I have a buddy who is a sevice manager at a powersports store in northern Co about 90 miles from where I live and he has been asking me to come and test ride some of there machines. On Sat I finally took him up on the offer and went for a rode trip to his store. This store carries Polaris,Yamaha and Can-am. When I fist got there I asked him (my buddy) in his professional opinion which of these machines that he carries has had the least amount of problems and to my suprise he told me Can-am not that I thought they would be bad but I thought that in my mind he would have said Yamaha! He did tell me that Yamaha is a close second thoe. Part of the probelem might be he sells twice as many Yamha's than Can-am's so who knows.

Well to make a long story short I got a chance to test ride a 08 Outlander 800 ( no 09's 800R's in stock :-( ). Al there was was was a dirt lot that was about a 1-1.5 acres in size with a small jump in the center and a side hill burm on one end up against a concrete wall but it was deff enought to give me a first ride impression of a new machine. I have rode a CA 800 Renegade before so I kinda knew what to expect from the 800 Outlander and it performed as expected. That is one BA machine in all respects, and I now know now why ever other MFG is chassing CA in the power output dept.

Next up was the 650 Outlander this IMO is the machine that they should have had before the 800 because if they did you would have never thought the 800 should have been produced as this is one BA machine right from the get go and if I would have rode this machine first there would have never been a 800 test ride as this IMO more machine than most people will ever need!

As far as the rest of the machine goes the Fit and Finish was good thought I belive the Yamaha and Honda have it beat and the suspension thought works great as slower speed the Sportsman and Yamaha have it beet but those are about my only gripes. These are are both one BAMF mahines and I now see what all the hype is about. I am seriously thinking abut that 650 XT as that is just the machine for me I just wish I could have tested the 4x4 system (visclock) to see how it performed for my needs. It also helps when puchasing a new machine to know people in the right places. (PRICE) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

If there is any insight to help me with my decision please feel free to give constructive input.

 

Be careful if you get one - they are way too much fun!

I've read some complaints about the Visco lock, but I really like how it works. Very good in mud and as easy as it gets. It takes just a little practice for using a mild and consistant throttle control when in rocks but IMHO works well.

I thought about getting a Can-Am for about a year, took the plunge last winter and have no regrets. I've put about 1,200 trouble free miles on it this season so far.

Jaybee

 

Thanks for the reply. I am kida leary as I love the the Grizzly's 4x4 system and how it works I just dont know how good the vico lock will be for mountain riding/ rocks.
You are right the power of the Can-am's is to die for!

 

Hey... the Outlander is a sweet bike! Glad that someone on this forum finally took one for a ride and realized this (I can recall another thread with someone bashing on it without even have taken it for a ride!). I think Can-Am makes the best Utility ATVs IMO. Their engines are just pure AWESOME! IMO an 800 Max XT is probably the best all-around package in the industry (although a) I am biased, and b) haven't really rode much else in terms of utility quads, I'm kinda basing this on other reviews and comments, but I'm not bashing the other guys).

We've had no problems with almost a year of ownership so far on the 800 Outlander. Another nice feature about Can-Ams are that they have the standard 3 year warranty.

I think Can-Am gets a lot of complaints on forums like this and other ones... but if you really think of how many people have the time to come on here and rant about how much they hate their outlander compared to the # of happy outlander owners who are out riding.... it makes a lot more sense!

I think that Visco-lock is pretty effective, haven't really put it through any really heavy situations, just turn it on when I'm going through a bit of mud and it's fine! I think that the Grizzlys is probably the best in the industry... just having a full mechanical differential you can manually engage at ANY time is sweet! The same feature is found on the Kawasaki Brute Force, but instead you just have to pull a lever to engage the diff.

Good luck on the 650 XT! I think you will be very happy if you purchase one!

 

I purchased a 08 800 outlander XT a couple of months ago and also a 08 Polaris sportsman 700 X2.
The first machine I purchased was the Polaris. I really like this machine, however for a second machine I was looking for a utility 4x4 that was the closest to a sport.
I wanted a really fun (powerful) fast machine.
I ride with outlanders, polarises, 700 grizzlies, 700 kingquads and these are all very good machines but (for me) they did not deliver the power, sound, fun factor.
Not to mention I think it has the best overall engine braking system out there.
The visco lock 4x4 system is very good and was improved for 2008 as per locking quicker and sooner.
The only time (IMHO) a true locker 4x4 system would be superior is when you are riding very slow technical riding.
If you are riding any faster than 5 mph then the can-am and polaris 4x4 system is
better (more user friendly)
Actually the polaris 4x4 system has the most options and really works good
One wheel drive(easier steering turf mode) 2 wheel drive rear diff locked, 4x4 rear diff locked and true awd.
The nice thing about this system is you can leave it in 4x4 and it only runs in 2x4 until their is slippage of the rear wheels ( 1/5 of a turn) then it locks in the front.
No stopping, switching, locking, unlocking.
With that said I prefer to ride the outlander, it justs delivers better power, sound, wheelies, engine braking and smooth ride than most of the others.
The polaris ride is smooth but different than the can-am, both very good.
BTW I am sure will love the 650 XT!! Good riding!

 

I have both a 660 Yamaha Grizzly and a Can-Am 800 Renegade in the shed. As far as Visco-lock goes, my opinion is that it is situational 4x4. In anything that you can just power through, mud, sand, snow, etc, it's excellent, you pretty much don't even realize it's there and it kicks in at the right time to keep pushing through the hash stuff, I really like it for this type of stuff. That said, some have complained that the visco-lock does not perform as well on big/huge mud tires.. First off you typically have less wheelspin with bigger tires so it takes more time to engage, but I also heard it might not lock fully, or perhaps would wear to the point of not hooking anymore, etc. I had 28" on mine for a while and never had a problem though.

Anyway, for anything that involves grace, slow speed, technical ridding, rocks, going uphill on rough terrain, etc, the visco-lock is really annoying. Yeah, in most situation it will be better than nothing, but not much. Just this weekend we climbed a mountain nearby and we got up a very steep, narrow and rocky trail at some point. I climbed that hill on my Grizzly no problem many times, but on the Renegade, I had to winch mid-way because I couldn't get enough wheelspin to keep the visco engaged... When the front end wants to go over you every second, keeping the throttle pinned to keep the visco engaged is NOT a good idea so I pretty much was stuck on 3x4 up that hill. That said, that was ONE incline, out of hundreds of obstacles we tackled that day and the visco performed flawlessly on everything else.

Situational 4x4, that's what it is. Works well most of the time, but when it doesn't, you're back to being a Honda [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Ps: I have a 2007 model, so my visco engages slower than 2008+ models. The guy I was ridding with this weekend managed to get up the same incline with his 2008 Renegade, but he almost lost it where I had to stop.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: xsinx

I have both a 660 Yamaha Grizzly and a Can-Am 800 Renegade in the shed. As far as Visco-lock goes, my opinion is that it is situational 4x4. In anything that you can just power through, mud, sand, snow, etc, it's excellent, you pretty much don't even realize it's there and it kicks in at the right time to keep pushing through the hash stuff, I really like it for this type of stuff. That said, some have complained that the visco-lock does not perform as well on big/huge mud tires.. First off you typically have less wheelspin with bigger tires so it takes more time to engage, but I also heard it might not lock fully, or perhaps would wear to the point of not hooking anymore, etc. I had 28" on mine for a while and never had a problem though.



Anyway, for anything that involves grace, slow speed, technical ridding, rocks, going uphill on rough terrain, etc, the visco-lock is really annoying. Yeah, in most situation it will be better than nothing, but not much. Just this weekend we climbed a mountain nearby and we got up a very steep, narrow and rocky trail at some point. I climbed that hill on my Grizzly no problem many times, but on the Renegade, I had to winch mid-way because I couldn't get enough wheelspin to keep the visco engaged... When the front end wants to go over you every second, keeping the throttle pinned to keep the visco engaged is NOT a good idea so I pretty much was stuck on 3x4 up that hill. That said, that was ONE incline, out of hundreds of obstacles we tackled that day and the visco performed flawlessly on everything else.



Situational 4x4, that's what it is. Works well most of the time, but when it doesn't, you're back to being a Honda [img][/img]



Ps: I have a 2007 model, so my visco engages slower than 2008+ models. The guy I was ridding with this weekend managed to get up the same incline with his 2008 Renegade, but he almost lost it where I had to stop.</end quote></div>

Thanks that is what I was looking for in a review as I usualy ride technical stuff and by the sounds of it as much as I liked the 650 I think the Grizz 4x4 system will soot my needs better. Oh decisions decisions, besides if I have the need for speed I already have that covered. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: DODGE57HEMI

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: xsinx



I have both a 660 Yamaha Grizzly and a Can-Am 800 Renegade in the shed. As far as Visco-lock goes, my opinion is that it is situational 4x4. In anything that you can just power through, mud, sand, snow, etc, it's excellent, you pretty much don't even realize it's there and it kicks in at the right time to keep pushing through the hash stuff, I really like it for this type of stuff. That said, some have complained that the visco-lock does not perform as well on big/huge mud tires.. First off you typically have less wheelspin with bigger tires so it takes more time to engage, but I also heard it might not lock fully, or perhaps would wear to the point of not hooking anymore, etc. I had 28" on mine for a while and never had a problem though.







Anyway, for anything that involves grace, slow speed, technical ridding, rocks, going uphill on rough terrain, etc, the visco-lock is really annoying. Yeah, in most situation it will be better than nothing, but not much. Just this weekend we climbed a mountain nearby and we got up a very steep, narrow and rocky trail at some point. I climbed that hill on my Grizzly no problem many times, but on the Renegade, I had to winch mid-way because I couldn't get enough wheelspin to keep the visco engaged... When the front end wants to go over you every second, keeping the throttle pinned to keep the visco engaged is NOT a good idea so I pretty much was stuck on 3x4 up that hill. That said, that was ONE incline, out of hundreds of obstacles we tackled that day and the visco performed flawlessly on everything else.







Situational 4x4, that's what it is. Works well most of the time, but when it doesn't, you're back to being a Honda [IMG][/IMG]







Ps: I have a 2007 model, so my visco engages slower than 2008+ models. The guy I was ridding with this weekend managed to get up the same incline with his 2008 Renegade, but he almost lost it where I had to stop.</end quote></div>



Thanks that is what I was looking for in a review as I usualy ride technical stuff and by the sounds of it as much as I liked the 650 I think the Grizz 4x4 system will soot my needs better. Oh decisions decisions, besides if I have the need for speed I already have that covered. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0[/IMG]</end quote></div>

Some very good points, however you can't ride the raptor and a grizzly at the same time. But if you have a outlander you sort of have both in one package.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: H20

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: DODGE57HEMI



<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: xsinx







I have both a 660 Yamaha Grizzly and a Can-Am 800 Renegade in the shed. As far as Visco-lock goes, my opinion is that it is situational 4x4. In anything that you can just power through, mud, sand, snow, etc, it's excellent, you pretty much don't even realize it's there and it kicks in at the right time to keep pushing through the hash stuff, I really like it for this type of stuff. That said, some have complained that the visco-lock does not perform as well on big/huge mud tires.. First off you typically have less wheelspin with bigger tires so it takes more time to engage, but I also heard it might not lock fully, or perhaps would wear to the point of not hooking anymore, etc. I had 28" on mine for a while and never had a problem though.















Anyway, for anything that involves grace, slow speed, technical ridding, rocks, going uphill on rough terrain, etc, the visco-lock is really annoying. Yeah, in most situation it will be better than nothing, but not much. Just this weekend we climbed a mountain nearby and we got up a very steep, narrow and rocky trail at some point. I climbed that hill on my Grizzly no problem many times, but on the Renegade, I had to winch mid-way because I couldn't get enough wheelspin to keep the visco engaged... When the front end wants to go over you every second, keeping the throttle pinned to keep the visco engaged is NOT a good idea so I pretty much was stuck on 3x4 up that hill. That said, that was ONE incline, out of hundreds of obstacles we tackled that day and the visco performed flawlessly on everything else.















Situational 4x4, that's what it is. Works well most of the time, but when it doesn't, you're back to being a Honda [IMG][/IMG]















Ps: I have a 2007 model, so my visco engages slower than 2008+ models. The guy I was ridding with this weekend managed to get up the same incline with his 2008 Renegade, but he almost lost it where I had to stop.</end quote></div>







Thanks that is what I was looking for in a review as I usualy ride technical stuff and by the sounds of it as much as I liked the 650 I think the Grizz 4x4 system will soot my needs better. Oh decisions decisions, besides if I have the need for speed I already have that covered. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0[/IMG]</end quote></div>



Some very good points, however you can't ride the raptor and a grizzly at the same time. But if you have a outlander you sort of have both in one package.</end quote></div>

Though the Grizz is by no means a 650 Outy it deff is no slouch nither with a light weight chassis it is just as easy to catch air on as a Outy! It also has a better slow speed suspenion witch in the Rockies/Co makes a big differance.JMO Dont get me wrong the power of the 650 is addictive but for my needs I think my money will be better spent on a Grizz!

 

Dodge57hemi
Good luck and enjoy your Grizzly. And I hope you have a great time on the Yamhaha forums. We will miss you here (sic).