In 1973, the most horrifying flick ever, The Exorcist, hit the movie screens, the man of steel, Bruce Lee, passed away and the counterculture grew up and traded its flowery love-and-peace mantra for a regular job. But outside of the mainstream news, a small Canadian company called Bombardier set out to defy all odds and make its mark in the motorcycle world. Under the name Can-Am, short for Canadian-American, the company anxiously entered the motorcycle market. Initially, Can-Am struggled to successfully promote its products to the American consumer. However, the lessons were quickly learned and in short order it assembled what would later be referred to as "The Dream Team." Can-Am signed legendary MX racers Gary Jones, Marty Tripes and Jim Ellis to win titles and prove Can-Am to be a serious contender with competitive off-road machinery. To the amazement of most, the victorious Can-Am team walked away with the top three plates for the '74 National motocross season. The honeymoon ended by the mid-'80s as a shift in focus for the Canadian company led to the last Can-Am motorcycle rolling off the assembly line in 1987.
Now nearly two decades later, Bombardier has resurrected its Can-Am name with a fresh commitment to pushing the boundaries in technological advances. And it will be ATVs, not dirt bikes, wearing the Can-Am logo, as the former BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) ATV lineup undergoes more than a name change. BRP President and Chief Executive Officer Jose Boisjoli explained, "We believe the Can-Am brand better represents the positioning of our products in the marketplace and provides the perfect platform to reach out to and attract power-sports enthusiasts."
Since this was a touch before my time, I did a little research to find out what Can-Am was and what it had accomplished. My Google search resulted in an unexpected insight to Can-Am's exciting history and a much-improved perspective as to where Bombardier was headed with this new branding.
There's the history lesson-I was more interested to sample the new models joining the now Can-Am line. Since the company picked the Durhamtown Plantation, I had a home-court advantage. My intimate association with these trails meant I could pinpoint the performance characteristics of the new models in the brief amount of time the factory honchos let us ride their handmade specials.
As the new Can-Am ATV sat on stage waiting to be revealed to the collected press, I just knew it would be a new 450-and could not have been more off track. When the cover came off, I was shocked to see a shiny yellow Renegade 800 4x4. At first glance, it bore more than a passing resemblance to the Kawasaki KXF700 (a.k.a. V-Force). It didn't take long for me to realize this could be the machine to fill the gap between recreational sport and utility ATVs. Can-Am basically shaved 42 pounds from the Outlander 800 and gave it a sportier look and feel while maintaining all its utility benefits. The Renegade's 597 pounds of goodies include high-tech components, such as EFI, four-wheel-drive with Visco-Lok, Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) and, best of all, that scary-fast 800cc motor.
2007 Renegade 800 H.O. EFI 4x4
MSRP: $9299
Engine type: V-twin, four-stroke, four-valve OHC
Displacement: 800cc
Bore x stroke: 91x62mm
Cooling: Liquid-cooled
Carburetion: Dual Siemens VDO EFI system with 46mm throttle body
Starting: Electric
Drive system: Shaft, 2x4/4x4 with Visco-Lok front differential
Transmission: Automatic CVT with high/low range, reverse
Front suspension type/travel: RS-type dual A-arms/9.0 in.
Rear suspension type/travel: RS-type TTI, independent/10.0 in.
Front tires: 25x8-12
Rear tires: 25x10-12
Front brake: Dual hydraulic discs
Rear brake: Hydraulic disc
Wheelbase: 51.0 in.
Claimed dry weight: 597 lb
Ground clearance: 12.0 in.
Length/width/height: 86.0/46.0/45.0 in.
Seat height: 34.5 in.
Fuel capacity: 5.3 gal.
Rack capacity: 200 lb
Towing capacity: 1300 lb
Taillight: Yes
Headlight: Four 60-watt
DC outlet: Cigarette-style in console, standard in back
Instrumentation: Fuel gauge, speedometer, odometer, hourmeter, tripmeter, tachometer; prewired for winch
Color: Yellow
Enough talk already, it was time to find out how this aggressive-looking monster performed. First off, the four-stroke 800cc V-twin was more than a handful in almost any scenario-no surprise since it's the same raging mill housed in the powerhouse Outlander 800. If power is what you desire, we have found your match. The Renegade felt right at home on open trails that allowed high speeds. But as the forest closed in tightly, I had to be much more attentive. As thrilling as the 800cc motor was, I found myself fighting to keep the front tires away from the trunks of the trees. Turning was difficult, especially when pounding out trails aggressively, as the front tires tended to push. Fortunately, the Can-Am engineers on hand were taking improvement notes to add to the feedback from the factory GNCC race team. This was, after all, a handmade $45,000 prototype, so Can-Am conceded that tweaking and improvements were still taking place. I can't wait to try a polished production unit, as overcoming impossible obstacles is where the Renegade will shine. The IRS and 4WD capabilities it inherited from the Outlander made tackling even the roughest of terrain a cinch.
2007 Outlander Max 800 H.O. EFI 4x4 Limited
Imagine altering the Outlander 800 along with its enormous power, handling and smooth ride so it comfortably seats two riders. Can-Am did just that while keeping all the standard Outlander's features, such as EFI, IRS, inboard hydraulic brakes and the massive 800cc Rotax engine. And Can-Am offers it in a Limited Edition package endowed with a removable GPS system, steel-gray metallic paint job, silver seat trim, polished cast-aluminum wheels, mud guards and muffler trim. If your budget allows, the $11,599 Limited Edition Outlander 800 Max is a top-notch work of art almost too pretty to ride.
But I couldn't wait to get this beauty into the dirt for a romp. And fortunately for me, I was able to rustle up a copilot, as one of the lovely Can-Am employees dared to take a spin with me. I admit I had my reservations about a two-up machine, but to my surprise this luxury touring beast handled the two of us effortlessly. The Outlander always felt sturdy, even at speed and was a champ on the trails. Its power was perfect for pulling the both of us up and down the steep red clay-covered hills, and the suspension never bottomed out nor felt too stiff. The GPS system is sure to help riders keep on course and enable them to track their adventures and rolling with confidence. To anyone who enjoys tackling trails as a couple, I would truly recommend the Outlander Max 800 as the perfect way to go. In fact, its only downfall is that it performed much better with two aboard than going solo.
2007 Outlander Max 800 H.O. EFI 4x4 Limited
MSRP: $11,599
Engine type: V-twin, four-stroke, four-valve OHC
Displacement: 800cc
Bore x stroke: 91x62mm
Cooling: Liquid-cooled
Carburetion: Dual Siemens VDO EFI system with 46mm throttle body
Starting: Electric
Drive system: Shaft, 2x4/4x4 with Visco-Lok front differential
Transmission: Automatic CVT with high/low range, reverse
Front suspension type/travel: Dual A-arms/8.0 in.
Rear suspension type/travel: TTI, independent/9.0 in.
Front tires: 26x8-12
Rear tires: 26x10-12
Front brake: Dual hydraulic discs
Rear brake: Hydraulic disc
Wheelbase: 59.0 in.
Claimed dry weight: 689 lb
Ground clearance: 12.0 in.
Length/width/height: 94.0/46.0/45.0 in.
Seat height: 34.5 in.
Fuel capacity: 5.3 gal.
Front/rear rack capacity: 100/200 lb
Towing capacity: 1300 lb
Taillight: Yes
Headlight: Dual 35-watt
DC outlet: Cigarette-style in console, standard in back
Instrumentation: Fuel gauge, speedometer, odometer, hourmeter, tripmeter, tachometer
Package content: BRP XL2500 winch by Warn, roller fairlead, wired remote control, cast-aluminum rims, aggressive-tread Carlisle ACT radial tires, heavy-duty front and rear bumpers, hand guards, integrated/removable GPS, mud guards, premium seat, premium hand grips, muffler trim
Color: Steel-gray metallic
| + | > Handles like a champ > Power manages two riders with perfection |
| - | > Solo riding reduces performance > Very pricey |
| = | > It’s so comfortable and accurate that you’ll forget you have a passenger |
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