Looking to purchase a 2011 SP XP 550 Touring...which will be my first 550 experience. So...I'm looking for the GOOD vs Bad...or...Pro vs Con with this engine?

1. Good vs Bad?

2. Pro vs Con?

Any Owner's...and folks with experience with this engine...looking for your insight.

I'm also going to purchase a 2011 SP XP 850 Touring, but I have a good understanding of the 850...because I just sold my '09 (making room for the two new machines).

Thanks!

biz

 

I don't know what you are looking for as far as good or bad. Certainly one will be faster than the other in a drag race, but for trail riding, the trees, narrow trails, mud, hills, sharp turns, rocks, creeks, and rivers seem to me to always equal machines out. as far as power and speed goes.

 

Are you riding two-up, or are each of you on their own machine?. If two-up, what is the combined weight of the riders?. Another two-up issue is comfort, you don't want both riders squashed into one another, neither will be comfortable.

As for the 850 vs 550, if riding two-up, get the 850; it will give you more power at a slow speed than the 550. This will require less shifting from Hi to Low.

If you are each on your own machine, I would get the 550. Better fuel economy, and less maintenance complexity. The only cons for the 550 i've heard is, being a single, it doesn't idle as smooth as the 850.

 

Thanks for the replies...but I am only interested in the 550 engine with this thread. Sorry I did not make that more clear in my original post.

So...any Pro's vs Con's on the 550 engine???

For Example:
Pro's = Good fuel economy

Con's = Not a smooth idle

etc...

How about being reliable? Easy oil changes? Easy or hard access to the spark plug? Just stuff like that...

Thanks,


biz

 

We will be on our own machine with the kids in tow. If we decide to ride together...it will be on mine or the 850 Touring.


So...it doesn't idle as smooth as the 850. If that is the only con for the 550...I can certainly live with that!

Thanks for the reply!


biz

 

So...it doesn't idle as smooth as the 850. If that is the only con for the 550...I can certainly live with that!

Thanks for the reply!


biz
[/quote]

I have a 2011 sportsman 550 eps, and it idles very smooth and rides every bit as smooth as an 850, and they get great gas mileage. The only two complaints i have is the stock tires are crap, on my first ride the side wall on one of the tires blew out, so i replaced all four tires with Maxxis Bighorn 2.0`s. The other complaint i have is the springs are to soft and cause a lot of body roll in turns. I adjusted the front springs one notch stiffer and that helped a lot, but im looking for a better set of springs to upgrade to. Other than that, its a great machine.

 

Excellent! Glad to have your direct experience with the 550...and for adding to this thread.


Thanks!
biz

 

A little off topic, but Ghostrider, did you install you Bighorns on the stock rims? Any rubbing issues? I was looking at upgrading my tires on the 2011 as well as blew one already and was told by a couple of Polaris dealers that 27" tires could be installed on the factory wheels without any issues.

 

I have 3000 mi on my 09 550 and have no complaints on the machine, Run it yr round and in winter its on tracks that eat the horse power and work it constantly. Its a winner!

 

If this helps, I put bigger "Grim Reapers" on my stock rims without clearance problems.