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By: Jason Giacchino
ATV Review: 2010 Polaris Outlaw 450 MXR
Deceptively
Fast and Decidedly Versatile
The Polaris Outlaw series of ATVs have had a
rich and interesting life thus far. What
began as an independently rear-suspended
alternative to the Predator has since come to
represent the entire manual clutch performance
segment of Polaris’ model line. While the
early Outlaws actually shared a platform with
the 500cc Predator, 2009 witnessed the first
major overhaul of the line. The goal was
to maintain the attributes riders loved
(reliability, power, and suspension action)
while correcting some of the flaws of the
antiquating chassis. The resulting model
was a resounding success. That’s why
Polaris (wisely) decided not to touch a thing
for 2010.
We took delivery of a brand new 2010 Outlaw
450 MXR for purpose of review and quickly
introduced it to the off-camber, muddy, mucky,
rocky, rooty paths we East Coasters call trails.
From there is was down to Pennsylvania to
experience the machine’s attributes on several
motocross tracks that ranged in style from
wide-open outdoor national-style to tight,
technical, almost stadium configurations.
In keeping the machine bone stock for the
duration of our review, here’s what we found.
The Lookdown
If you’ve grown accustomed to the Predator-esque
look of the early Outlaws, prepare for a bit of
a visual stunner in the 2010 (& 2009) Outlaws.
In effort to spruce up rider position for
enhanced control all new plastic was in order.
The new stuff is much more structurally rigid
than the plastic it replaces hence eliminating
the need for external bracing. So drastic
is this change alone that it’s hard to believe
that Polaris stuck with the same frame between
the two generations. A new single
low-mount headlight replaces the dual-“eyes” of
the last generation Outlaw/ Predator.
Finally a more compact fuel tank (which carries
slightly less fuel) and a completely redesigned
seat make up the bulk of the big changes.
Less easily noticed but equally impressive in
the real world are the heel-guards which are all
aluminum- not only are they more structurally
rigid but they shave weight over the previous
plastic/steel configuration.
Gone is the PRO Steering system and in its place
a more traditional straight-stem design, again
the goal being to reduce weight wherever
possible. Additionally Polaris specs new
bar mounts which are designed to except
oversized handlebars right out of the box.
The bend and sweep of the stockers is pretty
darn spot-on but it’s nice to know that the
option of running a beefier bar is at the
rider’s discretion.
In all Polaris managed to trim off six pounds
from the already industry-leading light Outlaw
450 MXR bringing the machine’s total weight down
to an unbelievable 359 pounds. If this
doesn’t sound impressive on paper, rest assured
it is over 40 pounds lighter than most of the
competition. That’s weight savings that
you will feel whether you’re trail riding,
racing, or just trying to load the machine on
the truck!
Can’t Touch This
For all of the little odds and ends Polaris
engineers decided to swap in search of
perfection, there are many aspects of the ATV
that simply didn’t need tweaking. After
all, there is little sense fixing what isn’t
broken. In this case, KTM’s 448cc single
cylinder 4-stroke coupled to a 39mm FCR
carburetor puts the juice to the ground once
more. Also they’ve wisely stuck with the
Magura hydraulic clutch, fully adjustable Fox
Podium X suspension, stainless steel-braided
brake lines, Maxxis Razor MX tires, Douglas
rolled edge rims, and hydraulic disc brakes all
around (with dual piston calipers up front).
Savvy readers may have noticed that the engine
nestled within the Polaris Outlaw 450 MXR’s
frame is the same unit KTM stuffs into its own
450 XC quad. Keep in mind that Polaris and
KTM had reached agreement/ collaboration even
before KTM had decided to release an ATV line of
their own. The only notable difference
between the two engines lies within the gearbox
as the Outlaw contains 5-forward gears with
reverse (opposed to the all-forward setup on the
450XC).
Mounting Up
The biggest difference a rider is going to feel
climbing into the saddle of the new 450 MXR is
how flat the new riding position is and not just
when compared to the previous generation Outlaw
but compared to any of the 450s currently
offered. Gone is the intense slope where
the seat climbs up the gas tank up front and
there is virtually no rise in the rear end to
report as well. This makes for the
ultimate in rider mobility, perhaps even too
much so for some, as we’ve noticed riders
installing seat-humps seems to be the hot setup
of late.
After adapting to the flatness of the cockpit,
the next area of unique physical sensation comes
in the form of the uninhibited view of the
machine’s front-end. Thanks to that
smaller fuel tank we mentioned above and stock
bars with a nice dip at the bar mounts, the
front of the Outlaw is surprisingly uncluttered
and “open”. Upon first impression, it’s
easy to get tricked into the thinking that the
bars are abnormally tall against the low-flat
chassis but it’s an illusion based on the fact
that Polaris engineers were able to lower the
mass of the ATV so effectively.
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