No matter which size or model...
No matter which size or model you go with, the Commander name is spot-on.
When it came time to test the ATVs, Thad suited up and threw a leg over the one machine he was excited to test out himself: the Outlander 800 X MR. He has turned into our resident mud guy, so he was anxious to see just how well this machine would perform under extreme conditions. As we cruised around in the Commander earlier, he mentally tagged some marshy areas he believed would make a great test area for this mudder. The trail leading to "his" pond would allow us to fully test the trail capability of the machine and its mud-clawing prowess in the dark waters of the marsh. On the trail Thad lowered the air pressures in the shocks, which he felt gave the machine a comfortable ride while riding over the rocky areas we needed to cross before we reached the pond, and once we arrived to our ultimate mud testing location he adjusted the shocks to their maximum height, which was significantly higher than at its lowest trail-riding setting.
Having reached "our pond," Thad proceeded to ride the behemoth mudder into the water, and slowly it began to sink in prompting him to get on the throttle. As soon as I heard the engine start roaring, chunks of muck went flying through the air as the huge Gorilla Silverback tires clawed for traction to pull him out from the murky water. After making it up on solid ground I could see that Thad wore a huge grin from ear to ear, and he quickly made his way back into the water even farther than before. This time the earth beneath the tires quickly gave way, and the X MR disappeared under the water leaving only the radiator, handlebar and snorkel cluster visible to the eye. Being on dry land, I started to worry, but Thad kept his cool and muscled the machine utilizing every footrest and handhold he could to get the X MR moving forward and out of the swamp. As he rolled out of the water I asked him what his opinions was, and "AWESOME!" was the only word I heard. This machine will definitely be a huge hit with an ever-growing mud riding population.
If your pleasure is blasting...
If your pleasure is blasting around the trails or taking on deep mud pits, Can-Am has just what you need for 2011.
After spending a few days aboard the new ATV and SxS releases from Can-Am, I know Thad and I are glad the engineers took their time in creating a machine they felt worthy to release to the public. From the striking looks and ergonomics of the Commander line of side-by-sides to the proven performance of the new Outlander 800 offspring, we feel Can-Am is releasing impressive machines that will have them contending for the top machine of 2011. While we have limited time on these models so far, look for further testing and project builds in upcoming issues of ATVR as we roll the impressive machines into our garages for some long-term testing.