I have alot of seat time on Polaris utilities. Yesterday, I got to ride a Grizz for about 4 hours. My Gorilla CV on the MV was locking up about mid-day, so I spent the rest of the day riding FITSofRAGE's '03 Grizz. That thing is a monster. I liked the nimbleness of it. I am not used to a nimble ride. I have had Polaris utes only, they do not compare to the sporty feel of the Grizz. The steering was much easier while in 2WD on the Grizz. I did not like the front end while in 4wd. One time I was climbing a short steep hill, and the front end was darting back and forth, looking for traction!(4WD no diff lock) I am sure the Polaris would have offered a more secure feeling while climbing the same hill. Later I tryed diff lock while climbing a simular hill, and LOOK OUT, you better be ready to hang on and countersteer. I still like the Polaris single brake lever. I am just used to it I guess. I liked the feeling of climbing a hill slowly without worry of slipping the belt. There is a difference in clutch designs. I like the Polaris versatility and adjustability, but the secure feeling of the CVT. One time I had to get off to the side where brakes would not keep it from rolling back down, but a constant throttle position was my best option. A Polaris clutch does not like that at all. I am sure a CVT would take damage if left like that for a long time, but a PVT would take damage much sooner in that situation. I did not like the funky pattern you have to go through to change gears. Polaris is a much easier "I" pattern. These are all the things that I can remember right now. I am not bashing either, just offering my opinions on a few areas!

 

oh my goodness. what am i hearing. well what a very nice post. right to the point.. nice.. i noticed after cleaning the grizzo. i rode it around the lot. and my tires are toed way out. looks like its time for some alignment on the old girl. it steered funny in the lot. i did not know this when u rode it. and i think i got a tie rod loosening up in it. got to do some checking. when the tires are toed out on this thing. it steers like a truck.. but ur right. when its in diff lock. u better hang on hard. those big zillas are going crazy.. and yes its really hard to hang on to. u get used to it. but it will still rip the bars away at any time. even when u think u have it. the new grizz, has such better handling and steering then the old one. there is no comparison. but then the old one is used pretty much for one thing now. well kinda. and thas MUDD BOGGIN... fun but hard on them. any how. glad u had fun. and got to finish ur day. the old girl is going to get some more mods in the power department yet.. i always want more. hope my new gorillas that come to me are better then the others. and i hope they do there job. im ssooooooo tired of breaking axles.. u will have to ride the new one for a while. it is a huge difference. the 700 grizz beat any exspectation that i had. i did not know it was going to be this much better then a 660. my 660 is still king on power between the two. but it has many mods. where the new grizzo is staying stock. other then clutch kit. slip on. and the tires and rims. and oh yes. the adjustable power management. now thats a nice feature.. got to thank yamaha road racing for that one.. welp. nice post. u should do this for magazines. lets start testing them all..

 

Thanks for the insights on the grizzly 700.

I had decided on the Can-Am Outlander 800 but just couldn't pull the trigger due to the inability to fully lock the front differential. I got some seat time on the Outlander and really liked it. While the front differential worked ok I could see how it could be a problem at times especially during the off idle slow speed woods trail riding I do a great deal of. It might not - but it could. In my test riding it never did but the unknown quantity of the "visco-lok" and it's inability to stay locked in all circumstances has kept me from pulling the trigger on the Outlander. A shame really since the thing was outstanding in every other respect. The power especially was simply intoxicating and it handled the trails as well as anything else I have ever ridden, King Quad, Polaris, Brute force 750 - just a great ATV and I loved it.

When the new Grizzly came out though I've been getting good reports from people that I've talked to that have them and I'm dying to get some seat time on one. It sounds like a very good trail machine and a good fit for work around the farm here. I'm particularly interested in the ride, handling and the power steering. It won't have the power of the Outlander's 800 rotax but perhaps the steering and handling would make up for the loss of power. The Outty handled awfully good though. If they had just provided an over ride for that blasted front differential. Right now the Grizzly is really looking like something I'd be interested in. It has everything I look for in an ATV despite not being too terribly impressive as far as power goes.

On the other hand anything would be a step up from the old Polaris 425 and Honda 300 I'm currently riding. Reliable workhorses but that's about all one can say for them. They're kind of behind the times.

 

That was a review of the 660 I believe. The 700 only gets better [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

the 700 has to be the most comfortable, easily controlled, most nimble big bore quad out there... It's not a Vtwin... but, it's definately powerful enough to get you thru anything you need to get thru...

(side note: my buddy's only had 1 issue with his new canam 800.... he had it leaning at about a 45degree angle to it's side on a snow drift... he left it running and got off. After a couple minutes, he noticed oil leaking out of the top of engine... He asked his dealer about it... and they said it happens... yeesh... forget that...)

 

The main thing that scares me about the Can-am's, is the frame and underside. The lack of skidplates is terrible, especially on a frame design that reallys heavily on a narrow spar running the length underneath. The frame is also just weak, the design isn't bad, but needs more support. I think Can-am just under-engineered it. Probably to save weight, but not a good thing when you have that much power.

My buddie's cousin has an Outtie 800, I have ridden it, nice machine but there are flaws. My buddy compared the radiator from his Twin Peaks 700(kawi vtwin) and the Outlander, and the Outtie's is smaller, and poorly designed. That spells heat trouble, and there have been problems. His cousin has had to rebuild his engine already from overheating it to the point of damaging it. True, this guy really pushes his machines, and true, its probably a freak thing, but something to think about anyway.

I think the Grizzly's are the most well rounded quads right now. Decent handling, good ground clearance, easy steering, nimble, lightweight, durable, good power. And the 700 only gets better with great snorkle placement, efi, even easier steering, better brakes, lower centre of gravity, etc etc.

Now if only they would lower the price a bit....lol. In Canada the Grizz 700 MSRP's for $11,600 for the standard model. On the plus side, the price hike that hapened in the U.S. hasn't happened here.

-Krait

 

Yeah Grizzlies and King Quad's are a lot nimbler and lighter than the Sportsmans. Just compare their spec sheet, the Polaris' are usually longer and wider, and they ALWAYS weight more. As for the brakes.. I don't understand why Can am and Polaris use single lever brakes at all...It's VERY danergous on hills when you need to stop b/c the rear brakes engage when you pull the single brake lever and your likely hood of front coming over backwards goes up by a huge %, with split brakes you have so much more control of your braking. I had a SP 400 b4 my KQ 700 by the way so I've dealt with both. split > single b/c of more control.

 

i towed a gy on a new can am 800 out of wayne national. to the road. he hit a tree while i was behind him. with the right front wheel. that flat frame your talking about. bent over and folded like it was tin.. i know as hard and as head on as he hit it with the wheel. any quad would have been damaged. but id say another quad would have bent a arms. but not all that happend to this thing. the frame folded. busted the engine case. front drive shaft broke and was hanging out of it. the lubricating juice of life was pooring from the engine like a stuck pig. it trashed about everything in the front. and the engine had some serious damage. it was brand new. and his first ride. he was going down hill. and tried gonig to fast. he was a newby u could tell. any how. id say it was totaled. on top of that. his friends he was following, just kept going. it took about an hour to get him to the road. and then one of his buddies came back to see what was going on. luckily we were there. we took his front tires off. and winched it up to my rear rack. my old grizzo was squating in the rear pulling this tank out. but we got him out. so yes. from looking inside this thing. the frame has to be one of the cheapest, poorly designed things ive seen. i dont know why they would engineer somthing like this. hope he had insurance on it. wish i would have had a cammera to take pics of it.. after i saw that. i really would never own a can am. id say if u jumped it or hit the nose somewhat hard. the front would fold like a pretzel... its the only can am ive seen close up. and believe me. i saw this one very close... eeekkkkk[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

Fits.. Did you get any pics of the Bomb hooked up to the Grizz? SO you took the tires off and winched it up. Was always curious of how to get a injured quad out of the hills.

Good job on following the #1 rule of the trails. Make sure no one is left behind. That has to suck for the guy. Brand new and wrecked like that. Damn...

 

Wow, lol that guy must have been bummed out to have his brand new ride trashed like that. Its a shame really, you spend top dollar, to have the ''best'' and most powerful machine, and to have the frame destroyed...too bad. My buddy is looking to trade in his Twin Peaks 700 for an Outtie 650...but I hope he doesn't. He tends to use his bike as a bulldozer, which the Twin Peaks handles no problem, but the Outtie would be in trouble I think.

On a plus side his cousin has jumped his Outtie 800, and flipped it numerous times, and it seems the frame is holding up. But who knows how much longer it can take the punishment.

Aluminum skid plates...heavy duty ones...are a MUST on the Can-ams. Even then I'd worry.

-Krait