I currently have a 2010 Kawasaki Prairie 360 and am looking to upgrade to something with more power as it's hard to keep up with my friends with Kawasaki Kfx700's and Yamaha Grizzly 650's. I'm stuck between the Can-am Renegade 800R X xc and the Polaris Scrambler 850. What I get out of both is they are pretty much matched, minus the beadlocks on the can-am and the Polaris got a bigger engine. I'm about 5' 7" and 185 pounds. I'm usually riding on flat/rocky surfaces, and fast moving rocky trails. I also like the occasional drag race and love and I mean LOVE doing donuts. So, I'm still left wondering which ATV to choose out of the two. Please help me decide. I weigh the plusses and minuses but they all end up evening out. What are the major pros and cons of each?


*I will also post this in the Can-am section as I dont want it biased. . .

 

are you going to do any technical 4x4 riding?
big rocks? swamp riding where you don't want to spin? muskeg?

can-am 4x4 only works if you're spinning. otherwise you're limited slip.

 

Can-am's QE visco is instant lock- it's not an issue. There's always going to be vids of something not working - i can post a dozen vids showing the QE locking instantly-
On my new 2013 1k the diff locks just raising the front and trying to spin the tires by hand.

Mechanically- neither ATV above will ever leave you stranded or stuck- both are best in the industry. Personally- I think the new scrambler is the ugliest ATV ever made. It looks like a bulldog with an underbite.
Engine wise- the 800 v- twin rotax and the inline twin polaris 850 are about the same- i believe the rotax 800 may actually have a couple more hp- but can't remember right now.

It should also be noted that neither of the atv's in the above vids are using the visco QE front diff that was offered on the 2010 atv's.

 

Not really my type of machine at the moment. I do have to say that I LOVE beadlocks. The rims are incredibly durable and tire changes are mostly headache free.

 

None of the above. I've been leaning to the Polaris, but I really want beadlocked wheels as I have tore some tires from the rim before. Would you happen to know if thats a upgrade I could get made to the ATV through Polaris when it's being bought or would I have to do it myself after?

 

As stated above the newer Can-Ams have a quicker engagement than the pre-2010 models. I have it on my Outlander Max and it works fine. Just a fraction of a second slower than on my previous Polaris Sportsman X2 which I couldn't notice no matter how hard I tried. They are both excellent systems now. If you want racks standard go with the Scrambler. I agree that it's plug ugly but pretty doesn't matter in a race. Have not had a chance to ride one yet but I would bet the Scrambler is a little better in corners because of the difference in the CVTs between Polaris and Can-Am. Polaris is a little more subtle on the power where the Can-Am 800 and 1000 seriously lighten the front end if you goose the throttle. That can cause a traction loss in corners. Just some random thoughts. If I had the money I'd have a tough time deciding between the two.

 

I do like the looks of the Renegade better but it's list price is $3,000 more. For that big of a difference in price I think I could get used to ugly. $3,000 would buy new wheels and a whole lot of gas.

 

Great point.

 

Is it still 3000 dollars difference LE vs. XXC? have to compare apples to apples.
I believe the old 800 lighter weight might beat a scram in a race. but the new frame is heavier, one needs the 1000 rene to beat the 850. So I hear and read.

newer viscolock appears much better, still not what I want. but fine maybe better for lots of riding situations.