The miles per tank isn't a huge issue for me either, but I know how bad it sucks when you have a 50 mile range. I have run out(older 400 Polaris 2 strokes) before and had to borrow from fellow riders using a pepsi bottle, hehe. I also run trails that are many miles from civilization, let alone a fuel pump, and I hate carrying fuel with me. The ~ 100 mile range of the 850 does make me feel good. Not a deal breaker but a big plus.

I get mileage close to a Rincon or Grizzly, but have more power on tap.

 

I never saw near 100 miles per tank on my XP...even riding on a long ride down in Florida average speed 25-30 miles per hour just cuising with very little playing...I didn't get 20mpg. 16 was about the best I ever saw.
Not that it really matters to me...16-20...whatever...50 miles to a tank at those speeds would suck though..
BTW Sunday I did a 43 mile ride that was pretty much WOT the whole way...minus a few turn offs...most of the time running 65-77 MPH.....used about 2.5 gallons. I thought that was pretty decent for running WOT that much.

 

my 05 800 gets a little better then 20 mpg on rail bed riding (avg 25 to 35mph speeds).... and thats playing with the throttle hard off corners and WOT on straights...

i know its not an xp but its the next biggest popo.. heck even my 94 sportsman 400 2 stroke gets 20+ mpg on the same trails...

 

That is quite a claim.

Have ridden side by side with 800's and had many 2 stroke 400's. The XP 850 gets much better mileage than both.

 

[quote]Another thing that worries me is that I dont entirely trust the digital fuel guages as apposed to the old style.[quote]

The only gas gauge I trust is a stick shoved down the fill cap hole. The trip meter is not bad either,I set it to zero after a fill up and at 100 miles I know I don not have very long.

I wish Polaris could put large 6.5 tanks on there ATVs like Arctic Cat manages to do some how or at least put there 5.25 back on there ATVs. Something wrong when a 1997 SP500 has a bigger tank then a 2010 550 Touring.

 

If my Grizzly 700 is only 3 lengths behind the big bad 850 at 50 mph, I'm pretty happy! I would think more often than not a good running 850 should take the Grizz quite easily. It is surprising though how quick the light weight Grizz can be with stock tires and wheels. My Po Po 800 struggles to get by it, and thats with me (180 lbs) on the Po Po, and my father-in-law (250 lbs) on the Grizz. In fairness however, the Po Po has it's bigger/heavier factory 26" PXT's and wheels, as well as a winch (which the Grizz doesn't have yet), combined with steel skids, larger size etc which all would contribute to a 200 lb weight difference.

I like the fuel capacity of the Grizz (5.3 gal), looks to me to be the largest among all PS equipped quads, now that Can-Am has reduced the size of theirs. I think the only one 1-up machine with a bigger tank is Cat.

 

One of the main reasons I went with the X2 is the 6 gallon tank. I've never run out. Had a couple of long day, technical trails, slow going, where we managed to go 80 miles. I'm very happy.

 

There's probably something wrong with your 850XP. Take the high performance parts off your Yugo and put them to good use on the Polaris.

Also, you need to put that Yugo in your signature line.

 

I'm with Moose - I love the larger tank of my 2008 Touring (6+ gals, same as the X2) and I get 20-22 mpg riding desert, mountains, dirt roads, etc. I tend to keep on the gas pretty well, but the numbers were the same even running flat out for 70 miles over flat desert (hard and soft). The numbers you guys are quoting is the reason I went with the 500 over the 800. Like most guys I always lust for more power, but when you're over 100 miles from a gas station at the start of your trip, power is not at the top of the list.

For those interested my top speed was 54.4 mph at 3,800 ft with 25" Bighorns (3.5psi). I've seen claims of 60mph from others, but I need a hill to get that speed. Interestingly enough the speed was the same into or with a 30mph wind.

As for the digital gas gauge, I agree that it's off but at least mine is conservative; any time mine has flashed it barely took more than 4 gals to fill to the brim again. I really like my rotopax also, but on long trips the weight of 8 gals up front impacts the handling in the corners significantly.

I've gone over 100 miles before refilling, but I've never had the guts to run it dry to establish the true range - Maybe one of these days. Any damaging effects of running it dry?

 

dont know if you were referring to me or highoctane but i dont know what to tell you thats what it gets... riding to my destination was around 40 miles (gas stations almost every 5-7 miles) so filled up at the destination and when i got back... Both times used less then 2 gallons, around 1.8 to 1.9.... Trip mileage verified by GPS trip meter.

i take back about what i said about my 400 2 stroke... on the last 60 mile round trip i used 3.2 gallons so a little less then 20 ( and thats because the rings and piston are SHOT LOL and it has a slow leak out the overflow on the carb ahahha...).still a 2007 500 efi machine only used 3/10th of a gallon less then me and my worn out piston and rings and leaky carb.... i love my 400 2 stroke...