2009 Outlander 400XT EFI REVIEW
Monday, June 23, 2008 (09:30:47)
Posted by Weasel
2009 CAN-AM
Outlander 400XT EFI
REVIEW
by
Scott Monroe
Outlander 400XT EFI
REVIEW
by
Scott Monroe
Introduction:
For 2009 the Can-Am Outlander 400 EFI continues Can-Am’s push to introduce the best sport utility ATV’s to the market. Does the Outlander 400XT EFI have what it takes to continue Can-Am’s reputation of bringing what ATV enthusiasts want in performance, power and workability to every division of the market? This is what we intended on finding out while putting the Outlander 400XT EFI through its paces.
Click HERE to read the entire review:
Click HERE to participate in the forum discussion
First Impressions:
The first thing you will notice about the Outlander 400 XT EFI is that is has a entirely different appearance then its fellow Outlanders. A more upright seating position, different instrument cluster and all together different feel in regards to ergonomics and steering / handlebar angle. With that said I have to admit I haven’t had much time on the Outlander 400. So I was very curious as to what I should expect from Can-Am’s 400cc ATV.
Comfort:
After initially being very apprehensive and unsure of what to expect I quickly had a smile on my face. I decided not to look at what type of suspension it had, didn’t ask what sort of upgrades if any it had received and went into each and every ride as non-biased as I possible could. Yes it was obvious there was now a skid, new decals, and did I mention I was on a 400cc machine? I say that because being very familiar with Can-Am’s flagship ATV, the Outlander 800XT EFI, I was thinking to myself just how comfortable the Outlander 400XT EFI was!
I was going through various off-chamber situations and right away noticed the front seemed very stable and held its direction incredible well. Not only this, but the steering ease was great and very easy on my shoulders.
I continued on and started seeing that the Outlander 400XT EFI was every bit a Can-Am. It would give any prospective owner easily a day’s work, and do so with comfort that would beg for more use the very next day. Soon after I had ridden around 5 miles I had this thought in the back of my mind that just wouldn’t go away. “Is this front a strut suspension system, because this just doesn’t feel like any Outlander I’ve ridden”?
I slowed down, pulled off the trial and jumped off to the surprise of my photographer. I kneeled down and sure enough, struts! MacPherson struts to be exact (struts that Can-Am says is tuned specifically for the 400cc Outlander) and I was in shock. Many that have been in and or around the ATV industry know that the market is going the way of replacing solid rear axles (SRA) and moving away from struts to double A-arm suspensions. They are lighter, allow for more suspension travel and generally are considered for more high-performance based machines.
I was still in a bit of disbelief and decided to continue on to see if what I felt was real and decided to put the thumb down to make sure that the front was up to the task of aggressive riding.
Power / Handling:
I quickly starting taking some of the small jumps just a bit harder and pushing it into the corners with more throttle and aggression. The Outlander 400XT EFI responded with a smooth power-band and it enjoys being driven at various speeds. It can crawl with ease in technical situations with a silky smooth engagement. Yet solid gearing allows the motor to wind up into the rpm’s to get good acceleration out of the 400cc Rotax (single stroke) motor when needed.
After riding it more aggressively for about another lap or two I became convinced that the Outlander 400XT’s entire setup may be one of the best in the Outlander lineup.
Before you choke, understand that this ATV is an entry level ATV that will be competing in a very competitive cc division. With the likes of Honda, and Yamaha dominating the smaller cc’s for years with the Rancher and Kodiak respectively, I am surprised we haven’t heard more out of the Outlander 400XT EFI.
Truly many don’t know just how good the Outlander 400XT EFI is and that should change. Sure, in theory (or political correctness I suppose) I shouldn’t be bragging on the struts or the lack of updated ergonomics. But being different in this case isn’t all bad.
After more laps I liked the OEM suspension setup for this motor and ergonomics even more. It responded positively under hard cornering and yet only when pushed beyond its capabilities did the suspension, front struts to be exact, showed any signs of being as many believe, outdated (and needing to be updated)
Speaking of needing updated, the one “great” feature for 2009 is the high-density polyethylene injection-molded skid plate this is now included on all Outlanders! So when that suspension does hit its limit, the SST frame now has some protection (I can hear Outlander owners everywhere rejoicing).
Final Thoughts:
I can make this very simple for prospective buyers. If you are looking at getting a second ATV for the rest of the family or wanting to get a smaller, lighter, cheaper ATV for all around use (and a million other reasons). You should give yourself the chance to at least give the Outlander 400XT EFI a look.
With EFI, Visco-Lok front differential, Trailing Torsional Independent Rear Suspension, Surrounding Spar Technology frame, Skid Plate, 26” Carlisle ACT radial tires, Warn 3000lbs winch, disc brakes all the way around, Cast-Aluminum wheels, Steel front and rear bumpers, and last but not least Can-Am Digitally Encoded Security System. What is NOT to like about the Outlander 400XT EFI?
That is what we set out to find out and we got our answer loud and clear. The only real complaint is that the ATV honestly looks more outdated then it really is. It hurts this ATV I’ve concluded in that it doesn’t look like the rest of the Outlander lineup (especially the Instrument cluster) and therefore appears like it is outdated and not had the proper attention brought to it and buyers skip it and end up buying a larger Can-Am product or simply going to the aforementioned known mid-classed ATV’s.
That would be a huge mistake by any prospective buyer to do so. The Can-Am 400XT EFI in my opinion has the power, handling, comfort, workability, and overall package to compete with many 500cc ATV’s currently on the market (and the price tag to). So comparing it to anything less than any current 400 to 500 cc ATV’s by any other manufacturer is simply not fair. It is definitely worth a look as it does in fact uphold Can-Am’s standard of offering ATV enthusiasts performance in a utility package.
General features and specifications:
THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? Follow the discussion in the forum HERE IN THE ATVFRONTIER CAN-AM FORUM