Can-Am Returns – Introducing The Renegade 800

The Return of Can-Am, and boy do they mean business

It was May 1973 when Can-Am, a division of Bombardier, released its first production motorcycles – the MX (motocross bike) and the TNT (Track and Trail, enduro bike), with 125cc and 175cc versions of each. These bikes were serious machines that were more technologically advanced than anything in the dirt bike world to date. In the first season of competition the Can-Am 175 MX took Gold, Silver, and Bronze in the International Six Day Trial (ISDT). The same year the Can-Am 125 set a land speed record for a 125cc dirt bike at Bonneville by going over 135 mph. The following year Can-Am introduced its 250cc machine and earned the #1, #2 and #3 plates in the AMA 250 National Motocross series. These innovated Rotax powered machines continued to dominate as the 70s progressed, until Bombardier decided to focus their attention away from motor sports and into the transit equipment industry.

then…	and now.

The Rebirth of Can-Am
Effective immediately, Bombardier’s (BRP) is now known as Can-Am. Not only has the company’s name changed but so has the overall mind set. Upper management at BRP has given the Can-Am design team the full green light to do whatever it takes to return the Can-Am name to the racing dominance it enjoyed in the mid 70s. “We believe that the Can-Am brand better represents the positioning of our products in the marketplace and provides the perfect platform to reach out to and attract powersports enthusiasts,” said Jose Boisjoli, president and chief executive officer, BRP. Like other BRP brands, Ski-Doo and Sea-Doo, Can-Am’s focal point is delivering machines with massive horsepower and they plan to concentrate mostly in the ATV industry.

Can-Am wasted little time in confirming their newest project, a high performance race-ready 450cc machine. Can-Am said they’re taking their time with their new 450 and will not release it until they’re 100% sure it can win on the track the first year out just like they did with their dirt-bikes in the mid 70s.

On to the here and now… Introducing the 2007 Can-Am Renegade 800
The new bully on the block is bad to the bone. Can-Am believes that more than a handful is perfect and their insanely fast Renegade 800 is proof. The Renegade 800 is unlike anything currently on the market. In fact, Can-Am labels this ridiculously fast fire breathing quad as the world’s first ETV (Extreme Terrain Vehicle). This baby packs the performance and edge of a sport quad and the capability of a big bore 4×4. The Renegade carries the same 62 horse power Rotax motor that’s found on the Outlander 800 HO, but weighs 42 pounds less.

Can-Am increased suspension travel with High Pressure Gas shocks front and back along with center cast aluminum wheels and ITP Holeshot tires. The seat and gas tank area has been narrowed from the Outlander for a more aggressive riding stance. The suspension travel has been increased to a whopping 10 inches. Can-Am claims that their fully independent RS-Type TTI rear suspension is the lightest and simplest in the industry with less pivot points to wear out or break. The TTI rear suspension provides no rear tire scrub. Meaning as the rear tires go through their travel, the width of the machine, along with the caster of the tires, do not change. Can-Am’s innovative SST frame has a narrow central spar that continues through the length of the machine. This provides ultimate protection to the under side of the machine and motor and allows the Renegade to easily slide over obstacles like a ski.

Removing the smile from our faces after two long days of thrashing on the Renegade wan’t easy. This machine is an absolute blast!

Up front the Renegade’s RS-Type double A-arm allows a long travel high pressure gas shock, while the Visco-Lok differential transfers power from a spinning wheel to the one with more grip- a Can-Am exclusive.

In the rear Can-Am utilizes a meaty high pressure gas shock mounted to their RS-Type TTI independent rear suspension. Can-Am says their simple independent rear suspension design uses almost 75% fewer part than competitive models.

How does it perform?

Can-Am was nice enough to let us spend a few days on their earth-moving Renegade. We put a lot of time on the machine – riding it at race pace in the trails and tracks at Duhramtown Plantation in Eastern GA. The first thing you’ll notice about the machine is the raw power. It’s unbelievable! The 800cc EFI engine produces strong arm-ripping power right off the bottom and all the way to the top! The power has a hit similar to that of the top of the line 450cc high performance sport machines. In fact, lined up beside Can-Am’s DS 650, the Renegade easily matches the speed of the DS all the way to top end. The power is put to the ground through a CVT transmission that seems to match the machine perfectly. Whether it was coming off the line or powering out of a tight turn the transmission was right were it needed to be to put the maximum amount of controllable power to the ground.

The power was only matched by how nimble the machine moved through the trails. We noticed little to no body roll and the suspension held up to its end of the bargain just as well.

The Renegade is certain to make its presents felt at GNCC events, long distance desert and endurance races. If there are any drawbacks to this machine, one might be that the tires hook up almost too well. Nail it from a stop and it actually takes an effort to keep the front end of the machine on the ground.

For a larger rider the ergonomics of the machine are good. Unlike the Outlander, where you feel like you are up on top of the machine just trying to hang on, the Renegade provides a much better feeling of control, and offers an easy transition from the seat position to an aggressive standing position.

Switching from two wheel drive to four was a breeze. We encountered no obstacle that stopped us and had a blast searching for one. We might add that the machine handled exceptionally well while in 4-wheel drive, so well that we forgot that 4-wheel drive was engaged at times.

Be careful!
As you can see Can-Am has gone to great lengths to offer some of the most high performance ATVs ever. We feel that the horsepower and traction combination found on the new Cam-Am Renegade is certainly not for the beginner.

Can-Am’s 2007 Outlander
Also new for 2007 is the Outlander 800 Max LTD edition and the Outlander 500 HO, which produces 22% more power than its closest competition. In fact all Outlanders produce class leading power.

The Outlander Max 800 LTD is for those who like to two up on the trails. We feel we have to warn you to be careful. The Can-Am Max series provides such a comfortable ride for the person at the controls and the passenger on the back that you might forget they’re back there. Unlike other two up machines, Can-Am Outlander provide an elevated seat for the passenger, their own grips and their own foot platforms. In this separation either rider can dismount the machine without affecting the other’s position.

If appearance is important to you on the trails, then the LTD edition is right up your alley. The new model includes steel gray metallic paint, silver seat trim, chrome muffler outlet, full fender mud guards, hand guards and the most comfortable grips ever used on a stock quad.

The LTD edition also includes all new cast aluminum wheels along with Carlisle ACT radial tires. A Garmin Quest GPS receiver is built into the handlebars. Install a docking station in your truck, remove your GPS from your quad and use it in your truck as well. A world map is preloaded into its 115 megabyte memory. Hunters, hikers and campers will love the fact that the GPS can be removed and runs on its own batteries. Just return it to the docking station on the handlebars for recharging. The Outlander LTD also comes with a BRP 2500 winch manufactured by Warn. New for this year’s winch is a roller fairlead and a remote control.

More at can-am.brp.com

 

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