Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Took the Can-Am Plunge

My good buddy is one of the salesman at a local Motorsports dealer. I was in the market for a new mid-sized wheeler. I had my heart and mind set on the new Yamaha Kodiak 450 EPS. I even laid money down for the dealer to order one. After a few weeks and no luck locating one with power steering, I found an ad from the same dealer on 2017 Can-Am outlanders they were "blowing out" as the ad said.

I the one I found had power steering, which is a must have for me. It was $1200 less than the Yamaha. The one in the ad was sold (i know...shocker) but they had one left in camo. The camo is lame, but for $1200 less I can learn to live with it. and has aluminum wheels, which the others didn't. The savings let me get a Winch and still have some money left over for a beer and pizza for a week.

I took it for a 25 mile rip on Friday and it was awesome. MUCH different than the Honda Foreman 450S I'm used to.

The outlander was smoooooth and for a 450, pretty quick. The belt drive is a bit noisier than I'm used to but I've not had an automatic wheeler since 2005. I imagine I'll get used to it. The seat is nice, the racks are decent but I need to get extensions on the back at least, maybe the front. The breaks are something else. I know they're new but they're good enough to throw someone if they're not paying attention. The camo pattern must work as well because I came within a foot of hitting a deer that blasted out of the woods in front of me.

I've got an OLD 400 Outlander that I've owned since before they changed the name from Bombardier to Can-Am. It is smooth, rides very well, and is quick.....and the brakes are still like new. I have a couple year old Honda that I need to adjust the brakes on now...soft, spongy, felt that way when it was new....every maker needs to take a note on Can-Am's brakes, they are awesome.

The Outlanders are damn nice wheelers

The only thing i don't like so far is the single break lever.

Just sold one Honda Rubicon and looking at Can Am for spring.......these old shoulders need power steering too!

That's a major reason I wanted the PS. It was killing my shoulders with the full time 4x4. It's night and day different, not even comparable. The suspension is smooooth too. The nice thing about the Can-am PS is that you can adjust it between 3 different modes. I have it set on the middle. On the Max mode you can literally steer with one finger. If you do a lot of slow riding over roots/rocks/ruts PS will be a game changer.

I guess I don't realize what I'm missing? I know that the old 300 Kawasaki with the solid rear axle is a rough rider, but I like the simplicity of working on it with the air cooled engine, the manual transmission and that high and low range. The other wheeler is a Polaris 400 with the automatic transmission and it uses a bunch more gas than the 300 does, but rides better. Probably more important than a certain brand wheeler today is the proximity of a dealer who can service the thing. They are getting pretty mechanically sophisticated.

That is correct. You dont' know what you're missing. I've never had a can-am so I can't testify to the quality of it yet. But I've had almost all of the rest. Polaris rides the best, but that's where my joy of Polaris ends. lol. I won't go on about them more than that. I've had 2 Honda Foreman, 2 yamaha's 2 polairs', and Suzuki King Quad. The can-am suspension is top notch so far. Not quite the cadaliac ride of the sportsman but close. A bit more sporty, not as "squishy" which I like.

Can-Am was about the 1st to add a rear seat for a passenger. A friend's wife had MS. She could walk with crutches but couldn't use the controls on an ATV. He got the Can-Am so she could ride behind him. This was before the sidexsides came out. It worked great for them.

I didn't get the "max" which is the 2 seater but I may get another if we like this one enough. But the next one will probably be a side x side 4 seater.

The one problem with the 4 seaters is the 60" width. That eliminates using them on many atv trails. Also, they won't fit in a pickup.

Sounds like a good bike. My brother has a 800 and it is awesome and tough as they come. Does yours have a back up recoil starter? Congrats on a good bike.

tzone, you've had 2 Honda Foreman, 2 Yamaha's, 2 Polaris, a Suzuki King Cab and now a Can Am? How come you keep switching around? I'd be happy enough with any of those. Do you wear them out or just get bored with them?

I don't need it to fit in my pick up. I have a trailer. There are tons of trails around that we can use them on. I wouldn't use it for a hunting vehicle. Just a trail rider.

No, it doesn't have a recoil starter. I don't think any of them do anymore. Not the ones I looked at anyway. My Suzuki KQ 700 had one. Though I about popped a rib starting it that way.

Well..I still have one of the Hondas. It rides like a tank. It's full-time 4wd and I get sore every time I ride it.
I'd have another Yamaha if they could get me one in time. They're fine, but like honda, take forever to update their machines. I'm fine with "if it ain't broke don't fix it" but comeon! Get with the program! lol

The Suzuki KQ wouldn't run in the cold, and I use them in the cold. A LOT!

The Polaris' were POS but it took me twice to learn that lesson.

So here I sit with the can-am. so far, so good. But I need some time to decide it I like it a lot. So far they only thing I don't like is the single lever brakes and it's noisy.

I know Kawi Honda and Suzuki have them on their efi models. Wasn't sure if the new Ca-Am's did or not. My brothers 800 doesn't have one either but his is an older model.
You got yourself a good bike for sure.

If I ever took one of the two wheelers hunting instead of the Rokon, it would for sure be the Kawasaki even though it rides rougher with that solid axle. They both needed new batteries this year and that Polaris only has the electric start and it would be useless back in the hinterland if it wouldn't start. Even the 300 Kawasaki has a compression release with the auxiliary rope starter and I'd sure think that they would put a compression release on all those bigger engines with a manual starter.

I much prefer front AND rear brakes that I can use separately on a quad. Doubt any are made that way anymore?
My son had the 800 Can-Am, it was...well scary!
Now he has the SXS, very nice ride.

Speaking of breaks. I can't believe how much better the brakes are than any wheeler I've had. Wow! They'll throw ya if you're not paying attention.