The 88 HP can take this RZR from a dead stop
on a steep hill and allow it to accelerate all
the way to the top. The PVT transmission has
excellent setting with good back shifting to
always keep the XP in the best power range for
any situation. The power of this unit can be
deceiving one minute you are cruising at a comfortable
20 to 30 mph and with a quick stab of the throttle
the rear of this RZR reminds you that it has
the capability to pass the front end in the
blink of an eye.
|
| The
Polaris RZR XP 900 performed extremely
well through the deep sand whoops on our
test ride |
The suspension is a little firm at lower speeds
but as the speed increases the ride quality also
increases. The faster you drive the better this
unit responds and the more confidence you gain.
Deep sand whoops and rough trails can be tackled
at a very high rate of speed. The chassis on the
XP is 4.4 inches longer than the RZR 800 chassis
which helps to increase stability with less front
to rear pitch change. Even at speeds upward of
60 mph through the rough sand washes, cross ruts
and washouts are almost not even felt while the
chassis stays straight and level.
|
|
The
Polaris RZR XP 900 also features an impressive
13" of ground clearance |
After pushing the XP fairly hard for the first
half of the 17 mile trail loop we stopped and
checked the temperature of the FOX 2.0 piggy
backs shocks. We found that the right rear shock
was considerably warmer than the other three
due to the location of the exhaust head pipe
being very close to the reservoir. Polaris has
a heat shield in place but with a lack air flow
in that area doesn't provide enough cooling.
Even with the high temp of the right rear shock
we never felt any shock fade. With 13 inches
of ground clearance, I never worried about straddling
rocks and trail obstacles. If you would encounter
a large obstacle on the trail, you can feel
confident that the built in engine cradle and
quarter inch thick full belly skid will keep
the vital components safely out of harms way.
The extreme performance of the RZR XP 900 also
necessitates extreme brake performance. Polaris
outfitted the XP 900 with large bore dual piston
front brake calipers and optimized single piston
rear calipers. The brakes are designed to provide
more braking power with less input at the pedal.
This increase in braking force allows the XP
900 to slow from high rate of speed to almost
a dead stop in a controlled manner in a very
short distance without having to push the pedal
through the floor. The brake system is very
responsive and provides delay free stopping
power with every push on the pedal. Even after
continual high speed use the brake never lost
any feel or effectiveness. The brake performance
on the XP allows the driver to stay on the throttle
longer and brake much later all while maintaining
complete control.
The only thing that I felt Polaris could improve
on with the RZR 900 XP would be a little more
outside leg room for both driver and passenger.
For a taller person the wheel well intrudes
on the leg room for your outside foot. I also
thought that maybe a molded foot pocket in the
fender well to help you brace with your outside
leg could be nice. The biggest challenges the
consumer will have with this unit is that it
is truly designed for wide open spaces and not
for tighter trail use with its 64”+ width,
but it will be right at home in the desert and
ofcourse at the sand dunes.
For the Last 4 years since the release of the
RZR 800 Polaris has continually rewarded the consumer
with new and innovative products that beg to be
used. It is evident that they have a clear vision
of the future and continually strive to meet the
demands of their consumers. With this focus on
performance and success is should be no surprise
that they have again surpassed my expectations
with the release of the Ranger RZR XP 900.
