For those interested in seeing the atv wagon (trailer) I am speaking of go to ATV Wagon high performance ATV trailers- ATV Dump Trailer - ATV Dumping Cart -Rhino UTV Trailer- Hunting Trailer -Rhino side by side trailer -Utility Trailer-ATV Pull Behind Trailer. I think these are pretty cool from what I saw on the website but I dont have any personal experience with one. Perhaps some of you have either used this product or have heard something about them. Share info please if you have. Anyways the dry weight of the 800AL atv wagon is around 230 lbs. I imagine at most I might carry 250 lbs of gear. So the max trailering load size would be around 500 lbs that I would need to haul behind the atv. So really the top three bikes I am thinking about are the 2010 CanAm outlander max 2up 650 XT or 800R XT, 2010 Polaris RZR (side-side), 2010 Polaris Sportsman Touring 2up 850. Are there any others that compare? Is 500 lbs a significant load for any of these at altitude? which would you choose to do the job and why? Thanks again for you comments.

 

Any of the atv's selected will do what you want with varying degrees of sucess ( top speed vs belt life). And as far as your load goes, remember that if there is room, you'll pile it on.

Consider power steering on what ever you choose.

 

I don't think that is as much an issue with the Touring model because the rear is stiffer than the older Sportsmans. It has a 240 lb. rating. The Polaris X2 (500, 700, or 800 old style or 550 new XP style) has a 400 lb. rating. I've pulled way over the limit with the X2 with very little squat. The X2 has a less comfortable seat than the Touring though.

 

Any of those should tow 500# easily,a couple of things to consider...tow ratings are based on level ground and are usually based on braking ability more than actually ability to to the weight. Steep ascents and desents are going to reduce what you can comfortably tow. Even so 500# shouldn't be an issue,just keep the tougue weight at 10% or so to ensure handling isn't overly affected by excess tongue weight.
I have never owned a RZR,so I don't know how well it tows but it is 945# dry,so right off the bat is 226# heavier than a Can-Am Max and 147# heavier than a 850XP Touring..I see the RZR more as a recreational machine than a Utilty machine...hauling trailers and gear in the mountains I would put in the utility category. Just something to consider..
As far as other machines that compare,if you are limited to 50" I think the RZR is is for a SXS,but I'm not up to speed on all the SXS...
ATV wise,if you want a 2up there is the Can-Am Max,Polaris Touring,Polaris X2 and the Artic Cat TRV. Only the Can-Am Max and the XP Touring offer powersteering...and I am here to tell you...after having powersteering that limits the choice to those 2 IMO...

 

Yeah the Touring probably doesn't squat as bad as the single seat XP,I know the Max doesn't.

Going back to Stens post saying the 500 will pull a house I was looking for a vidoe I saw of a Max towing a large enclosed trailer,can't rember what it weighed but I do remeber it was WAY over both the tow and toungue weight ratings..anyway I couldn't find it but I did come across this.. a video of a 500 Rene pulling a 13000(yes 13 thousand) pound trailer..lol...not relevant but I thought it was fitting to his post

YouTube - Can-Am Renegade Pulling 13,000 lbs

 

There's no replacement for displacement...go with the 800 or 850

And Mongrol made an excellent suggestion, "Go with Power Steering"

 

Haha, that video was funny!

Here's a real video of atv's pulling......The 850 is stock with 15" wheel & tire package from Polaris.

http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w...0_16_24_05.flv

 

Real video huh? Actually the one i posted was more real,it was someone actually using an atv to do work on a farm...besides I think you missed the point...
I imagine we have all seen ATVs pull a sled,and yes that is more of a test of pulling when the weight comes forward and it digs in,but to most viewers watching an ATV pull a sled doesn't really give them any idea what that equates to in the real world...I just posted that as a real world example of what pretty much any of the mid size and up ATV's can do. Wasn't a pitch to can-am or anthing..no doubt a Polaris 500 could pull that trailer just as easily..just happened that because I was searching for a video of a Can-Am that I had seen before I stumbled upon that one...I'm sure you could find one of a Polaris doing something similar

 

BTW..The XP would pull better than the MAX as far as traction goes...the extra weight on the back of the XP is evident when pulling hard.

 

pretty much in low range most of these bikes will pull alot of weight until it looses traction before it out of power. i think you got the genral idea when i said it would pull house lol. haven't seen any wheeler do it yet though. as far as whats better, lets not turn this thread into a can-am agaist polaris shall we. thanks.