I first posted in CAN-AM but this looks like the place to post. We are going to buy our first ATV and we want a 2up. So we have shopped and found the 2008 Can-AM 400 and 2008 Polaris 500 touring. Does anyone have experience with either both or one of these for feedback. It will be used for fun trails with the kids and wife and I. Also for plowing, and some towing.

We can get either right now for same price brand new.

Thanks,

 

All I know is what I read, and I saw an article a month or two ago that said the Sportsman Touring and Sportsman X2 had the smoothest ride of any ATV. http://www.atvmag.com/article.asp?nid=1188 They have the highest rated towing capacity too.

 

We have an 800 Max XT outlander, it's a sweet machine. Lots of power, and it's really comfortable. I'm not sure what it's like with the 400 engine though. Is the Polaris carbed or fuel injected? I think that the Can-Am is carbed.... I could be wrong though. I say go to the dealer's and test drive both, see which one is most comfortable for you. Also, make sure you bring the wife+kids along to see what they think of the back seat. If you could afford the about $1000 price difference, I would say that the 500 Outlander would be a much better engine (than both the 400 and the Polaris). It's Fuel injected, and a twin cylinder. So LOTS of power.

Another thing to think about that the Can-Am has an advantage in is warranty, with a 3 year full warranty on the bike standard, it's a really good deal.

 

I posted on the CA forum that for the same price the Polaris would be the better deal.

 

You are right the Can Am has a 3 yr warranty. I took that to the Polaris Dealer and he will toss in an extended warranty to even that out.

They are both Fuel Injected I guess Can Am just changed that. How much better is the 500 Can Am engine then the 500 Polaris engine. Is it just faster or also more powerful?

 

The 500 engine from Can-Am is also a lot more powerful.

Look on this website : <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.can-am.brp.com/en-CA/models/outlander-max-500-efi/base-package/key-features.htm
">http://www.can-am.brp.com/en-C...ey-features.htm
</a>

Click on the part that says "Rotax EFI 499.5cc engine" and it shows a dyno graph, with Can Am's engine coming first (and the Polaris's coming second). The Outlander's engine also is a V-twin engine, which means it has 2 cylinders. I think the Polaris only has one. The twin cylinder design makes a lot more power, a lot smoother, and puts less stress on the engine (think, one cylinder constantly pumping really hard to go 50mph, or two cylinders pumping a little bit easier to go 50mph, the twin will probably last slightly longer).

Also, that site shows that the Can-Am DOES in fact come with a central skid plate standard.

 

A 500 single vs a 500 twin. The twin will make more HP but needs a higher rpm to achieve this. The single will make more low end torgue and hp at a lower RPM.

Here a Can AM 500 twin in a shootout http://www.atvmagonline.com/output.cfm?id=1220599

Bottom line.

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>This machine is built for speed and performance and has tall gearing in high range. The low end of the power curve is weak compared to the rest of the rpm range, but throttle response is instant. While in low range, the power rises sharply into the mid-range power curve, which makes it difficult to finesse in technical situations. A little more refinement, particularly in its gearing, would improve some of its manners at slower speeds in technical terrain. </end quote></div>

High speed running get a 500 twin ,but stump pulling or rock crawling low rpm stuff get a single.

If you want a twin with loads of low end grunt it should be at least a 650cc ,I just think a twin in the 500 cc is two small a displacement for a Utility ATV.

I just came back from a 70 mile twisty hilly narrow logging road ride. My friends 300 Lakota lost a chain and I had to tow it 30 miles back to the trucks.

I towed it at a constant 30-35mph all the way back in high range,no way a 500 Twin would of like doing that job.

 

Most people would really be surprised to know how much the Polaris 500 single can haul, tow, push, knock over, climb, etc. Every ATV I ever bought except for one was a Sportsman 500. I'm so happy with them I just got another 500 EFI.