Power Corrupts… Again!
There’s nothing like the sheer ridiculous power of a Rotax V-Twin rumbling under the seat. Aboard the Can-Am Outlander Max XT-P, you start to forget youÂ’re riding a 2-up ATV and turn all your attention to holding on tight while the pistons fire at each rotation of the crank.
This 800cc engine produces serious power and we mean it. Squeeze the trigger down a fire road and prepare for its arm-stretching jam to launch you to grin-inducing speeds.
One of the highlights of the Max is that it doesn’t feel bulky. You’re not left with the impression youÂ’ve had to sacrifice something to have the option of carrying a second passenger.
The OL’s natural seating position nestles your butt right in front of the raised passenger seat and you don’t find yourself wriggling or adjusting to find a more comfortable spot.
For an average-sized rider, it’s as close to perfect as youÂ’ll get. Just sit down, shut up and go. Standing feels equally natural. Handlebar height is spot-on for the average rider and all switchgear is accessible without distracting you from whatÂ’s up ahead.
Dynamic Power Steering eliminates just about any trail interference that isn’t soaked up by the suspension. Its user-selectable progressive dual mode allows you to choose between a minimum and maximum setting.
Our riders have found the max setting to be just a bit over the top, producing a nervous feeling through tight trail sections. The minimum setting is just about right and since it is progressive, the faster you go, the less assistance the power steering delivers. In this mode there’s still plenty of positive feedback through the handlebars so the rider can react quickly to any kind of trail chatter.
With so much power available at the flick of your thumb, stopping power should be equally impressive. A tempered squeeze of Can-Am’s single lever brake produces ample stoppage.
If you’ve done your homework, you’ve likely noticed that Can-Am’s Renegade features a dual lever hand brake system. We’ve found this system to be excellent and for anyone more comfortable with a dual-lever set-up, it leaves some of us wondering why Can-Am hasn’t implemented this same system across the board, particularly on the higher output Outlanders.
Since the 800 XT-PÂ’s release, Can-Am has had a stranglehold on horsepower with clean, even power delivery all the way along the curve. It seems that each model year this engine sets the bar for everyone else to reach for.
