Multi-passenger riding has taken off in recent years. The burgeoning side-by-side market along with increasing demand for 2-up ATVs has resulted in a vigorous effort by manufacturers to accommodate consumers who want the option of riding with a passenger.
Arctic Cat was the first OEM to offer a 2-up ATV with its TRV line and Can-Am quickly followed suit with its Outlander Max. Polaris responded by engineering the unique X2, which features a transforming rear seat/cargo box. While the X2 is still being manufactured, Polaris wanted to offer a more comfortable 2-up ATV for owners who dedicate most of their time to trail riding, opposed to working. Enter the new Touring models for 2008.
When we first tested the Polaris Sportsman 800 Touring 2-up ATV, we felt it was a little out of its element. Thanks to a whooped out riding location north of Reno, Nev., deciphering ride quality was infinitely tougher than answering Jeff Foxworthy’s “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” questions.
After bouncing around the choppy Hungry Valley Recreation Area terrain that caused white-knuckled riding for our passenger, we realized a fair evaluation needed to occur at a riding location of our choosing. We took the Sportsman 800 Touring to the Appalachian Mountains to further investigate this 2-up machine’s ride quality.
Since our first chance to test the Touring at the Reno press launch, Polaris updated the rear suspension, so we paid close attention to the changes when riding solo or with a passenger. Let’s dig into this 800 Touring model.
Walk Around The 800 Touring EFI uses the same engine as the Sportsman 800, a 760cc parallel twin four-stroke engine. Changes to improve clutching for faster acceleration and more low end torque result in about 10 percent more power. An inline shifter navigates high, low, neutral, reverse and park gears and was slightly modified with increased detents for positive engagement. Engine braking and the unique Active Descent Control (ADC) gadgetry are standard on the Touring.
Up front, the dated MacPherson strut suspension has 8.2 inches of travel and the fully independent, progressive rate rear suspension allows 8.75 inches of travel. The rear suspension received new spring rates to provide a smoother ride when riding in pairs.
Like the rest of the Sportsman line, the Touring employs single-lever braking that splits stopping power between the hydraulic disc brakes front and rear — the front brakes take on about 60 percent of the stopping duties. The rear brake can be operated independently with the foot brake pedal.
Durable cast aluminum wheels feature Polaris’ exclusive PXT tires — 25 x 8-12 front and 25 x 11-10 rear — developed by Carlisle. To accommodate two passengers comfortably, the 800 Touring comes with a 57-inch wheelbase — compared to a 50.75-inch wheelbase on the standard Sportsman — and measures 86 inches long, 48 wide and 48 high.
Aesthetically pleasing, automotive-style painted plastic (nine times more scratch resistant than standard plastic) is a feature one shouldn’t overlook. And, like the Sportsman 800, the Touring model comes with dual canisters that expel a quiet but cool exhaust note.
ATV News
Key features for this 800 Touring model include a class-leading seatback height, dual cup holders designed into the molded rear rack, three-position overmolded passenger hand grips and adjustable foot rests.
Ride Evaluation Simply put, the Sportsman 800 Touring is a trail riding king. At a location more suited toward the type of riding this machine was developed for, the 800 Touring received high marks for linear, broad power, a stable and smooth ride and an ADC platform that sold us on the concept after the first steep black diamond descent was behind us.
The power from the parallel twin isn’t overwhelming and is easy to control with one or two passengers on board. A linear powerband further enhanced the stable feel of the machine. As one tester said, “The power is there, but it’s not going to surprise you or try and get out from under you.” There was plenty of available power when climbing sharp uphill grades, and low range worked well when climbs had obstacles to crawl over.
Polaris claims a dry weight of 770 pounds for its largest Touring model. We measured a wet weight on our Intercomp scales at 841 pounds with the 6-gallon fuel tank topped off. With two riders, expect to be toting half-a-ton of weight or more when navigating the trails. As high as that figure sounds, the 800 Touring carries it well and the powerplant still has pep when pulling that much weight.
On downhills with the ADC system engaged, the 800 Touring handled its mass with grace. “The impact of ADC can not be understated. Especially on the trails we were riding,” one tester noted. “ADC completely sold me on this machine. The engine braking itself was fabulous. Equally, however, it was appreciated that you could turn off ADC when you wanted to go on a spirited trail ride and not feel like you’ve thrown out an anchor every time you let off the gas.”
In ADC mode, the hydraulic brakes shared stopping duties and were taxed less. This is the best way to ride if traversing rolling hills or mountain grades. On flat land, turn off the ADC and let the brakes do the work. Without ADC assist, the braking felt plenty responsive and managed our downhill tests well in slick conditions. We might sound like we’re beating a dead horse here, but we’d prefer Polaris get rid of single lever braking on top-of-the-line models.
With the long wheelbase and 48-inch width the machine felt stable and inspired confidence. The 800 Touring felt well balanced from front to back, riding solo or 2-up. However, we just aren’t fans of the dated MacPherson strut front end. It doesn’t devour terrain like the rear suspension. You might be wondering if Polaris will ever enter the new era of ATVing with a dual A-arm setup and preload adjustable suspension. We think, and hope the change will be made for 2009. But the good news is the rear suspension worked great with a passenger on board and soaked up some of the jars that would otherwise have been sent to the passenger.
Even with a longer wheelbase, turning wasn’t compromised and the 800 Touring can manage a mid-trail turnaround all right. In tight sections, expect a few more maneuvers to turn the ATV around and heading the direction you want. Ground clearance was as good as expected with the 57-inch wheelbase and riding 2-up. Under suspension compression, especially up front, the 11 inches of ground clearance was reduced and enough that we scraped over a few large rocks other ATVs didn’t touch.
In wet conditions, the PXT tires hooked up well, even over a few rock crawl sections. The PXT tires mated to cast aluminum wheels kept the Touring chugging through the toughest terrain and resisted failure. Expect to get your money’s worth and more out of the tire/wheel combination.
2-Up Ergos Analysis Real-world testing will quickly reveal flaws when it comes to ergonomics. And, let’s face it, ergos are almost as important as engine and suspension performance when riding 2-up. Fun trail cruises can be neutered quickly if one doesn’t feel comfortable, no matter what speed.
ATV News
We like where Polaris is headed with its 2-up comfort. The rear perch is set higher than the front seat and provides decent sight lines. Shorter passengers will have to lean a little to see the terrain ahead of the driver — to be expected.
A taller backrest is comfortable to lean against and provides ample support. However, one tester said it reclined a little too much, forcing her to lean back and took her out of an attack position for the terrain ahead. The recline did have one major benefit, though, as it gave space for both riders and helmets rarely knocked against each other. Overall, the seats received high marks and were adequately comfortable for medium-paced trail rides.
The overmolded passenger hand grips are not hard-fixed and flexible, which means wrists won’t be punished by the occasional square-edged hit. Said one tester, “I liked the flexible passenger handles, and there were hand holds to use a forward grip or rest my arms at my sides. Depending on the terrain, it was nice to have different hand hold locations to grip.” The three-way adjustable foot wells had ample traction, but our tallest rider said the lowest height was still a little too high and it was hard to stretch their legs out.
“I rarely felt uncomfortable riding 2-up as the driver,” one tester said. “Occasionally, I felt like I was closer to the bars than I wanted to be, but it wasn’t a nuisance and it was usually when terrain demanded more rider effort. I still felt more comfortable than I have on competitive machines.”
Overall, we are very impressed with the Sportsman 800 Touring — at $9,299. The machine was stable, powerful and comfortable. We think Polaris hit its intended market dead-on. The Sportsman 800 Touring is an upgrade to first class from coach, and the ticket to ride is certainly worth the price.
