ATVer says:
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH on a BOMBARDIER 800EFI XT
I'd like to throw out some of my impressions of my Bomb 800EFI after over 20 hours and 250 miles of seat time. First, about me, I live in Colorado Springs and have been riding for about 12 years. I have ridden all over the Rocky Mountains, and Moab Utah. I have owned a Honda 300 Fourtrax, Honda Foreman 400, Polaris Scrambler 500, Suzuki King Quad 300, Polaris Sportsman 500HO, Polaris 700 (carb) and Polaris 700EFI , so when I reference the Polaris 700EFI, it is just that, my reference till now. This is not a Polaris vs Bombardier comparison.
I'll get to the bottom line right from the start, I have not been able to get the smile off my face since getting this quad. It has brought a whole new level of enjoyment to my riding. But of course it's not perfect, so I'll point out some of my issues along with the highlights.
With a Rotax 800cc V-twin engine under you, it's obvious you have some power to work with. It's not about top speed, it's about effortlessly climbing steep inclines at 11,000 feet above sea level, it's about slowly working your way through rough terrain in high range with out lugging the engine, you get the idea. If you're one of those guys that love sport quads but needs a 4wd quad to hang with your buddies, the Bomb should fill the bill quite well.
A quad that handles this well will get my attention every time. I love the responsive handling and smooth ride. It reminds me a lot of the Honda Rincon in that department. With the power this quad has, you can straighten the quad with a flip of the throttle, or slide through corners at will. This combination of power and handling equals a great deal of fun when you have the opportunity to use it. Of course you can't ignore the brakes with this kind of power, dual inboard disks in front and a disk in the rear set on the drive shaft. They work very, very well with the single lever system.
My biggest concern when purchasing this quad was the Visco-Lock 4wd system, I have been a big fan of the Polaris system, it never let me down and works great going uphill. Turns out I was worried needlessly, smooth progressive engagement of the locking system has worked flawlessly for me climbing icy rocky hills, descending a loose granite slope and turning off camber to go back up with the quad tracking perfectly, no slipping or sliding. Very impressive.
The last ride was in some difficult, technical, off camber, steep, rutted, rocky terrain that really put this quad to the test, I'll say it right here, put this quad in low range and flip that 4wd switch on and you have a monster! The power is easy to control, it's easy to steer and it's unstoppable! The engine braking is amazing, I was able to go down a steep rutted hillside covered with big tree roots in complete control, which was not the case with other quads in the group, matter of fact some were slightly out of control. The same when descending an off camber crushed granite hill side, the control I had was very confidence inspiring compared to the many times I had been down this on the Polaris.
I could give a lot more examples where this quad shines for me, but I think you get the idea, so I'll move on to a couple of weaknesses that I (and others) have noticed. First let's talk about the lack of skid plates, exposed frame, and exposure of critical parts underneath. Seems like very ride, I smack that nose on a rock. It's not a big deal to me since I have skids, but it is very irritating. I've cranked the shock preloads up as high as I can with little difference. Another inch of clearance up front would be perfect and is badly needed. This was never an issue on the Polaris quads since they have great ground clearance. Look under there closely in stock form and you'll see the brake valve hanging out in the open, along with the engine case, brake rotors, drive shafts, floor board supports etc all exposed and ready for damage. Point is, DO NOT ride this quad in rough or rocky terrain with out skid plates in place. For the selling price, they should have been included.
Second, storage space, once a box or bag is mounted on the rear rack, there basically is no "on the quad" storage space for those rarely used, but needed accessories.
Third, the winch spool is not viewable on the XT model, I don't mind the location, but not being able to see how the cable winds back in will be a problem sooner or later.
Fourth, and this is a nit pick, is the BRP heated handgrips. They heat up well and keep your hands nice and toasty, but comfort is not a thought here, they're thin with little to no cushioning. After an hour my hands were cramping due to the small diameter.
I hope this gives some perspective buyers a look at what they get for the high price tag of a big bore machine. Is it the best quad out there? Heck no, there's no single quad that can do it all for everyone. This is not the quad for heavy work or hauling. It's a large bore sport / utility ATV with 4wd meant for trail riding enjoyment. Accent on Sport. I would have no hesitation in buying one again, and would run to the nearest dealer to do so. I'll sum it up as follows:
HIGHS: Extremely high fun factor.
The Visco-lock system.
Engine braking.
Outstanding control and confidence in difficult situations.
V-Twin power with a great exhaust note.
LOWS: Exposed underneath, skid plates are a must and add additional cost to an already
high priced quad.
Stiffer front springs may be needed for plow use and a little more clearance.
Little to no storage space built onto the quad.
Big price tag.
Feel free to forward any comments or questions to:
John Davis
Jsdavis6846@adelphia.net
