Any way you slice it, Can-Am’s product line is a bit atypical. Futuristic styling, Surrounding Spar frames, a range of V-twin engines, inboard disc brakes, steep price tags and proprietary features such as the D.E.S.S. security system set the company’s ATVs apart from the competition. One thing’s for sure: Can-Am ATVs always have uniqueness going for them.
If anybody had their doubts, the wild, new-for-2007 Renegade 800 put them to rest. Its menacing quad-headlamp face came straight out of left field, but the big burbling V-twin came right out of the company playbook. Can-Am likes to go big.
For the Renegades, the company took its Outlander, switched out the plastics, removed the racks, added more aggressive wheels and tires and swapped in dual A-arms up front instead of the utility’s MacPherson struts. The promise of a sportier Outlander with less weight, but the same powerful 800cc V-twin, was intriguing and our testing proved its on-the-trail performance was athletic. But then came the $9,299 price tag. For some, this machine was perfect for making a statement and winning drag races. For the rest, it was an ATV exotic: beautiful, fast and different, but a bit too expensive. To reach a broader audience with this competent and interesting ride, the company engineers dropped in the 500-class V-twin from the mid-size Outlander 500 to build the Renegade 500. The outcast has gone mainstream.
Bringing A Gun to a Knife Fight
Looking at its closest 4x4 competitors, the Polaris Scrambler 500 and Yamaha’s Wolverine 450, Can-Am’s Renegade 500 brings big ammunition to battle. Electronic fuel injection, the most powerful engine in its class (and the only V-twin), the automatic Visco-Lok front differential, ritzy center-cast aluminum wheels with ITP Holeshot tires, five-way preload adjustable shocks, projector beam headlamps and an elaborate digital gauge cluster all give the baby Renegade plenty to brag about.
Thankfully, the company took the re-engineering opportunity and corrected an early faux pas on the 800 — as of 2008, all Renegades now get independently controlled front and rear brakes. For fun, safety and performance’s sake, something this sporty needs independent control. We’d even go as far to say all ATVs should have them, but maybe that’s just us. The CVT compartment was also revised to better resist intrusive water.
The Renegade 500 rings up $1,700 cheaper than the 800, at $7,599. That total is still well above the Wolverine and Scrambler, but those machines are quite dated and deliver fewer thrills. Based on appearances and specs, the Renegade 500 looks good.
Taming the Beast The hills of the central Appalachian Mountains were our setting for the test, in the midst of our recent ATV Trials event. With impressions of several sporty rides still fresh in mind, we hit the trail. Saddling up was a quick reminder that the Renegade is a very comfy ride. It’s a wide machine, due to the CVT, but the seat-to-tank relationship is admirable, providing a nice perch to ride hard. The seat foam is soft and is a very welcome respite compared to riding pure sport quads.
With significantly less horsepower, the Renegade 500 clearly lacks the punch of its larger brother, but it’s not down on power as one might expect. Long, steep hills pose little challenge, and this is still a speedy ride. In terms of power and refinement, it is more than enough to trump the Scrambler and Wolverine. You won’t break the tires loose from a dead stop, but the mid and top ranges are sufficiently strong for the trail.
ATV News
Can-Am said it recalibrated its Visco-Lok automatic front differential to activate the multi-plate clutch six full turns quicker this year and we believe it. While we typically like more direct control over the 4WD/differential system, like Yamaha’s company-wide two-button system, automatic engagement works well for a trail cruiser such as this. We never spun the wheels on wet uphill trails, and the Visco-Lok operation was smooth and transparent.
Ergonomics have recently been a Can-Am strong suit, and the 500’s low, adjustable bars fit well, allow plenty of leverage and are covered with effective all-new waffle-type grips. Down below, feet are held in place by industry leading serrated metal foot pegs with aggressive kick-ups to prevent sliding off the ends. In the mountains, the solid ergonomics keep the rider planted and in control, but there’s only so much body English one can do to manipulate 600-plus pounds. It’s more of a hang-on-and-ride vehicle, rather than a playful sport quad.
Brake Check As we mentioned, we were happy Can-Am choose to outfit the Renegade twins with independent braking. It makes a big difference and quells our biggest complaint with the original version.
There’s still work to be done on the brakes, though. Like the Outlanders, the inboard disc rear brake is an all-or-nothing affair that’s accompanied with a lot of mechanical chatter once it locks up. Sure, some other ATVs do this, but Can-Am’s brakes often seem to make the most racket. Stopping power is good, though, and there’s great engine braking that’s predictable and doesn’t allow unexpected freewheeling down hills.
The biggest annoyance was the brake pedal that’s mounted too high in the floorboard for quick, natural use. You need to lift your whole boot to get your toe on top of the pedal. Every test rider noted this flaw and most migrated to using the hand levers only. Examining the problem further showed that the entire linkage is feebly designed, something we’ve previously noted on the 800.
ATV News
Aside from our braking grievances, there’s much to like about this new Renegade, especially the way it handles. The 500 and 800 have the same dry weight of 607 pounds, which is a lot of machine to manhandle around in sporty fashion. But it absorbs bumps admirably and never transmitted jarring shocks to the rider, through the seat or the bars. For economy’s sake, it comes with Motion Control shocks, versus the high-pressure gas shocks on the 800, but performance does not suffer. Body roll was hardly a factor.
Less Would Be More In a post-ride conversation with a Can-Am representative, your author was told that Can-Am aims to be the BMW of ATVs. With the knockout good looks, top-end engines and high-dollar features, the company is not far off from that goal.
There are two problems, though. Even with a smaller engine, the Renegade 500 is just too heavy and expensive. Our unit measured 697 pounds ready-to-ride on our Intercomp scales, with a full fuel tank. That’s a lot of mass for a 500cc engine to scoot around, even with two cylinders. Sporty performance is all about less weight, more power and agile handling.
If we had our way, we’d take this directive one step further and ditch the digital gauges, security system and fancy (but flimsy) rims to save on price. This quad is leaps and bounds more refined than its competitors, but it would be a better value if it competed better on price, too.
