king' s outdoor world - Index

king' s outdoor world - Hunting Illustrated - October/November 2007 - Index

that folds into the rear cargo box
and can therefore accommodate a
passenger. The conversion takes
just seconds and, once you get
the hang of it, can almost be done
with just one hand. This gives
you the advantage of not always
having to have that second seat
taking up valuable space. If you
have a passenger, flip it up and
you are ready to go. Going out on
a solo trip? Simply fold it down
and increase your storage space to
bring along more gear. The only
drawback of this system is that with the
seat folded down under the box, it does
tend to get dusty, muddy or whatever else
you may have gone through.
The second feature that was a
welcome sign for all Polaris fans is that
in 2007 Polaris introduced the Active
Descent Control (ADC). What the ADC
provides is four-wheel engine braking
while going down hills. It has been a
long time coming, and Polaris is actually
quite late to the party with this feature,
but better late than never. However,
Polaris believes that they have put their
unique twist on this feature and provides
isolated cases that this component is
actually engaged. We all know that
descending steep hills can be tricky and
sometimes flat-out scary, especially on
today's larger and heavier ATVs. Instead
of providing four-wheel engine braking
100% percent of the time when you let
your thumb off the throttle, Polaris only
allows the ADC to engage when you are in
All-Wheel Drive, are operating at speeds
below 15 mph and/or there is no throttle
being applied. Polaris feels that you are
really only in need of increased engine
braking during these circumstances.
After a little time in the saddle and
giving the ADC a little testing on some
hills, I realized that in most cases Polaris
was right. However, I didn't quite find
the scary steep hills I really wanted to
test it on either. Nonetheless, I got used
to this feature after a while and adjusted
my riding to accommodate the machine's
limitations in certain situations.
I feel Polaris has once again
come up with a combination that works.
The bigger, heavier ATVs that Polaris
produces are actually an advantage on
these two-up models. They have adjusted
the rear suspension to minimize rear-end
squat under acceleration and features
A-arms and two-stage springs that are
angled to improve the ride by creating
wheel travel that moves up and back. I
preferred the bigger 800 engine to the
500 for the extra power when having a
passenger. The ride is very comfortable
and the versatility of the cargo box makes
this a great utility hauler that can work
and play all day long. Having someone
along to enjoy that work and play with
you is always an added bonus.
Got cargo? The Sportsman X2
provides plenty of room for storing
your gear and hauling a heavy load.
Here is a great view of the second seat
that folds out of the cargo box providing
a comortable ride for a passenger
The cargo dump box has a tailgate and
is shown with the second seat folded and
hidden allowing plenty of cargo room
Simple controls, a good in-line shifter,
and a switch for turf mode, 2W and
4Wheel drive mode on the handlebar
R A T I N G
October/November 79