Hi everybody. Soooo…..i’m in the market for something new. i kinda have it narrowed down to 3 machines at the moment, but it is like comparing apples to oranges, to yogurt covered raisins. i currently have a 2008 outlander max 650 xt. it’s had a # of problems and i have just lost confidence in it while riding, always worrying about getting too far from home and not being able to make it back. so it’s time for something new, so i can enjoy riding again. the other thing is my 6 year old son is wanting to ride more and more with me and i don’t really like him on the Max because there is really nothing other than his scrawny arms holding him on the machine. so i was thinking a SXS would be better in that respect. i’ve never had a SXS though, i just drove one for the first time yesterday at my can am dealer. i’m wondering who has switched over from an ATV to SXS and if you had reservations and how you felt after having it for a while. did you miss having an ATV? so, here are the 4 machines i tried yesterday and my feelings about them.
(1) 2016 Commander 1000XT. sweet ride, very comfy. i liked how the seats surround you. i think it would be a good fit for the boy. i wonder how bad engine heat is, seeing as you are sitting on top of the motor though? i would also have to buy a new trailer with this too, bringing the total cost up to a decent car payment…. very nice ride though.
(2) 2016 Outlander Max 1000XT. obviously this felt the most natural… good ride, tons of power, i got into the throttle just a little and i could tell it had a ton of throttle left. power steering is nice, mine doesn’t have it. a lot more heat protection than mine around the motor. i could get this machine and know i would be perfectly happy, i would just need to figure out a way to get the boy more secure. awesome machine, dont really need the 1000 though.
(3) i told you i was comparing apples to oranges to yogurt covered raisins….so here is the raisin. 2016 Honda Pioneer 500. i know…i know.. not even close to the other two machines, but definitely better priced. there are a couple of things i really like about this machine. the paddle shifters. i miss being able to shift, and these are a blast. the other thing i really like is that is is a plain jane machine. no bells and whistles, just good old Honda reliability. that being said….it’s not nearly as comfy as the Commander, didn’t expect it to be, but its almost half the price. that’s a plus. power steering would be nice. i’m not concerned so much about the power, or lack thereof….its a pretty fun machine to drive. plus it would fit better in my local trails. and it would be better for the boy than the Max. ride did seem a bit stiff though. worried about comfort after a long day riding. the seats are surprisingly comfy, for not having a ton of cushin like the commander. i think i would really enjoy this machine on shorter rides….hard to tell about long rides.
(4) i am not really considering this machine because of the size of it…trying to keep it under 60” wide. but i also tried a Honda Pioneer 1000 and i must say…. i really liked it. out of the SXS’s this by far had the best throttle control. it has an automotive style transmission and the throttle is just like a car. very smooth. i like the way it shifts, and it also had paddle shifters if you want to shift yourself. the thing i really like too is three seats. then all of us could go….its just so wide, i worry about coming to a place i cant get through. it felt like this machine had a ton of power. plus it had low range, diff lock, turf mode, yada, yada yada. and i thought the power steering was better than the commander. surprisingly the seats just weren’t as comfortable as i imagined for something so big and nice feeling. i think out of all the machines, fit and finish were the best on this machine. it was also the most expensive.
i guess i’m just kinda looking for feedback. pro’s and con’s about when you switched over to a side by side from an ATV. i know i would be happy with a new Max, i know i would have fun with a Pioneer 500 (it made me grin running through the gears), and i know i would be comfy in the Commander. i’m just not sure which means the most to me, haha.
(1) 2016 Commander 1000XT. sweet ride, very comfy. i liked how the seats surround you. i think it would be a good fit for the boy. i wonder how bad engine heat is, seeing as you are sitting on top of the motor though? i would also have to buy a new trailer with this too, bringing the total cost up to a decent car payment…. very nice ride though.
(2) 2016 Outlander Max 1000XT. obviously this felt the most natural… good ride, tons of power, i got into the throttle just a little and i could tell it had a ton of throttle left. power steering is nice, mine doesn’t have it. a lot more heat protection than mine around the motor. i could get this machine and know i would be perfectly happy, i would just need to figure out a way to get the boy more secure. awesome machine, dont really need the 1000 though.
(3) i told you i was comparing apples to oranges to yogurt covered raisins….so here is the raisin. 2016 Honda Pioneer 500. i know…i know.. not even close to the other two machines, but definitely better priced. there are a couple of things i really like about this machine. the paddle shifters. i miss being able to shift, and these are a blast. the other thing i really like is that is is a plain jane machine. no bells and whistles, just good old Honda reliability. that being said….it’s not nearly as comfy as the Commander, didn’t expect it to be, but its almost half the price. that’s a plus. power steering would be nice. i’m not concerned so much about the power, or lack thereof….its a pretty fun machine to drive. plus it would fit better in my local trails. and it would be better for the boy than the Max. ride did seem a bit stiff though. worried about comfort after a long day riding. the seats are surprisingly comfy, for not having a ton of cushin like the commander. i think i would really enjoy this machine on shorter rides….hard to tell about long rides.
(4) i am not really considering this machine because of the size of it…trying to keep it under 60” wide. but i also tried a Honda Pioneer 1000 and i must say…. i really liked it. out of the SXS’s this by far had the best throttle control. it has an automotive style transmission and the throttle is just like a car. very smooth. i like the way it shifts, and it also had paddle shifters if you want to shift yourself. the thing i really like too is three seats. then all of us could go….its just so wide, i worry about coming to a place i cant get through. it felt like this machine had a ton of power. plus it had low range, diff lock, turf mode, yada, yada yada. and i thought the power steering was better than the commander. surprisingly the seats just weren’t as comfortable as i imagined for something so big and nice feeling. i think out of all the machines, fit and finish were the best on this machine. it was also the most expensive.
i guess i’m just kinda looking for feedback. pro’s and con’s about when you switched over to a side by side from an ATV. i know i would be happy with a new Max, i know i would have fun with a Pioneer 500 (it made me grin running through the gears), and i know i would be comfy in the Commander. i’m just not sure which means the most to me, haha.
