Outlaw 525 irs 2008 vs 2009

[stonesuperman]

In the market for an outlaw IRS for a trail machine and finding great deals on left over 2008's for $3999. i see they made changes to the steering stem and plastics and dropped a small amount of weight. But those things don't seem major enough to pay close to 6k for.. One thing they don't mention in the reviews is did they change the fit and finish.. i heard complaints of the 08 plastics being a pain to take off or work around. Did they change the seat height on the IRS model and if so does it make a difference? and others mentioning that the 08 plastics, wiring, break lines and such seemed like an afterthought and seems to be in poor placement.. then others say that the steering stem on the 08 is better than the 09.... so is 09 worth the money or shoud i stick with better looking 08?

P.S if you want to see the deal on the 08's its at Bentley's polaris in PA

[Rkangel7]

I don't have an outlaw...yet...but, like you, I've been looking.

Checking out a leftover '08 and an '09 at the local dealer I didn't notice a huge difference in the fit and finish of the frame and suspension between the two. However, I did like the ergonomics of the '09 better than the '08.

For a tall guy like me the seat, handlebar, plastic arrangement of the '09 was immediately comfortable. The seat seems a little softer and straighter, so I didn't feel like I was crowding the tank.

Polaris added hex heads to the fasteners for the plastics, which I can see as beneficial. They have also gone to Fox shocks. I'm not sure how the '09 steering stem affects handling, but it does reduce the amount of parts needed in the steering, which in my book means less to wear out.

As for me, I find the '09 to be the most tempting. But, if I can't find a good deal on one I'd probably be fine with an '08.

[stonesuperman]

thanks for the info. i did a search after the post( i know i know), and found a lot of good info between the two. i have yet to find an 09 to see in person to check out the fit and finish and sit on to compare. just wondering now if the left over 09's will go on sale as cheep as the 08's.

[Rkangel7]

That would be cool if they do. Maybe in time for a tax refund. One can hope...:)

[anotherpredator]

Personally, after having a 2007. I would highly recommend you pay the extra money for the 2009 with the updated plastics. The old style plastics are brittle, and expensive replace. That is my primary gripe with the 2007-2008 IRS model, a side from wishing I would have waited to purchase the straight axle model.

[stonesuperman]

you don't like the irs.. could you explain why?

[anotherpredator]

Basically there is a significant amount of body roll, and it is a tall machine like the Raptors. For the kind of riding I am doing its just too much. A straight axle would at least eliminate most of the body roll issues, but after getting a 450 class bike there is no comparison handling wise. The motor on the other hand is awesome, especially with a pipe, filter, and jetting. Had I purchased the straight axle, I could probably live with it a while longer, but at this point my intention is to replace one of the CV joints, and put it up on the market this spring. It just depends where your riding, if you in wide open spaces, or open trails it would be in its element. But in tight trails, or the dunes its just out of its element. It will tackle both, and you will have fun doing it, but there are better bikes out there for both applications. I am pretty meticulous about my stuff, and this was one of the more expensive quads to keep looking good. The plastic will practically explode on impact, so be prepared to deal with extra supports, and or replacing the front & rear cab often. I have seen other quads roll down a hill, and come away with minor creases, if you just tap something with the rear fender it will tear, a slow motion high side, be prepared to replace the front cab. Not ripping on it, just was my experience, it was fun until I found something that suited me better

[woods racer 34]

I fixed the issues with the 2008 IRS plastics. I trimmed my front and rear fenders and added two braces to the back fenders. So far I have had zero problems with cracking. I can send a picture of the quad if you like. The rear fender looks almost like the 09 shape. The problem with the excessive rolling can be fixed with shock sag and a stiffer sway bar from wrath racing. I run almost 5 iches of sag in the front and rear. This seems to settle the bike down. If you do a lot of riding where there is a lot of ruts the IRS is the bike of choice. My buddy brought a straight axle outlaw the same time as I bought my IRS and where he gets stuck because he is dragging the axel, the IRS just rolls through it. Just my two cents.