in places that are hard to reach, well the Quest MAX is probably the one you should choose between the 3 ATV¹s. It is a heavy-duty machine that will give you a surprising ride in practically any type of environment. The steering remained neutral while riding, even when someone was sitting behind me, also it is glued to the ground, so a lot safer if you want to ride 2 up.
What more could I say about this ATV. It is the Traxter that put Bombardier in the ATV business, and it proved to be a big workhorse. It is also that same Traxter that was used by this multinational when they decided to offer a 2 up ATV. It is the ATV that started it all last year. It also has just received an innovation award by the team of ATV connection. It is a heavy-duty, 
machine that can be compared to a tractor. It is not scared of rocks, tree trunks, mud or water. It can go where you want it to go and it will just laugh in front of a large obstacle. We have talked a lot about this Traxter MAX in the last few months so I will not go into the details, but what I can say about it, is that if you are looking for a vehicle that compares to a big John Deere tractor, this one is for you. You can bring your buddy behind if you need to work at the end of your big piece of land, that way you¹ll have an extra pair of arms to help you put wood in the trailer.
Bombardier has just showed us that it will not back down in this new segment of the industry. They where the first to introduce 2 up riding on their snowmobiles and Sea-Doos, so for them it was only normal to do the same in the ATV world. Now they have a complete line of 2up ATV¹s, so honestly do you think the other manufacturers will stand still? I don¹t think so. The Outlander
MAX will be the one that will create the most commotion because it targets the recreational use, a segment that just won¹t stop growing. This machine is fun to ride, and it is extremely comfortable for the rider and the passenger. These 3 new ATV¹s are not only safer to ride, you have more room to move compared to a conventional ATV, and it is the same for the person sitting behind. This industry will not be the same anymore.
Stay tuned for a complete test of the MAX family.