I'm looking at 2 atv's. Both have low miles.

One is a 2011 Polaris Sportsman 550 with power steering. The other is a 2008 Can Am Outlander 800.

This will be used for ice fishing, hunting, and the occasional light discing of a food plot. Very rarely (1x every other year?) I will use it to pull out a 6 x 12 trailer (wheels) on the ice for fishing.

What would you do?

Thank you.

 

Both will do what you want. The Polaris is more work oriented where it's a single cylinder that provides good low end torque. The Can-Am is a beast speed-wise. Will do wheelies and get up to over 70 mph if you want. The Polaris has a more comfortable ride and more on-board storage. It also has a very strong frame compared to the Can-Am of that age. My Outlander has the same frame as the one your looking at. It's a very thin box frame. Some have had issues where, if you hit a rock, roots, or anything else that causes a jolt, the frame got bent where the front lower A-arms attach to the frame. I filled my frame with 3-1.25" square box aluminum to stiffen it up. My son had a Renegade and we put a plastic filler in his.

The main attraction of the Can-Am is if you like to drive fast. It's a powerhouse and a hoot to ride.

 

Great info I didn't think about. Thank you very much


QUOTE=MooseHenden;3331774]Both will do what you want. The Polaris is more work oriented where it's a single cylinder that provides good low end torque. The Can-Am is a beast speed-wise. Will do wheelies and get up to over 70 mph if you want. The Polaris has a more comfortable ride and more on-board storage. It also has a very strong frame compared to the Can-Am of that age. My Outlander has the same frame as the one your looking at. It's a very thin box frame. Some have had issues where, if you hit a rock, roots, or anything else that causes a jolt, the frame got bent where the front lower A-arms attach to the frame. I filled my frame with 3-1.25" square box aluminum to stiffen it up. My son had a Renegade and we put a plastic filler in his.

The main attraction of the Can-Am is if you like to drive fast. It's a powerhouse and a hoot to ride.[/QUOTE]

 

i would go with can am... i have seen way to many polaris with issues out on the trails. 90% of the people i know that own one will never buy another. Iv found with the built in storage if gives no real place to grab to move it around if needed. I helped a stranded polaris the other day we needed to tip it on its side to drain belt housing. I ended up breaking things because i could not find a solid place to grab to tip it.

 

Thank you. Much appreciated. Those are definitely things I never thought of


QUOTE=Zrock;3331847]i would go with can am... i have seen way to many polaris with issues out on the trails. 90% of the people i know that own one will never buy another. Iv found with the built in storage if gives no real place to grab to move it around if needed. I helped a stranded polaris the other day we needed to tip it on its side to drain belt housing. I ended up breaking things because i could not find a solid place to grab to tip it.[/QUOTE]

 

Someone who will never buy another Polaris= me. I would not trade either of my old Arctic Cats for a new Polaris, anything. CanAm, drive it normally, I'd trust it way more, drive it like a lunatic, not so much.

 

Thank you. I've heard several people say that but I see all the positive reviews. I guess I should consider that the reviewers are swayed by the companies sometimes

 

For what you plan to use the machine for, speed doesn't really sound that important. I would think you might do some light trail riding too just for fun even if you didn't plan on it. I would bet plowing snow might be another thing you would use it for as well. As Moose said, either of them will work. Honestly, a Sportsman 500 efi would do everything you want and would cost less than either of these. Any 4x4 utility quad of 500cc or more with high/low range would work. A semi-auto machine like a Honda Foreman that you could put in 1st gear for max slow speed pulling power would be another one to consider. A Yamaha Grizzly 700 would be another good choice as well. It has more power than the 550 and had available power steering from day one back in 2007.

 

Thank you very much. With all the talk of big words I guess I second-guess how much is enough power. Appreciate it very much



QUOTE=greg74;3331859]For what you plan to use the machine for, speed doesn't really sound that important. I would think you might do some light trail riding too just for fun even if you didn't plan on it. I would bet plowing snow might be another thing you would use it for as well. As Moose said, either of them will work. Honestly, a Sportsman 500 would do everything you want and would cost less than either of these. Any 4x4 utility quad of 500cc or more with high/low range would work. A semi-auto machine like a Honda Foreman that you could put in 1st gear for max slow speed pulling power would be another one to consider. A Yamaha Grizzly 700 would be another good choice as well. It has more power than the 550 and had available power steering from day one back in 2007.[/QUOTE]

 

What about a 2007 Arctic Cat 700?