2013 Can-Am Outlander MAX 1000 Review – Video

Riding along the trail on a single-seat ATV is always fun, but sometimes you want to bring somebody along to share the experience. Since it’s never a good idea to just have somebody hop on the back of a regular ATV (it’s unsafe and uncomfortable), you’ll want to look into a two-up machine with a passenger seat built in. A number of manufacturers offer ATVs to fit the bill, but BRP has taken things to the next level for the 2013 model year by building the most powerful two-up ATV in the industry – the Can-Am Outlander MAX 1000.

BRP engineers made many changes to the Outlander MAX line for model year 2013. The engine gets massive power updates and the seating for the passenger gets a few more. The Can-Am G2 chassis (released for the 2012 model year) now resides under the beautifully sculpted plastics, which means the handling manners of the machine are also improved. Available in a number of iterations, we had the opportunity to ride the top dog – the Outlander MAX 1000 Limited.

The 2013 Can-Am Outlander MAX 1000 Limited may just be the most well appointed two-up ATV in the industry.

The Outlander MAX is eight inches longer than a traditional one-seat Outlander and the design situates the passenger directly in front of the rear axle. With a 59-inch wheelbase the Outlander MAX incorporates a redesigned dual A-arm front suspension that also provides anti-dive technology. Controlling the behemoth is a cinch with the Tri-Mode power steering, which comes standard on the MAX Limited. Using the MIN, MED or MAX settings, which easily selected from the bars, each rider can negotiate the best deal for themselves. Being a go-fast kind of rider we set our machine to MAX and left it there all day. The top setting not only helped us negotiate tight trails and rocky sections at speed, but it smoothed out a few bumps in the trails when the trees tried to encroach on our ride space.

Fox Air Assist shocks in the rear let you dial in your ride with ease.

Another great feature of the MAX 1000 Limited is the Fox Air Assist rear shocks. These air adjustable shocks make dialing in the ride incredibly easy. Whether you are hauling a passenger or hauling the mail down your local ride area you can adjust the rear shocks to suit your needs with little effort.

Also included in the MAX Limited package is the Visco-Lok QE – a quick engagement front differential. This front drive system allows the power to be transferred from the slipping wheel to the gripping wheel. Getting the machine moving forward and out of the sloppy stuff was a prime goal when this system was developed. Keeping the ride moving is always a plus when negotiating rough trails.

As if this wasn’t enough,the creative minds at had to keep on adding features. The addition of the super responsive 82 hp twin cylinder Rotax powerplant to the MAX line of two-up rides meant that there would be no shortage of power to take two peeps anywhere they wish. The engine gets its breath from a dual-room air box that has been totally redesigned. With the extra air there had to be a new exhaust and silencer to maintain power levels, but also keep the critics happy about a low level of noise output. The radiator also gets a tune up to keep things cool while crawling around in the woods.

BRP engineers produced a new, more comfortable passenger seat for the 2013 Outlander MAX lineup.

Besides the awesome new engine, the biggest news for the Outlander MAX family is the redesigned seating for the passenger. BRP calls this new development Dynamic Passenger Comfort (DPC). This new seat is built to make the passenger feel totally at ease. Features include a high-back plush section that gives more support. The high back section is also seemingly wider than previous years, which adds support to your passenger’s sides. For 2013 the passenger also gets new handholds. In previous years the passenger handholds were mounted to the rear rack. This could feel awkward at times and the new design solves this issue by adding many different positions for grip.  With a certain amount of flex built into the seat, Can-Am is sure this will make any passenger feel very comfortable.  All of the changes make riding the Outlander MAX enjoyable and frees up rear rack space at the same time.

Other fine points of the new Outlander MAX 1000 Limited include 230 watts of lighting, water resistant rear storage compartment, LinQ rack system, 1300 lbs of tow capacity, and new dual taillights. To help guide you along, a Garmin Montana GPS is securely placed on the bars. Finally, a redesigned digital/analog gauge cluster combination completes the updated look.

A new gauge package helps complete the look of the 2013 Outlander MAX 1000 Limited.

The Ride

We think the Pearl White iteration of the Outlander 1000 MAX Limited is stunning.

We spent two days to testing the 2013 Can-Am Outlander MAX 1000 Limited on Vancouver Island in western Canada. Terrain was varied, ranging from rocky to hard pack to sandy hills and plenty of mud. After putting on our gear we took the time to walk around the awesome Pearl White Limited edition machine and take in the sight. This is a great looking ATV.

Since we were exploring a new ride destination, we decided to set up the Garmin Montana so we could find our way home. We’re happy to report that the Garmin is simple to use and a luxury we could certainly get used to.

Climbing on the saddle of this machine we felt comfortable immediately – this is a machine you can happily spend many hours riding. The passenger seat is also very comfortable. Riding up a bit higher than the driver gives you a view of what’s to come instead of the passenger being surprised all the time. Having flexible seating also helps lesson the harsher corners and bumps.

Sure the Outlander MAX 1000 is ridiculously powerful, but it’s also comfortable enough for an all-day ride.

With fuel injection feeding the Rotax V-Twin, the Outlander MAX Limited roared to life. This is a 976cc, 82 hp beast and it’s hard to wrap your thoughts around how it feels on the trail – it’s something you need to experience to believe. After setting up the Tri-Mode Power Steering and six-way adjustable shocks to our liking, it was time to open the machine up. The power is absolutely incredible, yet it can be tame if you release the thumb throttle just a bit.

Riding through many large mud holes and some wet, heavily canopied woods sections we found the fenders provided ample protection. It’s nice to be able to go out riding for hours and not come back absolutely filthy…unless you want to.

The Outlander MAX 1000 does an excellent job of keeping mud and water off the rider.

The Carlisle ACT 26-inch tires took all of the abuse we could muster and seemed to wear well against the sharp rocks and sandy soil while offering plenty of grip.

Of course, nothing is perfect and we’d make some changes if we were in charge. When you ride with a passenger you normally take things a little easier and don’t push it as much. However, when it comes time to ride alone this ATV begs to be ridden fast. Unfortunately, the front end tends to roll easily in the corners when you’ve got the throttle squeezed. Stronger springs on the front shocks would be a good solution, but we’d really like to throw a set of the Fox Air Assist shocks up front that are separately adjustable from the rear.

One thing we’d like to see changed on the Outlander MAX 1000 Limited is the front shocks, which don’t seem quite strong enough to handle the machine’s enormous power.

Conclusion

BRP seems to be filled with designers and engineers that are never at rest, which can only benefit ATV enthusiasts. The Can-Am line of ATVs and UTVs is constantly evolving and the Outlander MAX line of two-up ATVs is the latest beneficiary of this forward-thinking company. The Outlander MAX 1000 Limited ($15,099) is a like a luxury car for the trails and you’d be well served to visit a Can-Am dealer and take one for a test ride.

Ultimately, the 2013 Can-Am Outlander MAX 1000 offers up a tough-to-beat combination of comfort and power. It’s an ATV worth exploring if you’re in the market for a two-up trail killer.

Related Reading 2013 Can-Am ATV and UTV Lineup Preview – Video 2012 Can-Am Outlander 1000 XT Review 2009 Can-Am Outlander MAX 800R EFI XT Review