Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's How about Can-Am?

You need one of these...


Ask Mark..."Safariman" ...This is a modified Rokon...Honda ATC 110 engine, Maxis "Bighorn tires"...You can't buy one, but you CAN make your own...hell, for what MOST people seem to use their four wheelers for, I'm really surprised a major manufacturer hasn't latched on to the old Honda CT/ATC patent for the high/low transmission & produced a factory bike along these lines....I haven't yet found a downed log that I can't either go around or over... I haven't even mentioned the side hill capabilities...you get too steep, your four wheeler will tip over...Rokon, not so much...I've owed horses in the past, & there really is no beating them, but unless you have a place to keep them, it's not really economical...In a perfect world, I'd have enough property to care for a few mules & a horse...but the sad reality is that I do not...The Rokon fits in my garage & takes up about a 2'X 8'space....You reading this Mark??? This one is so many times above the one swapped you, that I'm ALMOST ashamed...

ETA; I just got through boiling out the old carb & put a rebuild kit in...it runs great, but my personal feeling is that it's lacking...I'm still happy with the performance, but feel it could have been better....

Tom

In a week or two, I'll post its weight...it'll probably come in a little over what the general Rokon crowd thinks acceptable, but my thinking is that it needs a little more weight forward as it is....

I guess in CA you don't need to hook up a plow to that thing.

I suppose you could if you wanted to, prolly wouldn't work very well...I didn't notice that was one of the things you wanted to do with it. For a go-anywhere off road vehicle though, I love em...

I've had two Can Ams now. After riding a few dozen others, nothing will scratch the itch like a Max two seater Can Am. It's a great utility machine. I'm partial to the two seater because it climbs, descends, and carries so much better than a short machine. Neither of mine have had frame issues at all, but I have had an '06 and now an '11. I pulled a big 44" Swisher rough cut mower with my first one for three seasons, worked the heck out of it. I like my Can Ams because I can work on them. The belt's super easy to change, all of the fluids too, and the valves are really easy to do. The new QE Viscoloc is flawless. My '06 was a sit'n'spin, not the '11. The power steering makes for such a great day riding.

I did upgrade my shocks because I like to ride fast. I put Crutchfield Stage IIs on it. Some will say "bull" but I'm telling you, there's just not a faster way to cover the rough earth. I know it seems like bullpucky, but seriously, over the past six years I've been riding a Can Am 800, well, we wait alot. It makes for a nice way to enjoy the scenery I guess. I've also put skid plates and the Xmr snorkel kit on my Outlander.

My buddy has an Xxc Outlander that absolutely flies. It has a sway bar up front and handles like a darned sport quad! It just eats the earth for lunch, no two ways around it. A stunningly fun and fast machine that'll still hunt and haul.

They're great on fuel too.

The 800s are not without fault though. They run hot. I've had seat melting issues. The new 1000s have a much larger radiator. Sometimes a water pump seal goes out, a real pain. They also do not come with skid plates. On a machine this expensive, it's kind of sad. The stock shocks other than the Xxc package, suck big time. Such a fast machine is really held back with the stock boingers. My Crutchfields turned it into an earth eating warp 9 boogie woogie thrill ride. The stock tires are lame. XTR Mudlites are the minimum. Other than that, I've brutalized both of mine, love 'em.

My first one loaded for moose camp:





My '11 at various stages of fun:








[img:center]http://photos.imageevent.com/huckbb62/alaska/ridin/websize/EskaqunquOutty2.jpg[/img]
[img:center]http://photos.imageevent.com/huckbb62/alaska/ridin/websize/Machines.jpg[/img]

[img:center]http://photos.imageevent.com/huckbb62/alaska/ridin/websize/Floatyoutty.jpg[/img]

They have a new '13 model out that's to die for, it's a Max 2 seater 1000 with remote reservoir shocks all the way around. Amazing machine. I WANT IT!!!! They also have a 1000 Xmr mud machine coming out, should be a beast.

That all said, if you just want a tough as nails hunting machine that won't let you down, a Honda Foreman will do the job for about a third of what a Can Am Outlander will! (been there too). If you get an Outlander stuck (rarely have, but it happens), or flipped over (God save you) the winch better sure as heck do it's job. If you get a Foreman stuck or flipped over (it happens a lot), you can carry it out on your back!

Well here;s the update, made a deal on a 12 550 grizzly they wanted to move due to the 13s coming in. Think I got a good deal and was the right move for me financially. I'm sure it will do everything I need it to and then some.

I think you got lucky & made the right choice.
I bought a BomB twice...won't ever do that again

I bought a Can Am twice, and will buy more!

Honda, baby!!

Wife almost bought that very same machine back in 09, then we found out Honda was coming out with an IRS Rancher with power steering so she ended up going with that one. I think you'll like the 550 Grizzly, I rode one and really like it, if Honda doesn't step up their game and make the Foreman with IRS and PS then I may be jumping ship. That's coming from someone that's owned nothing but Honda's since 1992.

Wow! I'm impressed with your ingenuity.

Terry

Neat Rokon.

I live on a farm and use a ATV to work on stuff all the time. All my neighbors have ATV's as well so I see lots of them. Kawasakis, Polaris, Honda, Suzuki. I have seen one CanAm in the back of a truck at the local cafe. We have dealer support in this area for all the major brands but CanAm is absent. I would suggest you ride one, be sure the local dealer has been around awhile, and if you like it get one. You don't need a lot of horsepower or cc's of displacement for most of things including towing a small trailer, on a farm. My 360 Kawasaki does anything I want. Its pretty good at moving cattle too.

Nice bike! It's on my short list. Can-Am outlander keeps calling my name though.

I run a 500XT and love it. Great ride built very well and plenty of power.The 500 Rotax engine impresses many owners of other larger machines.

The Rotax motor is the best out there with no peers..And the whole bike is pretty awesome too.

AKMTNHUNTER,

my 2012 foreman has electronic power steering so your good there. I doubt anything named "foreman" will ever have IRS because Solid rear axle is built to work like the foreman name implies.... On the trail, in off camber situations on a hillside i prefer the SRA as it keeps lower and less tipsy...

the rincon should get upgraded with lower gearing, power steering, and that will give you IRS

+1 on the solid rear axle. I got rid of a Polaris over that issue.

I thought the same thing with the Rancher too but they put IRS on that machine so anything is possible. SRA bikes are all i've ever owned and it's time for me to step up to the IRS for ride comfort. The only work my Foreman see's is plowing in the winter and hauling the occasional moose in the fall.

Agree on the Rincon but honestly, I don't really need a 700cc motor on my wheeler, i'd be good with anthing from a 450 to a 600.

Sounds like 550 Griz country to me.

They have the best engines, best rear suspension and best locking front axle in the industry. They're web site used to show racing/acceleration/pulling competitions with their competitors and the Can-Am won hands down against every machine out there.