I drove both and thought the non-EPS steered better than the old SP chassis, and I also liked the extra fuel capacity too, so I opted for non-EPS. I still wonder if I'd have liked the EPS better in the long run though.

 

Mine has EPS and I will never drive anything without it again. It makes a huge difference in mud, snow and on the open trail and is absolutely worth the extra dollars. Will increase resale value also since I fully expect all bikes will soon have EPS. Older bikes without will be worth much less imo.

 

That is the response I get from everybody who has bought a machine with EPS. Didn't think it was necessary or was a silly gimmick - until they put in some seat time with it. They say they'll never have another machine without it

 

Makes you wonder how people got around in the past, huh?

 

I own a 550 with EPS and love it. It is very twitchy and requires some experience to drive it safely.

 

Have EPS on both my XP's and love it. Ride hard all day with my kids and there buddies and I have no fatigue or discomfort in my shoulders or arms. Do really "need" it .... probably not but dang it is nice to have.

 

I got mine with EPS and wouldn't be without it. A die-hard old-school friend rode it and even agreed with me (much to my surprise). I LOVE the anti-kickback function of it. I actually broke my left wrist due to handlebar kickback on my SP800 once... and it has the least amount of kickback of any quad I've ever ridden (prior to the XP).

Worst part is I didn't know I'd broken it. Basically, I had gotten a hairline fracture in it a couple years earlier while snowmobiling, but then the impact from the latest one snapped the bone in half (the scaphoid for those who know anything about wrists). Gonna have to get it fixed eventually.

BTW, fuel tank capacity isn't a huge issue for me. My first time out this weekend riding I got 19.5 mpg through a mix of slow technical and medium-speed trail riding. Even better than my 800!

 

The "anti-kickback" is in the suspension/A-arms, not the steering. If anything the EPS makes the wheels turn even easier resulting in "kickback". Some call it twitchy. Hitting a rock or root in the trail and the bars jerking one direction very fast.

Not sure why everyone thinks it's in the steering.........

 

Well, I got zero kickback on my rides Sat and Sun. Ever since Yamaha came out with it a couple of years ago, the power steering setups have been touted as acting like a steering damper, reducing or eliminating the kickback.

 

I would not spend the extra $$$$$$$. The new Sportsmans steer WAY easier than the old Sportsmans.