Hello,
just purchased an '07 Outlander 650 Max XT. I would like to upgrade from the standard skid plates. I saw on another thread someone mention 'Ricochet'. How good ar these or is there are better brand to onsider. Appreciate any onfo.

Thanks

 

Congrats on a nice ride you got there.

Ricochets are what most people get. They are what I have, don't know of any stock skids any better, but got a grapefruit sized dent in mine up front, and with my bada$$ 8-1/4" ground clearance, those skids are getting tested on mountain trails.

It don't take over a medium hit to bend them. They are 3/16" aluminum with a 3/16" aluminum doubler plate upfront, that's where mine are dented. The skids are right against the spar beam, so it has to be dented in too.

When I can, going to go with custom 1/8" stainless steel, same for doubler plate upfront. Putting new shocks/springs on mine now, so might not have to do this, more ground clearance.

 

u said u put new shocks/springs on yours........um........what kind did u get and how muck more clearence did it give u

 

I bought the new Crutchfield shocks and springs specifically made up for Outys, customized to the rider wt, trunk wt, XT package, riding style. Am going to take them out on the whoops and twistys next Tuesday and test them, and will give you all a full report on them after that.

Hope to be able to tweak them right on the trail Tuesday in order to get their best performance capabilities that day. I plan on putting about 50 miles on them.

The day before that, I'm going to ride the same 50 miles on the stockers with rear shorties installed in the front. I have the rear stock short spring, the lower one, in place of the stock front shorties that came with the bike and soon sagged to touching coils with no weight on the bike. The settings on stockers are in the middle. I noticed in picking up on the rear of the bike, there is about 1/4" until full extension on the stock shock. In front there is about 2" until full extension.

I have 8-1/2" in the front, 9-1/2" in the rear, ground clearance (far from the 12" still falsely advertised by canam in '07, same shocks/springs as '06). Skid plate dented in grapefruit size due to my poor front GC.

 

Where did you get your Richochets? Directly from http://www.utahsportcycle.com ? Thanks!

 

I got mine from atvoutfitters ordered them on monday and had them on friday. They were a little cheaper too.

 

Anyone know of a Canadian source (maybe cheaper shipping??)

 

Hi, some time ago I read about somebody making a set of skids from SS. I have searched high and low and haven't been able to find that thread. He said that he had a template made and he offered to send it to anyone interested. I have a local fabricator that would make me a set if I had some templates to work from. Does anyone remember reading this thread? He even had some mod to the angle on the front of the a-arm coverage and a picture of the different angle used. If anyone remembers seeing that thread and can hook me up, Thanks in advance!

 

I bought the can am skids (center, footwell, and A-arms) and a buddy bought the ricochets, and they are a much better product than mine for sure. The sad part is he actually paid less for the ricochets. Anything at all is better than nothing. The frame won't last long without any at all.