Here's a link to Polaris website that shows comparison - you can set it to show only the differences between the packages
Main differences - Ultimate has ride command, versa track turf mode, roof & fox podium 2.0 shocks

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Maybe I phrased the question wrong.

Which makes more sense, buying the middle model and having aftermarket suspension put on or buying the top model with the Fox shocks already on it?

 

Maybe I phrased the question wrong.

Which makes more sense, buying the middle model and having aftermarket suspension put on or buying the top model with the Fox shocks already on it?

Looks like a full set of aftermarket Fox Podium 2.0 shocks will run about $2,000 before tax - some other brands are a little cheaper. some are more expensive.
So if you go with the middle (Premium) model - it would end up costing $300 more than the ultimate model just to add the same fox shocks.
Add an additional $165 to $400 (typical range depending on type) for the cost of adding a roof if you wanted one.

My opinion, If it was me, I'd go ahead and get the high end machine, since it has the better shocks & a roof already on it
- even though it has some extras that you might not use - in the end, it will cost you less overall

 

I agree, and the ultimate was my pick. Personally love the ride command.


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If you're going for ride quality forget the trail and get the 1000 XP.

 

And then forget about riding in State Forest...


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Have the 2020 Fox Trail Edition and really like the upgraded shocks it comes with. Great for trail riding at speeds this model is designed for which is slow to moderate. Very nice ride on rocky trails in Utah with good response keeping the tires to the ground and won't jar you around in the cab. Have ridden in the dunes at Glamis too and the shocks did better than expected. No bottoming in whoops or at the bottom of big dunes. Not an expert just a casual rider who's been off road riding since I was a kid, when ATC's ruled the scene and not the girly machines we have now hahah!

 

I have the Ultimate and to quote my passenger this past weekend "this thing rides like a Caddy" I removed front sway bar. The ride is fantastic for the trail.

 

I am sure the newest Fox version is better than any basic shock.

Like I said, overall our machine is great but can be quite rough.

 

I also watched a Dirt Trax TV were they compared a FOX edition trail to the standard and the sentiment was there is no comparison the Fox was way better than basic trail

I am new to the game and will be exploring all the trails in my state including those limited to 50". It comes down to what you think you will be doing with the machine. I figured if I really liked going out and wanted to up the game, I would trade up to a Turbo S in a few years.

 

We only need 50" for less than 5% of our riding however that 5% is areas we really want to ride. This is usually up to look out towers.

The other main reason is for length. My machine is carried cross loaded on my truck. The 2018 is listed at 105" and the 2021 is listed at 110" but the rear part of the roll cage can be removed. No other machine that I am aware of is that short.

 

I mean, every RZR made is already over the legal limit, what's another 5-10"? 😁

I have a 900 trail right now, my wife has an ace 900sp, and untill our last ride, we were perfectly happy with them.
We too were sticking with 50" machines to keep all trail options open, we just had to go slower than the bigger machines, no problem.
We took a new (to us) trail that was awesome, but full of rocks. I loved it, but my back did not. It didn't matter how slow we went, my rzr trail and my wife's ace just bucked the crap out of us, leaving us both barely able to walk the next day.
The decision was made that both machines will be going up for sale and a pro XP is in our future.... Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to participate in the sport, and 50" and 60" trails just became one of them for us.

 

I mean, every RZR made is already over the legal limit, what's another 5-10"? 😁

"Accidentally" did that on a WA to AZ trip this spring. Agreed to haul a "trail" for another guy but did not think to ask what brand. He has a Arctic Cat and spec is 111" and he has winch/bumper. I found out the morning we loaded to leave..... It made the trip but not something I want to do on a regular basis. On a 6 week trip this summer we have been in 3 states already and headed for 1 more. We spend a lot of time traveling to ride. I know you were teasing a bit, but there is a huge difference between a little over and grossly over.

I have a 900 trail right now, my wife has an ace 900sp, and untill our last ride, we were perfectly happy with them.
We too were sticking with 50" machines to keep all trail options open, we just had to go slower than the bigger machines, no problem.
We took a new (to us) trail that was awesome, but full of rocks. I loved it, but my back did not. It didn't matter how slow we went, my rzr trail and my wife's ace just bucked the crap out of us, leaving us both barely able to walk the next day.
The decision was made that both machines will be going up for sale and a pro XP is in our future.... Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to participate in the sport, and 50" and 60" trails just became one of them for us.

Have you ridden an XP? On our AZ trip I did a little bit of time in a Wildcat XX and while it was better than our trail it was not "amazingly" different. The amount of difference for us would not be worth the trade off in price and limiting access.

The only 2 conditions that are super rough for us are open face rock with native surface and hard pack desert with modules/holes that are different spacing that fits our machine.

 

I meant to mention we are also going to a 4 seater from our current 2 seater + 1 seater. The difference in ride between with the extra wheelbase of a 4 seater is basically like having a few extra inches of travel, not in all situations, but definitely in the exact situation we were in on the last ride where the machine is being rocked back and forth and alternating wheels in the air due to uneven terrain and rocks. We were passed by a few xp1000 and pro XP 4 seaters and watching them motor smoothly away while we just about kill ourselves trying to keep up was crazy.
Yea, it's great being able to pick different lines in a 50" machine that bigger machines cant take, but I've found they really dont have to. A few weeks ago I spent 2-3 minutes negotiating a particular section of trail, feeling rather proud of myself for getting through without too much belly dragging, only to watch a big 4 seater motor right down the middle without a care in the world....

As for cost, going to a single 4 seater pro XP is going to cost about the same as upgrading both machines to something newer anyway. 🤷
Certainly this route isn't for everyone, it's going to depend on the terrain you ride for sure, and another downside is right now if one of us breaks down the other can still tow them back, which obviously a won't be able to do with a single 4 seater....
Once we decide for sure what we want, maybe it would be a good idea to rent one for a day before we finalize anything.

 

Yeah, no way a 4 seater would work for us. 102" is legal width, an XP4 is 146" is way of out of the equation. If we can not haul it we won't be able to use it like we do now. We head out to remote locations, boondock for a week, come to town dump, fill, fuel, groceries and repeat.

I know you mentioned picking different lines. There are no "different" lines in many of the places we ride. The trees, rocks, other natural object are stationary and the path is the path. Especially when you are touching on one or both sides. In OR last month we rode some trails where a wider machine would have fit fine, however turning around at the end could have been a real challenge. Even with the Trail it was a 4 point turn.

 

I've drove both and turning around an XP 2 seater just on dirt roads is a challenge. I couldn't even imagine trying to find a spot to turn around in a 4 seater. I'll take the 50" Trail ride and maneuverability any day over driving basically something the size of a small truck on the trails in the XP models. Any "trails" that an XP can fit through are called roads in my book.

 

I own the 2020 Fox Edition with the ride command. This edition did not come with speakers which the 2021 model does, but I have found the ride command GPS very handy, the ability to map and find my way back to waypoints very useful. Also the ability to use it as a code reader has been very nice. I also find myself using the backup camera on the trail . I have found this feature usefully enough that I am going to add a front camera to it as well.

The other item that is found on the ultimate that no one has mentioned is the Turf Mode. I use that feature all the time, on the trail to make it easier to maneuver Unlocking your rear is handy to have , I also drive on roads occasional and this saves the wear on the tires.
The turf mode is something that cannot be added easily.
The other feature that I use on the ride command is the ability to customize the gauges.
I haven't rode in a trail with the Sachs shocks for a long enough time ( just a test drive around the dealers trail) to compare them to the Fox shocks that have, but talking with other owners the difference is significant.
For me the difference of $1700.00 between the models is a wash for the shocks and the roof. Then you throw in the ride command and the turf mode makes the ultimate a better value.

 

I own the 2020 Fox Edition with the ride command. This edition did not come with speakers which the 2021 model does, but I have found the ride command GPS very handy, the ability to map and find my way back to waypoints very useful.

That is what I use OnX for. It also allows me to use it on any device or platform. I can easily store, save, track and share tons of info. Not only that shows property ownership, MVUM's, historical roads and most important to me, satellite view. There are tons of other features also integrated.

Also the ability to use it as a code reader has been very nice. I also find myself using the backup camera on the trail . I have found this feature usefully enough that I am going to add a front camera to it as well.

The code reader would be nice for sure.

The other item that is found on the ultimate that no one has mentioned is the Turf Mode. I use that feature all the time, on the trail to make it easier to maneuver Unlocking your rear is handy to have , I also drive on roads occasional and this saves the wear on the tires.
The turf mode is something that cannot be added easily.
The other feature that I use on the ride command is the ability to customize the gauges.
I haven't rode in a trail with the Sachs shocks for a long enough time ( just a test drive around the dealers trail) to compare them to the Fox shocks that have, but talking with other owners the difference is significant.
For me the difference of $1700.00 between the models is a wash for the shocks and the roof. Then you throw in the ride command and the turf mode makes the ultimate a better value.

Turf would be nice. I would say about 20% or our riding is on hard pack or pavement.

 

I would like to see a comparison btwn the FOX 2.0 and aftermarket on the same machine to validate those claims of superiority and see if the aftermarket is worth the extra money. Like I said FOX vs Sachs has been done and there is a very big difference. If you are considering the money the upgrade to Ultimate is well worth it btwn roof, FOX shocks, Ride Command, and Turf mode. It's a no brainer for anyone considering the Trail.

If you want to improve the ride even further then consider ShockTherapy springs on the FOX 2.0 shocks. They do extensive testing and have spring set-ups for all the RZRs and I bet it's cheaper than all new shocks. Other options are to remove the rear sway bar as well as the front. That will improve the ride further and you likely only need it for high speed stuff. Consider upgrading the tires to 27s or 28s and running a pound or two lower pressures when the OEM ones bite the dust. I know a bunch of guys who have done this and do fine with the stock clutch. These are cheap ways to customize your ride. I bet you would be happy with the Ultimate Trail.

There is no sense comparing an XP Pro or the RZR 4 platform to the Trail. Personally, I would loose 2/3 of the trails in my state if I moved to any other platform.

 

I have removed the front sway bar and that really helped.

I have not tired the rear, but have considered it. One thing holding me back is we ride mixed terrain on the same ride. We might start on pavement at ~50 MPH and then end up in the snow, open face rocks, technical, mud, or a combo of all and then return over the same conditions.

I have had 27" Terrabites on since 1500 miles as mentioned in the main post. The OEM were shot when I getting skinny when I got the machine. I typically run 11 psi front and 12 psi rear.

 

You can always try removing the rear or get the one you can engage or disengage electronically. The sway bar really is for fast sweepers which really isn't what the Trail is about. I bet you wouldn't miss it.

Another way to improve ride is to change from Bias Ply tires to Radial tires. I can't recall if the Terrabites are radials. The cords in radials are arranged differently and the sidewalls are softer and more pliable. Radial tires greatly improve the ride. I am all about ride comfort as you may have guessed and plan to make a change to larger radials next year. I run 10psi/12psi.

 

This has been an interesting topic, good discussion. I have old 800 trail machines, and not looking to upgrade at the moment, but I think I would be interested in the Ultimate, for the money it seems like the best value if you want the extras.

I wanted to comment on the sway bars, I removed a link in the front and that helps, then I made a link in the back that you can engage or disengage, but manually. It takes about 15 seconds but everyone has to get out if you want it riding level. It cost next to nothing to do and it really makes a difference on rough terrain. I wouldn't want a narrow machine without it for roads though, the body roll is very noticeable. I also run 27" radial Maxxis Coronado's aired at 10 psi and I think that helps a bunch also.

 

Aftermarket Fox are in theory superior to factory Fox shocks. I've changed mine out to Fox QS3R's and have noticed a superior ride for sure but it's important to note you still only have 10" of travel so the ride will be rough at times compared to an XP. And you will have to sped some time setting up your spring and valving to your liking but that's part of the fun if you ask me.

 

Did u upgrade from Sachs to the Fox or what?

 

Sachs, I have changed rear main spring and tender to be where I want now valving. They have really helped.

 

Before changing out the suspension, try adding the spring bracket kits to the seat bottoms. In my 2021 Premium Trail I went from having back pains after a half hour of riding to no back issues after hours of riding. The difference is simply amazing. RZR SSBII -Suspension Seat Bracket

 

Lokks like it raises the seat position by 2-3 inches any issue with the helmet and the roof?

 

I have no issues. Plenty of head room. When you are sitting in it, I think it is less than a 2 inch increase (rough guess).

 

rzrbird, I agree 100 %

 

I recently did aftermarket seats. not the spring brackets. just new seats that supposesdly are " suspension seats" due to the webbing.

When you sit in a stock seat then immediately jump to a aftermarket seat (on display or two rzrs next to each other) the aftermarket seat SHINES! But without comparing- you can easily talk yourself out of buying new seats. But once you do you'll remember why.
I am about to start my S conversion. I have 2020 Fox shocks with 470M on them looking to get rid of soon....in AZ