I have a 2006 800 sportsman and it has been an awesome quad, has done everything I have asked it to do with ease. It can be tough to maneuver it tight spots, I have been looking at the 850 XP with power steering my question is the 850 XP really that much better than the 800 sportsman? Thanks

 

Was down in VA visiting a friend and took him to the Polaris dealer 'cause he's looking to buy a quad. The dealer "SWORE" by the power steering. Said you could turn the handle bars with one finger at a stand still. Take it from where it was coming though. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

I think the XP's are an incredible machine. I may be a new comer to ATV's but have many many years of experience with various forms of motorsports and have a good eye for quality design and product. The XP's have quality written all over it. I really like the EPS but being new to ATV's I can not compare to non EPS. Overall I am amazed with the XP's.

brian

 

IMO yes....and a bag of chips...GO RIDE ONE..and decide for yourself..
Reason I say that is I see what is coming...99.99% of the guys that own one or at least have put a little time on one will say they are the cat's meow,and I agree...then you will get the guys that don't own or have never ridden one coming in here bringing up the posts where guys thing they have a problem with their XP...some are legit problems,many are not. All machines will have issues with a percentage of the machines coming off the line and the XP is no different..I can say mine has been rock solid..the biggest complaint i have are the tires and the shifter(that they kept from the older sportsman) Other than that it really is ALL THAT.
Bottom line I know a 10 minute ride won't tell the whole story but I believe in 10 minutes you can at least see wath the hype is about...then look the machines design over for yourself...
That way at least when you are doing research on the internet you can weed out some of the BS..

 

The difference is rather indescribable. It feels like a light 600 pound atv with the stability of heavy machine almost 800 pounds. Extremely nimble and "tossable" as though it was a sport machine. The power is certainly there without potency to make it unmanageable. Very smooth delivery,not to mention it will wheelie for as long as you desire with minimal effort applied,but will not lift up unintentionally. There is really no comparison to my previous 07 sp700. An incredible revision on polaris' part.

 

Yes it really is all that...lol
I have owned way too many atvs according to my wife..
The XP is the total package..
Polaris did their homework on this one.
I love mine.

 

My 550 XP is exactly the same as the 850 in every way.......
EXCEPT for its lighter by a bit, has 1 less disc break and something else......
OH YEAH 30 FREAKING HORSEPOWER less. Mine thus far has impressed me. I Know your saying "well yeah he's coming from Honda, doesn't take much to impress him." But I've ridden alot of different machines, although never have been on a sport quad other than in the showroom, and the 850 and my 550 impress the h-e-double hockey sticks out of me!

 

I am Very new to atv's the 850 is my first and i love it it handles like a dream.
i find that riding with others the 850 does things effortlessly where you see the others getting stuck or just working hard to do what mine will do with ease.....i know with aftermarket tires and really no mudding experience i go though most stuff without too much thought.....i love the eps in tight technical trails a few of the boys like the high speed trails tight and twisty and i sail though and really i find this amazing because i have no atv skill to speak of at the moment ( I was a hard core motocross guy since well...birth) but i can't wait until i have a season under my a$$ then the 850 will be UNSTOPPABLE!!!!

I do find the EPS a little too helpful at times....it seems like theres so little feedback through the bars when going high speed that its hard to correct.........maybe its just me but i'd like a power assist more than i'd like a power steering...my 2 cents

And Highoctane why dont you like the shifter placement????

 

The 850 XP is the BEST quad on the market. The other manufactures will have to do some serious catching up to compete with the overall quality of the XP line.

Davidxp, the only thing I can say about the shifter placement is that if you ride the correct way (shifting your weight) the shifter is in the area where your knee should be when you are shifting your weight. JMO. I'm not sure what HO's reasons are.

 

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


And Highoctane why dont you like the shifter placement????</end quote></div>


Well,I guess it is nitpicking but there are a couple of reasons..1) like rancher said it can get in the way especially when negotioating obstacles and climbing steep terrain...I find my leg on the shifter. With the older Sportsman it was less of a problem because the seat was so wide up front you couldn't really get your knees in anyway. I've kind of gotten used to it but I have nailed my knee on it climbing over a large tree off camber..and that sucked lol.
2) It just doesn't fit the XP,the long shifter arm and the stiff non precise shifing with no real shift pattern reminds me of something that should be on a mower to raise and lower the deck. The detents are stiff and makes quick accurate shifting an artform. It generally just lacks the refinement of the rest of the machine and generally sticks out like a sore thumb IMO.