Dear Motorhead,
Love your show. I am in the market for a side-x-side. The Maverick is way cool, but so is the Wildcat X. Most of my riding will be on rocks, forest roads and trails – also occasionally sand dunes.
It is very difficult to decide what is actually the best for comfort, power and suspension. What SXS would you purchase and why? Would you help me to decide?
Thank you very much,
Doug
Doug:
Thanks for your email!
We appreciate your kind words and are pleased you enjoy the show! I think you should also include the Polaris RZR XP 900 in your purchase decision.
Your question is really difficult to definitively answer. These three vehicles are at the pinnacle of the Pure Sport SXS market and now that Arctic Cat has stepped up and given their Wildcat the extra power it needed last year – the playing field is virtually level with these superb vehicles.
Here’s what our guys think. If you’re going to run a lot of trails (and BTW – none of these rides are really good on trails because they are so wide) the RZR 900 XP is the best.
If you are looking at high speed desert running with gnarly terrain the Maverick is hands down the fastest and its suspension (X-Package) the best at those high speeds in rough terrain.
The Wildcat is a great compromise between the two and has the necessary jam, suspension and handling to keep it competitive in this segment.
I know, that isn’t a very definitive answer but even we need more time with these three rockets – it’s really hard to call with the Maverick so new, the Wildcat so updated and the RZR the original (and still very competent) Pure Sport SXS.
Good luck!
Motorhead Mark
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for a shootout coming this season!
