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Polaris vs Can Am

58K views 178 replies 35 participants last post by  Merlin77 
#1 ·
GUys,
I need some help.
Been riding for about 3 years on an 07 Sportsmen 500 EFi.
Thinkin about upgrading this year.
I hunt, go to Hatfield/McCoy a couple time a year, plow snow with my 07.
I dont need to have the biggest baddest ATV around.
I am torn between, Polaris 550, 850 and the Can Ams.
Id love to hear stories about these machines to help me make up my mind.
Thanks
Tony
 
#2 ·
Go to Jacobs ATV magazine and look at the difference between the sportsman frame and the canam. That should make up your mind.
 
#3 ·
It really depends on your budget! If you want the biggest and baddest go with the Can Am 800 or 1000 but if your like me and have a strict budget then go buy a new Sportsman 800EFI for $6300 OTD and you will be happier then a pig in shit! lol
 
#6 ·
If you want the best ride and, in my opinion, the best 4x4 system, then Polaris is the atv for you. If you want more of a sport bike feel and ride, then can am would suit you better. Having ridden both, I also prefer the feel of the Polaris power steering.
 
#8 ·
Polaris is a slightly more comfortable ride, but can not compare to the power and wow factor of the can am.
 
#9 ·
I just jumped up from an 05 500ho to an 850xp and i'm impressed so far. When you jump from a 500 either one will give you the wow factor. Polaris has a 1,000 rebate on the 850's right now. I just felt the XP was the best quad for the price. The Can-Am's are deffinetly nice, IMO are a little over priced.
 
#10 ·
The Can Am gets so hot on your legs while riding i threw it and it's inflated price out the door. A friend of mine just paid a fortune to get his muffler ceramic coated to try and cut back on all of the heat. Go to their forums.

I have a 2011 850 touring. (over 1000 miles) My wife wanted her own and she could have any kind out there. She rode all of the major makers. She liked my touring better than any other she rode so I bought her one.

The Canam brand has a big engine for sure but, the polaris 850 runs almost as fast and almost as quick for thousands less. Polaris did some real design work in the 550 and 850. They turned the engine in the frame which makes the power transfer much smoother. The muffler's are also on the back of the machine away from the operator.

I heard Canam fixed the major problem they had with the frames breaking in half. How can a manufacturer make a machine with an inferior frame?

Did I mention the Canam's are super hot on your legs?

I bought mine in Altoona from Helsel's hardware. Super nice people and he gives 10% discount on all accessories after the sale. I haven't found any dealer do that any where. (they were also way less in price)
 
#11 · (Edited)
The new G2 Can Ams are not hot on the legs like the old ones. I ride my 1000 in the middle of summer with shorts on. Polaris is cheaper. A few Can Am G2s had frames cracking at the front, cracking, not failing. Can Ams frame issue was fixed with a brace and 7 year frame warranty. Can Am is not the only one with frame issues. Cough cough XP.....Do a search on here. And Popo is not warrantying them ALL like CA.
Try them both and decide for yourself. People here are gonna say buy Popo, people on the Can Am forums are gonna say buy CA. You'll have fun on both.
Don't forget, a good dealer is very helpful after the purchase.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Canam frame(see thumbnail below). Why would a company that sells $13k machine build a frame like this? Only one reason....make more money. Polaris does the same thing but they have a much better track record and they have machines within the reach of most pocket books. I almost got pulled in by Canam as i could afford either until I saw the frame design and was shocked. The only thing superior on a Canam is the engine as Rotax (bombardier) also manufactures aircraft engines so the are cutting edge in quality and engineering.
 

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#20 · (Edited)
Let me see if I understand.
If I buy a 1000 Canam it will not burn my legs.

So the smaller one still burns your legs.

I can only wonder why, if with all of Canam's airplane engineering their engineers never rode the machine and realized they had a heat problem.

Just because a company has their name on a machine doesn't mean it is engineered to the same specifications as another division owned by the same name..

When a large company decides to manufacture something the first thing discussed at the board table is "how much money can we make".

I have owned a bunch of SeaDoo's. They are without a doubt the best Jet Ski made. There 941 CC engine ran circles around other manufacturer's 1200 engines.
You can't say that about the 1000 Canam verses the Polaris 850.

The bottom line is, their 4 wheelers are crap for the money! They are 250ccs bigger than the 850 and yet there performance isn't worth the extra gas they burn. Not to mention their inflated cost.
I'm not brand loyal like so many here and on the can am forums. I have Can Am, Honda and Polaris bikes. Honda is hands down most reliable, but boring. If I thought the Polaris 850 was better I would have bought it instead of my Outlander. That was MY choice. The CA dealer here is better to deal with than the Polaris dealer.
That Can Am frame pictured is a G1 not a G2. you're comparing old brp technology to polaris's newest. The G2s don`t burn your legs. Those are 2012 800/1000 shorties and 2013 500/650/800/1000 shorties and maxes. You have to do your research and don't belive everything on the net.
1000-850 = 150 not 250! lol and the 1000 will burn less fuel than the 850 every trip, always.
the Polaris 850 is a great bike, esp for the price. the can am is more expensive for sure. like i said, try them both and buy the one you like.
and BRP hasn't been part of Bombardier Inc. (planes and trains) since 2003. where have you been?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_Recreational_Products
 
#17 ·
Let me see if I understand.
If I buy a 1000 Canam it will not burn my legs.

So the smaller one still burns your legs.

I can only wonder why, if with all of Canam's airplane engineering their engineers never rode the machine and realized they had a heat problem.

Just because a company has their name on a machine doesn't mean it is engineered to the same specifications as another division owned by the same name..

When a large company decides to manufacture something the first thing discussed at the board table is "how much money can we make".

I have owned a bunch of SeaDoo's. They are without a doubt the best Jet Ski made. There 941 CC engine ran circles around other manufacturer's 1200 engines.
You can't say that about the 1000 Canam verses the Polaris 850.

The bottom line is, their 4 wheelers are crap for the money! They are 250ccs bigger than the 850 and yet there performance isn't worth the extra gas they burn. Not to mention their inflated cost.
 
#18 ·
Canam doesn't have airplane engineers building their ATV's. However, the Rotax engine line is designed by the same group that makes their aircraft engines and I have flown under them many a time. Some twenty years ago and their engines are top notch. As for the rest of their design it looks to me they wanted to make assembly line manufacturing their number one priority rather than durability. Amazing, they put on factory bumpers but leave their POS frame completely exposed and force a serious trail rider to spend another few hundred bucks to buy skid plates to protect their weak frame and then charge the highest prices in the industry for their machines. Wouldn't it be nice to have a manufacturer think about the consumer rather than the shareholder! Polaris does the same thing too some degree but apparently they still have the consumer in mind at some level but corporate greed always prevails.
 
#19 ·
In my own experience the xp chassis is a pos,constant breakdowns,tons of maintenance and high cost of ownership.That being said it is a great machine to drive as long as you dont mind working on an almost new machine and thats with the polaris extended warranty that in canada only covers things covered in oil.
 
#21 ·
The list of which models get too hot on your leg is quite long. I still stand with my statement about poor engineering. Come on now, I am talking about relocating the exhaust pipe to keep from hurting the operator. A teenager could come up with a better design.

I made the "use more gas statement" based on the fact my friend and I have ridden together 4 times now and every time his blinkie is blinking(so he says) when I still have a dot or two. I carry 5 gallons. I thought he said he carried the same. Maybe the outies carry less fuel. Or maybe he has to use 4X4 much more than I do to go the same places. (poor traction LOL) If the Outie carries a lot less fuel than I stand corrected.

He definitely got something with his Outie I never had. A BURN MARK ON HIS LEG!

It has been said here more than once, the dealer is very important which ever brand you buy and I have to agree with that. I have a Polaris dealer 2 miles from my house and one 20 miles away and yet I drove 100 miles to buy mine. I drove the 100 miles when I bought my second one as well.

Which is better. The people who ride the best know they ride the best. And then there are all of the other riders and brands.
 
#23 ·
Don't say anything bad about the outlander people get mad at you on hear . Yes the frames suck even on the new G2 my friends is cracked in 3 spots even after the fix and one is where there is no fix for it yet so he had to weld a cut in half steal pipe over the crack . Should he have to for 14,000$ my xp frame is just fine but I do need a new rim after today dam rock under the snow ! Still a great day !
 
#24 ·
The dealer that I have always went through carries Can-Am Polaris and Yamaha. I talked to multiple salesmen there and they also felt that the Polaris was the best buy for the price. They also said that the # of sales for the sportsman's were substantially larger than Yamaha and Can-Am. Out of the 10 units they sold on Saturday i think 6 or 7 of them were Polaris (XPs, rangers and razors).
Can-Am defiantly makes a very nice and capable atv, but is it worth the extra expense? There is no correct answer across the board. Comes down to rider preference.
 
#27 ·
Try out the Grizz 700 as well my buddy that bought the 800 Max had an 07 Grizz with over 4000 miles on it no issues loved the bike but Yamaha doesnt sell a 2 up so he went with the Canam looked at the 850 touring liked it but the dealer was a jerk so he went with the Outlander. Grizz may be older tech but they run strong and ride really well and have great PS
 
#25 ·
My brother had a 2006 ca outlander and #1, had ground clearance issues #2, the frame got a twist in it and had to take it to a autobody shop to bend the frame straight and #3 one of the front strut springs broke. Needless to say he got rid of it.:disappointed:
 
#26 ·
I have owned both loved them both I would buy a Polaris XP again in a heartbeat or a Scrambler I went with Canam because they were cheaper for what I wanted. lets get something pointed out A non XT Outlander is not 14 grand There @ the same money as a stock 850XP now if your talking the XT package and yes its more expensive well because you get bumpers and a winch and such The dealer I bought my 500 Max from had a new 1000 Outlander non XT for under 9 grand and thats the same as an XP up here in VT so please compare apples to apples as far as pricing goes. my buddy bought a new 800 max yes it gets hot he bought some boots that go higher up on his leg problem solved the G2 doesn't get hot on you they fixed the problem. I am on both this forum and a Canam forum I enjoy both. Bottom line both are awesome machines both have the potential of breaking and to be honest none should for the money we all work hard to make. Dealer is huge if you have a crappy dealer if and when you have an issue it can soar you on the brand.
So my 2 cents drive both go with your gut and what feels good for you and enjoy, your going to read negative about both I love both bikes to be honest to me it comes down to what I want to pay and at the time my 1000 Rene was cheaper then a Scrambler and my 500 Max xt was cheaper then a 550 Touring and I looked long and hard in the area to find the Polaris I wanted. And when Im ready for a new machine someday I'll look at both again
 
#28 ·
I have owned and ridden all three machine 800 rene ( 2012 )... sold, 1000 outlander xmr ( 2012 )... sold, and I just pruchased a 2013 Scrambler 850. As far as power goes the 1000 is a beast, it is just incredible the power that comes in a fourwheeler these days. But the machine is enormous and heavy, I mean back breaking heavy, especially in the mud, stuck, in the woods by yourself heavy. I really enjoyed the 800 renegade it was very fast and comfortable to ride, good power also. With all that the Scrambler I just bought is by far the best all around machine I have owned. Very nimble excellent power and the suspension is absolutley killer. Coming from a motocross background, any fourwheeler that you can ride the whoops at 45 to 50 mph and your kidneys are not bleeding when you are done riding takes the cake as far as I am concerned. Definitely not doing that on a 1000 xmr, and the rengade was good but it will still beat you to death. Of course nothing will compare to my Cr 500, but as far as fourwheelers go I am very impressed with the scrambler. If deep mud is your thing - 1000 xmr spend the money, its done - wheels, tires, winch... done. If you are planning on trials, mud, and just all around good riding go with the polaris.
 
#29 ·
I have owned and ridden all three machine 800 rene ( 2012 )... sold, 1000 outlander xmr ( 2012 )... sold, and I just pruchased a 2013 Scrambler 850. As far as power goes the 1000 is a beast, it is just incredible the power that comes in a fourwheeler these days. But the machine is enormous and heavy, I mean back breaking heavy, especially in the mud, stuck, in the woods by yourself heavy. I really enjoyed the 800 renegade it was very fast and comfortable to ride, good power also. With all that the Scrambler I just bought is by far the best all around machine I have owned. Very nimble excellent power and the suspension is absolutley killer. Coming from a motocross background, any fourwheeler that you can ride the whoops at 45 to 50 mph and your kidneys are not bleeding when you are done riding takes the cake as far as I am concerned. Definitely not doing that on a 1000 xmr, and the rengade was good but it will still beat you to death. Of course nothing will compare to my Cr 500, but as far as fourwheelers go I am very impressed with the scrambler. If deep mud is your thing - 1000 xmr spend the money, its done - wheels, tires, winch... done. If you are planning on trials, mud, and just all around good riding go with the polaris.


*cough* 450's *cough*

To me can am has the nicer styling. Even the XP looks 80's compared to the 2013 canned hams.

To me the 2x4, 3x4, THEN 4x4 is pretty gay on the can am too.
 
#30 ·
Ride both and see what u like better. Only machine I would look at buying right now (it would be my 3rd one in 14 months) would be the outy 1000xt. My biggest hang up with it is the size and weight of it. Around 900lbs wet and ready to ride is a lot of machine
 
#32 ·
you guys might get pissed at me for this one but this is the ride that broke my 850s frame, then a few days later (riding my 800) I found my dads bike broke in the same spot. His is in the dealer waiting for a polaris rep, and mine is having a frame swaped (my money) and is going to be traded in on proble a new outty, I know you guys say the frame brakes, ya well can-am will give me 7 years for that frame to brake so I am happy with that. Polaris might as well of gave me the middle finger for this. Hey Im fine with it its life things happen this video is about hard as I ride (on the frame) as it gets. My dad is in front of me on his 850 eps. I understand things happen but he is tired of everytime we try going riding our polaris bikes are broke down. I am not saying can-am will be any better but I am willing to try, if I have a lot of problems with my can-am I am going to stop buying atvs and I will build my self one from the ground up haha.
 
#33 ·


also this, I am not brand bashing polaris are nice bikes and I think I seen the made the scramblers frame stronger in that spot, actully it would not take much to do the work to make it stronger, but my dad told me he would help me pay for a new 1000 outty if I get at lest all Bs (pulled it off was hard tho with really bad dislecsia for spelling and writing). I did buy my 850 on my own and everything on it, and if somthing brakes it comes out of my pocket. I am 205 pounds and 6'2 so not like im to small for the bike. I think if I can work hard enough to buy the bike I should be able to ride a bike this size. He sai he would help pay about 1500 bucks for the grades and early B-day presint.

well If you guys are happy with your bikes thats all that matter, I do love my 850 (I think its one of the nicest bike I have ever seen) just ride on and have fun :)
 
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