2013 Can-Am Outlander 1000 X Mr Review – Video
Already the cream of the mud riding crop, BRP gave its Outlander X mr some major upgrades for 2013, including a big boost in the power department and a new chassis. The result is the impressive 2013 Can-Am Outlander 1000 X mr.
This very well received mud riding (and racing) ATV was first introduced in the original G1 chassis and with an 800-class engine. For the 2013 model year BRP built the X mr around the newer G2 chassis and the awesome 976cc, fuel injected, V-Twin Rotax engine to make statement that can’t be ignored.
Starting with the sheer power bolted in between your legs, the 1000-class mill produces an amazing 82 horsepower for shredding mud. The power of this machine is incredible and some even say it could be overboard for an ATV. Looking from an open class mud racer’s perspective, we’d say it’s got the makings of an awesome race vehicle. Taking a deep breath through the redesigned air box and down the 46mm throttle body there are twin Siemens VDO injectors spraying go juice into the combustion chamber. This engine barely spins over once before it fires to life.
Keeping the V-Twin cool is very important when the mud gets thick so Can-Am added a larger radiator for 2013 to help combat the heat. Relocating the radiator to the front rack also keeps it up and out of the shallower mud. This allows for easier cleaning of the radiator as well.
The larger radiator is mounted higher behind the front rack to keep it out of the mud.
Moving on to the suspension on the 2013 Can-Am Outlander 1000 X mr, we find a great innovative design that makes sense for the casual mud racer. Getting a Can-Am Outlander up in the air and out of harm’s way has been a goal of any true deep mud rider. With the previous year’s model, owners would be stuck at the stock height unless they wanted to redo the suspension each time they rode.
Fox Air Control Suspension adjusts to different heights for different conditions.
But for 2013 the engineers in the shop at Can-Am came up with a way to give the X mr owner the best of both worlds and one heck of a good ride to boot. The six-position adjustable Fox Air Control Suspension (ACS) is the answer for any trail ride conditions. The onboard compressor adjusts the front and rear shocks to the low side for trail riding and the high side for deep mud digging. At full height the X mr will have over 11 inches of center ground clearance to allow the huge Thirty-inch Gorilla Silverback tires to dig deep. Adding to the sweetness, the X mr offers 9.0 inches of travel up front and 9.3 in the rear. Needless to say, this is a very nice addition to the mud-specific Outlander.
After taking care of the suspension, BRP decided to find a way to make handling a little easier. With the large 30-inch Gorilla Silverback tires mated to the Visco-Lok QE auto locking front differential, this behemoth could have been hard to steer. The 2013 Outlander 1000 X mr now comes with the BRP’s patented Tri-Mode Dynamic Power steering to loosen the bars up a bit for a smooth and comfortable ride. The digital dash selectable Min, Med and Max modes allows the rider to choose a setting to suit his needs and with a regressive-style assist the power steering reduces as the speed picks up to keep the rider in control.
Other items that make this mudder a bad boy include a 3000-pound Warn winch, 14-inch rims with 30-inch Gorilla Silverback tires, and a 59-inch wheelbase. As well, the X mr is available dressed in the exclusive NEXT G-1 Vista Camouflage. The integrated snorkel system is located up high under the digital dash and keeps the CVT dry with the fresh air rolling in. There isn’t anything a true mud lover needs to do to the X mr except ride it.
Did we mention the Outlander 1000 X mr is great in the mud?
It’s no secret that ATV and SxS mud racing is a growing sport in the south and with machines like this hitting the market it is going to be an interesting ride. We had the chance to ride the original Can-Am X mr in the 800 engine trim when it came out, but as we dropped a leg over the massive 1000 X mr in the hills just outside Vancouver, British Columbia we were in for a huge surprise. The Rotax power from every inch of the 976cc engine rips and shreds as if the 30-inch tires were just in small turf tamer trim.
The X mr handled well whether the suspension was set to its highest or its lowest settings.
Our first ride would be the test to settle the trailability of the Outlander 1000 X mr. We adjusted the front and rear shocks to setting one, or the lowest setting, and headed off into the woods. The throttle was easily convinced to drop its carbon footprint through the Silverbacks and the envelope was easily stretched to its breaking point. We had to watch the tires, though, as the heavy lugs liked to grab onto most all of the roots and tightly packed trees in the Canadian wilderness. As we stretched the legs of the X mr we tried each setting on the suspension one at a time until I was at the sixth position. We can tell you that the machine still handles really well even jacked all the way up.
Another item we noticed was the raised platform foot wells on the X mr. This comes directly from the Can-Am Outlander MAX line of 2-up ATV s, as this machine is built on the longer MAX chassis. Tucked back on what would be the passenger footrests were the huge max traction foot grips. These are for when the rider takes the machine into really deep mud. When ATVs drop into the deeper stuff the front will tend to float under throttle and some riders will use the rear foot wells to stabilize themselves during the ride.
We really didn’t have a super deep bogging hole to drop the 2013 Outlander 1000 X mr into, but we could just imagine that this beast would handle anything we could throw at it. Can you tell we liked it?
Whether he is in Mexico covering the Baja 1000, building ATVs for local racers, or out enjoying the trails, Rick’s passion shows in his stories. Learning to wrench his own machines from his grandfather, Rick also has an undying appreciation for the mechanics of off-road vehicles. Do not let the dirt and mud fool you, though, as Rick also has a deep love for street cars.
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