Polaris UTV Product Reviews

Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition Review

Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition Review

Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition
Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition

By Josh Arnold,ATVEscape.com

RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition- Hitting The Hole & Going Home

We all are born with an addiction running through our veins. As kids this addiction was frowned upon as we were told not to play in the mud, especially in our good clothes, but inevitably, like a moth to a flame, our good clothes always seemed to become victims in the battle with our addiction. Growing up and playing sports, our addiction was then encouraged, as long as we fed it in the proper context. We are now adults, and this addiction still calls us from time to time to get out and get muddy. Yes, all ages seem to be addicted to mud, and that is never more evident than when taking a gander at the mud-loving off-road community. To be a member of this community you must only have an ATV or UTV and a desire to get muddy. There are parks all over the U.S. that host weekly meetings for the mud-loving community to go deeper than ever into mud holes. Riders spend thousands of dollars on aftermarket parts from lift-kits to snorkels to make sure that they can tackle the deepest of mud holes and live to tell about it. It only makes sense, then, that manufacturers now build machines with the mud-riding modifications on board, allowing riders to go from showroom to mud hole with no stops in-between. With the introduction of the new 2015 RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition, Polaris is now a member of the club of manufacturers producing mud-specific machines. What could be better than 110 horsepower RZR completely decked out in mudding riding attire?

To say this RZR XP High Lifter Edition is a beast would be an understatement. Just looking at it tugs at an inner-most desire to get dirty with it. At a quick glance you know this machine is built for a serious romp in the mud. It sits extremely high off the ground, has incredibly aggressive mud tires, wears a serious winch with a sticker screaming 45000LBs, and sports big pipes coming out of the bed. Yes, looking at the RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition there is absolutely no doubt this beast is made to go deep and bathe in the mud like a hippo. This machine takes addiction to mud to a whole new level, and when I was invited to take a mud bath in the RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition, I was all-in!

Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition
2015 Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition

Mud Attire
The list of items strapped onto this RZR XP 1000 making it mud friendly is exhaustive, long, and distinguished, so let’s get the specifics out of the way now. Start with arched front lower a-arms and radius rods in back for maximum ground clearance to keep you from getting hung up on anything. Suspension components’ powers combine for 16-inches of travel up front and 18-inches in the rear with all four shocks being Walker Evans with reservoirs that are clicker-adjustable to dial in your ride. The tires are the High Lifter Outlaw II radials in a size 29.5 inches, and they are as aggressive mud tire as is available. All of this means 14.25 inches of ground clearance, and that is vitally important when going deep. To handle the massive tires and stress of mud bogging, the gearing has been dropped in the transmission, and both a beefier reverse chain and bigger axles have been added. The entire frame has been powder coated an awesome orange (I like orange) to minimize corrosion and match the black and orange color scheme. Snorkels have been added for the engine and CVT air intakes along with the CVT exhaust, and they are placed so high on the machine that you would have to be a fish or Navy Seal to even get close to flooding them. The front heavy-duty grill guard/bumper is home to both the 4500LB winch and the recovery points to give your stuck friends a place to winch from. Even the skid plates have been designed to shed mud and be easier to clean. Finally, throw in the power steering and AWD found throughout the Polaris RZR lineup for ease of steering and traction. The fact is, Polaris with the help of High-Lifter, has covered all the bases with these additions to the already power-infused RZR XP 1000 to make it completely at home in the deepest of mud holes. With all the specifics covered, what do you say we move on to how this beast actually does in the mud. Spoiler alert: It destroys mud with a vengeance.

High Lifter Mud Edition RZR XP 1000High Lifter Mud Edition RZR XP 1000

Hitting The Mud

Hopping into the cockpit of the the RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition stirs an emotion of complete domination somewhere in your soul, because there is no doubt you are going to be able to hit mud holes others can’t. Let’s face it, being able to do that is just awesome. The cab is comfortable and finished well, with the controls and instruments put it the proper places. Turning the key, you are greeted the familiar and fantastic rumble of the ProStar 1000, as the engine comes to life. Throwing this beast into gear and hitting the throttle, two things become evident quickly. First, there is plenty of power stored in the drivetrain, despite all the mud-specific modifications. There is no straining to get things moving. Power is on tap in classic RZR XP 1000 doses and that power is at your disposal. Second, the tires are staggeringly smooth considering how aggressive the tread. I have had experience with many different kinds of mud tires, and these are comfortable outside of the mud hole. Steering is also easy with the EPS despite the tire size and weight.

RZR XP 1000 Mud Edition

Rumbling along the park, I soon found a familiar site I have seen many times at the High Lifter Mud Nationals: the oval competition mud track. The difference this time around however, was the fact I was in a machine that could handle this mud-filled watering hole, and live to tell about it. Pulling up to the track’s entrance was magical, and stopping at the water’s edge caused a grin on my face. What happened next was a dream come true. I hit the throttle, time slowed down, and a wall of water came up over the hood and through the cab before I was aware of what was going on. It was simply fantastic, and I was completely soaked. Mud and water flew through the air like a hurricane, as I ran around the track many times. Just knowing I was in a machine built from the ground up to tackle this type of riding was reassuring. The winch attached to the bumper was even more reassuring that I was going to be able to return this beast to the Polaris tent despite what mud hole I attempted to conquer. I spent the next couple of hours trying to go deep or go home with the best of them. The RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition performed like a champ through everything I put it through, and it was so much fun to wallow in some mud. After the sun went down, I even ventured down to the famed sand pit area to see the happenings. For the first time ever, I wandered through the sand pit full of water and beached myself on a couple of the islands in the middle. Nothing I went through seemed to be more than the RZR High Lifter Edition could handle.

High Lifter Mud Edition RZR XP 1000

Out of the Mud

The RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition proved to be a comfortable ride outside the mud holes, and that was a wonderful and welcome added bonus to such a monstrous machine. Most ATVs and UTVs that are set up for serious mud riding are a beating once they are outside their mud element. In fact, many times these machines are not good for anything other than hitting deep mud holes. The tires that are designed with huge lugs to dig deep into the mud cause trail riding to be a beating. This is not the case with the stock High Lifter Outlaw II 29.5 inch mud tires. These tires proved to be at home in the mud, and smooth enough to be used on a trail ride with your closest trail riding friends. In fact, despite all of the mud-mods that come standard on the RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition, it still is a side-by-side that can be used for other side-by-side things, and that is saying a lot. The handling on the High Lifter Edition proved to be very good. I was able to make turns with some speed without feeling like I was driving a bus that was top-heavy. It actually didn’t feel top-heavy at all. This side-by-side seems to have found a balance between the mud and the trail, and that is quite an accomplishment.

High Lifter Outlaw II 29.5 inch mud tires
High Lifter Outlaw II 29.5 inch mud tires

A Beast In The Mud & Beyond

If anyone has any doubt that we as people have an addiction to mud, just look at the $23,499 price tag attached to this adult mud toy! When I think of all the items I would put on a side-by-side to equip it to eat mud for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that list would include everything that comes on the High Lifter Edition RZR XP 1000 from the factory. If I were to put on all these features on a side-by-side aftermarket, I would pay thousands more than the cost of the High Lifter Edition, and I still wouldn’t get the benefit of the engineering and labor that goes into this machine from the factory. The High Lifter Edition is engineered and purposed to perform as a unit rather than a side-by-side modified to perform in the mud. That means the High Lifter Edition is a substantial value for anyone who wants to dominate in the mud. As an added benefit, this side-by-side will also take you down a trail without making you feel as though you are riding a bull in a rodeo. After spending some time on the RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition, I am a believer in factory-built mud machines. I am also a believer that you can have a side-by-side that performs well in the mud and still offers a nice ride for a day exploring the unknown. I believe Polaris and High Lifter created something special in the RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition. If you too have an itch to have some fun and get dirty, you should take a hard look at the 2015 High Lifter Edition RZR XP 1000.

Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Mud Edition

Manufacturer Info:

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER® and RZR® side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and small vehicles.

Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts.

Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII”, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com

You Might Also Like

No Comments

    Leave a Reply