I have owned a Sportsman 500 for 8 1/2 years with minimal issues. I am in the market for a new atv and would like to take my wife or kids riding with me. She does not wish to own or operate her own atv and the kids are too young. I have looked at the Can-Am outlander 800 max xt and the polaris touring and x2. The Can-Am is a bit more yet comes with all the goodies on it and if you add the goodies to the Polaris your in the same price range. I am not looking for mudholes but do enjoy an occasional bath in one. I trail ride Hatfield Mccoy each year on a guys atv trip as well as Wayne National Forest. I like the appearance of the Outlander over the Polaris and the only negitive I hear on the Can-Am is that you should add custom made skid plates.
What other Pro's and Con's exist?
What is the reliablity of the Can-Am?

 

I just read your other thread on this and I'm putting the same answer here. I checked the prices of the top-of-the-line '09 Can-Am and Polaris 2-ups yesterday. The Can-Am was about $2,500 or $3,000 more than the Polaris Touring 800 EFI. I can't remember exactly how much the difference was, but then you you have to add on the cost of custom-made skid plates to keep from getting your frame destroyed. I don't have that kind of extra money lying around. I don't know what goodies you have to add to the Polaris, but it looks pretty sweet the way it is. I don't even think you <u>can</u> add enough accessories to it to get up to the Can-Am's price. I don't know what the reliability of Can-Ams is like because I only know one person that has one and it sits in a barn at least 99% of the time. If it ever got some mileage I could tell you more.

Frank

 

Current 2009 model year prices:

Can-Am 800r XT = $10,849
Polaris Touring x2 = $9,699
Difference = $1,150

The Can-Am XT package gives you a 3,000 pound winch, heavy front and rear bumpers, hand guards and deep lug radial tires. XT also gives you aluminum wheels, but the Polaris touring has aluminum wheels as well. Also, as a 2009 model, the Outlander comes standard with a skid plate.

Both are crazy fast and very reliable. With both, you can dress them up even more with painted finishes and other options that can make their already high price even higher. But Roaddog is correct in that if you add the Can-Am XT options to the Polaris, prices for each will be about the same.

Since a 2-up is what you are looking for, one of the best ways to decide is to 'test-sit' with your passenger. One deciding factor in my brothers purchase of an AC700 was that he felt that the AC gave the most comfortable fit - both for rider and passenger. This will vary by the size and build of you and your passenger - I'd check out all three. Currently Artic Cat, Polaris and Can-Am are the only three 2-ups on the market. The 800r XT will be the fastest, the AC will have the most ground clearence and the Polaris will give the most comfortable ride. But it's important to notw that ALL of them are fast, all have lots of ground clearence with IRs and all have a comfortable ride.

Jaybee

 

I've ridden the Polaris 800 and the Can-Am 800. liked them both.

I found the Can-Am to be faster but the Polaris to be more comfortable and a little more capable on the trail. The Can-Am was a bit easier to steer and felt a little lighter.

If I had to choose between them I'd go with the Polaris.

 

I appreciate the input and it helps verify and clarify my findings. Now it is working different dealers for the best deal.

 

I took another look. I was comparing the Outlander Max 800R EFI LTD at
$11,949 versus the the Sportsman Touring 800 EFI, which is really a 760cc at
$9,699 a difference of
$2,250 and I KNOW you can get a Polaris way cheaper than list price if you shop around. I'm not so sure about Can-Am but I've heard the dealers don't like to give you such a great deal. I think they're both good machines, but I think the Polaris is better because the frame is so strong. Plus the Polaris 800s have an $800 rebate, and if the Can-Am doesn't have a rebate then that makes the Polaris $3,050 cheaper. It doesn't have a winch, but I can buy a winch and bumpers a lot cheaper than $3,050, and I <u>still</u> think the Polaris is going to cost a lot less with all the accessories.

At this price you get a painted finish on the Can-Am, but I think that the Polaris would be another $300. It was for mine but I didn't have to pay for it. I actually got $1,300 off the list price, including the $500 rebate. $500 off the 500 and $800 off the 800. Both of these 800s have 26" Carlise radials on aluminum wheels. Can-Am is faster. Polaris is more comfortable to ride and has a better 4 wheel drive system. Polaris actually made one ATV model with the Visco-Lok 4x4 system and discontinued it after one year. I don't blame them.

The Can-Am doesn't have full skid plates either. It only has a center skid plate so you still have to spend big bucks on custom made skid plates for the front and back. It has a GPS, but if you bought your own for $100 and got the Polaris, you would still save <u>$2,950 plus the cost of custom-made skid plates</u>, give or take whatever each dealer will knock off of the list price. I think Can-Ams are way too expensive, but it's your money and your choice. Whichever you get I sincerely hope you like it.

Happy Trails. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

What a coincidence.

Old boy up the road just bought a new Polaris 800 Touring Edition. Brought it home Thursday I guess. I got to ride it a little today. Rides awfully nice and the extra length feels good going up hills.

The color was extraordinary. A beautiful shade of blue. Gorgeous plastic. Good looking brush guard

I could see myself with that color but after 5 minutes of riding in my timber it would be scratched all the hell and I'd be crying. I'll stick with camo. it doesn't show scratches as bad.

 

The painted finish is <u>supposed to be</u> 900% more scratch resistant than the plastic itself, but I left some of my clearcoat on trees already. I think chrome plated steel would get scratched where I go and the way I ride. I like the aluminum wheels that come with it a lot better. They don't get dinged up as bad as my steel wheels used to.

 

I don't think it is quite fair to compare the LTD Can-am to a Touring Popo. The Outtie 800 Max is $9,800. The Sportsman 800 Touring is $9,700. Now the Popo does have better tires, rims. The Popo is a better value I agree, but its not such a huge price difference.

The Outtie LTD also has a gps unit I believe...and slightly different rims than the normal XT.

 

oops...triple post...