The Canadian built Can-am ATV range has been around for many years, with a growing presence on the Irish market.Can-am offers its Outlander in several models and specifications ranging from 450cc to 1,000cc. These include dedicated specifications tailored for farm work, hunting, trail riding or extreme off-roading.

Although the recreational market in Ireland is growing, ATVs remain largely for agricultural use, with limited demand for higher-power, more sophisticated bikes that prove popular in the US market.

Keeping this in mind, we got behind the handlebars of the 2022 Outlander 570 XU supplied by Kilkenny Quads. The 570 XU is the firm’s most relative contender to the competitive 500-550cc market which is home to names like the Suzuki KingQuad, Honda Foreman and Yamaha Grizzly.

Style and build

At a glance, one could be forgiven for confusing the Outlander for a Yamaha Grizzly in terms of stature and design (especially in our model’s Tundra Green colour), yet its high square-shaped wheel arches are reminiscent of those on the Honda Foreman TRX520.

The Outlander’s body panels are constructed from a heavy-duty, premium-feeling plastic, leaving the impression that it will stand the test of time.

The 570 XU, like the rest of the Outlander lineup, lacks a handlebar-mounted spot lamp – something we deem important on a farm bike. The dual 35W halogen lights provide high and low beams which appear dated for a premium brand in 2022. Forgiving their somewhat exposed wiring, they do their job well with little shadowing.

The 570 XU uses Torsional Trailing arm Independent (TTI) rear suspension which is designed to articulate each rear wheel through a vertical plane as opposed to a butterfly motion of a wishbone setup. This did seem to work well, ticking the boxes for both comfort and stability. Our only niggle here was the exposure of the rear drive shafts. Being a road-legal model, the prominent rear registration plate holder ideally needs to be removed if fitting a rear fencing box. The ball hitch sits at a nice distance from the rear axle.

After close inspection, the frame and drivetrain of the 570 XU appears well built. It is rated to tow 590kg, carry 54.4kg on the front rack and 109kg on the rear rack leaving it miles ahead of competitors in terms of cargo rack capacity.

Engine and transmission

The 570 XU is equipped with a (570cc) Rotax twin-cylinder (V-twin) fuel-injected petrol engine producing an ample 48hp. The V-twin engine leaves the 570 XU with a distinct powerful sounding idle note.

Power is transmitted to the wheels via a two-range automatic CVT transmission with engine braking. Over the years, Cam-am has improved its low and high ratios to provide more low-down torque. Depending on the application, the rider can toggle between Work, Normal or Sport modes, with Work mode said to increase low-down torque while Sport leaves for faster throttle response. We noticed that Sport did leave the ATV feeling slightly more agile while Work mode didn’t appear to make all that much of a difference.

In addition to the selectable 2WD/ 4WD, the Visco-Lok autolocking front differential comes standard on the 570 XU. So too does Tri-Mode Dynamic Power Steering, which leaving the rider in control to choose between three steering-sensitivity settings.

Bringing the 570 XU to a halt is no issue thanks the twin front discs and a single-disc rear brakes, with ABS preventing all four wheels from locking up. The single left-hand lever brakes both front and rear wheels, with the foot pedal only braking the rear. Not having a right hand brake lever certainly is a miss however, something that we’re sure would be got used to. That said, the traditional twin-brake lever setup which the likes of Honda and Suzuki offer would still be our go-to choice.

That said, the engine braking system leaves for little reliance on the brakes except when needing to come to a sudden stop.

Ride and handling

The engine, is one of the stronger points of the Outlander 570 XU. It will start in any gear once the front or rear brakes are applied, saving having to fumble and persuade the gear lever through its dog-leg gate.

The handlebar-mounted switchgear has a premium feel, with the 4.5in dash display also cleanly laid out. The Outlander 570 XU comes with two keys, one which can be programmed to have either a 30, 40 or 50km/h speed limit which we feel is a good safety feature for younger riders.

Once fired into life and in gear, the calibration of the transmission feels spot on regardless if there’s a load being towed or not – low-down torque isn’t an issue. Seating position is good, with the power steering working well in the background, especially at low speeds regardless of its setting. Once the throttle is pinned back, the V-twin block at the heart of the 570 XU in company with the CVT transmission certainly puts the power down. Top speed is around 88km/h which it doesn’t take long to reach. The lack of rear mudguards does mean dirt and splashes are thrown up on to the rear racks.

Handling and performance for everyday farm duties is up there with the best in class.

Using a 5ft x 3ft purpose-built ATV trailer, we hauled five hoggets and 350kg of timber on separate occasions and in both instances the Can-am felt fully in control, both ascending and descending hills with the engine braking playing a blinder, aided by the ABS.

Verdict

The Can-am 570 XU is a dark horse in the 500-550cc class and a brand/model worth exploring. In terms of outright performance, handling and comfort it’s certainly among the best in category. Like its closest rivals, we feel that it has a couple of areas that could be tweaked.

The spec

Engine: 570cc Rotax, twin-cylinder.

Power: 48hp.

Transmission: Stepless belt-drive (CVT).

Four-wheel drive: 2WD/4WD.

Differential: Auto front Diff-Lock.

Suspension: Front and rear independent.

Suspension travel: 22.9cm (F) /22.4 cm (R).

Towing capacity: 590kg.

Carrying capacity: 54.4kg front/109kg rear.

Ground clearance: 29.2cm.

Dry weight: 319kg.

Tyres: 26x8x12in (F) / 26x10x12in (R).

List price as tested: €10,245 Including VAT.