ATV WORLD Magazine just got the opportunity for a hands on experience in BRP’s newest SSV, the 60” wide Maverick Sport. If it seems like we were just recently getting our first look at the all-new Maverick Trail a few months ago, it’s because we were. CAN-AM has been steadily firing new machines at us for quite some time now. As a matter off fact, back in September of 2015, during the CAN-AM Defender launch, BRP CEO Jose Boisjoli stated that we would be seeing a new SSV from CAN-AM every six months for the next 4 years. We’re not sure if no one really took him seriously, or if we just didn’t realize how big this statement was. Whatever the case may be, they have been living up to his word. The Defender was followed by the Defender MAX, then the X3 dropped and was followed by the X3 MAX. This was followed by the 50 inch wide Maverick Trail to finally compete with the original RZR platform, and now we’re seeing the all new Maverick Sport.

CAN-AM’s Latest SSV Entry Into The 60″ Sport Category

Just what is the 60” sport class any- ways? It’s definitely a little loose by definition, but the 60” machine  is the crossover or middleman between the big boy 64” desert machines of the West Coast  and the more East Coast trail friendly 50” type machines. While the 50” machines are necessary in some areas for the 50” max trails, they aren’t really that stable at higher speeds. This is the machine meant for all around sport riding on wooded trails, as well as fire roads, all around adventuring, or the go anywhere, do anything, all around sport machine. It excels in the forest, can get through the Lighter trails, and is still a blast in the desert or even the dunes. This is the ‘one size fits all’ UTV class that even fits in the back of the truck. Its direct competitor would probably be Polaris’s 1000S, the Textron Havoc, or even the General, but it doesn’t have an actual working dump bed like the General or Havoc.

WHAT IS THE MAVERICK SPORT

The brand new Maverick Sport is based on the Maverick Trail chassis with a larger stance and a wider cockpit. The Maverick Sport is available with the 75HP 1000 power plant, or as the 1000R model with a class leading 100HP and 71 ft.-lbs. of torque. You can even get the lower price point, 75 HP 1000 with or without DPS to suit your budget. BRP has designed the Maverick Sport to be “Daring, Precise, and Confident”, to fit a wide variety of customer needs. This machine is aimed at being the ultimate, “do it all”, multi-purpose Sport UT

DARING

To BRP, Daring relates to their sturdy engine and transmission, enhanced comfort and meaningful functionalise, while sticking to the typical Can-Am design and DNA. The proven Rotax V-Twin engine has been optimized for performance riding with high torque output, low vibration, and a quiet and cool cockpit. They do this with both the entry-level 75HP/60 ft-lb version and the 100HP/71 ft-lb 1000R version that claims to be 15% faster than its nearest competitor in a 0-60mph drag race. What’s even more impressive is its ultra-lax maintenance schedule that is said to have you out riding for a year before even needing its first scheduled maintenance.

The Maverick Sport’s impressive reliability claims and stretched out maintenance intervals are achieved by things like an oversized radiator for maximum cooling, and the same high quality Donaldson airbox that you find on the X3. The Maverick Sports CVT w/Quick Response System (QRS) will not only provide the seat of the pants performance you’re looking for, but is also built to last, including drive belts. This clutching reliability is made possible with increased cooling through strategically positioned and oversized air intakes. The Rotax 1000 gets one intake and one exhaust, while the 1000R gets dual CVT air intakes, one exhaust and the same driver pulley as the Maverick X3. Electronic belt protection sensors keep slippage and heat to a minimum, while the gear on gear rear diff and helical gear transmission should prove equally as reliable.

Enhanced comfort and meaningful functionalise was another of BRP’s major goals with the Maverick Sport. The ErgoLok cockpit is designed with the customer in mind, and to have everything in the right place. This starts with highly adjustable driver seat and steering wheel, and is complemented by niceties like angled footrests, ergonomically correct seats and positioned grab bars. The cabin is finished off with premium half doors that offer 2.5 inches of additional elbowroom per side than the previous Maverick Trail edition. The functionalities include things like over 20 liters of storage capacity, 680 KG of towing capacity, and a 136 kg malfunction cargo box, with 8 LinQ quick-attach points and 4 anchors hooks and drain holes. Can-Am DNA with proven superior fit & finish is at the forefront of the Maverick Sport design. X3 Heritage literally shines through with the unique Can-Am signature LED head and taillights. Can-Am design also allows for easy integration with its pre-wired profile and a 650 watt magneto that’s ready to power anything you might want. The profiled cage comes with 4-point harness brackets already installed, with no need to weld, re-paint, etc.

PRECISE

Precise refers to the precision han- dling characteristics, with a suspension designed for performance, and a chassis setup that is both capable and provides easy handling. The DPS models are also equipped with Intelligent Throttle Control with Sport / ECO modes, allowing you to toggle between a smooth, mellow operation, and a more aggressive wide open power curve. They both also get the QE Visco Lok for instant front differential engagement when it matters most. They all get dual piston caliper, 220mm disc brakes, and 27 inch Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 tires can be found on all four corners. . The Maverick Sport gets a new, longer wheelbase for superior comfort and better control in rough terrain. Optimal 42%/58% weight distribution is said to also help with predictable cornering and less front and rear pitch.

The suspension design uses optimized weight transfer, wheel movement, and contact patch for maximum control, predictability, and stability. The double A arm front suspension offers 11.5”s of suspension travel, and the TTA rear pulls 12 inches, while both front and rear utilize sway-bars to minimize body roll, and premium FOX 2.0 Podium shocks with preload adjustment. The ultra-resistant chassis is made of DP980 and HSLA for limited flex and optimal calibration.

ITS PREMIUM CHASSIS, HALF DOORS, STEEL BUMPER AND INJECTED, FULL SKID PLATES PROVIDE ENHANCED PROTECTION FOR BOTH THE MACHINE AND ITS OCCUPANTS.

CONFIDENT

The Maverick Sport provides confidence by being perfectly tuned to truly make a better driver out of you. Its premium chassis, half doors, steel bumper and injected, full skid plates provide enhanced protection for both the machine and its occupants. A maintenance free 1st year and no break-in period gets you in the driver seat quicker, and prolongs that first maintenance. The Maverick Sport is also DIY friendly with easy access to key maintenance components. A removable cargo box takes less than ten minutes to remove, and provides unbeatable access to the engine area.

DRIVE TIME

Over the course of two days, we got a substantial amount of drive time in both the 1000R and the DPS 1000. I only spent a little time with the non-DPS equipped machine, but would highly recommend springing for the power steering model if you can afford the difference. Steering is night and day better, and it also eliminates negative feedback to the steering wheel. Sitting in the machine is extremely comfortable and you feel connected to the machine right away. In the cab you really appreciate the additional elbow room of the new doors in com- parison to the slightly cramped Trail version. Our version was equipped with an accessory Bluetooth radio that looked factory and sounded great at lower speeds, but wasn’t quite loud enough at WFO.

 

We took a group ride from the lodge to the top of the mountain, and you definitely notice the difference in power between the 75HP unit and the 100HP 1000R on an uphill climb, especially as you get up into higher elevation. This is not to say that the 75HP machine is slow, but the 100HP machine is definitely more exciting as it still has a little extra pop when you want it. Using the ECO mode on the 75HP model feels sluggish, where the 100HP machine still feels faster on ECO than the 75HP on Sport mode. With a steady throttle on the 1000R, you can toggle to the Sport mode and feel it slightly throw you back in the seat, whereas the 75 HP one just feels restricted on ECO. Coming back down the hill, you couldn’t tell the two machines apart. They both felt very fast and handled exactly the same, with precise and stable steering. On flat ground, the difference was less noticeable than on an incline, but still definitely noticeable. We switched back and forth between the 1000 and 1000R while Moto-ing on the switch back, grass track, and you could eat the guy up on the 75HP machine. In the tighter track through the trees, the two Maverick Sports seemed pretty equal as you really couldn’t use the extra horsepower, and the handling was again identical. There were only a few short straightaways where you were probably faster on the 1000R than the standard 1000 DPS.

Suspension was really good for the trails and speeds we were driving. At full throttle, you could find the bottom on a g-out, but you really had to hit something harder than you should be. Small braking bumps, ruts, rocks and other trail obstacles were soaked up with ease. Overall trail comfort was good, regardless of what speed you drove; it levels out the small to medium stuff with ease, and it handles high speed turns like it’s on train tracks.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The CAN-AM Maverick Sport is a great replacement for the original 60” Maverick, and offers a lot more comfort and better handling than the 50” trail version, if you’re not trying to ride 50” wide trails. The 5 inch wider cab feels a lot roomier, exactly where you want it too, and the extra tall doors feel more protective and secure. The seating position is low for increased center of gravity, and you feel really connected to the vehicle while driving it. This will be a great all around vehicle for the consumer that rides all different types of trails. It offers plenty of storage for full days out on the trail, and the bed is set up for carrying whatever you might need for any situation.

The Maverick Sport is also exciting to drive, especially the 1000R version. It power slides with ease, yet is predictable and controllable at any just about speed. As we mentioned earlier, we would kick in the extra money for the DPS version, but if the extra 1900 bucks were a deal breaker, the non-DPS model still handled extremely well, and was still a ton of fun to drive. All three are great machines.